With brutally cold weather gripping much of the United States (as I write this article), many “snowbirds” who are enjoying sunshine and margaritas in Arizona or Florida are probably wondering what all the fuss is about.
A snowbird, in case you’re not familiar with this parlance, is a term used in North America to describe someone who moves southward (from northern latitudes) in the winter, only to move back northward when warmer weather returns (in the spring or summer).
As someone who jobbed at luxury car dealerships in both Michigan and Florida, I spent a good deal of my professional time working with clients who were snowbirds. The timelines were different, but I found Easter to be the unofficial demarcation for heading north, with Thanksgiving or so being the unofficial demarcation for heading back south again.
I always thought this was a neat trick.
You get the best of both worlds. You get to have your cake and eat it, too.
It’s a nice balance between a settled lifestyle and a nomadic lifestyle, where one is able to more or less have a permanent home – or center of life operations – while also indulging in their inner wanderlust every year.
Moreover, since the most comfortable temperature for most human beings is somewhere around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, snowbirds essentially get to live within a constant zone of optimal environmental comfort.
I haven’t yet added an article to my Happiness Is series on this particular subject, but I will note that year-round warm weather and sunshine definitely adds to my happiness. Seasonal affective disorder is something that would creep up almost every year when I lived in Michigan.
Whereas I actually believe there’s a lot of value in discomfort, this is more in the sense of keeping one’s edge sharp – one should not necessarily strive to have constant comfort by avoiding all challenges and responsibilities in life. I don’t, however, believe there’s a lot of value in walking around in freezing and potentially life-threatening weather.
But that environmental comfort allows a snowbird to also spend a lot of time in contrasting areas, as places in northern states/areas are almost always different from places in southern states/areas. While it’s not like living in a different country, infrastructure, political views, religious views, and even daily habits vary to certain degrees between places in northern states and places in southern states.
The problem with the snowbird lifestyle, though, is that it’s quite expensive. It’s perhaps even prohibitively expensive. And this is just one reason why the snowbird lifestyle is usually reserved for older people who have the financial resources to execute it. Plus, they usually don’t have jobs tying them down to any one location.
But since most of you readers are actively chasing a lifestyle that cuts out the job, could we not also figure out a way to optimize the snowbird idea?
Well, I believe there’s a far better solution out there for prospective snowbirds.
This solution could substitute a more typical North American snowbird lifestyle, saving a ton of money in the process. And due to this solution being much cheaper, one could access this lifestyle decades before a more typical snowbird’s idea of seasonal trekking.
This solution should be thought of as something that bolts onto and complements one’s existing plans to become financially independent and/or retire relatively early in life.
Are you ready?
Let’s check it out.
Southeast Asia In The Winter
If you can’t tell by that headline, I’m proposing replicating the snowbird lifestyle completely outside of the United States.
I’ve already discussed how becoming a dividend expat turned me into an instant millionaire. The financial benefits of relocating overseas could be substantial, but I won’t rehash it today. That said, those financial benefits underpin this idea, making it a viable and attractive snowbird solution/substitution.
With those financial benefits in mind, living in Southeast Asia instead of, say, Florida during the cooler months (at least in the Northern Hemisphere) would be far cheaper. It would also probably be healthier. And it would also be much more dynamic and exciting.
This isn’t even to mention that the beaches in Thailand are arguably better than anything the US has to offer (outside of Hawaii, maybe).
I personally plan to continue living in Thailand indefinitely. But there’s a possibility that I might end up living here on a more seasonal basis, choosing to live outside the country during the hot/rainy season.
That leads me to the summer destination…
Eastern Europe In The Summer
Eastern Europe appeals to me for some of the same reasons that Southeast Asia does.
Much of Eastern Europe isn’t as cheap as much of Southeast Asia. But almost all of Eastern Europe is far cheaper than just about any option in North America.
And since this proposal would involve spending only the summertime in Eastern Europe, one’s overall annual spend probably wouldn’t rise that much, averaged out across the year.
