In Costa Rica you can reduce your month to month living expenses and live very well.

Rory is from a small town outside of Chicago. He was banking on retiring and cashing in on his real estate investments that he had made years earlier in Florida. He had about $800,000 dollars on paper plus a pension and thought that would give him a good nest egg to retire comfortably. Well you can imagine what happened to his plans when the U.S. real estate market went belly up.

Rory was faced with waiting years for the economy to recover or be proactive and try to find a solution to his problem. He needed time and a way to stretch his pension.

Fortunately, a friend, who was in a similar position, sent him an article about living and retiring abroad that ended up changing Rory’s life. The article was published by a large organization which helps people move to affordable countries around the world. Rory started to do his research by reading about Mexico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and Ecuador. He made initial visits to all of those countries to gather information. After considering such factors as stability, climate, friendliness towards foreigners, cost of living, medical care, opportunities and more he decided on Costa Rica.

Rory ended up taking my combination relocation/retirement tour and seminar in early 2010. About two months later he made the move with my help and the resources provided by the Association of Residents of Costa Rica (ARCR). He has been here almost a year and finds he can live comfortably on his pension. If he had stayed in the U.S. he could have never made ends meet. Being an entrepreneur by nature he started a small business on the Internet which has started to supplement his income. He doesn’t expect to get rich off his venture but every little bit helps. He has also been dating a couple of nice Costa Rican women which is one of the perks for single men living in Costa Rica.

Carl’s Jr., has opened three outlets in Costa Rica and plans to keep growing locally. Currently they have a very strong presence in Mexico with more than 130 stores. The chain intends to keep expanding its operations into Latin America. Currently they have overseas outlets outlets in Panama, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Russia, Turkey, New Zealand, American Samoa, Kazakhstan, Canada and the Middle East.

The restaurants in Costa Rica are operated by Gold Star Burgers S.A., which have exclusive development rights for this country. The restaurants here have a varied menu, from big charbroiled burgers to chicken and fish sandwiches, fries and shakes.

I remember that growing up as a kid in California I used to enjoy eating at the local Carl’s Jr., so I was curious to check out one of their local restaurants. I chose the one that is located across from the west side of San José’s Parque Central or Central Park. Upon entering I though I was in one of their restaurants in the United States since the décor is just the same and the service is excellent. If your item is not prepared they give you a number which you put on your table and they then bring the food to you when it is ready. I ordered a fish sandwich which was done in less than five minutes. It came with a little mayonnaise, a slice of tomato, lettuce and two star-shaped fish filets served on a bun. It turned out to very good for fast food.

On the day the restaurant opened a friend mine was their first customer and they rewarded him with a free hamburger everyday for one year. Of course he was thrilled.

Other fast food chains in Costa Rica are: McDonalds, Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Wendy’s, Subway Sandwiches, Quiznos, Pizza Hut, Dominos Pizza, Papa John’s Pizza and a few more.

Prior to the coming of the shopping mall era in Costa Rica, the heart of downtown San José was the country’s largest shopping center. Now, once again this area has emerged to be one the Central Valley’s premier places to shop. Bustling Avenida Central alone has over 200 stores selling virtually everything from A to Z.

The downtown area really comes alive during the Christmas season. Ornaments and decorations abound and the atmosphere is filled with the energy of thousands of people making their Christmas purchases. The other evening while I was walking through the downtown area I came across an open air Latin Music concert, a block east of the Central market. About five hundred people were gathered around a stage listening and dancing to the sweet salsa music which filled the cool December air.

Today is December 10 and San José will be the scene of the annual Festival de las Luces or the Festival of Lights Parade. More than one million people are expected to attend this year’s event with some of them arriving 24 hours in advance to make sure they can find a good spot from which to view the festivities.

When my son was younger we attended the parade on four occasions. Now I prefer to watch it on TV in the comfort of my home. It is fun to go in person but the traffic and throngs of people can prove to be a lot to handle. Nevertheless, I think that anyone who retires or moves to Costa Rica should view the parade in person at least one time to experience part of the country’s culture.

