Anyone who has been to Bali appreciates its unique charm and attractions, and many return on vacation or to invest in a villa property development as a holiday home, rental or a place for their future retirement.

Investing in property overseas can be risky without proper research and due diligence, and Indonesia is no exception. Knowing all the ins and outs of local regulations, taxes, residence status, legal rights and potential costs involved in a property purchase are essential for a successful and potentially lucrative investment. The key is to deal only with an established and reputable developer. For those that may be concerned, this has nothing to do with vacation timeshare.

There are many real estate developments going on in Bali, a place where property prices are rising rapidly as the infrastructure improves. The recently-completed eastern coastal highway links the north of the island all the way to the capital and airport at Denpasar to the southern tip. This has made new and relatively undeveloped areas far more accessible from popular places like Sanur, Kuta and Ubud.

One of these new locations is Ketewel (a well-known surfing spot, with views of Mt Agung volcano to the north) and this is where Prof. Michael Doliveck and wife Marayam of Balifornian Tours and Villas have chosen to build the Purnama Residence, an exclusive compound of five luxurious villas, ideal for retirement living or as a part or full time vacation rental – at surprisingly reasonable prices.

Importantly, they do provide full details of the development, building and site plan of the property and ALL the ancillary costs, plus investment return projections, and are more than willing to answer any questions a potential investor might have before they visit Bali – or from those who would just like to vacation in luxury.

Visit the Balifornian Villas website or if you are already in Bali, call manager Yani on 0818 0540 6768 and arrange a meeting with her.  For a personal response from Michael Doliveck, please submit the form.

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“How to Retire in Bali – and Live in Paradise” is Mike Henry’s second Bali guide for expats. A fairly longtime Bali resident himself, the latest book, published in late 2011, is aimed at anyone thinking of spending extended time or retiring in Bali.

How to Retire in Bali contains much more useful information than its title indicates. It is packed with the same no-nonsense comprehensive research and attention to detail as his previously reviewed “How to Start a Business in Bali“.

Planning and preparing for your move, banking, financial and property rental and ownership issues, cost of living, medical facilities, bureaucracy (immigration, taxes, licensing), the social life and entertainment are all covered.

This guide is relevant not only for potential Bali residents; there are comparisons to expat life in other Southeast Asian or Central American countries. There’s relevant information and aspects of foreign country living that should be digested by anyone thinking of moving overseas for retirement.

While Bali is not exactly the “tropical island paradise” it’s often described as, for some it comes pretty close. Whichever country you live in, you need to take the good with the bad and Bali is no exception. Having spent a couple of years there myself about six years ago now, I read that some of the less attractive aspects remain, but others have improved and the island has not lost its unique appeal. It suits a lot of expats and tourists very well.

Whether you have been to Bali before or not, after finishing the 110 easy-to-read pages of How to Retire in Bali, with its many invaluable references, recommendations and tips, you will have a better idea of whether this might the next place for you. An excellent read, highly recommended; under-priced at $25.

There are several books in print on teaching English in different countries where you don’t speak a word of the main local language, but the recently updated edition of “How to Teach English Overseas” by Matthew Kepnes is one that’s definitely worth downloading and reading on your mobile phone, tablet or laptop.

Expanded to nearly 200 pages, it explains everything you could possibly need to know about this popular activity for early retirees as well as the ‘travel brigade’. It’s also worth a lot more than the paltry $9.99 price.

This is a comprehensive guide that eases the way from knowing what preparation is needed, to actually finding a suitable teaching job in another country. It teaches you what to expect before you start.

The pages include not only the author’s considerable personal teaching experience, but also that of others. Chapters include  an introduction to teaching English, TEFL Certificates, Teacher Requirements and Suitability, Different Types of Teaching Jobs, Benefits and Salaries, Country-specific facts (and local contact links) for Thailand, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Central & South America, Western & Eastern Europe, Russia, the Gulf States – even Ghana in Africa. Most importantly there are in-depth Q&A interviews with 14 teachers who have taught English in those countries. Nothing matches real life experiences.

I would have appreciated being able to get my hands on this book before venturing into unknown territory myself some years ago. Buying “How to Teach English Overseas” would have been an instant decision – and at $9.99, a ‘no-brainer’ – but Matt kindly sent me a review copy!

More on on the R-A Teaching English pages.

