How I retired abroad in 10 years starting at $0

Honestly this is one of the first times I have to disagree with you. Saving responsibly, keeping a low overhead, and investing in a low cost ETF is still viable. It takes effort and it is not a one shoe fits all, but nothing is. I pissed away my 20s, graduated at 30 in engineering with 60k debt, and currently have >550k across 401k + liquid assets. School and new vehicle are fully paid off this year. Yes I have a mortgage debt on top but that is paid off in another 15-20yrs meaning 1-2mil in investment and retirement by 55 if I stay I'm still planning to follow a lot of your advice and move to SEA but the fact it's not possible to do "the old fashioned way" isn't correct.

The borrower is slave to the lender. Debt is akin to slavery.

If you're working, whether it's teaching English or making YouTube videos, I don't consider that retired. It may be a better strategy than working some dead end job at home that can't support your lifestyle, but it's not really retirement. And people following that strategy should understand that they may be getting little to no social security when the time comes, so they better be very diligent about saving for their futures on their own

Geomaxxing is the way

Hey...this comes from a place of genuine respect because I honestly enjoy your content and the way you highlight Southeast Asia. The appreciation you have for the people, culture, food, and overall way of life comes through clearly. But I’ve been thinking about the bigger picture lately and wanted your perspective. How do you reconcile the long-term impact of AI, globalization, and geo-arbitrage on the very places being promoted on these videos? AI is likely going to hammer industries like outsourcing, customer service, and portions of manufacturing. Those sectors have been major economic drivers for parts of Southeast Asia for a long time. Meanwhile, geo-arbitrage content naturally encourages higher-income Westerners to relocate to lower-cost countries, which can drive up housing costs and slowly push locals out of the lifestyles and communities people admire in the first place. I’m not asking this as criticism. I think these are complicated conversations and there probably aren’t perfect answers. I’m just genuinely curious how you think about promoting these places with admiration while also acknowledging the economic changes that can come with global attention and outside money flowing in. Would honestly love your take on it.

How much can i make teaching english in Vietnam onsite in 2026? I have TEFL, a degree, and taught English on a cruiseship 20 years ago.

I think I drove by that big gold thing in the back ground yesterday 🤟

Good advice

The "optionality" of being retired description hit the nail on the head of what's great about retired life.

Good Stuff Evan, thanks.

Great video and very true. I just became FI after working as a teacher in China for 5 years. But I keep working because I enjoy my job. However, I will not tell my friends: they wouldn't believe me anyways. 😄

His path and thoughts are clear and make perfect sense. Did I miss the actual numbers? How much did Evan need to retire in SEA? What was the number?

Time to get rid of my car.

I did "something" like what Evan is recommending. I came here to 'Nam with ZERO in 2018. By 2020 my (VN) wife and I had bought a house in cash ($10,000). In 2022, my wife and I bought our second house, also in cash ($20,000); in 2025 we bought the 3rd house (in cash), our favourite, where we live now, taking rent from the other two. We're both retired: no bosses, no jobs, and we don't want or need bosses or jobs. We pity the fools in VN who don't see the opportunities here, and who "escape" to the scary, evil, invaded West, where everything is a hard slog and overpriced; we also pity the Westerners who stay in their Western shit-hole countries and don't dare take a risk of massively improving their lives. Being a slave to debt and to corrupt govts which hate their native citizens is NOT anyone's "only option" ...unless, of course, you brainwash yourself to believe that it is.

you are not retired if you are posting these

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So happy to hear from someone who is more “sophisticated” than the average blogger. Please keep doing what you are doing.

I love your attitude and approach. Im pretty close to what you are talking about now

You're the first person I have heard in a while mention Mr Money Mustache! I'm almost debt free if I don't have to replace my car soon. Been saving up money and making some traditional investments that I can't touch for awhile (allows me to take a few risks here and there with a cushion). Currently slowly working on prepping for another round of tough times by learning skills that I can monetize later as well in the future (once I organized my time for it) to co-edified and improve skills that I can work remotely. I was halfway on a TEFL course that got derailed by my sister (long story). I'm also working on creating my own side business, then learn other remote skills that can be used in the IT world as well as dipping back into TEFL, teaching Spanish and using a side business as back up income. In short, I'm almost out of debt phase and getting to the set up/early phases of FIRE.

Before you sell every thing and move to Vietnam. Keep in mind Evan is married to a local, there is no retirement visa in Vietnam. You can get it as a investor,but you need cash