On Sunday November 27, 2011 I finished my monthly relocation retirement tour and I am proud to announce it was a complete success. One only had to see the smile on my client’s faces at the end of the tour to know that everything went smoothly and that they received all of the necessary information, tools and contacts to relocate to Costa Rica successfully.

I had fifteen people on the tour. I usually don’t have that large of a group but business has really picked up lately and it seemed like everyone wanted to come in November.

One the first half of the tour we visited the beautiful Dominical-Uvita-Ojochal area on the southern Pacific Coast. That part of Costa Rica is reminiscent of California’s Big Sur where the mountains come down to the sea. My clients were really blown away by the area’s beauty. While there we visited a breathtaking rain forest and ocean view community called Portasol. It really has to be seen to believed.

Next we spent the night in the Manuel Antonio/Quepos area. My clients saw the sights, strolled on a white sand beach, toured the new marina, and witnessed a once-in-a-lifetime sunset from the Mariposa Hotel high above Manuel Antonio Beach.

On our last day at the beach we visited Esterillos Este, Playa Hermosa, Jacó Beach and the Los Sueños Marina.

Next we returned to San José on Wednesday and spent Thursday and Friday in a highly informative relocation seminar sponsored by the Association of Residents of Costa Rica (ARCR).

Finally, on Saturday and Sunday we toured the Central Valley. We visited San José, Escazú, Santa Ana, Ciudad Colón, San Antonio de Belén, Heredia, Atenas, Grecia, San Ramón and Alajuela.

My clients thanked me for everything and I assured them that they were lifetime customers and to contact me if there was anything they needed.

According to Smart Money, In the past the whole idea of retirement was not working. But today’s retirees are increasingly becoming job-seekers. Roughly three out of four workers over age 50 say they plan to work at least part-time in retirement. Currently about 20% of retirees have a job. Indeed, working during retirement is becoming the “new normal.”

“The average boomer couple currently has a retirement savings shortfall of about $30,000, according to a recent study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, it’s a trend that experts predict with accelerate. Boomers aren’t as financially prepared for retirement as earlier generations. “

To make matters worse it takes employees over 55 more than 40% longer to get hired than their younger counterparts, according to AARP. Meanwhile, nest eggs are shrinking and retiree income is stagnating.

So what’s the solution? If retirees can reduce their living expenses significantly, then they might not have to keep working to make ends meet. One way to do this by moving abroad to a country like Costa Rica.

To start medical care is much less expensive than in the United States.

You won’t need a car here since public transportation is dirt cheap. This eliminates the need for costly auto repairs and maintenance, car insurance, yearly licenses fees and a lot of other headaches associated with owning a vehicle.

If you try to eat like the locals you can reduce your food bill. Weekend farmer’s markets are a place to find cheap produce. You can also have a decent meal for a few dollars at one of the local restaurants called, sodas. Go native and save!

Decent apartments can be found for around $500 and utility bills are a fraction of what they are in the United States. Heat and air conditioning are not needed in the Central Valley which equates to more savings.

Entertainment is also affordable with movies in costing around $5.

So, it is possible to retire abroad and have a quality lifestyle without having to work during one’s Golden Years.

One of the clients on my monthly retirement/relocation tours called Costa Rica ‘A nature lovers Disneyland”. The more I think about it, his statement is 100 percent correct. People from all over the world come to see and experience the country’s natural wonders. Countless documentaries have been made by National Geographic, The Discovery Channel and other organizations extolling the country’s beauty.

Whether you retire full or part-time in Costa Rica you can visit any of the country’s seven natural wonders.

Volcano Arenal is a perfect cone-shape active volcano. It serves as a beautiful backdrop to a lake with the same name. The surrounding area is gorgeous and boasts hot springs, fishing and a wealth of outdoor activities.

Cerro Chirripo is the highest mountain in Costa Rica, with an altitude of 12,533 feet. It is located in the Chirripó National Park and is noted for its ecological wealth. The area is known for its extremely high biodiversity with many species of plants and animals. Occasionally, snow falls on the peak.