For example, I spent just over $1,200 in my first month here in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
And that was all while living a lifestyle that has no rules whatsoever (for my personal tastes/values). That’s living in a beautiful apartment in the trendiest and most walkable part of the city. That’s eating out for every meal (and paying for two people more than 25% of the time). That’s playing tourist and Mr. Meetup. You get the idea.
I think this exact lifestyle could be replicated for not much more money in many places in Eastern Europe. Alternatively, one could drop the lifestyle down a notch or two and probably spend a similar amount of money to what I spend here in Chiang Mai.
Some of the better options in this region of the world include Budapest, Bucharest, and Prague. But there are cheaper cities on the fringe. Furthermore, one could pick a different city every year, offering even more exploration and adventure opportunities every summer.
These cities in Eastern Europe aren’t just much cheaper than many similar choices in the States, but they’re also likely to be far more lively and vibrant. In my opinion, you’re likely going to be getting a lot more for a lot less.
In fact, I may end up checking out Eastern Europe this summer, as visiting now requires far less resource expenditure relative to what was necessary back when I was still living in the States.
No Longer Two Homes To Worry About/Pay For
The much lower cost structure that exists in these places is already enough to make this solution a very appealing substitution for what a typical snowbird might aim for and/or experience.
And this lower cost structure could allow someone who is aiming for – or someone who has achieved – financial independence an opportunity to “follow the weather”, all while experiencing a fascinating adventure that may very well lead a much higher overall quality of life relative to the available alternatives in North America.
But the financial benefits become supercharged when you factor in the fact that one wouldn’t have to worry about two homes/abodes.
My personal experience with and exposure to snowbirds has allowed me to ask them questions about how they manage that lifestyle.
What I found out is that they typically have a permanent home in the north. They may have a nice house in Toronto, Ann Arbor, Indianapolis, etc.
The housing options then diverge a bit when they come south. Some rent a vacation house for a few months. Some have a second home in Southwest Florida (or somewhere else south). Some rent furnished apartments temporarily.
But the thing is, every single snowbird I talked to was paying for two shelters simultaneously for at least a few months of the year, which adds quite a bit of cost to this lifestyle.
Well, alternating between Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe would allow one to completely eliminate this ongoing concern from their life, as furnished apartments are more commonplace and accessible in this part of the world, all while costing much less money than what they do back in the States.
And if you’re a minimalist, you certainly don’t need a large and permanent structure just to keep a bunch of stuff at.
So what I would do, if I were to execute this idea, is simply rent a furnished apartment on a monthly basis in one location at a time. When I’m ready to migrate northward or southward, I would just put my stuff in a bag or two, fly back to my other city, and then find a new monthly, furnished, all-inclusive rental. This could be repeated indefinitely.
Conclusion
This idea isn’t for everyone, nor is living as an expat in the first place.
But I think this is a very viable and attractive alternative to the more traditional snowbird lifestyle.
And it’s actually an idea that’s starting to gain traction within my own mind. It’s probably not something I’d look to execute this year or the next, but I can actually envision a future in which I live outside of Thailand for a few months, when the heat and rain here is at it’s peak.
Being a snowbird isn’t just for older retirees.
What do you think? Is this the ultimate snowbird solution?
Thanks for reading.
Image courtesy of: iosphere at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
P.S. If this is an idea that appeals to you, or if you’re interested in achieving financial independence at all, I’ve compiled some fantastic resources that could provide tremendous support. I’ve personally used these resources to become financially independent in my early 30s, so check them out!
Non traditional snowbirds! I love the idea of living in a warmer climate for the winter (as right now it’s 15 F in Toronto) but I would never want to live in the same place or worry about home ownership. Moving to Southeast Asia or even South America for the winter sounds superb. I think this is an idea which will catch on with the younger generation!
LD,
Stay warm over there in Toronto!
Yeah, I agree about the younger generation comment. This is already occurring with all of these digital nomads, which I get to see firsthand every day over here in Thailand. This idea is akin to what they’re doing, but with a far more traditional angle (instead of just bouncing around every month or so).
