Retirement doesn’t necessarily mean moving to the restricting confines of an old age home. It is meant to be a time of freedom and excitement, a time you have been working towards for a good long while – why not make it a highlight in your life rather than a premature ending?
Thousands of people choose to relocate to a different country to enjoy their twilight years to the full and moving to South Africa has become a bit of trend, particularly amongst middle income Europeans.
South Africa has become a popular retirement destination for various good reasons, but chiefly because of the relatively low cost of living.
Many immigrants to South Africa make the mistake of purchasing property in the most expensive areas and embracing a lifestyle they would never be able to afford at home simply because of the strength of foreign currency compared to the poor old battered rand.
It is important to keep in mind that even though the fiscal returns of the pound or Euro seem quite staggering initially, in order to make ends meet on your retirement money you will still have to curb your spending, unless you’re shipping money over on a regular basis.
A retired foreigner is eligible for a four year retirement visa as long as their monthly pension or net worth realises the equivalent of R20 000 (£1336) per month, according to today’s exchange rate (10 December 2008). These requirements apply per person. Once you have qualified for a retirement visa, the next step would be to apply for permanent residence.
It’s not necessarily the cost of living that is the powerful attraction; it may simply be the improved quality of life that has tempted you to consider relocating to South Africa. Huge chunks of money can’t buy a fantastic climate or access to the great outdoors and these are the free benefits a land like South Africa has to offer.
As we get older, we have to be cognisant of our health for obvious reasons. South Africa has outstanding private health care facilities at a fraction of its overseas counterparts’ price. Although many skilled health care professionals have chosen to take their talent and experience abroad, the overall standard of health professionals in the private sector is excellent.
Then there are the other attractions of the country, including its world-class golf courses, diverse attractions encompassing both bush and beach, luxurious yet affordable dwellings, exciting cultures and a standard of living that is quite frankly unaffordable for the vast majority of retirees in countries like Germany and the UK.
Relegate the old age home to the back burner – retiring to a place like South Africa will give you a new lease on life and a whole new perspective to boot.