Tortuguero is one of the most varied parks boasting high rainforests to marshy lands, long stretches of beach, wide open canals perfect for crocodile spotting, and is also one of the most important breeding grounds for the Green Sea Turtle. The wildlife here is rich and diverse with unusually large populations of monkeys, birds and fish.

Rio Celeste is the best kept secret in all of Costa Rica. The Light Blue River, a winding body of water surrounded by amazing rainforest in the Tenorio Volcano National Park, sports one of Costa Rica’s most beautiful waterfalls, natural hot springs, as well as the unique phenomenon of clear water turning blue by means of a volcanic chemical reaction. They say that sulphur emitted from volcanic activity below mixes with calcium carbonate to make the pretty light blue.

Poas Volcano is an active volcano located about 40 kilometers from San José and stands 8,884 feet high,The summit crater, which is the most widely visited, contains two lakes. The trip up to top is absolutely beautiful. There is a visitors center near the crater has a lot of information about the volcano’s evolution.

The Monteverde Biological Cloud Forest Reserve covers 26,000 acres of lush forest, including several different life zones that are characterized by different types of plants and animals. You can also explore local museums full of the region’s flora and fauna, or go horseback riding along the verdant forest floor, for yet another perspective of the stunning region. Bird watchers will fall in love with the immense diversity of aviary species found in the area.

Isla del Coco is an uninhabited island (except for the permanent ranger station) located in the Pacific Ocean, approximately 340 miles from the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Surrounded by deep waters with counter-currents, Cocos Island is admired by scuba divers for its populations of Hammerhead sharks, rays, dolphins and other large marine species.

On my monthly relocation/retirement tours inevitably someone asks if it is necessary to own an automobile in Costa Rica. I always tell them that if they want to save money a car is not the best option. Automobiles, gasoline and full-overage insurance are expensive. Add to that the stress of driving in an urban area like San José and public transportation seems like a bargain.

You can go almost anyplace in Costa Rica by bus. The most you pay to the farthest destination in the country is under $20. Urban buses usually cost under one dollar. When I go to San José from my home in San Francisco de Heredia I pay around ninety cents for a one-way ticket. I also have the option of taking the commuter train to downtown San José for about the same price. I have two cars that sit in the garage most of the time. I probably use them only once or twice a week to do local errands like go to the supermarket or to pick up my mail.

Speaking of trains, The Costa Rican Railroad Institute or INCOFER is planning to spend $250 million to build a 50-mile-long electric train system. The new commuter line will go from Cartago to Alajuela and pass through the cities of San José and Heredia. The goal is to finish the project by 2014 at the latest. Fortunately, the train line and three stations line already exist. Four more stations will be built in Tres Ríos, Colina de Tibás, La Uruca and el Coyol de Alajuela.

The train will feature locomotives that travel up to 60 miles per hour on some stretches and have four passenger cars with a capacity of up to 400 people per trip.

We are not talking about one of the sequels to the movie but Halloween in Costa Rica.

Last week I jumped the gun and wrote an article about Halloween in Costa Rica. As the the 31st rapidly approaches people are gearing up for the festivities.

In several supermarkets I saw Halloween cupcakes and pastries. Also, the local newspapers have featured several ads for Halloween costumes.

On Sundays I go the Fiesta Casino near the airport to watch NFL Football. The casinos features 15 television screens with different games on each one. While I was there last week I noticed that the bar are was being slowly decorated for their annual Halloween festivities. It is probably the largest party in Costa Rica. The day after there is usually a whole page in one of the local newspapers with photos from the party.

As I pointed out in my last Halloween article, when I first moved to Costa Rica in the early 1980s nobody celebrated Halloween. However, as the number of Americans retirees and others has grown in the country there are more and more Halloween parties every year. I also stated, ” In Costa Rica the 31st October is known better as La Noche de las Brujas (Witches’ Night). Many Catholics here consider Halloween a form of devil worship, so in the past a lot of Costa Ricans didn’t put any importance on this day. However, nowadays many young Costa Ricans are starting to take part in the Halloween festivities. There are usually good parties at a few clubs around San José, Escazú, Santa Ana and Jacó Beach.”

