This Couple Lives in Morelia on $1200 USD A Month! Live Q&A with Russ
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- čas přidán 31. 05. 2023
- Amig@s join me on June 1st at 5pm CST/ 6 pm CDT to learn more about what life is like in Morelia.
My guest is Russ, an American who moved from Reno, NV and has been able to not only survive on social security but actually thrive
He'll share his experience
Renting his large 3 bedroom home for $400 USD a month
Medical care in Mexico
Getting by on broken Spanish
How he gets his social security money in Mexico
How he and his wife are car free and walk everywhere
Safety in Morelia
and so much more!
GET THE FREE LIVING IN MEXICO GUIDE FOR EXPATS
bit.ly/41pes7h - Zábava
GET THE FREE LIVING IN MEXICO GUIDE FOR EXPATS
bit.ly/41pes7h
Mariana, you are a great interviewer...patient, kind, and allowing the person to speak without interruption. Your constant smile is also wonderful. Russ was great and provided great information! Thank you!!
She is a great interviewer. So pleasant and positive and has a pleasant voice.
Regarding the $4.50 blood test, in a major US city hospital, you may have to pay $15 just for parking.
Right?! Thanks for watching
Hi Mariana!
I am a frequent viewer of your channel and was intrigued by Russ' experience.
I was very surprised to hear about his incredibly good housing find.😮
Is there a way I could contact him to see if he could point me to houses in the area that he lives in before my next trip there? I would like to rent for a year before I make a decision to buy.
Thanks in advance for your kind response.
I can’t give you his contact info but we can connect you with our vetted contacts in Morelia if you’re interested in finding rentals or doing a relocation tour
See what’s included in our relocation guide mexicorelocationguide.com/guide
en que parte de Morelia cuestan $4.50 les agradecere la informacion .
@@MexicoRelocationGuide Hello Mariana y Russ, in a short time my husband and I will move to Morelia, I am making a list of the things that are a priority for my family and one of them is health care, could you ask him in which hospital he was treated and where it is done blood tests? We are elderly people and I prefer to have this information available. Thank you so much. Greetings, in a short time my husband and I will move to Morelia, I am making a list of the things that are a priority for my family and one of them is health care, could you ask him in which hospital he was treated and where it is done blood tests? We are elderly people and I prefer to have this information available. Thank you very much for helping us.
Possible solution to avoid the ATM fees is to get a Charles Schwab Account as they don't have foreign transaction fees. Keep your banking deposit the same but link that bank account to a Charles Schwab account.
Yeap totally agree about Charles a Schwab or similar account that waives atm fees and has no international transaction fees
Thanks! I'll look into it...
So happy you are doing so well Russ, and thank you for all your fabulous information. Good luck to you with your new life.
Living in Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico, offers a unique blend of rich history and vibrant culture. The city is known for its well-preserved colonial architecture, picturesque streets, and charming plazas. Residents enjoy a temperate climate, with warm summers and mild winters. Morelia boasts a thriving arts and music scene, with numerous cultural events and festivals throughout the year, making it a dynamic and lively place to call home. The city also offers a variety of culinary delights, showcasing traditional Mexican dishes and local Michoacán specialties. With a welcoming community and a slower pace of life compared to larger urban centers, Morelia provides a relaxed and culturally enriching living experience. Thanks, Mexico Relocation Guide!
I love this interview! Morelia is definitely on our radar! ❤
Hola...I'm from NEBRAßKA....
my husband is from Morelia & we will be visiting in December....
Have fun!
Hola Mariana, thank you very much, watching you from Germany 💐
Hi Mariana! Hi Russ! It's great to hear you are doing good! Dang, I just caught the end of your live version but I wanted to say "Hi!" to Russ and his family. I saw his comments on other sites and I would always give a shout out "Hi" to him when I started my plan of jumping off of the rapidly spinning faster hamster wheel I was riding on. Mariana I also wanted thank you again for all that you do to give people much needed information and a kick in the behind to get those with some likely hesitancy to get motivated! I hope you realize that what you do is helpful and very much appreciated. Always good to see you smiling and happily offering your help. I try to give what I think are helpful comments and info after some of my experiences of moving and driving with my kitty from LA to Ensenada last year. To anyone that is considering moving here, don't wait the time is never just right! BTW-It would be great to get some info on where in my area I could get someone to help with my flirting, oops! I mean Spanish lessons! 🤷♂😎🏄🌮🥥Buena suerte desde Ensenada!
Ha love it!
