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In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this financially independent lifestyle, they invite you to take advantage of their wisdom and experience.

Easy Livin'

Billy and Akaisha Kaderli

Billy and Akaisha at beautiful Lake Chapala

Enjoying sunny Chapala once again!

When we write about living overseas in a retirement destination, one of our criteria is that it must be “easy living.” What do we mean by that?

We love day-to-day life in a location with terrific weather, natural beauty, reasonable prices, great fresh food choices, kind people and no need for a car.

Without a car, there's no parking, no repairs, no maintenance, no theft, no liability, no insurance, no hassles. We either use public transport or hire a driver for pennies as compared to the cost of car ownership. Or sometimes we use Uber!

Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?

General hassles of everyday living

The years we lived in the States it seemed there was always a “quick trip” to the store for this or that and it would take at least 30 minutes or more depending on traffic and parking. I am sure you can relate. We did these trips many times a week or perhaps stopping off at the store on the way home from work to pick up a couple of things. They all take time away from doing something you enjoy.

 

 

 

 

Living with ease

In Panajachel, Guatemala, we walk out our door head up the street a bit and there are little shops selling eggs, milk, butter, beer - the essentials. Or if we need to load up, we can walk to the grocery for exercise and grab a tuk tuk back (they are everywhere!) for 60 cents.

In Chapala, Mexico, our apartment is one block from the Plaza. Here we find markets bursting with fresh organic vegetables and fruits, beef, pork, chicken, juice shops, pastries, spit roasted chicken and several restaurants.

Medical and dental offices are everywhere in both of these towns. If you don’t like one, there is another all within minutes of our home, with no appointment necessary. And in Chapala, there are five eyeglass shops, health labs, doctors, practicing both Western and Eastern medicine, gyms, Cristiania Park with volleyball and tennis courts, the lake and malecon, and more than a dozen restaurants all within easy walking distance.

Entertainment

Don’t want to cook? In both locations there are restaurants everywhere with a variety of foods, and if we are feeling really lazy we can order for delivery. We get sushi, Pizza, BBQ ribs, great Italian pasta, grilled lamb, and fresh fish and shrimp delivered.

We like living in a place that suits our clothes and that means shorts, T-shirts and flip flops can be worn year-round. A light jacket is sometimes a good idea for crisp mornings and evenings when we go to the lake or for sitting in outdoor cafes or wine bars.

And speaking of walking, not only is it great exercise, but we are constantly running into people we know. Stopping to chat, we catch up on the local happenings and the latest with their families. It all makes us feel that we are part of the community.

Just to get out of the house how about walking down to the lake for the sunset? It’s free and we often run into more people we know. It becomes a social event and couldn’t be easier. Recently, there was an International Jazz Concert at Lake Chapala.

Other examples

There are other features that are attractive about these towns too.

In Panajachel, Akaisha got her computer fixed twice, a hard drive replaced and software issues resolved for a pittance. A selection of computer geeks all live in town each with their own specialty. Billy gets his RetireEarlyLifestyle.com tee shirts made both in Panajachel and in Antigua, a new travel bag was a cinch for the tailors there, and he’s gotten his shoes and sandals fixed too.

The gym is a 5 minute walk in Pana, and a 10 minute walk in Chapala from our places.

In both locations a Laundromat is minutes walking from our apartment, 50 cents a pound to wash, dry and fold.

We have weekly maid service, Wifi, and Cable TV in our room.

If you want to visit a restaurant or specialty shop in another town, in Chapala you can hop on the bus for fifty cents, hire a taxi for $4 bucks or in Panajachel, take a tuk tuk or ride a lancha across the lake. Lanchas run from $2.50 - $3.25 each way, per person.

Want to have guests over to celebrate? Meet at a restaurant instead, no dishes, no cooking, no shopping or chopping. Meat eaters, vegetarians, teetotalers and beer drinkers can all be satisfied in the same place with no stress on you to have everything available. No extra stops to the store, no fighting traffic, no parking problems. Just great food and conversation with your friends.

It’s true. We have become spoiled with this Easy Livin’ Lifestyle. We have lived this way for so long now, that it has become normal for us.

The days of schlepping through rain or snow for groceries or fighting an hour on traffic-filled freeways to make a doctor’s appointment are over for us.

Does this Easy Livin’ Lifestyle appeal to you too? Take a look at our Guide to Chapala Living and our Guide to Pana Living.

Remember, you have choices! Follow your dreams!

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About the Authors

Billy and Akaisha Kaderli are recognized retirement experts and internationally published authors on topics of finance, medical tourism and world travel. With the wealth of information they share on their award winning website RetireEarlyLifestyle.com, they have been helping people achieve their own retirement dreams since 1991. They wrote the popular books, The Adventurer’s Guide to Early Retirement and Your Retirement Dream IS Possible available on their website bookstore or on Amazon.com.

 

Retire Early Lifestyle appeals to a different kind of person – the person who prizes their independence, values their time, and who doesn’t want to mindlessly follow the crowd.

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