A lot of retirees and other expats here host costume parties around the 31st of October. A couple of years ago I attended a great party in Santa Ana where about 80% of the people were foreigners and the rest were Costa Ricans. It was a blast!

When I first moved to Costa Rica in the early 1980s nobody celebrated Halloween. However, as the number of Americans retirees and others has grown in the country there are more and more Halloween parties every year. In remember in 1985 I went to my first two Halloween parties in Costa Rica. The first costume party was held at the old Audio Visual Language Institute near the main courthouse in San José. Over 100 people attended.

The same year I went to another Halloween party at the La Fonda Restaurant which used to be on Second Avenue near el Paseo de Los Estudiantes. The costume party had a pleasant of Costa Ricans and gringos. Everyone had a fantastic time.

In Costa Rica the 31st October is known better as La Noche de las Brujas (Witches’ Night). Many Catholics here consider Halloween a form of devil worship, so in the past a lot of Costa Ricans didn’t put any importance on this day. However, nowadays many young Costa Ricans are starting to take part in the festivities.

There are usually good parties at a few clubs around San José, Escazú, Santa Ana and Jacó Beach. Make sure you check La Nación’s, the country’s leading Spanish language newspaper, weekend entertainment section and in AM Costa Rica on-line and you will find all of the places that will be jumping on Halloween.

The Fiesta Casino near the airport will have its annual Halloween bash. Also the Sportsman’s Lodge and the Hotel del Rey in the Gringo Gulch area will feature Halloween activities. It is rumored that the bartends at the Del Rey will be clad in body paint only, indeed a sight for sore male eyes.

Halloween is just one of the many activities retirees and other foreigners living in Costa Rican can participate in to stay busy and happy.

As everyone knows there is a huge financial crisis in the United States and in many of the world’s countries. Unfortunately medical costs have not gone down as a result and people are finding themselves with less money to pay their medical bills. This situation is especially hard for retirees on a fixed income.

Recently, it was stated on the CBS Evening News that the average annual cost of medical insurance for a family in the U.S. was around $15,000. Well, in Costa Rica I have private medical insurance and pay just a little over $2,000 yearly. Costa Rica’s public health care system is even more affordable. A retiree pays just under $60 monthly to be in the country’s public health care system which covers doctor’s visits, lab work, hospitalization and medicines.

In general medical treatment in Costa Rica can range from a third to even a fourth of what it can cost in the United States and Canada.

Here are some of the costs in the U.S. Versus Costa Rica

Medical procedures

• Heart Bypass $130,000 USA / $24,000 Costa Rica
• Angioplasty $57,000 USA / $9,000 Costa Rica
• Hip Replacement $43,000 USA / $12,000 Costa Rica
• Hysterectomy $20,000 USA / $4,000 Costa Rica
• Knee Replacement $40,000 USA / $11,000 Costa Rica
• Facelift $7,000-$9,000 USA / $4,600 – $5,000 Costa Rica
• Nose job $8,000-$12,000 USA / $3,500 – $3,900 Costa Rica
• Breast Lift $5,000-$8,000 USA / $3,000 – $3,400 Costa Rica
• Breast Augmentation $5,000-$8,000 USA  / $2,700 – $2,900 Costa Rica
• Tummy Tuck $6,000-$8,500 USA  / $3,900 – $4,200 Costa Rica
• Facelift $7,000-$9,000 USA  / $4,600 – $5,000 Costa Rica
• Laparoscopic Gastroplasty $30,000 USA /  $10,500 Costa Rica

General and Cosmetic Dentistry

• Bridges $1,000+ per tooth USA /  $250 – $400 per tooth Costa Rica
• Crowns $1,000+ per tooth  / $250 – $400 per tooth Costa Rica
• Implants $3,500+ per tooth USA  / $700 – $900 per tooth Costa Rica
• Root canal $800 USA  / $315 Costa Rica