ESL Podcast 980 - Retiring Abroad
to retire - to stop working, usually later in life when one already has enough money
Randall hopes to ride his bike across the country when he retires.
abroad - overseas; in another country
Would you ever consider working abroad, or do you want to be near your family?
fixed income - a certain amount of money received regularly, when that amount does not change
Salespeople work on commission and make more when they sell more and less when they sell less, so they never had a fixed income.
Social Security - payments made by the U.S. federal government to the elderly and disabled, as well as young people whose parents have died
Social Security won't be enough to cover your expenses in retirement, so it's important to start saving money in a separate retirement account.
to only go so far - to be limited in scope or power; to not be enough; to be less than the ideal amount
The landlord's generosity will only go so far. We have to start paying the rent on time.
cost of living - the amount of money needed to cover one's basic living expenses during a certain period of time, such as housing, food, and transportation
The job seems to offer a high salary, but if you factor in the cost of living in New York City, it's barely enough to survive on.
to live it up - to live in a wild, enjoyable and fun way, especially spending a lot of money, without responsibilities
We really lived it up as college students, because we knew that once we graduated we'd have to find a job, pay off student loans, and start a family.
at a fraction of the cost - for a much lower price; much less expensively
At discount stores, you can buy designer clothing at a fraction of the cost of regular retail stores.
modestly - humbly; without too much of something; in moderation
They live so modestly, most people would never guess they're millionaires.
remotely - far away; without a direct connection or without direct communication
Freelancing allows Jimmy to work remotely, so he can travel anywhere but still provide services to his clients.
expat - expatriate; a person who lives in another country, especially a person who is living in another country temporarily while working there
Local community members dislike the expats, who make a lot more money than they do.
to adjust to - to adapt to; to become accustomed to; to get used to; to become comfortable with some change
How long did it take you to adjust to the new keyboard?
power outage - a period of time when electricity is unavailable, usually as the results of a storm
The windstorm knocked down trees and caused power outages all along the east coast.
to put down stakes - to claim a piece of land as one's new home; to select a new place to live
We'd love to put down stakes in that part of town, but the homes are too expensive.
residency visa - an official document that allows one to live in another country
Will you apply for citizenship before your residency visa expires?
to take the plunge - to start or do something that is difficult or challenging, especially if one is nervous about it
Gregorio has been talking about going back to school for years, but this fall, he's finally going to take the plunge.