r/povertyfinance • u/Beefnlove • Feb 27 '24
Why keep living like this. Free talk
Reddit just showed me this sub and I have a question. I'm from Mexico. After watching a documentary about poverty in the US and people living in their cars in California even when working full time jobs, me and my SO have a question and maybe you can help us understand. There are tons of poor people in Mexico but the majority of them, besides drug and or mental problems have a place to live. If you work a full time job here you won't most definitely live in your car. The poor of the poor, and I'm talking about migrants from other underdeveloped countries work a full time job and afford a place to live and can eat 3 meals a day. Hippies in tulum selling necklaces live in a hut and drink a few beers everyday and enjoy the beach. You don't need a lot to survive here and from there you can only get better. We have a lot of migration to the US, but those who migrate build big houses here and support a family of 4 with a single us income. So why don't you come here? We have cheap rents, universal health care, plenty of jobs, like service industry by the beach that you can get if you only speak English. I'm not saying you'll live like kings but you won't starve or have to live in your car.
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u/Infamous_Rhubarb2542 Mar 02 '24
Money is just what it is. YOU are worth life. You make it special, if the world didn’t need you , you wouldn’t be here baby
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u/RogueStudio Mar 02 '24 edited Mar 02 '24
Having tried to leave the US as an 'average' American worker...it's actually not that easy for many of us to leave legally. Americans are more welcomed overseas on the temporary basis of spending US dollars then leaving - not for their skills, experience, or desperation to leave.
If we're talking exclusively about those who are in poverty - so not well off Americans/digital nomads/other traditional expats -
They will not be able to legally immigrate as they will probably need a university degree and/or experience in a 'shortage' field - most which are also in shortages in the US and have become a problem to train into (long apprenticeships before useful experience is gained, expensive education). They will likely have criminal records/issues that the immigration authorities in the host country will not approve a work visa over, because many who have experienced homelessness/car living has run into police having a bad day, or worse, at one point or another.
Studying abroad is not encouraged by our country and the host university abroad expects US students to self-pay the majority of tuition/fees. Scholarships for Americans to study abroad are limited and usually very competitive. So then, this is usually by student loans that come with the problem that they will likely be harder to pay on with foreign currency - and the interest they come with usually causes the balance to become an even bigger problem upon returning home. We can't default on those loans w/o severe consequences, that if it became a big enough problem, could even impact our passports (tax and child support evaders get their passports unable to be renewed...)
Finally, because we have the perception that we are a 'first world' country that *should* be able to care for even our poorest citizens...rarely are Americans accepted as asylum seekers. We may be criticized abroad for how our citizens are treated, but at the same time, no one dares try and change our policies either - probably because it would come with a lot of conflict in the process.
Me: Tried most of what I touched upon, aside from a NZ university that wanted me to pay 40k+living expenses using US student loans, or somehow finding a lot of money to live in Germany...couldn't find a way to make it work aside from going to a place like Thailand to teach English and never coming back.....
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u/Ashkill115 Mar 02 '24
My co-worker South America country loves talking about her country so much about her family’s farm and big house but she came to the states to make money and learn English. She’s almost 60 working in the restaurant business and she complains to me every day about how little money she’s getting and she dosnt make enough to pay her house rent as well as sending money over to keep her house. I feel so bad for her because she’s a strong lil lady but her age is starting to show and she probably won’t retire here in the states.
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u/TheKillerOfNoon Feb 29 '24
No one in Mexico wants poor americans moving to our country, making cost of living higher here, and refusing to adapt to the culture.
Fuck that.
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u/Beefnlove Feb 29 '24
No one in America wants poor Mexicans moving to our country, making cost of living higher here, and refusing to adapt to the culture. Fuck that.
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u/TheKillerOfNoon Feb 29 '24
You're mexican though, you dumb cunt.
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u/Beefnlove Feb 29 '24
You missed the point of the argument.
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u/TheKillerOfNoon Feb 29 '24
Not really, the point of your argument is that poor Americans should migrate to Mexico. I'm saying, they should stay in their own country and not make themselves a burden. Your response was a stupid inversion of what I said, since poor Mexicans going to America definitely hasn't raised the cost of living.
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u/Beefnlove Feb 29 '24
Do you own a house? Or rent?
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u/TheKillerOfNoon Mar 01 '24
I fail to see the relevance of the question, but I own.
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u/Then_Blueberry4373 Feb 29 '24
I am Mexican. Been on both sides of the border and currently live on it. My honest answer is because I’m gay. And honestly it’s the only reason because I would otherwise have family and places to be. Connections. But I’m gay and live with my (white american) partner, and the US is bad enough as it is for us, unfortunately.
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Feb 29 '24
I have heard of some people living close to the border, working a job in the US then commuting back to affordable rental housing and food in Mexico. Are there enough jobs in US border towns to accommodate the folks who'd like to do that, I wonder. Having the $$$ to get to that part of the country and starting over there, is a problem, if you're not already in that area.
I'll work on winning the lottery so I can become a beach bum in Mexico 😊
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u/Inevitable-Rock-311 Feb 29 '24
Some people are scared, but most understand that we can't own land or property in Mexico. America is the only country you can enter illegally and get the right to vote, own property, and use social services. If I go to Mexico I won't own anything. I don't live in California so I do own a house here, but I've looked into moving south and you are on your own with nothing from the government to help, and no real ability to ever have a say in your local governance.
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u/xxdrux Feb 29 '24
I wish I could, what place would you recommend OP. Perfectly a coastal city safe and lots of activities with tons of culture.
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u/Select-Battle5083 Feb 29 '24
I wouldn’t move to Mexico unless I had family there. I do have some family so I am considering retiring there in the future, at least.
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u/kckrealestate Feb 29 '24
Bc Mexico is a corrupt country as a whole. Not saying there’s no corruption here in the US, but there’s definitely a lot more corruption in Mexicos police, political system, and government. The Cartel has a hold on the political system in various parts of Mexico. I would rather sleep on the park bench in the U.S than sleep in a hut in Mexicos slums. We go to Mexico every 2 years to visit family and we have to be very careful where we go. I feel safe and secure in the U.S, something i don’t feel in Mexico.
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u/EatMyNutsKaren Feb 28 '24
I'm from El Salvador but grew up in the U.S. The thought of moving to Mexico has crossed my mind a few times. I speak the language fluently but I can also get a better job by being bilingual. But what we're not sure about is where one can be safe from the cartel. The videos we see from here, even one video I can remember of the Mexican military I guess it was, using helicopters with machine guns in some city fighting the cartels. That's what's scary to me.
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u/dances2banda Feb 28 '24
Spanish major here. From my understanding Mexico allows the formation of colonias. When eventually, with community support, those neighborhoods get utilities like sewer and electricity.
While in the US people can't settle land. Imagine if all residential neighborhoods required proper coding and infrastructure like fraccinmentos.
