If you’d asked me ten years ago if I’d ever consider a snowbird lifestyle, I would have answered you with an outright, “Ya, ok! Do I look like the snowbirding type?” Well, friends, time has a way of shaping how we see the world and our future so the answer to that question today is completely different. I visited Myrtle Beach, South Carolina the first time in 2015, then revisited in early 2020 when talk of a “virus” was hitting the airwaves. From that moment on, life as I knew it would take an entirely new direction.
I recently returned from Myrtle Beach from my first snowbird adventure, a two-month getaway to determine if I had the chops to make it in the snowbird universe. If you’ve been thinking about the possibility of wintering south one day, here are three essential requirements you will need to check off your list:
Can you make the time to get away?
This can’t be more obvious. Can you get away for an extended period of time without your world falling apart in your absence? You don’t have to be a retiree or senior to make the cut but usually, “retirement” comes with the advantage that you don’t have to show up someplace to earn a living. If you are lucky enough to have a career that pays you to work remotely, you can check this box; if you have time that is all yours and doesn’t come with a “stay-in-the-country” requirement, check this box and keep reading.
Money, money, money, money… mo-ney!
Depending on your life stage, financial status, and lifestyle expectations, money (or lack thereof) could be the deal breaker. Snowbirding is NOT a vacation! It is a life swap: you will be transplanting your current day-to-day life in a different location and if we are talking about the U.S., that means an exchange rate that makes the getaway more costly. The money issue will require some number crunching but there are strategies to soften the financial blow. To succeed at snowbirding, you don’t need a lot of money in the bank; you just need to be good at money management — now and in the future.
Do you have lifestyle interests?
Being a snowbird will do you no justice if you don’t have a solid, sustainable reason to leave the comforts of home for months at a time. Whether you choose South Carolina, Arizona, Florida or some other sunny and warm destination, your lifestyle interests are the icing on the snowbird cake. But these don’t have to be the obvious ones like golf, fishing, or boating. Curious to know what fills my soul with glee? The chance to walk the beach every day in a T-shirt and be surrounded by blue skies. Any fun activity above and beyond is a bonus. Now, figure out your reason and get ready for the next step…
But what is the next step?
The answer will differ from person to person because we are all at various stages in life with unique ideas, goals, aspirations, and challenges. Here’s a good place to start: the Canadian Snowbird Association website. There is a lot of free content on this site so you will likely stumble upon something to get the wheels in your head turning. Consider becoming a member for only $25 a year and get access to added perks such as the CSA Magazine, travel insurance discounts, preferred rates on foreign exchange, handy travel guides, and so much more.
I can also be a good resource since I plan to write more articles about my personal journey and experiences (which includes purchasing a vacation property in Myrtle Beach) and will archive this content in a dedicated section on my website. In the meantime, reach out with any questions or comments below or start following me on my Real Estate with Max Facebook Page to get updates as content is published.