In the current Indian scenario, most Indians harbor dreams of moving abroad, and US tops that list. Better job opportunities, better quality of life and a chance to help your family back home in India, are some of the factors that see millions of people migrate to the US each year, either legally, or illegally.
However, there have been instances where the reverse has also happened, where someone from the US, fed up of the inflation, has made India his home. This is the story of one such man, called Elliot Rosenberg.
Taking to LinkedIn recently, Rosenberg narrated his life story and said that moving to India was the best decision he made. He wrote, "I made a rare financial decision 12 years ago. And it has changed my finances (and life) forever. Most personal finance gurus tell you to budget your expenses, invest and hold long-term, and build multiple streams of income. Then, you achieve: (F)financial (I)independence (R)retire (E)early. I’m on board with all of these things. The only problem? America is $@!&%* expensive!"
Not only that, Rosenberg also met his wife here, and settled in blissful matrimony. "I met my wife here, became close to her family, learned Hindi, have made lifelong bonds, and started two businesses. Last year, we moved to a beach town where on any given weekend we surf, go to potlucks, or hike in the jungles. The lifestyle and freedom I have wouldn’t be possible if everything weren’t 80 percent cheaper here," he added.
He then gave a breakdown of his monthly expenses, which were not even half of what he would pay in the US.
1.) $630 or Rs 54,400 in rent for a fully-furnished 2-bedroom next to a river, with a shared pool and gym
2.) $250 or Rs 21,600 for groceries
3.) $80 or Rs 6,900 for a helper to come six times a week to clean, prep meals, and do laundry. (Rosenberg called this service a "gamechanger"
4.) $10 or Rs 860 per personal training session.
He added that they, as a family, don't stress about money anymore, though Rosenberg has no plans to give up his American citizenship. He added, "We don’t stress about money, and we each get to take risks without fear in running our own businesses (serving US-based clients who pay us in dollars).... I’m still happily a US citizen and still visit the US once a year. I love America and have no plans to surrender my passport."