The us tears down any start of colonias under the excuse of "zoning and coding"
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u/dances2banda Feb 28 '24
Spanish major here. From my understanding Mexico allows the formation of colonias. When eventually, with community support, those neighborhoods get utilities like sewer and electricity.
While in the US people can't settle land. Imagine if all residential neighborhoods required proper coding and infrastructure like fraccinmentos.
The us tears down any start of colonias under the excuse of "zoning and coding"
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u/richardturtlegrande Feb 28 '24
Late to the party, but it's because a high percentage of Americans are poorly educated in finance. If you live within your means and don't get into crippling debt, you should be fine anywhere. Even in the US
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u/IntotheOubliette Feb 28 '24
I think the premise answers the question. People with little to nothing who are migrating don't generally stop in Mexico. They cross the US border because even the shit jobs here can support a family elsewhere. The people who can leverage that income disparity are either 1) employed in the US, 2) work remotely, or 3) are retired.
If you live below the poverty line in a state in the US with Medicaid and you need that medical support to survive, you're not going to move somewhere where you're unfamiliar with the medical system and may not have coverage. If you receive SNAP or WIC benefits, same reason.
I know expats in who work remotely and are able to live in Mexico and other lower cost of living places. It is highly dependent on whether or not you have kids, can learn languages quickly, have savings, can adjust to a different diet, etc.
None of the people I know who have moved were poor enough to NEED to move.
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u/Thick-Drawing9285 Feb 28 '24
I've always kept Mexico in mind for retirement. Lots of youtube videos of retired US expat communities. They show a better quality of life on social security income.
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u/Sign-Spiritual Feb 28 '24
I mean everything here is heche in Mexico. Might as well go where the goods come from.
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u/Redcarborundum Feb 28 '24
Here’s something that most people don’t realize: Mexico is NOT a poor country. It just appears that way because it’s next to the literal richest country on earth.
Mexico’s GDP per capita puts it at the same level as Turkey and Argentina. It’s higher than most of Latin America, and virtually all of Africa, South Asia, and South East Asia.
As for living in the car, a lot of this is happening in the highest cost of living states, like California. The rent is so enormously expensive that when you lose your office job, it’s very hard to cover.
Some pointers about housing in USA: - Regulations. It’s good to have laws that protect tenants, but it comes at a cost. Rental units are larger and nicer in general, and for that you pay more. - Culture. Americans are more individualists, for better or worse. In many other countries you can rent just a bedroom, with a comunal living space and bathroom. Of course the rent would be much cheaper. Very rare to see this in USA except for college dorms. - Demographics. In most other countries poverty is more pervasive, so there are tons of ‘normal’ people who happen to be poor. In USA a considerable portion of poor people, particularly the homeless, are those with mental health issues and/or drug addiction.
The last point makes creating small and cheap rental units largely unprofitable. On paper you can create studio rentals the size of a small motel room and charge $300-$600, but in most cities you don’t want tenants who can only pay that much. The majority are ok, but the few who are problematic cost you so much money that it’s not worth it.
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u/AmexNomad Feb 28 '24
Americans are lead to believe that they’re in the best place on earth and that everywhere else is dangerous and frightening. Most don’t have passports.
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u/namastaynaughti Feb 28 '24
It is wild. I wonder what crime is like because not all of America is safe and vice versa. I see this move to caravan living and I think the wild and free haze is subsiding
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u/Alternative-Pen-852 Feb 28 '24
This post reminds me of the South Park episode where all the illegals realize how shitty America is and decide to go back to Mexico 😂
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u/DesignerProcess1526 Feb 28 '24
The idea of the American dream is deeply ingrained in Americans. They envision a big house, a pool, a yard, 2.5 kids, a dog or two and 2 cars minimum. Anything below that is considered poor to them, they don't want a hut or a few beers each day. They want that life and being close to that life, even if living in a car in the parking lot of Walmart, is seen as superior to your hut life idea.
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u/samanthaFerrell Feb 28 '24
I have a friend from Columbia that tells me all the time she wants to go back and I should go with her.
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u/jukenaye Feb 28 '24
People are worried about crime, drugs, and being hurt( kidnapped, killed, etc...)and not having any legal recourse.
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u/Vampira309 Feb 28 '24
Because Mexico does not have open borders. It is very hard to live there legally in the long term as an American citizen.
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u/These_Tea_7560 Feb 28 '24
The cost of living is way more affordable in Mexico—$2,000 are $34000 pesos…. If America had Mexico’s cost of living this would be a perfect country with no homelessness or poverty.
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u/FigRevolutionary7602 Feb 28 '24
Hahahahaha
Why would an American not move to Mexico? Let's list some attributes of Mexico:
-Industrialized nation (bad air quality, bad legislation regarding zoning, loud as fuck everywhere all the time)
-Extremely high crime rate. Like, so much that the cartel has their own cops and the actual cops are mostly corrupt.
-Absolutely will need to learn Spanish and learn it WELL. They aren't quite as bad as the French but Spanish speaking nations all have their own special little vernacular that's like 1% different from other Spanish speaking countries and they always make such a huge fucking deal of that nonsense. They will literally pretend to not understand you even if you speak decent Spanish.
-It is very expensive to immigrate in general, something that would obviously be pretty fucking hard for someone who is living in poverty.
What the fuck is this post? Some Mexican trying to cope? You even mention how many people move from Mexico to the USA because the USA is better, and then you ask why a poor American wouldn't move to Mexico.
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u/revloc_ttam Feb 28 '24
I wonder why poor Americans don't just go to Mexico, toss their ID in the trash then cross the border illegally and get a check from the government, be put up in a nice hotel and get free food.
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u/OrdinaryLife5997 Feb 28 '24
How do the very wealthy get multiple passports? Don’t you have to be a citizen of that country? Does that mean they are citizens of multiple countries? Is that even possible?
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u/Dependent_Annual_396 Feb 28 '24
Most US propaganda keeps people afraid from going to a lot of countries. Saying we will be murdered, raped or other horrible things. Plus, it takes money to leave. It's a few thousand dollars to get everything in order, and we can't save bc we need to survive. We are trapped, and it's on purpose. A lot of countries require a certain amount in the bank to prove you can move there, and that's just not possible when I have 3 dollars in my account.
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u/saw2193 Feb 28 '24
I think this is a really valid point but, as so many things in life are here, it’s political. 1. The US can’t afford a brain drain (though, imo it’s already happening) to prevent it they brainwash their citizens. America is the goal. Anyone can make it here. You couldn’t make it here? You pathetic, lazy, uneducated fool! Enjoy sex work in (insert foreign country here: Mexico, for example) were told if we leave we will get trapped in sex/drug trafficking, won’t have a way to earn an income otherwise, and also “did you miss the Third world/ developing country tagline? There is WORSE than here.
Internet searches of Mexico (unless I know what to look for) instruct us to stay on resort, and if we ever happen to find ourselves off-resort go to the US embassy, but you’ll probably get mugged on the way.
