3 ms·

Earn in the US, retire in the EU. Working in the EU for life is working for life. But ten years in the US all engines burning and you can take it easy in the EU

Earn in the US, retire in the EU. Working in the EU for life is working for life. But ten years in the US all engines burning and you can take it easy in the EU.

dcminter 3y ago
This sounds hellish to me. Sacrifice family/social life for a decade merely so that you can be relatively well off in the EU... assuming that inflation or international cataclysm doesn't eat the value of your savings? Versus... just live with a good work/life balance in the EU in the first place?
- lotsofpulp 3y ago
  Wages do not keep up with inflation, assets do. The sacrifice is to secure enough assets to move up in levels of “security” (such as security of being able to procure medical/legal/education/land/other services that are beyond most wage earner’s capacity. Although, it is also a perfectly reasonable move to not gamble on that and instead spend time with your family or friends or whatnot. Just depends what an individual wants to bet on.
- beeeeerp 3y ago
  To each their own, but I’m one of those people hoarding to retire (albeit at a slower burn rate than the original poster). I’m just not built for a 9-5 (or seemingly structured work for that matter). I do enjoy what I’m doing, but I can’t wait to sleep in every day and be spontaneous about my plans. I went on sabbatical for half a year a while back, and it changed me. I can’t wait to get back in that frame of mind. I’ll probably pick up some work/hobbies for fun, but I don’t like work to dictate my life. I’m working towards every day being a mini vacation. My work/life balance is also already very good, but it would be a lot better IMO if I could take off randomly for a month and fill my time with whatever suits me at that moment.
cheschire 3y ago
Well I can’t speak for all of the EU, but as far as I know Germany can’t be the only country that has issues with delays for routine medical care due to the lack of doctors and other staff.
- freitzkriesler2 3y ago
  The sad part is, every one of them has this. Same for Canada. And a lot of Americans who speak my nothing but good will about European healthcare iconveniently leave out this truth. Another inconvenient fact that is that most wealthy workers have suplemental private health insurance as well.
voidfunc 3y ago
How much does someone need to live a decent middle/upper-class lifestyle in Europe? For example Ireland, UK, Spain or Portugal? I'm intrigued by this idea, but how much I'd enough, or at least enough that I could work lightly and be in great shape?
- renewiltord 3y ago
  4 million GBP will keep you very comfortable in a smaller English town like Leicester.
  - rsanek 3y ago
    not sure that's too different from the US at an equivalent amount
- freitzkriesler2 3y ago
  What do you define as as decent? Do you want to own a car and own property? Uk, you're looking at 50-60k GBP in a 2nd or 3rd tier city. London you'll want a bankers salary plus if you want to live in zone 1/2. EU same applies. Around 50-60k EUR. The worst part about Europe and the UK are the lack of 30 year mortgages. Tier 1 cities you'll need way more.
  - moltar 3y ago
    Portugal has 40 year mortgages ;)
    - freitzkriesler2 3y ago
      Thank GOD
- moltar 3y ago
  In Portugal, as a single person you could have decent living on 1K EUR/mo. Not in a major city though. For a good life you probably need about 2K. If you want to travel and eat out often then make it 3.

Earn in the US, retire in the EU. Working in the EU for life is working for life. But ten years in the US all engines burning and you can take it easy in the EU.

dcminter 3y ago

This sounds hellish to me. Sacrifice family/social life for a decade merely so that you can be relatively well off in the EU... assuming that inflation or international cataclysm doesn't eat the value of your savings? Versus... just live with a good work/life balance in the EU in the first place?

lotsofpulp 3y ago
Wages do not keep up with inflation, assets do. The sacrifice is to secure enough assets to move up in levels of “security” (such as security of being able to procure medical/legal/education/land/other services that are beyond most wage earner’s capacity. Although, it is also a perfectly reasonable move to not gamble on that and instead spend time with your family or friends or whatnot. Just depends what an individual wants to bet on.
beeeeerp 3y ago
To each their own, but I’m one of those people hoarding to retire (albeit at a slower burn rate than the original poster). I’m just not built for a 9-5 (or seemingly structured work for that matter). I do enjoy what I’m doing, but I can’t wait to sleep in every day and be spontaneous about my plans. I went on sabbatical for half a year a while back, and it changed me. I can’t wait to get back in that frame of mind. I’ll probably pick up some work/hobbies for fun, but I don’t like work to dictate my life. I’m working towards every day being a mini vacation. My work/life balance is also already very good, but it would be a lot better IMO if I could take off randomly for a month and fill my time with whatever suits me at that moment.

cheschire 3y ago

Well I can’t speak for all of the EU, but as far as I know Germany can’t be the only country that has issues with delays for routine medical care due to the lack of doctors and other staff.

freitzkriesler2 3y ago
The sad part is, every one of them has this. Same for Canada. And a lot of Americans who speak my nothing but good will about European healthcare iconveniently leave out this truth. Another inconvenient fact that is that most wealthy workers have suplemental private health insurance as well.

voidfunc 3y ago

How much does someone need to live a decent middle/upper-class lifestyle in Europe? For example Ireland, UK, Spain or Portugal? I'm intrigued by this idea, but how much I'd enough, or at least enough that I could work lightly and be in great shape?

renewiltord 3y ago
4 million GBP will keep you very comfortable in a smaller English town like Leicester.
- rsanek 3y ago
  not sure that's too different from the US at an equivalent amount
freitzkriesler2 3y ago
What do you define as as decent? Do you want to own a car and own property? Uk, you're looking at 50-60k GBP in a 2nd or 3rd tier city. London you'll want a bankers salary plus if you want to live in zone 1/2. EU same applies. Around 50-60k EUR. The worst part about Europe and the UK are the lack of 30 year mortgages. Tier 1 cities you'll need way more.
- moltar 3y ago
  Portugal has 40 year mortgages ;)
  - freitzkriesler2 3y ago
    Thank GOD
moltar 3y ago
In Portugal, as a single person you could have decent living on 1K EUR/mo. Not in a major city though. For a good life you probably need about 2K. If you want to travel and eat out often then make it 3.