For the last several years I have toyed with the idea of leaving the US perhaps not on a permanent basis but at bare minimum at least a year or more. In this video I discuss several reasons why I have made this decision and even though you can never fully escape "The Matrix" which is what I refer to the US as, sometimes you just need a break.
I run across a lot of people that talk about doing this but over the next 2 months I will actually make the transition as I have never been one to talk about something and then not follow through. I firmly believe that if you aren't happy where you currently are and this could pertain to anything then it is up to you to make those adjustments to do what is going to make you happy as no one is going to do it for you.
See You At The Top and Steemit To The Moon,
Connect with me on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meetseanwalters
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtYB-ab-sz72kQK65t-DTeQ
Sean
I'm in total agreement with you.
I am doing the same thing this fall, going to the Philippines. I have spent several years there on and off.
I know the places on my short list that I want to live over there. The weather is great and not like the majority of the Philippines.
I not going to say you are wrong about the visa issue, I would like to learn more form you if what you say is true.
But what I know about the visa is they have cracked down a lot harder on expats since the new president took over.
If you are thinking of getting married, you should do it before you leave. If your girl freind is fillopina, you can get a spouse visa for a year when you come in together and show your marriage license. You won't have to leave for a year.
If you go in on a torist visa, you can get 60 day visa, and get it renewed every 30 to 60 days there after. You have to pay every time you get renewed! (thats the Philipppines)
Its reall easy to screw up on your visa and forget to get renewed, and it used to be you just paid the fine and got it renewed. Not any more! You can get black listeed real easy if you don't stay on top of it. Meaning you can't ever go back.
I'd be happy to discuss it with you privately if you want, just let me know. There is a lot to go over.
I didn't even get started on taxes. I know one guy who doesn't pay any tax to any government as he doesn't stay in any country long enough to establish residency. One of the places he stays because he has 30 VA's is the Philippines.
I'm going to go back and read some of you other post. Thanks for this one
@probizranker thank you for the great knowledge that you displayed in this post. Definitely if I have questions regarding Phillipines I will not hesitate to reach out to you as 2 minds are always better than one.
That's a bold move and I admire you for it! I've thought of doing the same thing, only I'd like to go to an island somewhere without a lot of people on it.
I don't know much about the Philippines, though I know it's considered one of the better expatriate destinations.
Even though traditional "retirement" is a good 25 years away and I hope to gosh I'm doing something on my own long before that, I subscribe to the (free) Overseas Property Alert newsletter which goes over many of the most desireable retirement destinations as well as finding and recommending some that haven't fully been discovered yet. They have articles every day detailing how to buy property in places like Colombia, Panama, Portugal, Brazil, France, Belize, etc., how to get residency, tips on things you should do if you are moving abroad, etc. It's good because it gets me thinking along those lines and starting to actually envision being able to do it someday.
And of course I also subscribe to PrivateIslandsOnline.com newsletter where I "shop" for islands every week, picking out ones that cost about the same as a New York 1 bedroom condo or a little bit more or less, trying to find ones with sources of fresh water, with 30' or more elevation, at least 10 acres, near enough to civilization in case of a health issue, etc.
There's actually a couple in the Philippines for less than $1 million. Green Bay Island is listed for $800,000 and is 15 acres: https://privateislandsonline.com/asia/philippines/green-bay-island
In any case congratulations on your decision!
@clemdane I appreciate the feedback and support and I will check out the website that you provided that has the newsletter.
This decision has been in the making for sometime and although I will miss some things about the US I will not miss much.
You and I might be on the similar wavelengths...your logic matches my logic quite a bit.
I'm not moving from the states quite yet but I am planning on minimalizing my life for sure...and I've already created my product so I can own my future.
Great video!
@reyhaynes I'm glad that you were able to view the content and that have at least given the topic some thought, I have been thinking about this for quite some time and just decided that I could continue to think about it or do something about it. However, it sounds like you are well on your way to taking those first steps which is creating your very own product that way if you decide to ever move you have that option.
Using Thailand as the landing spot on your US exit is a good move @mrwalt. Spent a few years around Thailand myself recently, and the ONLY complaint if you can call it that is the dang visa rules as you mention. It's a real issue, but really not that bad in the overall scheme of things.
@sandstorm I look forward to following in your footsteps in terms of taking that first step out of the US (hopefully to not return for sometime at least for a while). Most people do not ever even leave their state, so it will be a change but one that I'm looking forward to and yes the visa rules in Thailand appear to be the biggest drawback about the country.
Cheers man, you'll be loving it. and the visa 'thing' in TH really isn't too much of a drawback, as it allowed me to visit Laos on a few occasions and also to dive into new experiences I never would have otherwise had.
Stepping out of comfort zones is hard to do, but once you commit to it as you have, the world is at your fingertips.
@sandstorm I really appreciate your feedback and I'm definitely ready for a few changes in my life.
