Part of the job of being a writer, freelance in particular, is setting up your routines and then being disciplined enough to follow through on them. I am VERY good at the former, not so much at the latter. Because I write for private clients as well as myself, I have to make sure I…
Details
Hell Yeah, It’s Hot Here! We have hit the dog days of summer here in The Algarve. While the entire Iberian Peninsula may not be on fire (as the US media is apparently reporting, based on emails from concerned friends), it sure feels that way. Temperatures have been in the 90s and 100s for the…
Details
Warning: This one is political. If you want rainbows and unicorns, come back next week. I read yet another article this morning about US peeps moving to Portugal to start over. They are fleeing the high cost of living as well as the hustle and grind culture of the US, and, as one woman so…
Details
My first trip to the dentist in Portugal was a pleasant surprise. I grew up with a dentist who I believe received his training from the Army in World War II and he made his living finding and filling cavities. Back then, I think they used mercury fillings. To this day I wonder how many…
Details
Working as an expat in Portugal is one of the many moving pieces of moving abroad. For the most part, Portugal wants to see that you have brought your source of income with you. High-paying jobs are not common here. Minimum wage is around $750 a month but you can’t really live on that unless…
Details
Quick Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. That means if you click a link and buy something, I get a small commission at no expense to you. Thanks very much!! Moving anywhere requires planning and money. Moving abroad brings a whole new set of expenses. How Much Money Will You…
Details
Moving abroad has a ton of moving parts and in some cases, the requirements you have to meet before qualifying to move (i.e., getting a visa) involve some financial risk. As much as you try to time events out to be as frictionless as possible, there will be duplicate expenses, hold ups, red tape, wasted…
Details
When considering your new place to live, give solid thought to what you absolutely require as opposed to what could be classified as “nice to have.” When I decided I was FINALLY going to pull the lever and go after my goal of living outside the US, I knew it would not be a smooth…
Details
That thing you’ve always wanted to do? I highly recommend doing it. When I decided to become a retired American expat in Portugal, I never expected to be as content as I am. Living in Europe was something I had wanted to do since I was a kid—not just visiting as a tourist, but actually…
Details
Or What Not To Do on Your Summer Vacation Spending a night at Gatwick Airport was not on my bucket list, but I’m going to add it because now that I have done it, I hope to never do it again. The travel website Airhelp publishes a yearly ranking of airports and eight of the…
Details