Thanks for dropping by.
Best regards.
Jason,
There was a man by the name of Spoonman who had a thread on the early retirement extreme forum that I would read regularly. He stopped posting quite some time ago but him and his wife (girlfriend? i forget) would do much the same you mention here. Not quite on the snowbird philosophy but on a rent month to month and slow travel the world. Unfortunately he stopped posting but boy would I love to read and live vicariously through him. If you start to do this, I hope you continue to write, if only occasionally throughout the years. Geographical arbitrage is a great way to experience the world and now that money is no longer an issue for you, the experiences are only just beginning!
I must admit, I was skeptical of this new blog you started in the beginning and leaving almost all money posts behind, because I really loved reading about dividend income posts, but I am starting to really enjoy reading this again. Especially if you start traveling and blogging as you do it. I suspect that there are only a small percentage of people that are doing what you are doing and can write so eloquently about it all. Its fun to read about!
Keep up the good work and look forward to reading about all your adventures in the future.
ADD
ADD,
I remember Spoonman. He used to comment at DM quite a bit. I hope all is well with him and his significant other. The slow travel they’re doing is more analogous to what a lot of digital nomads are doing over here. The main difference being, of course, that financial independence via living off of dividends doesn’t require online income. But I like this idea quite a bit more, as spending significant amounts of time traveling (airports, buses, luggage, etc.) sounds like a total bummer to me, but to each their own. Others love traveling. I would prefer just bouncing around to a different summer location every year for a few months, then heading back to a more permanent home. It’s a nice balance between the nomad thing and settling in. Less drawbacks, in my view. But I see this as something a few years down the road. I still have a lot of Thailand to see and experience.
Glad you’re enjoying the content! 🙂
Cheers.
Extreme cold weather here in Toronto and other part of the Canada as well. Just three more months to go, I am counting 🙂
It is a sound snowbird solution – far cheaper but better option than going to Florida or other part of North America. Also, I heard some sad stories about those who own second homes in Florida due to the recent disaster.
Eastern Europe for summer? Wow you are really enjoying your life 🙂 … Looking forward to see your experience there..
FJ,
I don’t envy you guys. Hope spring comes extra early this year! 🙂
Yeah, I do think this is a far more viable, sustainable, and accessible solution. Becoming a snowbird sounds great on paper, but it’s incredibly inefficient (in the way that most snowbirds do it). This is way, way more efficient. As such, the barriers to entry break down pretty quickly.
Thanks for stopping in!
Best wishes.
Hi Jason, This is very interesting. I have not really thought much about the snowbird concept since both my wife and I enjoy our jobs so we need to stay put during the Chicago winter. I will say, owning one house is more than enough for me. I would never consider owning a 2nd residence in a warm climate for all the reasons you would understand and support. Is your concept popular overseas or is it a unique idea you have created? Tom
Tom,
I have an (unfortunate) emotional connection to Chicago. It’s illogical (because of what I think are far too many drawbacks), but I do really love the city/area. Spent many winters across the Lake. Stay warm!
Yeah, I can imagine one house is enough. I wouldn’t even want one. Two would be insane.
This is a somewhat unique concept. There are a lot of digital nomads who are making a living online and popping around to different countries every month or two, but this is actually taking an old-school North American idea and improving on it in a big way using 21st-century opportunities.
Cheers!
My mother and step father are snowbirds. Nova Scotia and a senior’s trailer park just north east of Tampa, Florida.
Canadians have public health care, so that is a the major reason for heading north for more than 180 days a year.
Going overseas, can increase your quality of life. A person needs to find the place for them and them make an effort to enjoy it rather then sit in a couch and watch TV all the time.
Paying for 2 places can be costly. My mom and step-father own both places with no mortgage. My uncle visits their NS to keep an eye on it. Pay to have someone plow the drive way when it snows. Heat is kept on low.