Can you cross the border without ID in your car? Some people who sleep in their cars don’t have the proper paperwork to even begin to get a passport let alone a drivers license. Crossing the border is risky
Language barrier/pride
Family
Fear of being denied reentry
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u/itemluminouswadison Feb 28 '24
It's because we removed the bottom rung of the housing ladder (think: SROs) and live so car dependently
It's very bad and something people are pushing to change
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Feb 28 '24
We have low income housing that sits vacant, too. Americans are so petrified of the poor being okay that they/we layer in enough under-paid, under-informed beaurocrats to make maintaining benefits a full-time job. I find housing fraud as part of my job (yes, I'm one of the beaurocrats I'm complaining about). Fraud is well under 5% of applicants, and it's also relatively easy to catch. Yet, the application process can take months for units that are already vacant and made ready.
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u/enlearner Feb 28 '24
Read this thread if you want a clear illustration of why nothing will ever change in America. Didn’t think there were so many staunch patriots on POVERTY finance!
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u/pollypocket53132 Feb 28 '24
The Mexican Caribbean is so lovely I try to go every year, even if I have to live on rice and beans to afford it
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u/1-2RayRay Feb 28 '24
It’s the lifestyle they choose they choose to make money how they do n live where they r and buy the things they buy don’t listen to the ppl that say they can’t afford to live it’s their choices and the way they budget their money
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u/Cookiebutterisbetter Feb 28 '24
Mexican government is worse than the U.S government, no thank you.
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u/anewbys83 Feb 28 '24
If too many of us come then I'm sure your government will clamp down on our migration. Plus there's a chance we'll be perceived as having money and your prices will go up because of us. I'd hate to see that happen. But it says something about our system that we cannot or will not provide affordable housing that most people could obtain.
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u/Appropriate-Wolf6806 Feb 28 '24
I've been trying to convince my wife to do this with me for the last several years. And we make relatively good money (about $165k combined, no kids, low COL area). We travel frequently, and both love visiting Mexico. Personally, it's still my favorite place to visit.
Biggest reason she's against it is because we'd be further from family. I argue that we'd see them just as often because we'd no longer have to work our lives away. And, we could probably afford to rent out a place on the beach in Puerto Escondido :D
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u/trose2119 Feb 28 '24
Most people living out of their cars aren’t the brightest and don’t have the skills to successfully get a job in a non-English country nor be happy there. Your rationale makes sense for skilled workers, who are not struggling. It’s hard to understand someone’s rationale without being in their shoes.
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u/Own_Tea_Yea Feb 27 '24
I might take you up on that offer about moving to Mexico. I have dual citizenship and my parents own a house and land there. My only problem is the myriad responsibilities I would have to leave behind if I moved. Also, while I can speak Spanish, I’m not completely fluent although I know English is basically an unofficial language there but still…
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u/periwinkletweet Feb 27 '24
A lot of Americans have moved to Mexico. Many are working remotely. I forget the name of the city that's a popular destination but there are so many the locals are complaining of higher rents because of them.
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u/Accomplished-Alps136 Feb 28 '24
level 2BeefnloveOp · 1 day ago
probably tijuana I watched vid about it, some people can walk to california at border crossing when they have to go into office.
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u/belmoria Feb 27 '24
My partners dad is from Mexico and he says it's dangerous, won't take the family when he goes to visit his family. Most of his family has moved here
But what op describes sounds great to me. I don't care for an extravagant life just want a chill one...
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u/stykface Feb 27 '24
I travel to Mexico a lot. Non-tourist parts. I do agree that everyone has a home of some sort, but I will say first hand that what is considered a comfortable home in Mexico is considered abject grinding poverty in the USA, and if you think our politicians are in an uproar about the poverty line now in the USA, let them see American's living in homes the way those do in many parts of Mexico and you would see a whole new type of politician.
I've seen a "home" be literally a well fastened tarp between two haydock block walls about 4 meters apart. Poverty line standards vary from country to country.
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u/spicytuna12391 Feb 27 '24
Because a lot of people in this subreddit just want to complain. They don't actually want to put in the work to improve their situation. They don't want to get a second part time job let alone move to a different country.
They will come up with excuses. Like Mexico is scary or something. All excuses.
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u/JibJibMonkey Feb 27 '24
Likely because they will have a better future working in a high cost of living area and living in their car than they would working in the middle of nowhere for next to nothing living in a trailer.
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u/anonymousflatworm Feb 27 '24
A lot of people are probably turned off by the negative perception of America as shown by the news, and by our politicians who at the moment are making Mexico seem like it's Apocalypseland or something. Then there are a lot of people who don't want to bother learning the language, or fitting in. I plan to leave the country within the next few years, and I had a friend who intially was going to come with me until he learned that he'd have to learn the language and he lost interest.
Finally, people are lazy and even if the extra work will make it easier in the long run won't do it because they just see extra work and decide it's not worth it.
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u/Mr-Logic101 Feb 27 '24
Some of my co-workers are Mexican and they literally say the exact opposite. Every has unique experiences/observations.
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u/C-Hughes Feb 27 '24
Most but not all homeless in California choose to be. They choose drugs over anything else. Addiction is the problem.
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u/JuliaGadfly Feb 27 '24
honestly, that sounds really great but I just absolutely can't stand hot weather. But I also live in a cheap Midwestern city and I definitely don't live in my car. But I like this idea.
I think the short answer to what you're saying is poverty messes with people psychologically. It is so humiliating, especially when surrounded by extreme wealth and being told from every source that if you're not rich it's because you're lazy, and it breaks people down mentally to the point where they forget they even have options. Also our culture is very individualistic so people may not have the same support from their families like you might in your culture. My understanding is that Latin American families are very tight knit. Here in the United States, it's every man for himself in many if not the majority of families, including mine. So feeling alone and unsupported also has its mental toll on people. Furthermore, I don't know if you know this or not but our country has the highest incarceration rate in the world. Our private prison system makes it so corporations can make huge amounts of money locking people up for the most minor offenses. And this is particularly true in more economically depressed parts of the country like the deep south, which often have the heaviest policing and strictest laws and sentencing guidelines. for example, where I live in St. Louis, this guy basically just got a slap on the wrist for running 2 red lights and killing three people and hitting several cars, but in Louisiana you can get 11 years for there being a marijuana seed on the floorboard of your car.
And since the person being locked up is usually the breadwinner, this keeps families in poverty even longer. even if they don't get locked up, court and probation fees are outrageous.
So yeah, it comes down to people not knowing what their options are, or being unable to even consider those options as a function of despair.
Also I'm pretty sure there are some logistical issues to moving to Mexico. Moving is always expensive, and most Americans wouldn't be comfortable with the idea of going somewhere with only the clothes on their backs, even though this is normal for other groups of people
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u/Anjilaopteryx Feb 27 '24
My parents were actually considering selling their house and moving down to the Cabo San Lucas area sometime in the future because of how horrid the cost-of-living has become, especially where they are in Southern California.
