โFeb-28-2014 08:11 PM
โMar-07-2014 07:54 PM
Almot wrote:
There are snowbirds in Tx where it's cheaper than in Az, and in Az where it's cheaper than in Fl. And there are snowbirds in places where it's cheaper than in Tx, and warmer in winter too. My winter retreat costs $120 a month if rented by the year, water included, no electricity. No big deal in winter, it's warm. In summer I wouldn't stay there, too hot and humid.
If you want it cheap, you'll get it, though you might not like it. Cheaper places cost that little for a reason. It can be climate, or remoteness, or political instability, or something else.
I recall a TV documentary about great Costa Rica and their public healthcare last year. A guy from BC was bitten by snake when walking down the alley - not in a jungle somewhere. Local doctors ordered an X-ray and couldn't tell what it was. It was getting worse... and worse... and worse... On the 2nd or 3rd day he grabbed flight home, paying whatever price there was. By then he couldn't walk, vomited. Went to Vancouver General emergency straight from the airport, within a few hours was diagnosed and told that he needed a shot of antivenom IMMEDIATELY. The hospital didn't have it, but they flew it from Seattle same day. The guy lived. Had he stayed in Costa Rica, things could've been different.
โMar-07-2014 06:14 PM
โMar-07-2014 01:42 PM
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โMar-07-2014 11:17 AM
โMar-07-2014 09:41 AM
โMar-07-2014 08:30 AM
netjam wrote:They must be putting their $ under the mattress.
Moisheh We know a number of folks with GIS that snowbird. They have lots of $ that produce no taxable income. In our case we have no pension except CPP which is far less than $22K
โMar-07-2014 07:09 AM
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โMar-06-2014 10:25 PM
โMar-06-2014 05:58 PM
Almot wrote:John & Angela wrote:
I don't think the 8 month thing would do much for us. Although I can see spending 8 or 9 months on the road it wouldn't be all in the US. Lots of countries out there to see. I can see how some might be interested though, age group etc. It will be interesting to watch. I think health care costs could get nuts.
Health insurance, yes. You lose provincial plan after 7 months in a calendar year (subject to 2 years exemption once every 5 years). Then you will need a private plan for the US that doesn't require a valid provincial coverage, and for people over 65 those are either very expensive, or have very low coverage like 50K - a laughable amount for US hospitals. And you also need to pay for a private plan in-Canada when you return home and wait 3 months to re-activate the provincial plan.
You also lose your GIS pension after uninterrupted 6 months out of Canada.
Some people will probably benefit from this new "retiree visa", not sure how many.
โMar-06-2014 04:55 PM
John & Angela wrote:
I don't think the 8 month thing would do much for us. Although I can see spending 8 or 9 months on the road it wouldn't be all in the US. Lots of countries out there to see. I can see how some might be interested though, age group etc. It will be interesting to watch. I think health care costs could get nuts.