"A couple of years after moving to central Oregon, we became empty nesters. We had a place outside Bend and lived on five acres. We had a couple of horses, a tractor, some project cars, and various storage buildings. Our property included two dwellings. A 1,000-square-foot double-wide manufactured home that came with the property. The second was a 1,700-square-foot custom-built, three-bedroom, two-bath house. It was gorgeous."
"Life was good in Oregon, but the political climate in the US was becoming uncomfortable for us, and the cost of living just kept rising. Our property taxes went up, along with car and homeowner's insurance. At first, it was just a couple of percent a year, and before you know it, it all added up. Meanwhile, our wages weren't increasing at the same rate."
"While the cost of living was probably a secondary concern. Our age and health were bigger factors in wanting a change of scenery. I'd had a couple of heart attacks and now have an ICD - an implanted cardioverter-defibrillator. Eventually, we reached a point where we thought, "You know what? We don't need the stress anymore." We knew we wouldn't be rich on the road, but we also wouldn't be poor. So we said, "Let's just go see the world.""
Jeff and Sandra Mayernik, 62-year-old retired realtors, left the United States in 2023 to travel full-time and run the blog The Mobile Retiree. They previously owned property outside Bend, Oregon, with two dwellings, horses, project cars, and outbuildings. Rising cost of living, higher property taxes and insurance, and stagnant wages contributed to financial pressure. Health concerns, including Jeff's heart attacks and implanted cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), and desire to reduce stress motivated the move. The couple calculated they could travel worldwide on about $40,000 per year and decided to sell all their belongings. They currently reside in Pogradec, Albania. They accepted a modest lifestyle, acknowledging they would not be wealthy on the road but also not destitute, and chose to prioritize experiences over possessions.
Read at Business Insider
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