I hope you keep us informed on where you end up and please don't quit making videos. I'd love to learn more about how the move works out for you too.
@bodyinbeta I appreciate the feedback and no I'm not going to stop making videos and I will keep you posted on many things coming up.
Well, most recently I’ve left the UK and couldn’t be happier about it. All the best in your house moving!
@arekwolf I appreciate the support and I'm hopeful to have a similar conversation when asked by others looking to leave their home country.
I would like to get more updates about your journey! I wish you find a good place for you and your family.
Please post more when you found you ideal place!
@measbong I will definitely keep people posted on my adventures that will be coming up over the next few months.
Can't wait to see it!
@measbong awesome well stay tuned as it's coming.
@mrwalt , my buddy, I will welcome you to Bavaria Germany with a cold Bavarian beer and Nurnberger Bradwurst . At least there wont be governmental control on you investing in Bitcoin and other altcoins. Life security and peace of mind . It will be a good idea for you to see the beauties of outside world and am sure that you will love it
@charles1 if I come out to Germany which I may after being is SE Asia for about a year I will definitely hit you up as every now and then you need to switch things up a little.
Good one, your cold beer and Nurnberger bradwurst is frozen and waiting for you my buddy. I wish you success and stay safe. remember that NG Gavin is chilling in Thailand.
@charles1 awesome, yes I have chatted with Ng Gavin about coming out to Thailand already and we had agree to meet one day when this happens.
Haha I guess so because the guy is doing great there and even advertised some cheap beautiful houses..great guy indeed, extend my warm greetings to him
@charles1 yeah Ng Gavin is doing his thing which also motivated me to take action to visit Chiang Mai first prior to moving to the Philippines.
Great country with a very conservative no nonsense president. Wish you success there.
I've been thinking the same thing for like a decade... "Freedom Movement" 😎
@stackin wow I had not idea. I thought that by living in Las Vegas you would be at home and in paradise as a young entrepreneur since everything big usually comes through Vegas at some point! No?
Yeah, so comfortable in Vegas. I'm thinking not having a house and just travel here and there ... lots of People doing that these days but who knows 😂
@stackin yeah I just sold my house last year and will be selling my car tomorrow, so I'm about to hit that road for a while and be a digital nomad and explore for a little while myself.
However, I have been to Vegas several times (about 75 times) as I used to be stationed in Barstow, CA when I was in the Marine Corps where I would visit Vegas several times a month.
That is true freedom right there. Barstow? Nice, my business partner has a house in Victorville also. If you down in Vegas, hit me up, we can talk about steem hahaha
@stackin If I'm out that way I will definitely hit you up. It will most likely be sometime next year.
I am connect and following you now, no matter what part of the world you live in.
@robertchr I appreciate that and value you following me, so I will do my best to keep delivering on the content.
Funny, I am thinking of moving to the US and leave the Netherlands by the end of next year, maybe we can swap :D
@lizzyb do not get me wrong I think that the US has many advantages over a lot of other countries. However, these advantages come at a cost. This cost is usually in the form of high taxes across the board on everything and hyper driven consumer economy that is being pushed to spend more money than what they have.
There are some things that I will miss about the US, but not much. However, I'm sure at some point in our lives many people may feel the way that I do about their home country and that is why you have people from many countries that leave and go live somewhere else.
That's the same way here too, Our tax rates are high, 21% on almost everything and income taxes can go as high as 52%, I mean that is just insane. The things we have to pay taxes for are also crazy. There are not a lot of things I will miss about Holland as well, Maybe just the health care, which is actually pretty good, But other than that,I would rather leave today than tomorrow
@lizzyb same here in the US. Taxed on food, gas, water, insurance, income, and etc. Pretty sad, but true.
There are a lot of things wrong in the us but its still one of if not the best places to live in the us.
@gniksivart I agree that the US has many advantages over other countries by far and is ahead of many countries. However, these things come at a steep price in the form of high taxes and other things that I will not mention on Steemit. However, again you are correct that this is still one of the better places on the planet to live, but perhaps not the best depending on your outlook on life.
I live in germany and have the same in my mind.
Upvoted and resteemed :-)
@lichtblick I'm glad that we think a lot alike and that you were able to run across this blog post.
Hey Sean, first I've come across you here, I'm pretty new to Steemit. Love the video. Well thought out and I totally get it. Had a feeling you were military from the start. I have a good friend who served in the Army. He settled in Thailand and absolutely loves it. I'm constantly jealous of this pictures and stories. If it weren't for family I'd be doing the same thing but it's about life choices and family is important to us. Very best of luck to you. Can't wait to see you settled on the other side and I'm sure I'll be jealous of your stories too! Love the Matrix theme to the story. Again, best of luck. I wish our country wasn't driving people to this, but it is...