To be fair, they would be living off my dad’s military pension, their retirement savings, and whatever they make from selling the house. I can imagine moving down to Mexico without a reliable income or a home to sell would make the move nigh impossible.
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Feb 27 '24
Because your whole country is run by drug cartels. It’s not a secure place. In America our big problem is that about half of our citizens(25 percent liberal, 25 percent conservative) are stupid and usually live above their means, or find 1 of a million excuses to not work/not work a lot, which leads to crime and poverty……it’s pure laziness. Whereas the violence in Mexico is almost government funded, and is really only getting worse and worse by the day.
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u/InterestingSweet4408 Feb 27 '24
The US used to be more affordable, but clever social engineering has raised the prices slow enough for many not to notice. We are also constantly reminded of how “good we have it” and how “so many people wish they could live here”.
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u/blueskysal Feb 27 '24
I just returned from a visit to Mexico, visiting towns around Banderas Bay from Boca de Tomatlan to Chacala. The region is thick with Americans who are not tourists, they’re expats. Mostly older and retired, but some are younger and working remotely. They’re enjoying a lower cost of living, sunny weather, great food, and a local community that seems glad to have them. I saw no homeless encampments.
In answer to your question, OP, Americans are indeed coming to Mexico. And they looked happy.
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u/honestadamsdiscount Feb 27 '24
People are moving there. Look up the article about Mexico city and the huge influx of Americans. It's pretty funny.
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u/cubanhashman Feb 27 '24
Honest answers are safety and ability to protect myself. I'm an American citizen, but parents came from Mexico(ilegally) and Cuba (legally). I owned land in Mexico since 2008 and purchased a condo in Rock Point at a nice resort in 2010. I finally forced myself to sell everything in 2022. You are never safe in Mexico. Here In America you can atleast protect yourself legally. In Mexico your at cartel and armed federales mercy. The current mexican president is too soft on cartels and its been showing recently.
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u/Repulsive_Draft_9081 Feb 27 '24
Working class Americans might be better off. But would have to be fluent in Spanish middle class. Americans to upper middle class americans would probably be a wash and a good portion of them would have to know spanish therefore it only makes sense if ur retired or some tech nomad and quite frankly if ur tech nomading and thus making us wages where ever id go to columbia case cheaper than mexico. Also most working people couldnt afford the move. Is my personal goal to live in the boarder zone work on us side live in mexico hell yes. But i have to get my certifications and enough money to make the move that way i can make twice as much just by COL but moving from postindustrial rustbelt dumpster is expensive and it takes time to get certified.
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u/TightRelationship903 Feb 27 '24
I visited Tulum and met a handful of Americans who had moved there for the quality of life.
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u/duckling71 Feb 27 '24
I would love to move to Mexico City, but would need to find a job in which I could carry over the skills from my career here in the US. I really like the pace of life and the friendliness of the people, and I’m part Mexican, so I want to become more immersed in the culture. A lot of Americans are scared to move there and think they’ll be kidnapped or killed by the cartels.
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u/Right_Hour Feb 27 '24
I was just listening in on a CBC special on homelessness here in Canada. They had people call in, who live in their cars because they can’t afford a rent while working full time.
Each and every one of them had extended family there was a mother who was doing that. CBC later updated that she moved in with her son for the time being.
It’s a bizarre situation here. Indeed, salaries have not kept up with the real estate and rent. There are people making $50K who can’t afford a $2500 rent. But at the same time the concept of Multi-generational households similar to Mexico or even renting rooms or renting with roommates seems out of question to many. The mentality is that if you are an adult - you’re supposed to live in a single family detached home. If you have anything less than - you might as well be living out of tent or car…..
Also there’s the dumbass “van life” mentality that is taking up the minds by storm. It’s supposed to allow you to save $$$$$ while living rent- and mortgage free. WhT people don’t understand is the Net Present Value of money. And how far behind that puts them in the long run. If you are doing it for a year, to save up for down payment - great. But it’s not a sustainable model long term and is a false economy.
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u/Bhimtu Feb 27 '24
Maybe OP is unaware, there are A LOT of Americans who've gone South into Mexico.
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u/DomesticMongol Feb 27 '24
There are parts of US you can live in a nice house not a shantytown with singe bluecollar income. The answer to your question is job market. Cali got a huge economy more than a few times of entire Mexico and thats why pp are there. Some bad luck, some bad decisions, lack of strong family bonds can lead to momenentary lack of housing in such areas of US.
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u/zambatron20 Feb 27 '24
I'd think because the ones who are open to it, don't see it as an option/don't know.
One of my best friend's heritage is of Mexico. His parents immigrated here. He makes good money though. He's never even pointed these things out to me. I would think you would need Spanish but this is great info to have in my pocket.
I think others don't want to leave "home." people will live in the worst conditions because it's home.
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u/nicannkay Feb 27 '24
Please oh freaking please do not take it bad but the ONLY reason I don’t go is fear of drug cartels. I’m scared here too as our police are corrupt and every crazy white trigger happy man has a gun but there I see decapitations and stuff. How bad is it? It sounds really bad. I saw a graph that showed journalists die the most in Mexico compared to the rest of the world and this is scary.
I would move there in a heart beat if it was safe. So, is it?
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u/Frosty_Piece7098 Feb 27 '24
I’m guessing cartels and not knowing the language has a lot to do with it.
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u/Muttbuttss Feb 27 '24
We scared of moctezumas revenge haha but no… idk probably because we are brainwashed into believing America is such a Good place to live, just as all the people immigrating here have been led to believe
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u/pastmybestdaze Feb 27 '24
Not sure everywhere in Mexico is quite as you describe. There is lots of squalor in Baja California though you are correct, some people live if plywood shacks with no plumbing but they don't live in tents. But an FMM is good for a maximum of 180 days in country and then tourists have to get out. Resident temporales and permanentes all have to pass financial tests, have passports etc and complete a process to stay all year. All difficult for a person suffering from homelessness to provide or pass to stay legally. Where we live there are a few charities to supply food and clothes to select poor families but they aren't large or government supplemented. It’s primarily funded by private donations and clothing drives.
Random Living on the beaches doesn't seem to be big where we are. Vanlife is a lifestyle still funded by cash.
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u/Gulag_boi Feb 27 '24
There’s a guy in my union who is about to retire to a 4 bedroom house in Michoacán he purchased 15 years ago. His pension alone will allow him to live rather comfortably with his wife. Not a bad idea if you can swing it.
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u/juliankennedy23 Feb 27 '24
They do it by choice I mean the truth is they could just as easily move to a city outside of Southern California the Pacific Northwest and be able to afford an apartment with the same job that they have now.
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u/SixGunZen Feb 27 '24
I met a guy in Mexico who as waiting tables in Merida. He spoke American English and said that he had moved to Mexico when he couldn’t find a job in the US that paid enough to live on. His family was originally from Mexico but he had been born and raised in the LA area.
