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 In 2011 the couple opted for what might be called extreme retirement
abroad: They sold their Paso Robles, California, home, jettisoned
all but a few treasured possessions and became nomads.
Since then, they have lived in short-term rental apartments and
houses around the world, usually found through HomeAway.com, the
online vacation rental service. They spend two or three months a
year in the United States, where they also live in vacation rentals.
So far they’ve lived in Mexico, Argentina, Turkey, France, Italy,
Britain, Ireland, Portugal and Germany. Southeast Asia, Australia,
French Polynesia, Canada and a return to South America are on the
agenda.
“I just felt strongly that I hadn’t had enough of the outside world
to suit me, and really wanted to go experience living in some other
places,” Lynne says.
Lynne, 73, is a former publicist; Tim, 68, owned a small electronics
business and writes novels. This year they published a book about
their experiences called "Home Sweet Anywhere: How We Sold Our
House, Created a New Life, and Saw the World" (Sourcebooks, April
2014).
As the Martins talked about how they could forge a footloose
lifestyle, they decided to tap the wealth built up in their home and
possessions.
“We had a portfolio, but not a huge one - we’re not wealthy,” she
says. “We took the money out of the house and added that to the
portfolio.”
Their financial adviser sends them the same a $6,000 monthly
stipend. they had been receiving as California homeowners. They live
on that plus their Social Security benefits.
They aim to spend no more than $2,500 monthly on housing, including
utilities and cleaning. In a pricey spot such as Paris, they’ll
downsize the amount of space they rent. They also figure on $1,000
for food and $500 for entertainment and travel. The rest is for
miscellaneous expenses.
Since Medicare doesn’t provide coverage outside the United States,
they see their doctors during visits home. If healthcare needs come
up while abroad, where care tends to be less expensive, they pay out
of pocket. While they're outside the United States, they also carry
an international health insurance policy to cover unexpected large
expenses - $400 a month.
One way they’ve kept costs down is by limiting the amount of travel.
They tend to stay in one place for months at a time, often
scheduling travel at off-season prices.
One favorite tactic: off-season "repositioning cruises." “Prices go
down by half, and it’s great for people like us who don’t have a
home - we get room and board as well as transportation.”
“We went to Europe in February last year,” she says. “It was snowing
in Venice when we arrived, but it didn’t matter to us - we weren’t
coming home until October.”
STORIES AND FRIENDS
The Martins have four daughters and seven grandchildren in
California, Texas and Florida. They are in the United States at
least twice a year, and make a point of seeing the entire family
while they’re here.
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“We’re much more interesting to our grandchildren now,” she says.
“They find our stories of Morocco, Istanbul, Paris and Buenos Aires
fascinating.”
Martin says they stay in touch with old friends via e-mail and Skype.
“Those relationships are as strong as ever,” she says. “Some friends
came to visit in Paris this past summer; it was a treat to share our
favorite places with them.”
And they’ve made many friends on the road, some of whom they meet up
with in their travels.
“It’s a curious bond that travelers have - we seem to get to know
one another much more quickly than we would in traditional
circumstances," Lynne says. "We’ve met up with our German, Mexican,
British, American and French friends in other countries by
coordinating our travel schedules.”
I wondered if all that travel isn’t tiring, and how long the Martins
expect to keep up their nomadic lifestyle.
“Of course we get tired - we’re old people,” she says. “But the life
we live has built-in rest. We’re not staying in hotels - we’re in
places with a living room, kitchen and bedroom, real living space.
"We’re able to have down days in a way that tourists really can’t.
If you’re only in a place for five days, you have to get out and see
it. If you’re there a month or two, you can put up your feet and
stay home all day.”
The Martins say they’ll keep traveling as long as their health
permits.
If nomadic retirement appeals to you, Lynne recommends starting with
a trial run.
“We’re lucky because we’re so compatible and we have a good time
with one another," she says. "But a lot of people may not understand
how you have to depend on one another when you’re in an isolated
situation and don’t speak the language.
“Rent your house out and go off for a few months to see if it’s for
you.”
(The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist
for Reuters.)
For more from Mark Miller, see http://link.reuters.com/qyk97s
(Follow us @ReutersMoney or at http://www.reuters.com/finance/personal-finance.
Editing by Douglas Royalty)
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