Four months in Mexico
The best things in life are the people we love, the places we’ve been and the memories we’ve made along the way.” Anonymous
My husband and I spend four months in Melaque, Mexico every winter. We always get comments like “it must be nice to be able to go for four months” to “what do you do all day” or there is the assumption that we are on the beach everyday drinking beer and margaritas.
First the “it must be nice to be able to go for four months.” We are not wealthy so most people can do what we do. We cancel our car insurance and get storage insurance instead. We suspend our cable and internet. We suspend our cell phone subscription and save 100.00 a month just for that. We do not have to pay for gas for our vehicle which is another 100.00. These are just some of the things we do to save money.
Our two bedroom apartment in Mexico costs us $600.00 to $700.00 per month depending on the exchange so as you can see; we end up paying about half of that with the savings from all the different things we do. Food is inexpensive in Mexico. For the equivalent of $36.00 Cdn. I can get two rib-eye steaks; 2 pork chops; a large chicken; 1 kg. ground beef; ½ kg. bacon and 1 kg. ribs. Fruit and vegetables are always fresh and very cheap. We eat well here. It is always a shock and not a nice one when we go back home and buy groceries for the first time.
What do we do all day? First, it was just about a month before I went to the beach. We have a pool at our complex. I take Spanish lessons once a week; we play Mexican train occasionally with friends; we go to the big market on Wednesdays plus lunch; we go for walks; I have a massage once a week and once a month I have a facial. My husband takes a lot of walks looking for “the picture.” Other times we are touring friends or people new to the area around. There is another beach, Cuastecomates, that is a five-minute taxi ride from our casa. It is small but the water is clear, and the snorkeling is good. Sometimes we will go to La Manzanilla where you can walk for two hours on the flat beach. They also have a crocodile sanctuary where you can see the crocodiles up close and personal literally. The town is small but quaint with plenty of artists who call this their home. Occasionally we will drive an hour to the big city of Manzanillo to go shopping.
There are art shows, parades, skimboarding competitions and running competitions. You can go fishing for Marlin, Dorado, Red Snapper and more. There are bridge, Mexican train and cribbage clubs.
We visit friends we have made here; go to restaurants especially the ones that have entertainment. There is so much talent in this place. You could go out every night of the week and not see the same entertainers.
We also try to go to other places in Mexico either on our own or with a tour company. Mex-Eco Tours have interesting tours that they provide. The guides are extremely knowledgeable, and the tours are well planned.
Yes, there is still lots of time for relaxing, reading, daydreaming or sitting on the beach drinking beer and margaritas!
What do you do to save money in order to travel?
Love this blog! Your way of writing is great.
Keep them coming.
Great to read this. I’ve just enjoyed eating breakfast at the same B&B we are staying at in Scotland when you gave me your card. I have just hurried back to my room to log into your website. Brilliant way of having a holiday and enjoying it too….whilst not spending big dollars to do it. Mexico definitely sounds like the type of holiday I would enjoy from reading your blog.
Thanks Judy. Appreciate the feedback. We are still in Scotland. Heading to Ireland on Monday. Enjoyed meeting and spending time with you.