Expat on a Budget

It took about six months just to learn the names and locations of the grocery stores in my Porto neighborhood.

I ignored tourist sites during that time.

My entire world narrowed down to figuring out the name of the main supermarkets in Portugal (Pingo Doce, Continente, Auchan, Lidl, Mercadona, Celeiro, Froiz, Aldi… to name a few). Plus finding the other hidden gems—bakeries, fruitarias and more!

Everyone expects an expat life of leisure, but the reality is half a year spent figuring out where to buy soy heavy cream (actually I just learned about this 3 years in)!

Survival takes precedence over sightseeing when you don't even know the name of the market.

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 7

Expat on a Budget

My pain scale hit a 15 out of 10 after two surgeries on my broken fingers in a Portuguese hospital. I begged the staff for painkillers, but they refused. This was my "welcome to expat/immigrant life" moment.

I felt completely abandoned by a system I didn't understand and physically unable to advocate for myself. The solution wasn't toughening up or learning medical Portuguese overnight. It was hiring a health concierge service for €250 a year.

They:
• Spoke to the doctors at the public hospital.
• Called the prescription I needed into the pharmacy.

Sometimes the smartest move isn't grit, but admitting you need a paid advocate to navigate a foreign bureaucracy.

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 5

Expat on a Budget

The United States has a firearm homicide rate nearly 25 times higher than other high-income countries.

We convince ourselves that staying put is the safe choice while the data screams otherwise.

Comfort is often just familiarity masquerading as security.

4 weeks ago | [YT] | 6

Expat on a Budget

In 2023: I lay in a hospital bed in Portugal with broken bones, thousands of miles from where I used to live. This was the moment everyone warned me about. I had moved here solo, without a prior scouting trip, knowing almost no one, and now I was facing a medical emergency in a foreign language.

The care I received was exceptional. It dismantled every fear I had harbored about leaving the US healthcare system.

I recently spoke to an expat in Panama, who confirmed the same reality there. We often stay in the US because we believe the rest of the world is dangerous or ill-equipped. My experience proved the opposite.

I navigated unsupportive people back in the US and the stress of minimizing my life to get here. Now, I focus entirely on helping others escape.

The safety you are frantically searching for is waiting on the other side of a plane ticket.

4 weeks ago | [YT] | 11

Expat on a Budget

Today my "5 things I hate about Portugal" releases.

Please note these are my opinions and experiences only! This is not to say it's all one way or another here or anywhere. I'm doing these series because I wish someone had told me their experiences before I moved here. That said: I love living here regardless and have no dealbreakers.

Please don't hate on the messenger!!!

1 month ago | [YT] | 4

Expat on a Budget

What's your main "expat prep" activity at the moment?

3 months ago | [YT] | 1

Expat on a Budget

What's the #1 thing you're hoping to find by moving to a new country?

3 months ago | [YT] | 5

Expat on a Budget

What's your biggest challenge when it comes to moving abroad?

3 months ago | [YT] | 4

Expat on a Budget

Check out this video I made for International Living!
https://youtu.be/RrRTfgodAJM?si=SxkJ4...

🚐 From a van in California to a new life in Portugal 🇵🇹

I left the U.S. at 56—alone—and moved to Portugal without ever visiting first. Crazy? Maybe. Worth it? Absolutely.

In this video, I open up about:
✨ The 6 big reasons I left the U.S.
✨ Why Portugal felt like the perfect fit (even sight unseen!)
✨ How my life, values, and even my daily routine have completely transformed

If you’ve ever thought, “Could I actually move abroad?” — this is the video for you. Spoiler: yes, you can. 🌍

Click play and see what life looks like when you trade the hamster wheel for calma.

If you could move abroad tomorrow, where would you go? 🌍✈️

3 months ago | [YT] | 4

Expat on a Budget

I recently received a rather nasty comment on this video (https://youtu.be/3-U6N0-7bWE?si=C1EUw...) claiming that Portugal has some of the highest GMO and pesticide use in Europe, and even citing a few people who developed cancer and Parkinson’s as “proof.” I respect that people have different opinions, but I believe in grounding discussions in evidence rather than anecdotes. I also love talking to people, even if we don't agree and can have a healthy, non-blaming, non-shaming conversation about a topic. But the second anyone tries to shame me or calls me names, I refuse to directly engage with them, and this person did just that.

Anyway, I did some fact‑checking which I'm pasting below for those of you who may have similar concerns or questions after watching the video:

GMOs: Portugal and Spain are the only EU countries that cultivate GMO maize, but the scale in Portugal is small. Spain grows more, but overall, GMOs are tightly regulated and labeled in the EU.

Pesticide use: Spain is indeed one of the biggest users of pesticides in Europe because of its large agricultural sector. Portugal does use pesticides, but it’s not the “highest in Europe.” France and Italy are also major users. Importantly, EU regulations set strict maximum residue levels, and official EFSA reports show that residues found in food are generally within legal safety limits.

Residues in fruit: NGO reports sometimes highlight high detection rates (e.g., strawberries, pears, apples), but “detection” does not mean “dangerous.” The majority of samples remain below EU safety thresholds.
Wine and grapes: Grapes are among the most heavily treated crops, which is one reason organic wine is popular. Still, fermentation reduces many residues in the final product.

Organic vs. conventional: Organic tends to have lower pesticide residues and environmental benefits, but it’s not completely pesticide‑free (natural substances like copper and sulfur are allowed).

As for the cancer and Parkinson’s anecdotes — those are tragic stories, but they can’t be taken as scientific evidence. These diseases have many contributing factors, and no credible data shows that simply moving to Portugal or eating Portuguese produce causes them.

I’m sharing this because it’s important to be informed about the quality of our food here in Portugal, and to separate fact from fear. (And just a note: countries outside the EU don’t necessarily follow the same strict regulations we have here.)

4 months ago | [YT] | 8