The property taxes are €40 a year for the house, the mill, the ruined medieval village, and the 15ha of land.
My passive income is seven figures, because rather than fritter away on crap, I invested in a diverse range of stuff, from equities to real estate to small businesses/startups. I’m noodling about with a few new ventures of my own as I have time on my hands.
And yes, emigration is useful. I draw an income from expensive economies and moved to a cheap country where quality of life is king.
To be clear, this is the current state - I worked my arse off for 15 years and lived a pretty monkish existence, and now reap the rewards.
The golden visa was a much abused scheme largely for absentee landlords who want EU residency, and it has indeed jacked up property prices in the major population centres to an unsustainable degree - many properties have been priced to the visa threshold, and then sit vacant, unrented, often dilapidating. I’m glad to see the back of it, as it gives estrangeiros a bad rap.
Unfortunately my dumbass country banned the hilux. Always wanted one.
I considered moving to Portugal someday too. Was sad to find out today they ended their visa program [0]. I suppose one door closes, another will open somewhere else.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-16/portugal-...
I find it unsurprising that the care and attention of family requires different circumstances.
I don't really understand why whenever an alternative lifestyle is brought up there is always someone that says "Huh, yeah, well try doing that with a family, buddy!".
Some people live without family, and they shouldn't really feel the need to fit into a cookie-cutter existence that presupposes the future existence of a family unit -- they make it work.
>when I was looking for a truck "older than me" during covid I found the market was absolutely insane and they were practically the price of a new truck.
you were looking for a used vehicle during one of the very worst times in the used vehicle market for buyers ever (at least in the US; I didn't follow elsewhere).
Meanwhile you still have to pay property taxes, and for at least some of your food, which means you need a job. And because you have a job you need childcare. So minimally you need to pay for the property taxes food and childcare, occasional medical bills, the upkeep of the truck (emissions testing needed to legally drive to get groceries etc, so even a check engine light means costly repair). Oh and don't forget, when I was looking for a truck "older than me" during covid I found the market was absolutely insane and they were practically the price of a new truck. All in that's a full working-class salary right there, and that's with spending on nothing but essentials.
As an extremely frugal person the only way I've ever been able to live the way you live was when I was single and basically squatting in the national forest. And even then I had LEO up my ass threatening to cite me for illegally existing in nature. Hopefully any American planning this life has the money to emigrate or the will and craftiness to do it illegally.