Simon - dual British/US citizen
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Hi, Everyone. I'm looking forward to getting some guidance here from all you experienced emigres!
I moved from St. Albans (in the south of England) to Los Angeles in 1989 and have lived here ever since. I retired a little over a year ago and I've found that my pension BARELY covers my living expenses. Also, I'm a bit bored since my income doesn't have any flex for traveling - or even going out to socialize. I'm ready for a change.
Moving to the US from the UK was massive for me. It was expensive and set my finances back a lot. I left the country just as the UK property market crashed and ended up in foreclosure on a home on which I had expected to make a substantial profit. After that experience of moving from one country to another I never thought I'd be considering it again. The political climate that just changed here in the US made me really reconsider it. Now I want to explore my options.
I still have family in the UK and my grown son and his family live just a mile from me here in the Los Angeles area. I'm not sure if he is also considering a move, since this is in the very early stages for me and I plan to sound him out soon.
At first I thought a move back to Europe might be my top choice (Portugal, which I have visited on business once) was top of mind. The proximity would make trips to the UK easier and therefore likely more frequent. I was back in the UK in the summer of 2023 -- the previous visit was 2012. In the 35 years I've lived here I have only managed to get back four times. Now, with my financial limits in the US, a visit there seems even more unlikely - unless I make some big changes.
Well, this is the start of the new journey. There's a lot to figure out. I'm led to understand that this community will be of great assistance in helping me forge my new path. I thank you in advance for that!
--SIMON