Expat on a Budget

What if the money part was easier than you think? In this episode of Expat on a Budget, I talk with Leizl Smith, a South African expat who met her Dutch husband on a cruise ship in 2004, spent nearly a decade raising and homeschooling two kids while living half the year at sea, and now earns her entire living online — enough to cover the mortgage and then some, working about three hours a day. She...

What if your best life starts at 69? In this inspiring episode of Expat on a Budget , I talk with Siobhan Farr, founder of Digital Nomads Beyond 50 , lifelong traveler, and full-time nomad who has now visited 68 countries . Siobhan shares how she sold off 30 years of belongings in Dallas, launched into full-time travel in 2020, unexpectedly spent 13 months in Ecuador during lockdown, and built a l...

Volunteer travel can be life-changing—or unethical—depending on who leads, who benefits, and what’s really happening on the ground. In this episode, I’m joined by Kimberly Haley Coleman , founder of Globe Aware , to unpack what ethical short-term service trips look like after 25 years in the field. We talk about how projects are selected by local communities, what a one-week “turnkey” service expe...

In this episode of Expat on a Budget , I sit down with international tax lawyer and long-time expat Bobby Casey , who’s built a life across multiple countries. We start with how a “test run” abroad led him from Estonia to Latvia, and how he now rotates between home bases in Mexico, Latvia, and the U.S. But the heart of this conversation is U.S. healthcare —and why it’s a major factor in why so man...

Most of my guests have traded their old lives for a new home in a specific country. But today’s guest didn’t just pick a new home—he built a portfolio of them. In this episode, I’m bringing you a conversation that redefines what it means to be an expat. I sat down with Benjamin Hies , a German entrepreneur and a true global citizen who didn’t just move abroad, he diversified his entire life. Benja...

Have you ever considered moving to a country that isn’t on the typical “Digital Nomad Top 10” list? This week, we are traveling to the heart of South America to visit Paraguay. I sat down with Jessica, a former Oregon resident who, along with her husband and three dogs, took the leap to rural Paraguay in 2023. We discuss why they skipped over popular destinations like Costa Rica and Portugal in fa...

Have you ever scrolled through Instagram, seen those incredible travel photos, and thought, “I wish that could be me”? 🙋‍♀️ Well, get ready to meet the woman who is ACTUALLY living the dream you’ve been double-tapping on for years! This week on Expat on a Budget, I’m sitting down with the absolute legend, Mary Bartnikowski. And when I say legend, I mean it. This powerhouse of a woman is 69 years...

Kaila settled in Thailand for years (after a whirlwind SE Asia Backpacking trip) and is soon on her way to Valencia, Spain! You can also find a video of this podcast on YouTube if you’d rather watch there 😃 Thank you so much for listening! My podcasts and articles here on Substack will always remain FREE. I will not put them behind a paywall. If you don’t want to become a paid subscriber but enjo...

You can also find a video of this podcast on YouTube if you’d rather watch there 😃 Thinking about moving to Portugal—or abroad for the first time? Josh and Kalie of Expats Everywhere share their global path from Spain and South Korea to Saudi Arabia and Singapore and, finally, to Porto. We dive into the D7 visa, real costs, schooling options, Portuguese language, and how to avoid common expat mis...

You can also find a video of this podcast on YouTube if you’d rather watch there 😃 The original article 👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽 Thank you so much for listening! My podcasts and articles here on Substack will always remain FREE. I will not put them behind a paywall. If you don’t want to become a paid subscriber but enjoyed this episode, I’d be every so grateful if you’d buy me a coffee as a one time donation...

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You can also find a video of this podcast on YouTube if you’d rather watch there 😃 The original article 👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽 Thank you so much for listening! My podcasts and articles here on Substack will always remain FREE. I will not put them behind a paywall. If you don’t want to become a paid subscriber but enjoyed this episode, I’d be every so grateful if you’d buy me a coffee as a one time donation...

You can also find a video of this podcast on YouTube if you’d rather watch there 😃 The original article 👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽 Thank you so much for listening! My podcasts and articles here on Substack will always remain FREE. I will not put them behind a paywall. If you don’t want to become a paid subscriber but enjoyed this episode, I’d be every so grateful if you’d buy me a coffee as a one time donation...

