Sid’s Secret Weapon: How to Economy-Proof Your Retirement and More!

Hi Jerry, Wonderful. Give me a call on my cell phone and we can get acquainted. From a land line in the Lake Chapala Area you must first call the cell access code (045) and then the cell number (note all cell numbers that are signed up in our area have Guadalajara prefixes of 331 or 333.

Here’s my local cell when calling from a land line here. (045) 331 152 1314.

Note: Tel Mex charges a small fee to connect to a cell number but at least it’s not like it used to be when to call a cell number from Lake Chapala land lines you were charged for a long distance call to Guadalajara.

If you have internet access you can also drop me an e mail to Sid@ChapalaClub.com and we can set up a time to talk.

All for now, Siempre tu amigo, Sid

Hi Efrain,

Thanks for your comment. I’ve not been retired nearly long enough to be in the area 30 years, but I hope to be in the area eventually for much longer than 30 years.

My first trip to the area was about 15 or 16 years ago. I’ve lived in the area now for 7 years.

Now. let me tell you what I would do. I would investigate the local schools here. I’ve heard very good things about Layola and about Roosevelt.

I’ve visted both briefly with clients in the past but would certainly go and have a chat with the administration at each school, look over the school grounds and class rooms and ask for references from other parents.

Some couples home school their school age kids here. There’s an informal group of English speaking parents here with school age kids that help each other and socialize together as well.

I don’t have the contact information at my fingertips but with a little digging I suspect I could find it.

Not sure about the costs, but one thing for sure. The costs would be less here than for the same quality of education in the USA.

A big plus for kids here is just growing up where old fashioned family values are nurtured. Add to this the international environment and the chance to be bi lingual sooner rather than later which I believe is a big plus in giving the kids here preparation for the future.

I think of English and Spanish as two of the very best languages to know since both Spain and England were once global empires and both languages are therefore spoken all over the world.

I hope this helps. All for now, Siempre tu amigo, Sid

HI MM. I also love to teach, but I’m also very entrepreneurial so try to find a way to satisfy my urge to teach and still keep the wolf away from the door, but I commend you for following your heart.

I taught ESL and Business ESL in Guadalajara for one year. I determined to see if I could live on my teacher earnings. I was able to do so but it wasn’t easy. The young men in the street washing cars that hustled could earn as much as I was earning. I worked about 7 hours a day (loved every minute of it as it was very fulfilling).

I taught early mornings and early evenings to accommodate my students schedules and 4 hours on Saturday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

I had to live in a cold water flat above a bank in the barrio. I survived and prospered self actualization wise.

I have a bi lingual Mexican national friend ( My wife’s cousin) who teaches ENglish in the public highschools in Guadalajara for about $3 an hour. Seven years ago I earned $5 an hour teaching at a private language school and $7 an hour when I was able to teach business English to executive types in the evening.

Expenses will be higher for you in Guadalajara as well. I have no idea what the Universities pay but dobt if it’s more than the private language schools.

I would consider the following: Come to live at the Lake Chapala area and tutor both Mexicans wanting to speak better English and English speakers wanting to speak better Spanish. If you can produce good results in the retirement community your fame will spread quickly and you can raise your rates accordingly.

A few years back I joined a not so cheap class to improve my Spanish and i was worth every nickle. Much better than classes at the Language schools in Guadalajara which were less expensive.

You may be able to find other niches here where you could use your bi lingual ability. We can discuss some of these ideas privately.

I hope this helps. All for now. Siempre tu amigo, Sid

Hi Arturo, Thanks for your comment. I’m not sure about the difibrillator/pacemaker monitoring you asked about. Hopefully someone will see your post and respond.

The local Red Cross Emergency clinic I’m told has a difibrillator and I suspect that they may be able to read yours or knows who can.

I would also suggest that you go to the Chapala Web Board and ask the same question. Given our large retirement population I would think that surely there are others in the same situation as you. And, certainly in nearby Guadalajara (45 minute drive) you could find a doctor to trake the readings you need taken from time to time. They have state of the art medical centers and hospitals there.

My blood pressure medicine here costs half of what it would cost in Texas. Some meds are higher bere but most are lower and there may be generic brands here not available in the USA.

There’s a very large American Legion post here which can no doubt help you out on your TRICARE prescription plan.

You might want to give them a call at 011 52 376 765 2259 between 9 a.m.and 3 p.m. M – F. or Saturday 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.

The altitude here is 5,000 ft. above sea level and most people do fine at this level. Some take a few days, or even a few weeks to adjust. The Lake Chapala Society in Ajijic has retired doctors and nurses that volunteer to give blood pressure checks regularly and I suspect they also will give some basic medical advise as well.

We have pretty much everything that you would find in retirement areas in the USA as far as services, medical facilities etc., except the high prices and bad weather.

Start working on those plans. All for now. Siempre tu amigo, Sid

Hi Susan, I’ve heard the same story. Don;t yet know the real facts, I do know this. Such an incident is extremely rare here.

A big meeting on crime issues is scheduled for February 17th in San Juan Cosala and its reported that very high officials in the JAlisco State Government, our local police chiefs and at least ine state legislator will be attending.

So, the government here is very attentive of any up tick in area crime.

The local citizens Mexican and Foreign are rightly concerned.

It’s so shocking, in large part, because it’s so extremely rare. Look for an upcoming article I’m woring on to compare the crime in Meico with that in the USA. I think you’ll be shocked at just how low crime in Mexico really is and just hpw safe our area in particular is.

Any crime is too much crime. That being said from my perspective as a former Police Officer in Dallas of 35 years I feel much safer here than I felt in Dallas… and that’s not to know Dallas at all as it has a great dedicated police chief and force and compares well with other major US cities.

I feel certain that the recent episode is an isolated incident. Sid