The only problem is, a lot of them can’t afford to retire fully yet as they still need to earn money. Many will think they can simply move and open or buy some sort of business: a shop, restaurant, bar, guest house, even hotel. However, there’s quite a bit more to it than that. I know from my own experience!

“How to Start a Business in Bali” is a well- researched and written business guide by Bali entrepreneur Mike Henry. It’s 100 pages of fact without any attempt to disguise the truth. The reality is not all ‘doom and gloom’, however, as Mike has included in-depth interviews with several other successful Bali expat business owners, each from a different field of endeavour. This gives added invaluable insight into the topic. He also provides a list of resources essential for anyone planning on living and working in Bali.

Having lived on the exotic Indonesian island myself, about five years ago now, and trying to do just this, I also know the potential pitfalls. I wish I had had a  guide to work from at the time, as not a lot has changed regarding bureaucracy – something SE Asia has a wealth of, especially when foreigners try to start a business in Bali or, for that matter, somewhere else.

Quite simply, you need to know the local rules and follow them. It’s not only about starting and running a business, it’s interacting with the resident population, even if your customers are likely to be other expats and tourists.

And speaking of other expats in Bali, this is quite a strange community. Other foreigners living in the same place as you are not necessarily going to become friends. In fact it can be the opposite. There’s a lot of competition in some types of business, and you need to be careful not to tread on the wrong toes.

I would say this is the de facto (if not the only!) guide to opening a foreign-owned business in Bali or other location in Indonesia. This inexpensive pdf ebook is a ‘no-brainer’ for anyone thinking of going into business anywhere in Southeast Asia.

Learn more about “How to Start a Business in Bali“. Buy and download it for just US$25.00 by PayPal or credit card. Well worth it in my opinion, as it could help save you from financial ruin!

You can find all the information you need about Asia, part or full time retirement and how to earn extra income on the many pages of Retire-Asia.com.

We also have a compact R-A Mobile version as well as the associated RetireAsia App for Android which were launched in late December. There is limited content at the moment, but new pages are being added regularly and the App shows new topics immediately they are published on the website.

May we wish all our Retire Asia visitors and followers – young, mature, old or new – a happy and successful 2012!

Watch a video and learn more about Thor Forex here.

Here is a screen shot I took of trading results:

Those are just a few of the advantages of working for yourself at home – or away on vacation armed with just your laptop or smartphone – even retired in Asia!

While there are plenty of internet marketing training programs on offer, unfortunately the majority are a complete rip-off or scam. Many companies make sales due to smooth promotion tactics and sly marketing; the ‘product’ itself, service and customer support are poor or non-existent.

Not so with the Wealthy Affiliate University students or graduates, well on their way to becoming wealthy affiliates themselves. Look at what you can expect to achieve by the end of your first month at WAU:

More information, free ebook download.

It’s a sad reality that’s becoming more and more apparent that most of us are in the so-called 99% ‘poor’ category and will rarely have enough put away or be in line for a big inheritance. Most of the world’s money stays right where it is now: in the hands of a select few. Occupying Wall Street is not going to change that!

There are countless people, many years away from traditional retirement age who, for one reason or another, find themselves being prematurely ‘retired’ from mainstream employment and jobs. There are still alternatives.

So how to improve our financial circumstances without incurring large extra expense? Stocks and paper investments? First you need to have cash, and it’s risky. Real estate? Some cash and then borrow. Very risky today. Buying gold and silver? A little less risky in my opinion, but no guarantees in the short term – and you need cash to buy it!

Continuing to work (or at least earn money) in some form seems to be the best option. But there are few jobs for the young and middle-aged, let alone ‘oldies’ like us, probably anyone over 40 for that matter!

Whether you’re 20 or 70, you can learn enough about the new technology to use it to generate income.

Most of us have a mobile phone and are using the internet more and more in our daily lives. We know about iPads, Android and Apps too! It’s not too late to learn enough to make some money from this knowledge. Most of us have life experience, hopefully at least a couple of fingers we can tap our way around a keyboard with and more. Most importantly, if we’re honest, we probably have the time too. All we really need is belief in our abilities to learn a new discipline, the motivation to better our lot in life, and that all-important internet connection! Plus effort and perseverance – that may be a stumbling block, but it must not stop us.

It shouldn’t be too much of an effort to go back into education like school or university, when all that means today is spending some extra  time in front of the computer, doing something more useful than surfing.