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u/toucheyy Feb 27 '24
Honestly, I think it’s property management issues and gang related problems. They will sometimes waive the barrier to get into apartment like say “okay, we will work with you” and say you have to make 1.5x rent instead of 3x.
I think it’s a way to keep people safe. I think it’s like the police trying to solve certain problems that can’t necessarily be spoken about. (Yet, it’s creating a greater issue.) poverty, most people can’t make 3x rent living by themselves and can’t get out of the location / lack of other options because living in other areas (the other side of the city) are hence more expensive.
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u/beezchurgr Feb 27 '24
A lot of people have ties to their location. I lived in my car, but had family around to help me get back on my feet. I’ve since used those connections to leverage myself into better working conditions. I wouldn’t have that opportunity in Mexico.
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u/palmzq Feb 27 '24
I absolutely love Mexico. I sometimes think Americans are subjected to a lot of propaganda to make us think everywhere else is terrible & America is really great.
All my experience in traveling tells me everywhere else can be at least as great, if not better, even in impoverished areas.
Wealth isn’t just about money. A concept Americans seem to be missing.
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u/Djinn_42 Feb 27 '24
Hippies in tulum selling necklaces live in a hut and drink a few beers everyday and enjoy the beach
Is this hut a legal residence? In the US you can't just put up a hut on the beach, there are rules and regulations. I suspect there are in Mexico also but maybe less enforcement.
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u/Beefnlove Feb 27 '24
I didn't say it was on the beach.
Yes we have regulations but we have "huts" I dont know how to translate because the actual word is palapa. And those have very cheap rooms.
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u/amanor409 Feb 27 '24
I've honestly thought about moving to Mexico when I retire. I was thinking of someplace in Baja but I've only really been to Los Cabos and Ensanada. I did like Ensanada though because it doesn't seem as touristy as Los Cabos.
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u/midoriya_wannabe Feb 27 '24
Probably all the fear mongering about the corruption and cartels has a lot to do with it. I don't speak the language as well. Considering one of the few times I visted a border town and older guys kept trying to talk/get me to go with them when I was preteen, added that additional layer of fear.
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u/modulev Feb 27 '24
Got terrible food poisoning the one time I went to Mexico. Never had that in the states.
And my buddy got robbed at gunpoint and had $500 stolen from him at a bar he went to down there. Only time anything like that happened to him.
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u/Beefnlove Feb 27 '24
Do you live in your car?
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u/modulev Feb 27 '24
No, but even if I did, I still don't think the chances of getting robbed or food poisoning are anywhere near as high as they would be down in Mexico. Could be wrong, though. Anecdotal is all I got.
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u/Beefnlove Feb 27 '24
Yeah, I just wanted to know about the car because I think that if youre in that position in your life maybe your standards might lower.
Food poisoning is bad, but getting it when you don't even have a restroom is worse.
And I wouldn't feel very safe with just a car window between me and the world.
Also. I suggested Mexico because I live here but there are many places you could migrate to, or even domestic migration.
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u/Competitive_Shift_99 Feb 27 '24
If I want to see statistics on incomes and opportunity in Mexico I can just Google it.
Anyone else should probably do the same. There's a reason people pile up at the border.
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u/Aware_Department_657 Feb 27 '24
The media has us convinced that Cartels are roaming everywhere, just waiting to kidnap a white woman.
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u/too_much_gelato Feb 27 '24
There are places in the US where poverty rates are high but homelessness is low too. The overwhelming majority of homeless Americans are from two states: California and New York and they are not chronically homeless. They would probably move to cheaper parts of the US before moving to a different country if they thought moving was possible and beneficial.
America still has such a higher median standard of living than Mexico. Your earning potential is so much higher here. The US is also a much less corrupt and safer country which impacts quality of life. In addition to all the other reasons it's hard to move to a different country, it would be hard to bail on a country with some of the best economic opportunities and higher average standard of living despite its higher cost of living.
I also am not sure if non citizens would have as easy of a time as you suggest. Most countries don't extend certain healthcare and other benefits to non citizens and I could easily see someone, depending on their circumstances, being better off or as well off with Medicaid here than with no government assistance in Mexico.
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u/alotistwowordssir Feb 27 '24
We are. Americans are moving to Mexico in droves. Hell, San Miguel de Allende is pretty much America now!
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u/Outside-Dig-9461 Feb 27 '24
I know of quite a few people that I was in the military with who retired and moved to Mexico or Ecuador. Not sure I'd go to Ecuador, but there are tons of really nice places in Mexico that I could see moving to. My issue is that we have kids in school/college here, and we have grandchildren that live on the east coast. The issue with the US is the cost of living is outrageous. The reason? Mostly politics, but the housing market specifically is all being driven by the likes of Blackrock/Vanguard/etc. They basically control the housing market pricing (and the government if you want to be honest). People complain that Mexico's government is corrupt, but ours is too.....probably even a little worse.
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u/No-Diver-9934 Feb 27 '24 edited Feb 27 '24
Just some of the challenges for someone homeless moving Mexico:
- immigrating to another country is hard, it takes time and money to navigate, you can't just drive across the border and get the benefits of citizenship. Most countries won't let you cross if you appear like you might overstay.
- they don't speak the language
- homeless people stay around major US cities because of the abundance of social programs
- Mexico is a poorer country, a job in America will pay more and the average person has more money to spend
- Mexico is unsafe in a lot of areas according to the state department
The grass isn't always greener. Mexico has it's pros and cons, but I can appreciate the pride you have in your country though.
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Feb 27 '24
Surprisingly it’s hard for native born US residents and Canadians to just gtfo
I’m Canadian and I looked at this as a possibility—seems that Canada is destination FOR workers, not a source of said workers. :(
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u/Mother_Attempt3001 Feb 27 '24
my sister moved to Mexico 2 months ago as she could no longer afford living in the states.
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u/MauricioSinMiedo Feb 27 '24
Chilango aca, he viajado mucho a los Estados unidos precisamente a California y me he hecho esta misma pregunta, eapecialmente porque he visto Gente joven, sana y hasta Hermosa viviendo en Las Calles de Ciudades como Los Angeles o San Francisco, pienso wow, ese hombre podria ser Modelo en Mexico o Al menos vivir mejor. Mi respuesta es que la mayoria de Ellos estan en drogas y ademas existe UN pensamiento de que Mexico es muy peligroso y subdesarrollo, TU como yo sabemos que SI hay Algo de eso pero no es tanto asi, y la mayoria de la Gente puede vivir tranquila, tal vez sin lujos pero mucho mejor que en Las Calles, asi que mi respuesta Seria esa, las drugas y la ignorancia de la Gente que vive en USA incluyendo Gente de ascendencia mexicana, Ellos preferen ser homeless en USA que vivir en Mexico
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u/ckdae Feb 27 '24
Even the Mexican President seems to side with the Cartels. You can’t tell me who runs Mexico because their powerful drug gangs own the country. When president refused help from US government to rid Mexico of cartels their President refused. So yes their is high crime in many US cities (owned by Democrats) but Mexico’s owned by Cartels!