IP,
I’ve met plenty of snowbirds just like that. I always thought it was such a neat idea. But it’s way too inefficient for me. I knew it could be improved in a big way. This is that improvement. 🙂
Cheers!
Hi Jason try to inform you about Indonesia When in Thai is the rain season, the wheater in Indo could be more better because the monsoon is far away enought…..and is cheap more the east europe!! Great work man! Ciao. Giuliano
Giuliano,
Weather patterns and overall climate will obviously vary from country to country. It varies a bit even from region to region here in Thailand. But if I were really looking to make a change for the summer months, I would just go outside the region. The cost is just one aspect. I think the idea is also appealing from the angle of experiencing a new/different culture/lifestyle every summer. Snowbirds get a little bit of that, but this is scaled way up. 🙂
Best regards!
Jason, great article! We enjoy your posts. My wife and I live near Daytona Beach, FL and would like to escape the FL heat in the summer ! We are considering a small used RV and purchasing a couple of small plots of. 25 to 1 acre land in separate parts of the country rather than having another house. We like to garden and it would give us an opportunity to plant fruit trees and start permaculture plots with some sustainable plants. We would need to set up water and electric, but wouldn’t be saddled by another house and could later sell the land. Happy New Year and all the best! John and Christine
John,
Thanks for dropping by!
The RV idea is another way to go. I know that’s very popular with a certain percentage of people. It might be super fun. If you need/want to stay in the States, it’s a pretty solid alternative. If I were to do something like that, though, I’d use it as my only shelter. I wouldn’t own a house at all. Of course, I’m pretty extreme.
Best of luck with whatever you decide to do. 🙂
Cheers!
I haven’t given international locations serious consideration, but I don’t know why. I love reading articles about people slow traveling around the world, living in other countries, etc., but for some reason I never picture myself being one of those people. And I’m in a perfect situation to do so: 35 years old, hit FI the middle of last year, can work on my side gigs from anywhere with an internet connection, and haven’t burdened myself with kids.
I’ve had such a major case of tunnel vision these last few years as I’ve been grinding through my day job that it’s hard to shift gears and realize I’m already out of the tunnel. All I need to do is sell my house (it’s already on the market) and I’ll be free to move wherever I want! Articles like this one serve as a good reminder that there are all sorts of great international options out there and I don’t have to limit myself to CA/HI for good weather.
Travis,
Yeah, you’re in the perfect spot to do whatever you want, be it domestically or abroad.
This kind of lifestyle isn’t for everyone. But I think it’s quite advantageous when looking at the benefits against the drawbacks.
I’m sure you’ll figure out what works best for you after you have some to time to exist and thrive outside of the “tunnel”. 🙂
Best regards.
Great article Jason, as always. I have bee envisioning the same thing myself… for I have a huge desire to see parts of Asia, and also little to no desire to be there during certain seasons. You could probably move to some northern parts of Asia in the summer, as well, to escape the hot / humid season, all the while keeping things a bit closer to home. Quick question for you since you mentioned that you may check out Europe this summer, do you have an annual lease in the apartment you are renting? Are you able to sublet? I am also curious as to how you found it – I saw the pictures and it looks great. Thank you so much for sharing this information, and I can’t wait to see if you have a built in travel partner on these epic journeys. Andrew (also tweeting as MassageStore)
Andrew,
One could do a different part of Asia during the summer, but most of this area is quite warm. Even Europe gets toasty in a lot of spots during July and August. But I think the idea has a lot of appeal more from the perspective of experiencing a totally different culture/lifestyle for a few months per year. That’s why I think going off to Europe for the summers would be better than seeing a different part of Asia. You get to really balance a settled life with one that has some nomadic features/fun sprinkled in.
Apartments here are like I’ve described before. They don’t work like in the States. You find one and then move in on the spot. No lease. You’re on a month-to-month basis. They’re furnished, with everything already set up. So there would be no need to sublet. You could jet off for a few months, then get another apartment when you come back. Of course, if you have a bunch of stuff that you just can’t part with, you could keep the place. With how cheap rent is here, it wouldn’t be as big of a detraction as it is in the States.