Mary Bartnikowski and I had a wonderful live chat on Monday!! For anyone who may have missed it and is interested in watching, here it is 🥰🤗 For those of you who don’t know Mary, you simply must! She’s more proof that you’re never too old to be a full time traveler! At 69, Mary is a fearless, solo, digital nomad and professional photographer. We can all learn oodles from this amazing woman! Get...

You can also find a video of this podcast on YouTube if you’d rather watch there 😃 The original article 👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽 Thank you so much for listening! If you don’t want to become a paid subscriber (my articles and podcast are free) but enjoyed this, you can buy me a coffee below. Questions for You to Think/Journal About * What does comfort mean to you? Is it physical, emotional, or something else...

You can read the original article here ! Thank you so much for listening! If you don’t want to become a paid subscriber (my articles and podcast are free) but enjoyed this, you can buy me a coffee below. SHOW NOTES: * Ethical Expating * My bio * Moving with animals * Community Article and Podcast My DIY Class teaches you how to move abroad on a budget! Click here to learn more ! I’m open for consu...

You can read the original article here ! Thank you so much for listening! If you don’t want to become a paid subscriber (my articles and podcast are free) but enjoyed this, you can buy me a coffee below. SHOW NOTES: * Language Learning Article or Podcast Episode . * Funny Language Mistakes Article (accidentally asking for a dick) * Dr. CK | Beyond Borders 🛫 * My journals/planners * Greece travelo...

You can read the original article here ! Thank you so much for listening! If you don’t want to become a paid subscriber (my articles and podcast are free) but enjoyed this, you can buy me a coffee below. SHOW NOTES: * The Why I left the US Series (Numbers 1 - 6) Links Are Below. * Identified Patient/ Black Sheep * Happier Hour Book: How to Beat Distraction, Expand you Time and Focus on What Matter...

Thank you so much for listening! If you don’t want to become a paid subscriber (my articles and podcast are free) but enjoyed this, you can buy me a coffee below. SHOW NOTES: * Language Article * Emergency Kit Ideas (youtubers below) * Wook Online Book Seller in Portugal * Historias De Mundo A2 Level with Audio at Wook or Lidel * Uma Aventura nas Férias by Enid Blyton (there are several books in t...

You can read the entire article here. Thank you so much for listening! If you don’t want to become a paid subscriber (my articles and podcast are free) but enjoyed this, you can buy me a coffee below. SHOW NOTES: Resources for Finding Community Abroad * Online Groups and Platforms * Facebook * Meetup.com * Internations * Reddit * Search Tips * Search for the city you’re moving to + "expat" or "dig...

You can read the entire article here. Thank you so much for listening! If you don’t want to become a paid subscriber (my articles and podcast are free) but enjoyed this, you can buy me a coffee below. SHOW NOTES: * Link to note tooting my horn * How to move abroad series * Healthcare article * Minimizing articles * Class with minimizing module * Equaldex (safe travel for LGBTQ+) * TravelNoir * The...

You can read the entire article here. Thank you so much for listening! If you don’t want to become a paid subscriber (my articles and podcast are free) but enjoyed this, you can buy me a coffee below. SHOW NOTES: * And here’s a great article that Caterina wrote an article about ways to earn remotely! My Class: Teaching you how to live abroad on a budget is insanely affordable, click here to learn...

You can read the entire article here . Expat on a Budget is a reader-supported publication. My newsletter/articles and podcasts are all free. You can support my work, by becoming a free (or paid) subscriber. SHOW NOTES: * Why I left the US part 1 podcast and article (high cost of living) * Why I left the US part 2 article (healthcare) * Why I left the US part 3 article (safety) * Why I left the US...

You can read the entire article here . Expat on a Budget is a reader-supported publication. My newsletter/articles and podcasts are all free. Support my work, by becoming a free (or paid) subscriber. SHOW NOTES: * Why I left the US part 1 podcast and article (high cost of living) * Why I left the US part 2 article (healthcare) * Why I left the US part 3 article (safety) * Trauma care article and p...

You can read the entire article here . Expat on a Budget is a reader-supported publication. My newsletter/articles and podcasts are all free. Support my work, by becoming a free (or paid) subscriber. SHOW NOTES: This week’s article is about the devastating Los Angeles Fires. If you’re interested, please click here. My Class: Teaching you how to live abroad on a budget is insanely affordable, click...