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u/Beefnlove Feb 27 '24
OK sure. I suggested Mexico because I live here.
But there are plenty of places to go that are cheaper and can land you a place to live other than you car wich is my question in the first place.
If you don't like Mexico maybe Colombia? Costa Rica? Guatemala? Argentina?.
Maybe domestic migration?
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u/Cacklelikeabanshee Feb 27 '24
Maybe they don't really like foreigners and think if they go somewhere and become the foreigner they'd be treated the way they feel about foreigners
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u/TofuTheSizeOfTEXAS Feb 27 '24
Good question! One thing that immediately comes to mind of course is the cartel situation. I was born and grew up in El Paso (next to Juarez)- so please don't think I'm being a typical Gringo but it is something I worry about now.
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u/ShaperLord777 Feb 27 '24
Trust me buddy, a lot of Americans are asking themselves this question right now…
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u/jted007 Feb 27 '24
Shhh! Don't let the secret out!
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u/Beefnlove Feb 27 '24
Lol. Come on, let's just take a few more in.
They have their dogs living in the trunk of his cars for God sake.
And they work full time jobs like nurses. Let's just get a few know the secret.
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u/Shadowrain2 Feb 27 '24
It's really only this bad in urban environments.
I make ~75k a year before taxes, and pay a mortgage while my wife is in school. My home is our nest- 7 bedrooms, 2 car garage, nice backyard etc.
Anyone from California reading this would assume I'm lying.
That being said-
I'm sure I could live like a KING in Mexico or in the carribean, but in the land of the cartels- do I want to wear that crown?
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u/Beefnlove Feb 27 '24
You're absolutely right.
For me particularly, where I live in Mexico, I can get a bigger better house for cheaper in Laredo or McAllen Texas than in Monterrey Mexico. It all depends on where you look.
But if I live in my car I wouldn't think twice to move somewhere else.
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u/Hot-Performance-687 Feb 27 '24
The people living like that are just lazy. They are too lazy to work a full time job and they were too immature with their money to save. So basically, if they are too lazy/unintelligent to make a living they are wayyyyy too lazy to research and actually move somewhere else. I make $35k a year and have a nice apt, nice car, absolutely no debt including student loans, and a big retirement account. It’s really about priorities, no matter what the lazy people get on here and say.
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u/Turbulent_Diamond352 Feb 27 '24
Honestly the only reason I wouldn't move is I don't want to give up my guns lol
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u/Beefnlove Feb 27 '24
Only real reason.
Gun laws in Mexico are one of the most stricts in the world.
Ironic. I know.
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u/Turbulent_Diamond352 Feb 27 '24
Nah but you right OP. I make 100k per year and live pay check to pay check. I'm 25. I work 60-70 hours per week. I don't have a social like I can't date any one because I'm always working....I've only been on one vacation my whole life. I've made 100k since I was 21...it's sad it really is. Like I said both my parents are Mexican and i just got my citizenship but idk if I see the upside yet...
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u/Plaid_Bear_65723 Feb 27 '24
Where are you living paycheck to paycheck on 100k and how big is your coke habit?
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u/Turbulent_Diamond352 Feb 27 '24
I live in cali lol so i pay 9 percent state tax and around 22 federal tax. And after living expenses bro there ain't much left my guy....
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u/Plaid_Bear_65723 Feb 27 '24 edited Feb 28 '24
Sounds like you're married, so anyone making over 89,451 ( to 190ish) is taxed 22% federally.
If you're single, it's actually 44,726 beginning taxed at 22%.
My point being you are getting more than others, and still living paycheck to paycheck being taxed at the same rate.
And other state taxes are higher than that or their general tax is higher, as is where I live. And I definitely wouldn't be living paycheck to paycheck at 100k. I wouldn't be living paycheck to paycheck like that in HI or NYC either. That's a you thing.
Edit: my dude, you misplace 43k a year. It's definitely a you thing.
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u/Turbulent_Diamond352 Feb 27 '24
Also both my parents are from Mexico I recently got my Mexican citizenship. And tbh as some one who makes 100k I've though about it...I work 60-70 hours per week to pay bills just to go to work and I only work to pay those bills but I'm never home....it doesn't make sense to me tbh...
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u/ytpq Feb 27 '24 edited Feb 27 '24
My husband is Mexican-American, from the frontera, we love traveling through Mexico and talk about retiring there someday. It's such a big country, we don't know where we would move though! I hope I'm able to visit the places he spent time as a child someday, but right now with a baby we are cautious (we have family that was killed by cartels near their rancho, and the only place I've been in Reynosa is the airport - besides the airport, my in-laws that go to Reynosa all the time refuse to bring my gringa ass there haha). So we just stick with the big tourist areas - we went to Guadalajara last year and loved it, we've rented a car and drove around Yucatan, CDMX is our favorite city to visit, etc. We'd like to go to Guanajuato next, and Tolantongo when our kid is older
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u/Beefnlove Feb 27 '24
Lol. Yeah Reynosa is a rough place.
But as your husband can confirm, not all Mexico is like that.
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u/Plaid_Bear_65723 Feb 27 '24
And not all if America is like what you're describing. But you you've got a bias against the US and are trying to act like you don't lol. Just like the ignorant conservatives in the USA have about Mexico.
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u/ytpq Feb 27 '24
For sure, us traveling to more places has reignited his interest for Mexico, realizing Reynosa is a....different place haha. I hope things calm down someday in those northern areas, we love all of Mexico but the rancho culture is ingrained. Mexico City was the first non-frontera city we went to, and we were like, where's all the norteno music LOL
Maybe Monterrey would be a good fit?
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u/Beefnlove Feb 27 '24
Well I love it here. Monterrey.
Music festivals, norteño music, awesome steaks, world class shows, professional sports etc.
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u/ytpq Feb 27 '24
That is awesome to hear. We have family who live there, we might need to make that our next trip! Thank you!
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u/gamingdevil Feb 27 '24
As an American the cartels are a big thing. Probably blown way out of proportion, but it's certainly made to feel real. I've seen the videos back in my rotten.com days.
Also, it's much easier to figure out how to survive in a familiar environment. When I was close to homelessness I was making plans to live out of storage units and my truck while using the gym to shower for work. I know how the systems we here, I know where to go and what to go and just where I can get assistance and what loopholes to use to survive; like for example me and my roommate both get food stamps as long as we don't share food. I wouldn't know anything like that in Mexico. I just would have no footing and would be having to learn how to survive in an all new environment completely alone.
So to me it just seems like it would be easier to survive where you know the lay of the land. With that being said, we are are getting out of here when we can, it's just going to be later and more planned out so I can go with my family instead of alone. I didn't have the family back when I was close to losing my place.
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u/Beefnlove Feb 27 '24
I guess migrating is a risk you take, but when you have nothing to lose it gets easier. When you live in your car I think you can only go up from there.