Think about becoming an affiliate marketer: someone who promotes items online. Not just selling your old junk on eBay, this is about promoting goods and services that people want every day, available from thousands of vendors all over the world who have ‘affiliate programs’ for precisely that purpose. Amazon is just one source.

Help people find what they are looking for and earn a commission for it. It might be something that very few people know anything about, but one who does is YOU. Exploit that with a website or blog on that particular topic. Write an ebook and learn how easy it can be to sell it to the world through Amazon, Commission Junction, Clickbank and dozens of other programs. And if you really want you can also sell yours and others’ junk (or even useful stuff) on eBay!

But how do you learn how to start doing that? Well I have good news, as it’s the way I got going myself a few years ago, and what I learned at my ‘university’ is still good today, plus a lot more that has been added – and keeps getting added. I don’t care that I’m not fully retired, and I never want to be, simply because I love what I do and it keeps me with a decent standard of living.

If there is any bad news, it’s simply that there is no way anyone gets rich overnight on the internet, no matter what scheme or system is being offered to the gullible or greedy. At best it’s hype and at worst it’s a scam to relieve you of the little spare cash you have in order to line the pockets of an unscrupulous crook or con-man. Learn the business from the bottom up and forget about shortcuts. There are none that I know of that work.

So where is the magical place of learning I found? It’s called the Wealthy Affiliate University and I discovered it ‘way back’ in 2005, founded by a couple of young Canadian entrepreneurs who wanted to help others make money online – as they already had themselves, and continue to do today. It’s not only information, and training, there’s a whole community of members who share their knowledge and experience and support each other too.

It’s incredibly cheap to enroll at WAU. You won’t need a student loan, that’s for sure; it’s a small monthly subscription and worth every cent which I, along with many others of all ages, have been happy to continue paying to this day.

Even before you enroll, you can see if this might be the light at the end of the tunnel for you, no matter who or how old you are, or which country you live in. As a ‘taster’, you can download the free Internet Wealth Guide for 2011/12 that explains in simple terms what’s involved in becoming a successful affiliate marketer – there are plenty that never make it, but the ones that do all have different ways of doing it; there are plenty of those too!

Once you join (and you can cancel at any time), you will find an amazing amount of information and resources available; you may be a little overwhelmed and unsure where to start. However, your introduction to the ‘campus’ is made easy by a series of daily emails with specific tasks for you to do to get going. It’s a simple, efficient way to keep you focused on the tasks that all internet marketing students and affiliates need to accomplish on the way to success.

If you’re busy some days and you fall behind, no problem. You just pick up where you left off previously. There’s no pressure and you can learn entirely at your own pace. WAU makes it as easy as it can possibly be, and the potential rewards are unlimited.

More information at the Wealthy Affiliate University website. If you’re not quite ready to sign up, start with the free guide mentioned above.

A VPS is like having a whole computer (server) – with its own operating system and programs you can load on it – based in a chosen country such as the US or UK/Europe. The interface appears as a separate ‘desktop’ on the computer you are physically using; when connected, it allows you to use those programs. The service can be (and is usually) left running remotely even while the local machine is switched off.

Typical users of a VPS are forex traders.  They need a continuous internet connection to their broker trading account 24 hours 6 days a week when the markets are open. They use automated trading systems which can enter and exit trades as long as the connection is maintained. The most popular program (trading platform) for this is MetaTrader.

A further advantage is using a VPS located in the same country or area as the broker. This lessens the ‘latency’ between trade triggers and improves trading performance.

See www.Forex-on-Auto.com for more information about automated forex trading and VPS providers, and why serious traders use them for better results.

The image (full size on the above site) shows a VPS being used on a Windows PC, with the MetaTrader forex platform running. You can see shortcuts to other programs available on this ‘PC within a PC’.

Visit www.Forex-on-Auto.com

 Read our VPN post which explains how a simple to set up service can be invaluable to expats wanting to watch or download their favorite shows from the home country.

Fortunately, from my personal dealings over four years now with this British-based bullion exchange, I can confirm that BullionVault is not a scam! Endorsed and recommended by the World Gold Council, full members of the London Bullion Market Association, BullionVault also won the Queen’s Business Award for Enterprise: Innovation in 2009.