Let’s make it happen. Send me a message info@mexicorelocationguide.com
Thank you Mariana and Russell missed the live stream but greatly enjoyed the video 😊
Great video! Thank you!
Alan from Los Ángeles here. I love Morelia and I dream of moving there almost every day. I worry about what I would do for work. I’m 35 years old.
Watching the replay from Navarte . I have been here from Chicago originally and exploring parts of Mexico
Gracias Mariana y Russ, muy interesante e informativo. Mi esposa y yo pensamos que nuestro próximo viaje a México lo haremos a Morelia.
Excelente 😊
He's lovely, great interview
Thanks for such a great interview! I love hearing from people from the US who have immigrated to Mexico and made a new (cheaper and better) life!
The health care cost differential is REAL! I live in the SF Bay area and went to visit my cardiologist a couple of weeks ago for an annual check-up. If I didn't have insurance, the 45-minute visit would've cost me almost $800!!! And the cost to check my defibrillator device (a 15-minute check done by a device technician) would've cost me $360 on top of that!
My wife and I definitely want to retire in a country other than the US (Mexico is on our list of potential destinations) and doing so will allow us to retire about 10 years earlier than if we stayed in the US after retirement. We can't wait!
questions have been closed for the next Q&A- thanks everyone!
Greetings from Philadelphia
Morelia is on my list of places to visit..
Thank you, I will be visiting Morelia in Oct
It's a pretty special place. Have fun!
Plan your visit for the second half of the month, the day of the death celebrations there (and in the Pátzcuaro area, which is very close to Morelia) are just amazing.
And you’ll still catch part of the International Film Festival in Morelia, the biggest in Mexico.
@@russellbarnes7728 Hi RUSSELL👋: Congrats on your recovery. Can you advise what it costs roughly per hour to have a nurse at your home ⁉ Was it hard to find a nurse for in-home care ⁉ Thanks !
Great video!❤
Thanks for watching
San Diego.
Hola, amigos. I'm watching from Denmark. I'm planning to spend the rest of my life in Morelia, México. I'm 64. My girlfriend through 11 years lives there (she's Mexican) and so does most of my Mexican family.
I'll have to move 9000 km, though. Much easier for the gringos! 😁
México es chingon. Saludos desde Dinamarca.
This man is so sweeettt❤ lovely interview.
He's a total sweetheart
Another terrific interview Mariana!! I just checked and today's exchange rate is 17.38 pesos to $1 US dollar (June 6th). It might be interesting to see you interview an economist to hear their thoughts on Mexico's economy and how that will impact the exchange rate. Gracias!
I hear ya, but that would be irrelevant within a week of me posting that video 😉
@@MexicoRelocationGuide Perhaps, in the very near term but I was referring to the future outlook. Economists would tend to project into the future. As a brand new retiree I might like to know where the peso is headed. See what I mean?
I know but that's speculation.... I'd rather share only facts that help someone in real time. Thanks for the suggestion though
Obsessive speculation on the future is one of the reasons American life is so stressful!! There is a need to just be present! The news here is a leader in this but many sectors are all about what if and what will happen and what new fear do we all need to be in line with? In$ure against ?? 😢
it's different for this man because his wife is Mexican. That makes a huge difference in how he gets around. You need to interview a single expat to get a better idea. Few 3xpats there makes it work to be married to a Mexican whose family comes from that area. He is not going to be ripped off with his connections compared to someone else. He is lucky.
I'm a single expat living in Mexico City with limited Spanish and nobody here is ripping me off. My overall experience is similar to the interviewee's.
@@ayroncon2957 I hear it is ve4y expensive to live in Mexico City and that you have to be careful which part you live in. You didn't say if you have Mexican girlfriends and that makes a difference. I have followed Maddie Gold formerly Tangerine Travels. She was living in Mexico City for a time. Now that Maddie and Jordan split Maddie is alone. Recently she was out with a friend and they got physically attracted. She speaks very good Spanish and has traveled and lived in Mexico for over five years so there you go.
@@ayroncon2957 VERY NICE! I'm glad your reply was consistent with my experience...
I've been charged the advertised price, in every place I've shopped, from the grocery store, Walmart, Home Depot, and eateries. I've purchased furniture, appliances, TV's, and many other things without being scammed...
@@ayroncon2957 That was supposed to read Maddie and her friend both got Attacked by a stranger on the street.
Watching from Las Vegas
Hola Tammy
Un Amoreliano desde Medford Oregon
Houston
Stan from Scranton Pennsylvania
Hello from Windsor Canada 🇨🇦
Welcome!!