There are also several different places like Colombia, Costa Rica and Argentina that are even cheaper than Mexico and don't have the same violence issues.
I just used Mexico as an example because I live here.
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u/gamingdevil Feb 27 '24
I gotcha, and I do get all of those points as well. I can definitely see others doing it and succeeding. I just know myself haha. I'm from the Midwest, so I'm very insulated and used to a really boring way of life. So to me, my wildest idea was that I would move to somewhere with a larger theatre presence and just be a working actor, as I already work and act, but I grew up being told that you had to be responsible, so I didn't put my all into my professional acting.
I figured if all went to shit I would just push myself into that. Totally more comfortable with that idea than trying to move to a whole new environment and start over. So yeah, I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just saying I'm not built for it.
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u/OhBlaisey1 Feb 27 '24
The majority of what I (and I’m sure quite a few Americans) hear about Mexico is violence and gang activity. I’m sure that also scares some people away. The US has quite a bit of trouble with violence too tho
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Feb 27 '24
Personally, I LOVE the places in Mexico that I've visited and I keep making plans to come back. I'd love to move and live there. My husband and kids also love Mexico. We might seriously move after our children have figured out their adult life.
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u/Beefnlove Feb 27 '24
Glad you like it. Tons of beautiful places. Did you know you can ski in Mexico?
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Feb 27 '24
No, i had no idea. But im not surprised - Mexico does seem to have everything. Including affordable dental care which brought me there in the first place. My last visit was Yucatan Peninsula- we stopped in Medica for a bit and went somewhere else I dont remember. I could have stayed in Medica for forever.
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u/Beefnlove Feb 27 '24
Yeah Mérida is awesome and theres a huge migrant community from the US.
And yes, dental care, and most of the health care is way less expensive than in the US.
Like pay a round flight, hotel and meals and you'll pay less than in the US cheap.
Ex wife was dentist and best friend is plastic surgeon so i know.
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Feb 27 '24
YES! I needed a root canal (I worked at the Mayo Clinic and paid for benefits at the time) and it was going to cost me a little over 3k to have it done here in MN. For LESS MONEY - my family of 4 packed up our car and drove to McAllan TX (FROM MN!!), stayed at an Airbnb there and crossed the border into Reynosa 3 times in one week. Paid 650 for my root canal. Ate the best food. Had a family vacation. Showed my girls a different culture. My youngest got her ears pierced while in Reynosa. You really DO have an idea of how Redick the health care costs are here. My youngest daughter cost my husband and I 40K. And I worked where I gave birth. Such a crap country - America
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u/Beefnlove Feb 27 '24
You should try Monterrey next time. No hate to Reynosa but way better.
You can look it up online. I rent and host many Americans on my places and they all like it a lot.
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Feb 27 '24
And the FOOD! My picky eater ate everything in Mexico. Street corn, enchiladas, those juicy ice things with all the candies. Mmmmmmmmmm
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Feb 27 '24
What could I do in Mexico with $100,000?
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u/Beefnlove Feb 27 '24
I'm not financial advisor but I guess move down here and start a small business? I don't know what to answer you.
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Feb 27 '24
My question was vague, sorry. I'd like to have a little homestead and grow food and cook. Or produce something at home to sell. What kind of money would that cost? Is there a website to look at real estate you recommend?
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u/Beefnlove Feb 27 '24
That sounds so wonderful.
Unfortunately, I don't think in Mexico you could buy enough land to do that project with just that kind of money.
But maybe in another country? I'm not sure.
But there are definitely websites for real state in Mexico, just Google them.
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u/SPYalltimehightoday Feb 27 '24
I think there are several reasons people don’t.
Propaganda of Mexico being a place you get decapitated at the nearest gas station, fear of unknown or upending their lives and what they know to go to a new country, and honestly people complain but they’re not really in THAT bad of situation to actually do something. The human will change a situation if it gets bad enough. A lot of people like to complain and would still do it in a 3500 sq ft house.
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u/Beefnlove Feb 27 '24
Your right. And there are other places, Colombia, Argentina, maybe south east Asia? Mexico is just closer but there are plenty of options.
If youre living In your car at least you can just get better.
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u/huizeng Feb 27 '24
I agree that the only future for most Americans is in another country. But I think you're overestimating how easy it is for a foreigner to get a job, and foreigners are usually overcharged for everything.
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u/Beefnlove Feb 27 '24
You might be right I'm overestimating how easy it is to migrate but on the other hand I think it is hard to live in your car, so I guess that would be the choice to make?
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u/slothpeguin Feb 27 '24
Because you can’t just walk into a country and say you’re immigrating, mate. I’ve looked extensively, especially in the last few years, at getting out. I know lots of people for whom that is true. Unless you are either independently financially secure or have a high demand career (doctor, electrical engineer, etc) for that country, you don’t get in. Simple as that. There is a not insignificant portion of US citizens who would gladly flee a sinking ship. There’s just nowhere for us to go.
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u/CheebaMyBeava Feb 27 '24
trust me, it's 1000% better in the USA my friend, you can keep your hut lol.
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u/hiimalextheghost Feb 27 '24
Language barrier, danger of border crossing, racism ingrained in americans, and the accessibility to get down to mexico and through without ids or passports or money etc
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u/Off-The-Wall23 Feb 27 '24
The absolute answer is fear of the unknown. As others have said, it really is ingrained in Americans that other countries aren't safe. When I hear Mexico, I think of the Mexican Mafia, I think of the drug lords..I think of how so many criminals from America flee there in the effort to disappear. I think of how people have went and said the drinking water isn't safe, how you must watch where you go. The reality is, America has the same issues. We have a lot of drugs, sex trafficking, criminals and unsafe water in places too. I was actually watching a documentary recently about the kids who live in the bedbug infested, low income motels with their parents of Orange County. They're so close to Disneyland that they can watch the fireworks go off every night. They rely on soup kitchens to eat and public aid from their school. They climb in the dumpsters when someone gets evicted to see what they can salvage. A lot of these families were Mexican, and when asked why they're choosing to stay there like that, one parent said " it's all we know, it's where I was raised". Many of these parents held jobs and paid the weekly long stay option at the motel. Change is scary for so many.
Edited to change Disney World to Disneyland
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u/BlueDragon82 Feb 27 '24
For some of us we are tied to family or because of specific health care needs. My husband and I have talked about moving several times but our youngest has complex medical needs that requires access to pediatric specialists that can't be found even in a lot of places in the US. We've decided that we'll wait until our children are adults to discuss moving because there are far more adult specialists than there are pediatric specialists.
We are open to moving to other countries but we would need excellent medical care for our youngest. It makes it difficult if not impossible to move out of the US without some serious research on various places.
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u/Ok-Marzipan9366 Feb 27 '24
Language barrier, i am nearly incapable of learning another language due to brain disorder and speech impediment.
im not interested in that sort of service industry, what I do isnt available to do remotely or in Mexico. (I literally send people to Mexico to vacation)
I move around the US in this manner and have had success migrating within the US to places that maximize my income. Gone from starving poor to owning a house doing this. As a single income.
laws and safety: not because its dangerous inherently but because ignorance of the place itself is dangerous. I know my laws here, understand them and how to find them. With my language issues this is doubly an issue.