As for the built-in travel partner, that’s a must for me. And I think that’s all set. 🙂
Best wishes!
Thanks Jason! You always offer an alternative / expanded perspective, and do so in a complimentary and complementary way. One of the many reasons I enjoy reading your posts and responses. Just out of curiosity, do you see people more my age there? I just turned 50. One of the things I am also pondering is what do single FI expats do when pursuing this kind of lifestyle. I was thinking a good idea would be to create a singleexpatmatch.com type of site. I am sure that meetups and expat groups are great ways to meet others though.
Andrew,
Thanks so much!
There are many expats in that age range. Most of the people permanently or semi-permanently living here (i.e., expats) tend to be older than myself, due to most people my age not having the financial means to stay long term. In fact, Thailand’s retirement visa is available at age 50, so there you go. But I would say, based on what I’ve seen myself, most expats in that age range are men. I would bet male expats significantly outnumber female expats, but there are numerous reasons for this (which are beyond the scope of this comment). A number of websites and services actually already exist out here for dating/meetups, but the dating pool for a 50-year-old guy is going to be dominated by Thai women. So if you’re not interested in dating a Thai woman, that will be something you’ll want to consider.
Cheers!
Well, a friend of mine in the making (that would be you my friend), once said ‘I would never want to date an American woman’. I have met / dated many great American women, and some are even financially conscious / conscientious, although that number is few and far between in my experience. Based on some pictures I have been seeing lately (also a reference to you), dating a Thai woman doesn’t seem like it would be too bad.
My friend just married a woman who relocated here from Taiwan, and she is just the best. She is soft spoken, gentle in her manner, is not competitive, hasn’t lost sight of her femininity, allows you to finish your sentence before speaking, actually asks questions instead of giving her opinion / countering what was said, etc. Those qualities, sadly, I am experiencing more and more with American women… and men too. Of course, I live in the New York / Tri State area, so I think that kind of mindset / behavior is the most prevalent of all areas on the US. Hence, my reason to wrap things up and move on.
Again, as I said in Starbucks to you in Sarasota, I can’t thank you enough for changing my life’s trajectory. All of this began when I stumbled upon the first article I read of yours. I immediately redirected all of my resources, am fast approaching a 7 figure nut (taxable and retirement – although there will be no tax when I relocate to a non-tax state), and the next phase begins May 1st, 2019. I will be sending you a big electronic thank you card on that day!
Andrew,
Well, it sounds like you’ll enjoy it very much over here. 🙂
I’ve made my reasoning regarding women/dating and moving here well known, but I also understand it’s not for everyone. That said, it’s far, far exceeded my expectations. I was only mentioning the relative dearth of older western women in case you were interested in a different angle. I have no idea why anyone would come over here for that, but you never know.
Appreciate the kind words. Being able to help and inspire people is honestly a dream come true for me. I feel blessed that I can positively impact people. If we could all be a bit more free and happy, the world would be a better place.
Cheers!
Exactly, Jason. Why go to another country and look to recreate the same environment that one is leaving in the first place… aka, why bring sand to the beach is a favorite expression. With that said, a couple of things come to mind with regards to that. Meeting someone from one originating area while traveling / relocating abroad says a lot about that person – could they actually be like minded and more complementary? Not 100% sure. Where ever you go, thats where you are.
Of course, outside of western women, there are also British, Australian / New Zealand, South African, European women that are traveling abroad. One of the main reasons I asked is because of my age bracket. I am 50, and don’t look to date women significantly younger, which I know a lot of older / monied men do when going to a number of countries in Asia. Wasn’t quite sure if there are a lot of single foreign women in the bracket I usually look to date in.
