Mastering geoarbitrage
Do you ever dream of retiring early and traveling the world with your partner? Learning how to master geoarbitrage may be the answer. Hear the 5 tips for mastering geoarbitrage on this Queer Money®.
Hear the 5 tips to mastering geoarbitrage:
Meet Ali & Alison, geoarbitrage masters
Ali & Alison Walker are the creators of All Options Considered, a platform where they share their journey to financial independence and adventures with early retirement, slow travel and cheap but tasty ramen, most recently making their way through Southeast Asia. Today, they join us to explain what inspired them to retire early and what steps they took to achieve the financial freedom that makes their current lifestyle possible.
Ali & Alison weigh in on the concept of geoarbitrage, discussing how they make decisions around where to travel based on cost of living and LGBTQ discrimination. They also offer insight into how they are financing their travel, what strategies they use to stay on budget, and how they get routine medical care in other parts of the world.
Topics covered about geoarbitrage
What inspired Alison & Ali to retire early
- Stressful jobs, family members retiring with health issues
- Desire to retire together + regular money conversations
How Alison & Ali achieved financial freedom
- Downsized to condo and rented out house
- Sold property and folded into stock market + ETFs
The value in having ongoing money conversations with your partner
- Builds trust, confidence in each other
- Support in other aspects of relationship
What limiting beliefs Alison & Ali had to overcome
- Stigma of being welfare kid, massive college debt
- Dyslexia led to low grades + low self-esteem
How limiting beliefs manifested in Alison & Ali’s financial situation
- Lifestyle inflation
- Stuck in mode of comparison
The concept of geoarbitrage
- Target countries with very low cost of living
- Balance with ‘dream countries’ to stay on strict budget
The resources Ali uses to prepare for travel
- Cost of living indexes
- Government websites for visa allowances
- Political, LGBTQ issue sites (discrimination)
- Other travel blogs + community of nomads
Alison & Ali’s definition of FIRE
- Financially Independent Retire Early
- Retire = never have job again
How slow travel helps Alison & Ali stay on budget
- Discount on Airbnb for longer stays
- Find grocery store + inexpensive places to eat on Yelp
How Alison & Ali are generating income
- Live off dividends and sale of stocks
- Keep income low (subsidies for healthcare, avoid capital gains)
Alison & Ali’s insight on expat healthcare
- Global medical insurance program to cover large expenses
- Pay out-of-pocket for routine care (e.g.: dental work in Thailand)
Alison’s take on the greatest benefits of early retirement
- Freedom to say YES
- Showing up for people more rewarding than things
Alison & Ali’s 5 tips for mastering geoarbitrage
- Get out of debt
- Articulate goals + assign real numbers
- Don’t buy new cars
- Max out your 401(k)
- Save, save, save (live below means)