My husband and I are thinking of moving to Mexico. Lots of questions and concerns.
Happy to help you with your research and address your concerns. Check out the site mexicorelocationguide.com/blog
Mariana - tell Russ he can have a US account through Wise and he can register online and social security will deposit his check into that account. Also, he can open an Intercam bank account in Mexico - not being a citizen and he can do transfers from his Wise account into his Intercam account (just don't mention in the Intercam bank that he is doing this cause they don't get their fees by doing it this way which an Intercam employee actually told me - but he'll only be charged a few dollars a transfer from Wise).
He knows already after this video 😉
I moved to Morelia May 2nd. I just now found a rental and am moving in June 18th. I'm paying $12000 pesos, plus utilities. I'll need to move again in December. I'd love to get in contact with Russ, just to chat with him, and maybe find out how they found their home. His experience seems similar to mine. Mexico is awesome. The people are awesome. I'm so happy I made this move. I'm Nicola. I'm on Facebook, and WhatsApp. I hope maybe Russ will reach out. My Spanish is lacking, but I'm going to learn. To meet another person from the States would be nice though.
Hola Mariana! Very nice interview.
After living in GTO and QRO since 2013 I'm thinking of another move.. Morelia is on my list... My Spanish is OK... But I would like to meet up with other extranjeros there.... How many live there? 100? 1000? More?
Central Oregon
One way to avoid fees at the bank, he could wire the mi ey I lie from his bank in the US to Gaby’s account in Mexico.
Yeap- I spoke with him about it
I love your content, Mariana. I love to get you and Russ's email, as I am thinking of relocating to Moriela.
thanks Danny- happy to help you move to Morelia
check out our tours page
mexicorelocationguide.com/tours/
Aloha, I plan to move from Hawaii to Mexico in the next year. I am interested in Progreso. Do you have tours going there? Mahalo!
I am so sorry for what is happening in Hawaii right now. And happy to help you move. Check out the site for more information mexicorelocationguide.com/blog/
Morelia
What is the nearest international airport to Morelia; and how far is it
Morelia international airport. About 25 mins from the city center
Vicente from God's country, Bakersfield, Ca
Do you use a direct express card? Social security will deposit on a direct express .Does it work in Mexico?Does anyone use it and withdraw ssa check?
You can deposit your social security to a Mexican bank account not sure why Russell had a problem with the social security office telling him that but I am 100% certain you can have it deposited
@@MexicoRelocationGuide The only thing I can think of is I don't think he had his residency card at that time.
Can I please ask, I live in UK. Both a UK and Euro passports. Can I immigrate to Mexico? 💚
Yes of course you can :)
Alberta
I’m confused as to why once the social security is withdrawn from atms, why don’t they just deposit the cash into the wife’s bank account and pay bills through that instead of paying at oxo and using cash?
Because many things are easier paid by cash
Or it could be that they’ve gotten used to paying everything in cash
We do make savings deposits in her account every month. There are no fees, when paying through machine at OXXO. You can basically pay EVERYTHING there, and there's a store on every other corner. The ONLY bill we don't pay there is our rent, which we can pay within walking distance. In the states, we paid everything on line.
We also always use cash for expenses such as meat, vegetables and fruits. We purchase those at local shops and Farmers Markets. Cheaper, and fresher than large stores...
It's still a cash based society. Most restaurants, merchants and landlords prefer cash for some of the obvious reasons. I live here and will eventually open a Mexican bank account but I have a Charles Schwab debit card that refunds any and all ATM and exchange rate fees. I don't ever use my credit cards, they are US based and charge a 3% exchange rate fee and it's easier to get ripped off using them. Also, if you roll up to vendor or shop and you pull out a card you be charged the max and their will be no bartering.
@@MexicoRelocationGuideHola Mariana y Russ! Great interview so I watched again! I try to let people know about how to avoid paying the exchange rate fee at ATM's. Not many people know or realize this but should. It could save some of you hundreds of dollars every month!... When using the ATM you will have to accept the ATM fees (that will be refunded by using a C. Schwab debit card) but when they ask if you accept the exchange rate they offer DECLINE it. You will still get your cash, it's a kind of sneaky way to give you a terrible exchange rate. They hide the Decline button in the bottom left hand corner! For instance last week I withdrew $7000mx for rent and it asked me if I accepted the 15.11 exchange rate they were offering, I declined like I always do because the exchange rate through my XE app stated the going rate at that time was 17.14. Just by declining I saved I saved $54.85us!! BTW- Everyone out there! You can buy me a taco or two for telling you about this and using this advise.... Mucha suerte desde Ensenada!