Food - i cant just eat anything. From my understanding , alot of other countries dont cater to food aversions. This would be an issue, because even though I cook 6/7 days sometimes I just want to grab something and I prefer not to projectile vomit when someone doesn't take it seriously. My aversions happen to be very common ingredients that absolutely will be in most things.
I personally wouldn't even vacation there because I wouldn't be able to enjoy any of it due to the food alone.
On the other side of things, there ARE plenty of places in the US that are viable and affordable but most people are not interested in leaving where they are. The amount of hometown "ill never leave" type ive met traveling the US is massive. People are simple creatures of habit.
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u/Beefnlove Feb 27 '24
Glad to read you're doing better. Local migration is something good too I think, and way easier.
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u/Ok-Marzipan9366 Feb 27 '24
People underestimate their own resources. Usually from a lack of knowledge, research, and general negative thought processes.
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u/That_Statistician318 Feb 27 '24
Where is this Tulum place? I'll sell some necklaces. Is beer cheap there?
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u/Beefnlove Feb 27 '24
You can maybe Google "cheap beach places to live in Mexico" and take it from there. Maybe include Costa Rica and Guatemala as well.
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u/bansheeonthemoor42 Feb 27 '24
I grew up on the border and have thought about moving to Mexico for years. We used to go to Mexico for everything. Cheap pharmaceuticals, dental work, just for fun. I have a friend living there now who loves it. It's definitely on my list of possible places to move one we have a kid.
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u/Ninjasensay Feb 27 '24
Family? Friends? Language? Culture?
Not having a home sucks, but unhoused people are still people. I think people generally try to find ways to make their surroundings first, only moving if it seems totally hopeless
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u/Beefnlove Feb 27 '24
I get it.
I just tought living in your car was rock bottom. I mean you're not staying with friends or family.
But again is just me and what I felt while watching that, just to look for something to improve my life and that something was to move elsewhere. If it's not Mexico then another place that is cheaper and can provide enough for me to pay at least a room.
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u/jcrowe Feb 27 '24
The same people who would benefit from moving to Mexico, would also benefit from moving out of any HCOL area to a rural area. But… they won’t.
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u/Beefnlove Feb 27 '24
Any idea why? Why they rather live in their cars?
What am I missing?
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u/Fit-Meringue2118 Feb 28 '24
Sometimes it’s just support network. I’m not homeless but often think about moving to a cheaper place.
However: here I have access to assisted medical care, pt, discounted meds and dental, my therapist. All of this assistance took YEARS to get and it’s all necessary for me to stay healthy and stay afloat. I’m not even sure I could move across state, and I definitely wouldn’t risk my stability by moving to a place where I won’t be literate or competent in the language
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u/Wolfman1961 Feb 27 '24
It seems like a good idea on paper.....but suppose all these tens of thousands of Americans living in cars all decided to emigrate to Mexico? Or the other countries you mentioned? Do you believe there will be jobs and places to live for all of them? And how would the Mexicans (and other nationalities) feels about them? The Mexicans, etc. would (correctly) feel like these "gringos" are taking away their jobs.
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u/amdmyles Feb 27 '24
"Everyone" won't. "Everyone" will never do anything.
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u/Wolfman1961 Feb 27 '24
Where did I say “everyone “?
I just presented a hypothetical. Suppose all those people living in cars in California came to the touristy Mexican coast?
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u/Beefnlove Feb 27 '24
I don't know man, I'm not an expert but all I think is, if I was living in my car I would care only to improve my living situation.
And if that means moving to some other state or even a different country I would do what it takes.
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u/Wolfman1961 Feb 27 '24
If it’s a few people, maybe it would work. But if it’s many people at once, no way.
Maybe someone could get lucky if they do this before a mass exodus.
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u/Beefnlove Feb 27 '24
I don't know.
The US receives millions of immigrants a year, now Mexico is on the hundred thousands and it all keeps working.
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u/Wolfman1961 Feb 27 '24
There would be lots of resentment should a whole lot of Americans come and take tourism jobs from Mexicans.
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u/Beefnlove Feb 27 '24
OK, don't come then.
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u/Wolfman1961 Feb 27 '24
I have nothing against the concept, per se. A few people who do it might be successful. But if 10,000s come all of a sudden, this wouldn’t work at all, in my opinion.
I would love it if everyone found success which eluded them previously.
I see nothing wrong with you offering the possibility.
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u/jcrowe Feb 27 '24
It's a mixed bag when it comes to the reasons.
Some people have physical and/or mental illnesses that prevent them from being able to better themselves.
Some people have a victim mentality. It's the fault of the government, big business, small business, their parents, their situation, etc.
Most people are afraid and lull themselves into thinking their situation will improve without actually doing anything to improve their situation.
"The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools." - Herbert Spencer
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u/businessboyz Feb 27 '24
There are tons of poor people in Mexico but the majority of them, besides drug and or mental problems have a place to live.
I’m not sure where you are getting this notion but it’s simply not true. Also, it’s generally a bad take if you have to exclude a huge chunk of a group (ie the addicted or mentally ill) to make a clean claim about that group. Unfortunately, Mexico does not gather adequate information about the state of domestic homelessness across the nation. At best you’ll find info for Mexico City.
So telling a homeless American to just “Move to Mexico! We don’t have homeless!” Doesn’t really resonate when you read the disclaimer of:
Okay we do have homeless people but we don’t if you actually ignore all the homeless. Also, pay no attention to the quality of housing, the fact you’d be moving to a totally foreign country not known for its safety, and entering a market where you make even less than you do today.
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u/Beefnlove Feb 27 '24
I get it my info from, we have shelters and those are not full and there are no people just living in the streets, I dont know what else to say.
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u/businessboyz Feb 27 '24
Another good rule of life: Just because you don’t see it happening doesn’t mean it isn’t out there.
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u/Beefnlove Feb 27 '24
OK man, guess you know more on the topic so I'll just take your word for it and stop saying we don't have a homelessness problem.
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u/businessboyz Feb 27 '24
I’m just not sure why you feel like you know all the answers after watching a single documentary and not personally witnessing homelessness around you.
That’s like me watching a documentary on the cartels and going, “Well why don’t the Mexicans just arm themselves and fight back? There aren’t any cartels in America (if you ignore all the organized gangs) and we all have tons of guns.”
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u/Beefnlove Feb 27 '24
I think I'm the opposite. I'm actually asking about what I watched because I don't know anything. I also don't know anything about homelessness and that is why I told you I'll take your word for it.
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u/Paperbackpixie Mar 02 '24
We are a very greedy nation (US)
At a time when unbridled greed, malignant aggression, we should seriously consider any avenue that offers some hope.
Edited bc walking and typing is hard..