For most of my working life, I’ve dreamed of not working. Unfortunately, by American standards I’m not ready to stop–a bit too young, a tad too poor. Then my husband and I moved to Slovakia for my job. Perhaps, I’m realizing, there’s another way to realize this goal.

If I am going to leave my job, maybe I could spend less–materially less. It turns out there are scads of cheaper countries to live in than the United States. In all of the articles on living outside the US in retirement to control costs, I haven’t seen Slovakia highlighted. Clearly this is an oversight.

Yet as an American, I don’t understand what living in a cheaper country looks like. I don’t look at the Christmas lights downtown and think “Wow, I wonder what those cost.” I like the lights.  I may even feel entitled to the lights. Here, people are more thrifty to their core.

Austerity here goes beyond buying “no name” brand super market products. When I was a kid in the 70s, cost cutting was buying a white can with big black letters which said “green beans.” In Bratislava, austerity is more of an every day reality. In a country where the average person makes about 1000 dollars per month, austerity is potholes, graffiti, a dead dog lingering on the highway.

I’m not sure I can give up the services which keep my life quite so pristine. I’m also not sure I can afford them for the next several years. Living in Bratislava will be a good test.

So far, so good. Austerity does not imply a lack of good people, interesting architecture, fine arts, and great wine and food. We have friends, opera, and 4 dollar pizzas with a dollar beer.

It’s only been a bit more than 3 months since we moved here. Time will tell. As of right now, I think living in a cheaper country, for a medium or long term, is an option. And for the moment, options are all I’m looking for.

Categories: Ruminations

Tags: austerity, Bratislava, Cheap living, getting to retirement, infrastructure investment, places to live in retirement, Slovakia