Acapulco is more dangerous than Morelia, and you said that wow Acapulco! I can't understand you! 😮😮
Is it easy to get medications?
Very easy. There are many pharmacies and most of the medications you’d have a prescription for, are over the counter in Mexico
We've had NO problems. In Mexico, a pharmacist can even write prescriptions in some cases. Many pharmacies have "in house" Doctors...
Hello! Im needing to find a house to rent for my mom. Any suggestions?
I would recommend coming in person to find the best deals. A lot of houses never get published online. You should first rent a hotel or airbnb so you can scout the areas you like, then look for signs that say "se renta" and call the number on the sign. If you need help speaking in Spanish, we can connect you with a house hunter that can find you a home for rent anywhere in Mexico, including Morelia. Check out our complete Mexico Relocation Guide mexicorelocationguide.com/guide
@@MexicoRelocationGuide Thanks for the info!
me sorprende
You can most definitely have your social security deposited into a Mexican bank account. Maybe the problem is he was trying to get it deposited into his wife's account - he needs to have his own account.
Hi Ayron! Yeap who knows
Indeed, all you need is your RFC that can be done through the office of SAT right there in Morelia, he will qualify through "CASOS ESPECIALES" because is not a citizen of Mexico or a business person (persona moral), but a resident ( like my husband is), once you have your RFC you present it, along with your passport and temporary or permanent resident card or visa to any bank.
My husband gets his through Banorte and I get mine through Banamex, the exchange rate is the best for us so far because our other pensions arrive to Bank of America and the wire transfers are about fifty cents lower every month. Neither Bank of America or out local banks charge any transfers fees.
I checked with SS a couple months ago, and they didn't ask whether it was my account or hers, but just I couldn't. I'll follow up on it. Thanks...
@@russellbarnes7728 Hi Russell, we (my husband and I) did it through the US Embassy in Mexico, via email within the office of SS located in the embassy; my husband did it last year, all via email and sending the documents via DHL; like I mentioned, needs to be your account in any bank, and all the bank requires is your RFC, Resident card and passport. If later we switch banks, one can just sent them a new form (they provide it) signed by the bank 's person who will open your account.
We will go through Morelia probably at the end of this month or next; currently we live in Cuautla Morelos and moving somewhere in Jalisco.
Thank you both for a lovely informative interview❤️
I understood a US citizen could open an account in a Mexican bank. Not true?
I think you need at least temporary residency to open a bank account here.
Fully depends on the bank. But there are banks that will open an account for a resident. Being a tourist would be hard to have a banker open an account to you
Remember. They can call themselves expats all they want, they're just immigrants. So that's what I'll call them. I love immigrants in my country!
Jefferson Texas Hola
what colonia does russ live in for 400 dollars a month
Not sure what colonia, but his rent isn’t that uncommon in Morelia
I don't know. I'm very familiar with Morelia. To say one has never experienced any type of crime is interesting. It does make me wonder if he is living in a 'gated' community. Some people can afford 'gated' communities while others cannot. Makes the Mexico experience quite different. And to say 'price gouging' never ever happens is I feel rather rare. 'Price gouging' can happen at the grocery store, dealing with a plumber, renting apartments, buying fast food, dealing with businesses, at nail/ hair salons, dog groomers, etc... Anywhere... Any day... For any reason... If one never experiences this maybe they are jus lucky - or - live in a gated community and are therefore very protected.
We do not live in a gated community. There's a security guard, but he just cruises the sidewalks. As I said, I have not been gouged for more money. It may be because my wife is Mexican, but I've had no issues. All those things can, and do happen in the states as well. I'm only reflecting MY OWN experiences while living in Mexico...
Considering he is giving his experience are you basically saying his experience isn’t true? Because if so, I think you need to take your negativity elsewhere
Why would living off social security be freeloading? You earned it through your own labor and you're not taking anything from Mexico.
@@hyacinthABC I agree! I worked hard to be where I am, and paid for it too. I ask for, nor do I take ANYTHING from Mexico. I'm not clear on the "freeloading" comment. How was that implied?
SMH.
You’re absolutly right Mariana..I’m a Permanent Resident in México and I Get my money deposited every month from the Social Security in my personal BBVA Bank Account. That Man looks perfectly capable of doing his Banking how he pleases,BBVA has the best platform for banking on line in México 🇲🇽
He will need to provide his BankAccount info in writing to the Social Security..an account statement will do for that matter.
After speaking with Russell he’s going to double check with his bank and get that sorted out