The only thing(s) that I would be concerned about when dating into a foreign culture is:
Language Barriers / Cultural Differences Of A Significant Nature – I reference that with regards to the nuances of the english language as it applies to humor, cultural references such as that favorite old movie and a quote that could be found mutually humorous or insightful, spirituality, intellectual conversations, etc. I truly wonder if I would feel fulfilled / fully expressed in that environment. Then again, I don’t feel that I have that in my current relationship in many of those areas.
Family Structures – I love family, I enjoy being a part of a loving environment. I don’t want children. I wonder if most, if not all of the women from these cultures would want to have children / raise a family.
Just thinking out loud…
Andrew,
Right. No sense in bringing sand to the beach, although that’s what some people try to do. They end up frustrated and jaded by the pursuit. Meanwhile, I’m enjoying myself precisely because of what CM has to offer me, as I wrote about in my “Reverse Culture Shock” article.
A lot of your thoughts really come down to one’s personal feelings and experiences. And they’ll be somewhat specific to the people you meet. Just like your neighbor there in the NY area might not necessarily represent or correlate well with another woman over in Kansas, one Thai woman here might be radically different from another one. So it’s up to you to make that leap, give it your best go, be smart, and see what happens. Whether or not you’ll be happy will depend largely on what you’re looking to accomplish, how you approach it, and who you rely on to make that happen.
I will only speak on the children aspect because finding a woman who was okay with no children was an absolute must for me. I didn’t find it to be challenging at all, as you can see based on my timeline of things. But that’s just been my experience with it.
Hope that helps!
Best regards.
I like this. I’d totally dig a summer in Prague, just for the experience.
FV,
Life could be worse! 🙂
Cheers.
Great read. This is exactly the lifestyle I want when I retire. My girlfriend and I plan to live and rent apartments in different cities throughout the world. I think thats the best way to travel and see the world. Living in different places and seeing what they have to offer.
FV,
That’s a great way to go, too. That’s more akin to slow travel. It’s also essentially what a lot of digital nomads do. That would be too nomadic for me personally, which is why I like this idea. It’s a 21st-century take on an old-school North American lifestyle for retirees. You get to have a “home” of sorts to come back to, all while experiencing different parts of the world and getting the best weather. It’s the best of both worlds, in my view. 🙂
Cheers!
Jason, come visit us in Estonia then as well. You have pretty big fanclub here 😉
Roosaare,
Hey, you never know! 🙂
Best regards.
I’ve been a reader for a few years and follower on Facebook. Have enjoyed your articles relating to your experiences in Thailand especially. My husband and I have traveled extensively througout SE Asia (and Asia) and while we love the food and cultures, we hate the humid heat and agree with the ideal temp being in the 70s (but we live in the NYC metro and are hating the winter now, lol). Your snowbird ideas are golden. Also, your insights into Chiang Mai, which we’ve not ventured yet. I see Thailand’s weather there in the north is more agreeable (better than where we’ve traveled in humid hot Bangkok & Pukhet, and other SE Asian cities).
Keep up the great work and we’ll keep reading! Cheers!
Howard,
Appreciate the support very much. Thanks for following along. Glad you’re enjoying some of the new content focused on Thailand. It’s really kind of a fascinating case study, as very few people do something like this. So we’ll see how it goes! 🙂
CM is not as bad as Bangkok, but it’s still not a fantastic climate. However, you can’t have it all. There are always going to be a few drawbacks. It’s just a situation where you’re looking at whether or not the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. I think the spread is advantageous here.
Stay warm over there!
Best wishes.
Jason, Is your Thai girlfriend coming with you? That’s the biggest problem I have with traveling with my filipina girlfriend outside the Philippines. Getting Visas can be a big problem for her and expensive for me…
Frank,
I briefly looked into it. It doesn’t seem to be an issue. I believe problems can arise if the person you’re trying to bring over has no financial assets and/or no job, which makes it look tough from an immigration perspective. Most countries want to make sure you’re leaving after your visit. But the girl I’m seeing has a very nice job, her own home, bank account, etc. So I don’t foresee any problems. However, time will tell. If it’s particularly difficult, I’ll make sure to document that via social media or an article.
Cheers!