I’m pleased (but not surprised) to see that what has been written about their operation is all good and it’s all true and scam searches reveal nothing negative. I’m also glad that more and more Internet users are becoming aware of the many scams out there; their suspicion and awareness might well save them from losing a lot of money.

In 2007, I opened my account at BullionVault which is UK-based but keeps its (and its account holders’) bullion in Via Mat’s vaults in the US, UK and Switzerland; account funding is via Lloyds Bank UK which also has US and European  facilities for international clients. I quickly learned how to use the trading system and began accumulating some gold, and later when they began offering it, London silver. See below the consistent price rises in that time alone.

BullionVault’s 25,000 funded account holders own over 22 tonnes of gold worth over $1 billion, plus $163 million worth of silver, all stored in Via Mat vaults in either London, New York or Zurich. This makes it the world’s premier direct gold ownership organisation. Client accounts are subject to independent daily audit of every gram of each bar and the names of registered owners are attached. Members buy, sell and trade gold and silver among themselves at the full spot market price (often better) in either USD, EUR or GBP.

All new accounts at BullionVault.com are credited with a free gram of gold, now worth over $50, £30 or €36 (or a gram of silver). Fees are very low: $4 a month storage for gold ($8 for silver which takes up a lot more space!) and 0.8% per transaction – much less than trading stocks or forex with a bank or broker (and the inherent higher risk of loss).

Since opening it in 2007, my account balance has risen significantly every year, due to the continuously rising prices – as well as from additional purchases. According to most ‘experts’, gold and silver prices will continue rising against the US dollar and other main currencies for the foreseeable future.

For me, it’s a ‘no-brainer’. I can sell a portion at any time and could immediately remit the proceeds to my bank account, but I usually leave cash in the account, ready to buy again on a temporary price correction. For those who don’t mind some risk, this can be a lucrative form of trading. But buying and holding is fine too.

I would advise anyone opening an account to fund it as soon as possible, simply to be ready to buy when the price has dropped, as it often does before going on to new highs. No one likes paying ‘top dollar’. However, there is a risk that if you wait too long for a lower price, you may get left behind and have to buy at a higher price than you expected!

For me, the BV charts are an excellent source of historical gold and silver prices and how they have risen over various time periods, from minutes to hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and over recent years. Here’s an example of a BullionVault live data chart for gold over the past 5 years to 11 August 2011 and below is the same for silver.

In addition, account holders can earn modest commissions by referring others. For example, if someone I refer buys or sells $2,000 worth of gold or silver at the spot market price, they pay $16 (0.8%) for the transaction; my own account is credited with $4 by BV. It’s not much but it’s enough to pay my gold storage fees for a month. Anyone who opens an account (even before it’s been funded) can do the same. Visit the website to see how.

The main reason I buy gold and silver is for its future value in currency terms rather than protection from the financial ‘Armageddon’ forecast by some. That gold bullion is mine legally, and with a sufficient quantity I could even take delivery of it  in the unlikely event of the whole global banking system failing. It’s somewhat comforting to know that, even though it’s a worst case scenario and not in my thoughts at this time!

Here are silver prices over the past 5 years in US dollars, having risen by 300%:

The BullionVault operation is explained in detail on their website which includes a sophisticated but easy-to-use 24/7 online trading platform and of course the charts. There are no trading hours as with most other exchanges, including forex. However, best prices are usually found when the financial markets are active around the world.

How to open an account at BullionVault.com

Sign up simply with your name and email address. Immediately receive a gold or silver gram to try out the system by selling it if you want. When you are ready, add funds from a bank account to buy more gold or silver bullion. You will need to confirm your identity (online) before withdrawing funds to the same bank account.

I rate and recommend BullionVault highly from my personal experience with this company since 2007. See examples of my own orders; the R-A Bullion Page has more information on gold and silver investment.

Other ways to hold precious metals

Not everyone wants to own gold and silver in this manner. Some prefer to be in actual physical possession of it or keep it in a safety deposit;  others like to display their precious metal bar and coin collections or move them easily between countries. Precious metals cost more to buy in this form and they cannot be traded as easily, but for long-term investment it’s a simple and popular method of investing in bullion.

Reliable sources include Amazon.com who offer a wide range of silver and gold coins and bars, from a few dollars to several hundred or more. These items make much-appreciated (as well as appreciating in value) gifts, especially in these times of economic uncertainty.