Costa Rica Cost of Living Update: Tylenol (24 tablets)—$3.00
You may be wondering if I’m still sitting on my floor. The answer to that is no. Not on the floor, but on an irregular king-size bed my husband insisted we buy.
“There’s probably just a scratch or two,” he said, after the store demanded we leave while they wrapped it up. This suspicious behavior pretty much ensured that I would have a very deliberate argument with Rob, one with the phrase I told you so, by the end of the day.
There has not been an irregular item my husband has passed up in fifteen years. Whether it’s oddly stitched shirts or pants with crooked pockets, he gravitates to anything that can possibly save him money. Garden hose with a few cracks? Nothing duct tape won’t fix. Expired vitamins? They’ll just make the body stronger.
So we bring back this deal of the century, put it together, only to realize all the wooden slats are missing.
“No problem. We have wood around back, I’ll just saw a few myself,” he said.
An hour later he places the slats in the frame, drops in the mattress, only to realize that the “irregular” part of this story has nothing to do with the wooden slats, but with the fact that the frame was built an inch too narrow. The mattress did not fit, and that’s when the I-told-you–so parade started. I believe I tossed in some unrelated grievances from ten years ago, just to keep the flow going.
“It’s not a problem, I just have to bend the mattress in half and jump on top,” Rob reassured. And bending the mattress in half and jumping on top, not surprisingly, resulted in breaking most of the wooden slats he had just cut.
Two hours later, he somehow crammed the mattress into the bed frame, making changing the sheets an Olympic event. This is a success story according to Rob.
So here I am presently, sitting on our irregular sized bed in our living room, finishing up the 2016 edition of The Costa Rica Escape Manual. I especially like how my husband positioned the bed in front of a gaping hole in the wall. I call this the Dust Bowl excursion, since every time the wind blows I get to eat, and sleep in, a substantial amount of Costa Rican dirt. But as you can see in the picture, the men are here to install our door. I just keep my head down and pretend that I’m on a beach in Hawaii.
I hope you enjoy the latest edition of my book. New chapters cover the logistics of starting a business, with examples of successful business owners and how they got started. Other topics include information on how to travel for less using buses, staying in hostels, and eating at sodas. Things change quickly in Costa Rica, and there is updated information throughout the new edition.
It’s been an amazing journey so far, and I can’t wait to share more stories with you about my life in this beautiful country. It’s an irregular one, but one that I wouldn’t trade for the world.
Hello I love reading your stories expierence in Colombia is much better than the novels I’ve read. I love to travel there someday. I am a recently retired RN this is on my bucket list. I’m happy for you two. I have RA I wonder if I moving there will actually cure me and how is the health care there will I be able to buy medication? Keep living life to the fullest for all of us☺??
The best thing to do is come down and talk with a local pharmacist. They can help you navigate some of these questions. Once you are a resident, you can contribute the national insurance system. There is also private insurance you can purchase. So there are a couple ways to go about it.
My husband and I live in Staten Island, NY. I have only read your first two books. I will start the 3rd when I return to work on Wednesday commuting to midtown on the express bus. Left wondering a couple of things. Income? How does a foreigner make a living in Costa Rica? I suppose most have some sort of online income. Is that true?
I read that you are opening a B&B. We would love to make a reservation. My husband is a big B&B guy. Operating a B&B is a huge undertaking as is any business. Moreover, it seems that you are complicating your life when you left home to simplify. Seems like there is something of a conflict.
Hi Peggy, the 2016 edition of The Costa Rica Escape Manual has chapters on expats making a living. Some open restaurants, sell their goods at farmers’ markets, and of course if you have a job where you can telecommute you can work anywhere in the world.
I am so very excited I can will have a business and get to continue my wonderful adventure here in Costa Rica. I am not independently wealthy, so I have to work to make a living. I don’t see any conflict, just gratitude that I’m living a life that fits perfectly.
Since the last post, I read the escape manual too. We had some friends over, wherein I was able to say that I have learned much about expatriating in CR, since I have recently read 3 books on the subject, written by someone who comes from the same place that we all do. Not sure it’s for us, but we all did agree to come down as a group for the winter when my youngest graduates from Clark University, Class of 2019. Is there salsa (mambo) dancing in Costa Rica?
Thanks Peggy. There are dance classes here, and I’m sure you can find a place to get your groove on!
Since I had already bought the older version of the Eacape Manual, does it automatically update or do I need to buy the new one?
Hi Daphne, Amazon considers it a new book like a new edition of Frommers and Lonely Planet. So you would have to buy the new one.
Nadine, I’m glad you are happy and doing well. You probably don’t know me, but I remember you from high school. I was a classmate of your sister’s. Could you please tell her I said hi?
Thanks!
She said hi back Dave!!
You’re the best. 🙂
Great to see things moving along with the house. Don’t worry about the bed. It will straighten itself out after you guys sleep on it! Have fun! You guys are living the dream….dirt and all!
Thanks Rich, that’s exactly what Rob said!