Many of you have seen a lot more of this world than I have. I'm considering selling our house and moving out of this once great country. We're looking for a cooler climate, near a body of water (or ocean) perhaps in Ireland, Scotland, Spain, Island of Mann, etc. The cost of living there is a LOT cheaper than here in WI (tax hell). We would visit there first. Have any of the members travelled through such an area?

It has to allow privately owned firearms (possible glitch), good fshing waters, cheap housing, paved roads, stable Govt., health insurance available. My first thought was a Chinese Junk moored in Hong Kong harbor. But there were language problems. (LOL). Any suggestions eagerly investigated. Thanks.

Don't want to go to the Caribbean or S. America. Too hot, bugs, snakes, crooked police, and tourists. No guns. We're both retired so employment opportunities aren't a factor.

If cost of living is what your target is, then move to the South, not out of the country.  

Just move to Maine, you're not going to find a place like you're talking about in Europe. Not with guns anyways.



If you think taxes are bad here then Europe is not the place for you.

I am retiring to Mozambique.

Based on your criteria, not overseas, but another state: Vermont, or Idaho.

I've given serious consideration to buying another sailboat, shucking it all and relocating to Rio Dulce, Guatemala... and no I'm not kidding...

SSHHHHHHH!!!!!!! We try to keep this place a secret. Besides...cost of living here can be very high.

Might look at New Zealand

Spain is an extremely popular place for Brits to retire.  From what I've seen on their many shows about it you can get a really stellar house there for about $200K USD and a decent enough place for about half that.  The utility bills seem to be ridiculously low, and the other cost of living factors (other than petrol prices) are very low as well.  If you want cooler weather Spain won't be the place for you though.  I'd consider eastern Europe for what you're looking for.

ETA:  The cost of living anywhere in the UK is far higher than where you're at now.  Remember your retirement pay is in USD, do the conversion and you're a poor bastard over here.  Same goes for anywhere that uses the Euro to some extent.

The wife and I are. SE Asia.
Literally everything is paid for there, we're
just biding our time here..  Awaiting "critical mass".

Paraguay

Remember, when you factor in your cost of living expenses, put in about $200 a month for bribes to the police, mayor, and national gov, Consider it a gringo tax. Obama will bring it to the US soon enough.

I was on a kick to retire out of the country at one time (I have been thinking about retirement since I started working).
At that time it seemed to be a hot topic at work and, at the time I was going down to Mexico fairly often. Everybody was talking about how you could live like a king on your pension and all that.
After a few years I realized that I could like very well on my pension right here in the US. Just moving out of the city would be the first step. Then of course you take taxes and overall cost of living into consideration when you decide where you want to retire.
Long story even longer, I have no real desire to leave this country. All the things you mention that you find desireable readily exist right here in the US.
Like you, I have no real disire to go to the beach and all that. I enjoy a cooler climate. I want four seasons. So most of the places people were talking about (South America) had no appeal to me to begin with. Then of course you get into the enjoyment of your retirement which I hope to spend hunting, fishing, shooting etc. Things you can't do almost anywhere in the world except right here.

my life goals revolve around owning a home on Maui and living in Hawaii during the summer and Florida during the winter.  I have no plans on leaving.

Belize

serious libtards prime minister helen clarke

Frankly, it's dissapointing to see the willingness to leave.  This place isn't broken yet... My dream would be to have a home outside Charlottesville, VA and one in Nags Head, NC.  I'd get my Maui fix by renting, screw buying in HI...

I'd like to see Europe eventually, but call me a tourist...

Those two statements cancel each other out.    I've seen more and better weapons in South and Central America than I've ever seen in the USA with the exception of the police forces and military.  You CAN get all the guns you want, you just have to pay the right folks.

A pistol is relatively easy to acquire, and all that is necessary.  You won't ever have a huge collection like you can here, but then ask yourself what your primary weapons use is.  For protection?  A good one is enough.  For fun?  Might re-think leaving.  But I have seen some impressive machine-guns in private hands.

I know a lot of ex-pats in South/Central Am, as well as a lot of SE Asia types, too.  New Zealand and Australia are more fucked up than we are, by a long shot.  Same with Sweden and the Scandinavian nations, w possible exception of Denmark.  One stable marker is the Feminization level of a nation - the more extreme its "Westernization" the closer it is to collapse, and the shorter you can depend on its current state of affairs as an indicator of future stability.

One major problem is people confuse "freedom" with "standard of living".  It happens almost EVERY time you hear someone talk about how much they love their "freedoms" in the USA: "my house, my car, clean water, etc".  Like the paved roads you mention?  The unanimous responses I've heard is that those little things just don't matter when you're THAT much happier somewhere else.  If you're at peace with your freedoms, do you give a damn if your Toyota pickup has to drive over gravel?  Or are you gonna be too distracted enjoying your life?  Having experienced it myself, I would strongly urge you to consider this possibility and maybe change some of the expectations?  Just a possibility to consider.

Also, keep in mind that some taxes are MUCH higher in other nations than they are here.  Not all, but some are astronomical.

The missus and I are gonna bail as soon as I finish residency, barring a major turn-around in the social and political situation here.  Switzerland was our main direction, but some politics there have changed in the last five years or so making things more muddled...

I have on occasion had that fantasy-except my country is called Awesometopia.

You will need to check your figures on the places you listed.  I don't think any of them will have cheaper cost of living even if your USD=1 EURO.  Add in the crappy conversion rate and you would likely have to cut your living quite a bit.  

I know you said you didn't want to move to south america, but it would be your best option cost wise.  Costa rica is very american friendly, although its not the cheapest place anymore.  They even allow guns and CCW.

Check this website out too.http://www.internationalliving.com/  They want to sell you stuff, but there is alot of good free info there too.

Edit: and remember if you move far enough south it starts getting colder again.