| In my opinion, the biggest chunk of your retirement | | | | Once you've decided which city is the cheap place to |
| spending is on housing as its cost probably takes up | | | | retire, you zero-in on your house hunting effort. |
| 30% of your expenses. Hence, finding cheap places | | | | I would say location of the house is your primo |
| to retire is akin to finding places that offer cheap, | | | | factor. |
| affordable housing. | | | | You would want to choose a house where it's in the |
| It sounds easy but in reality, it takes quite a bit of | | | | thick of things - health care facilities, transportation, |
| research and information-gathering endeavor to get a | | | | shopping center, community center, food outlets, |
| house you can afford. | | | | arts and cultural interests, galleries..... |
| There's however, a way to beat this problem. | | | | All to be within short-distance convenience. Easily |
| Instead of looking and searching for one only after | | | | accessible. |
| you've retired, you could consider looking for one | | | | Satisfied with the location? |
| while you're still working. | | | | Then, decide what's your budget that comfortably |
| This will give you time to do proper research and | | | | allows you to buy the house. |
| planning, increasing your chance of getting a better | | | | Choose an agent you feel comfortable with and who |
| place for your retirement and also makes your | | | | understands your needs. |
| money spent on the house worthwhile. | | | | Complete the purchase. |
| But of course if you prefer to look for it only after | | | | Besides affordable housing, the other important |
| you've retired, go ahead.... | | | | factor in deciding if a place is a cheap place to retire, |
| With free time on your hand, you could do as good a | | | | is to look at its tax climate. In the US, 40 out of the |
| research....and find a place and a dream house that | | | | 50 states give a variety of tax breaks to retirees. |
| are affordable. | | | | Check it out properly so you can get the most |
| In both situations, how do you search for these | | | | deductions (for example property tax relief to |
| cheap places to retire? | | | | homeowners over 65; homestead exemptions to all |
| Try friends, relatives, a good real estate agent, | | | | homeowners and deductions from your government, |
| Internet, chambers of commerce and tourist bureaus. | | | | military or private pensions) and benefits out of the |
| You get loads of information on amenities, weather, | | | | taxation system and hence have more non-taxable |
| activities, housing, house price, transportation, people, | | | | income for your needs. |
| food, entertainment...... | | | | You've nailed down housing, taxation....... |
| I'm giving you a list of the cheap places, which you | | | | What else you need to factor-in when looking for |
| can start off, right now..... | | | | cheap places to retire? |
| - Arizona - Tucson | | | | Prices of essentials like food, medical, entertainment |
| - Baja California - San Felipe | | | | and transportation are important too. |
| - Colorado - Loveland | | | | You don't want to fork out more dollars for less, |
| - Georgia - Atlanta | | | | right? |
| - Michigan - Ann Arbor area | | | | But logically, if housing is cheap, naturally it follows |
| - New Jearsy - Edison | | | | that prices of essentials aren't expensive as well. |
| - North Carolina - Raleigh | | | | Choosing cheap places to retire isn't hard; just do |
| - Oregon - Portland | | | | enough research on the place you wanna retire to. |
| - Texas - San Antonio | | | | You can find an affordable lifestyle that's not only |
| - Washington - Bellingham | | | | comfortable, but also chic! |