@senter I appreciate your feedback and glad that you joined the community as you will like it here. I too used to watch a ton of YouTube videos watching all of the digital nomads living life on their own terms and wishing I was there. I just got tired of thinking and talking about it so I said why not do something about it instead. I know there will be things that I miss about the US, but not much. I too wish that I had a better impression of the US and that I did not feel like I had no other option as I love this country, but it has unfortunately come to this point. Again you for dropping by and I'm sure that one day you won't have to think about leaving as if you choose you will have everything that you need to do so.
Leaving the US won't protect you from US taxes. As long as you are a US citizen they will expect their taxes. The crypto space is being restricted from US citizens no matter where they live. Of course, people find a way, but.. On the other hand, you are here to live your life as you see fit and find the environment that makes you feel the most comfort -- no matter where that takes you. I hope to follow your journey, if you share it publicly.
I have family members that relocated to Thailand and they love it so far. One of my ex's is former military and lives in the Philippines and now has a business, wife and child there. So, a few of the places you mentioned are destinations that I've heard have very receptive cultures.
@avva that is correct that leaving the US will not alleviate me from paying taxes as the US taxes you on your worldwide income. This is not about avoiding paying taxes as that is not going to happen. However, there are other steps besides being out of the country for 330 days out of 365 days per year that I can take to lower this even further which I will not discuss here. I'm not opposed to paying taxes as I believe that everyone should just not half of what you make. This is something that I have been looking into for sometime, but that is not the only reason I'm leaving.
However, I will definitely keep everyone updated on this journey as it will be a long one.
@mrwalt Good luck on your move! There are only two countries in the world where its government taxes its citizens where ever they maybe and US is one of the two. The US through FATCA has it difficult for US citizens overseas so something to be aware.
@marcusxman yes it is crazy that the US taxes it 's citizens on their worldwide income regardless if they live in the country or not. The only exception to this is rule is that in order to not be up to a certain threshold (not sure of the exact number) but you must be out of the country 330 out of 365 days. Shame but I plan to take full advantage of it.
Why don't you just incorporate in Delaware?
@marcusxman I have research several states and Delaware is not the best option.
your post is giving me ideas what I need to do in the future
@allucky111 I'm glad that my video as given you some ideas. Thank you for watching .
This inspired me to leave sooner!! My friend freekin loooooves Thailand!
@awarenessraiser wow, I had no idea that you were even considering leaving. I hear from so many people that they have thought about this very same thing for some time. It has been years since I thought about leaving but just never thought that I would do it, but I just got sick of watching other people on YouTube living the life that I thought that I should be living. Yeah I hope that my experience in Thailand is as good as those that have talked so great about it for so long.
Good place to visit, since meeting people from that country here on Steemit, been looking into it as well. I read that I can rent an apartment for $150 per month. Last time I left my country was over 10 years ago. Just need to make more money then I’m good to go, and I will :)
@ghostcode yes you are correct that in some places in Thailand and within the Philippines you can rent a place for $150.00 or less per month. Not my cup of tea but it is definitely possible. The more I looked into leaving the country the more people I have read that are looking into the same thing.
I would prefer a nicer pad close to the sea, so I’ll be budgeting just in case I underestimate the total cost. May even visit some fellow Steemians (to show me their best food joints :)
@ghostcode there are plenty of options that will fulfill your requirements, but the hard part will be just figuring out where exactly you want to reside. If you are ever out where I will be once I settle in we could surely meet up and I would be happy to show you around.
Cheers, that would be cool. It would be fun to be a nomad for a while.
@ghostcode yeah that is what I intend on doing for a while and eventually things will fall in place.
Thailand!
Will definitely be following your posts in regards to your adventure!
Thinking of going to Thailand this coming year!
(Foodie that I am!)
One of my friends is going to be an ex pat in Uruguay- people's replies when they find out that she's going range from "yay! I'm so excited!" to "why?" to "isn't that too scary?"
Congrats on your decision!
@teresachang love the image as I look forward to celebrating my arrival in Thailand. If you do indeed go to Thailand this year please feel free to reach out. Thank you for your feedback and support!
Wow, I'm so inspired by you. I have thought about, talked about, looked into traveling so many times for long periods of time and never follow through. Excited for the journey ahead, keep us updated!
@kubbyelizabeth I will definitely keep people posted and informed on the changes ahead as it will be a long road.
Look forward to your wild adventures to come!
@kubbyelizabeth I look forward to sharing those experiences when they happen as well.
Safe travels my friend!
@kubbyelizabeth thank you may we all be safe no matter where we are in the world.
Amen to that brother
I hope to leave soon as well. Let's do it! :)
@udochiokeke if you leave where do you plan to go?
Hey Sean, what's the destination?
@sunmaker first Thailand and then to the Philippines.
wouldn't be a bad idea due to the current state of the U.S , where do you plan on going?
@cryptotraderx yeah I'm just at least for right now taking a break from the US. However, first stop is Thailand and then to the Philippines.