An American Living in Mexico: The Why and the How

by Taquita Ali

I've been living on the small island of Isla Mujeres for a little over a year. I am here to answer a few of the questions I get asked most often.

WHAT MADE YOU MOVE TO MEXICO?

This time last year, we were in the middle of a global pandemic and much social unrest. With all that was happening, there were a few good opportunities that came about. Some would call it good and others a nightmare. I'm speaking of being able to work remotely. Some parents were ready to pull their hair out, while others couldn't be happier to have more quality time with the family. For me, I was able to move around more freely with more time in one destination. The first place on my list was Belize, having been there before and dreamed of retirement there. After discovering that destination was under strict lockdown, it seemed to me as if the only open place was indeed Mexico. I was in Mexico a few years ago on an excursion that brought me to a beautiful island with clear water and pristine beaches. Having a chance to spend a few hours exploring, we vowed to come back and stay longer in the future. Being on a small beautiful island with unbelievably low Covid numbers, plenty of sunshine and reasonable costs was a no-brainer!

WHAT TO DO ON THE ISLAND

This question makes me chuckle every time - go to the beach!! I do understand that everyone is not interested in spending time on the beach every day. I'll tell you about a few other cool things this island has to offer. If you are into wildlife, go to Dolphin Discovery. There you can swim with the dolphins, sea lions and more. They also have huge pools, an open bar, and a buffet for the VIPs (for $35 you can be VIP too). One of the best experiences is swimming with the whale sharks (they are seasonal, so do not miss out)! Isla Mujeres has a slide park that also has a buffet and open bar for $30. One of my favorite places to relax is at a beach club called Kin Ha, which has no admission price. You get to enjoy the swim-up bar, pool, chairs, umbrellas, kayaks, paddle boards, water volleyball, and swinging off the pier for FREE (food & drinks not included)!! The most beautiful part of the island is on the south side called Punta Sur. Here you can visit the most eastern tip of Mexico, being the first person in the country to watch the sunrise in every day! While there, tour the ancient Mayan ruins and take in the breathtaking views. I cannot begin to tell you about all of the delicious places we have here to eat. You won't go hungry from the street food to the restaurants on Hidalgo. Every day you can catch a live band performing somewhere on the island. From reggae to 80's cover bands, they have it all. Be sure to have a happy hour drink at the Tiny Gecko, the best place for a nice view and cool breezes. Honestly, you can spend a whole day just riding around on your golf cart taking pictures of the sights.

*Across from Madera Food and Art. Photo: Taquita Ali*

COST OF LIVING

First things first, it's always about what type of accommodations you require. I find that some people need to be in a gated community with 24hr security, while others have no problem living with the locals. This plays a huge part when it comes to the cost of living because it will be the largest chunk out of your budget. For example, you can have a 2 bedroom, ocean view apartment with all of the bells and whistles for $2,000-a-month without utilities. Or you can stay a couple of blocks away from the ocean, near the locals, - still very safe - for $500 a month (wifi and water included). Most of the time, you have to pay for your own electricity separately. If you speak to a local, they will tell you how expensive it is. But, in comparison to the US, it's extremely cheap. You only pay it once every two months, and the hottest and most expensive months for me were July and August. My bill for that cycle was $4000 pesos ($200). Yes, you have to pay for drinking water because tap water is not safe for drinking. This budget can get pretty expensive if you require bottled water. Instead, just buy the 5-gallon water jug for your dispenser that will cost you anywhere from 35-50 pesos (no more than $2.50) depending on where you buy it (they will also deliver for free). If you average two a week, you would spend at most $20 a month. If you are paying for your cell phone and internet you are looking at $500 pesos ($25) a month. Most people drive golf carts or mopeds, my gas bill is about $15 a week. Even though the gas isn't the cheapest, you don't need much. Eating out can be expensive as well, depending on where you go. If you need steak and lobster a few times a week, you can imagine how quickly that adds up. If you can cook it at home, you can have the same mill for a third of the price. If you get used to the local brands of food, you will save a ton more money. The Chedraui (owned by Walmart) is the largest supermarket on the island. You will find some familiar brands there of course. If there's something that you must have, the ferry to Cancun takes 25min and a $20 roundtrip ticket. I say all of this to say, your cost of living depends on you, your needs, and your habits.

WHAT TYPE OF WORK DO YOU DO?

Create an online business that you love and work from home! Without an idea, there is no chance to start your own online business. With tons of entrepreneurs out there this first step is one of the hardest challenges, where you might find yourself wandering around the web to get your creative juices flowing. Don't look any further, as we put together a list of 20 online business ideas which you can start tomorrow. Obviously, there is a need for tremendous preparation and research, but hopefully, this list can get you started.

Start Your Own Listicle Blog

The recipe is quite simple. Look for emotional, inspirational, interesting stories on Facebook, Reddit, or wherever you wish and rewrite the short stories into a detailed article. Set up your own site and publish the articles. There are a bunch of listicle blogs out there by now, however, the fact that Viralnova.com was sold for $100 million might provide motivation. Even though it seems like a simple business, monetizing your site might prove to be a bit of a challenge. However, if you know a few things about SEO and AdSense, there is a great chance for success. With a successful promotion, you will be able to pull in tons of unique visits per month, as it seems like we just cannot get bored of these stories.

2. Get Into the Domain Business

Even though you might think that the best deals have been made long ago, the domain business is still an ongoing thing. Lots of people buy and sell domain names to earn money as it requires only a small investment. With some thorough research, you can get an idea about what are the most trending domain names. This will help you to buy potential domain names which can be later sold for a profit. Look for domain auction websites on the web, as you can stumble upon expired names, which are back in the pool and available to buy. The chances are high that you will be the next domain guru, who can make a profit with only a few clicks from home.

3. Sell Apps

Smartphones are everywhere and everyone enjoys quality applications. In case you feel like you are up for the challenge, start building apps. With a few clicks, you can get them into the Google or Apple market and start selling. Check for the latest trends and start developing. App building is a cost-efficient online business, which if done right, can generate profits. You might need some time before getting things right; however, in the long run, apps can get you the success that you've always dreamt about. As well-performing apps can make thousands in ad revenue each month, this might as well be a great choice for you.

4. Sell Your Design

If you are good with designing and creating unique images, you can simply start selling your own design. There are numerous sites out there offering the opportunity to sell your design in the form of T-shirts, bags, mugs, etc. The only thing to keep an eye on is to keep your creations printable. Once your ideas start selling, you will be receiving a commission for each sold piece. You don't have to worry about shipping, or actually printing the design, the only thing you'll be asked to do is to upload your images. The registration is free, and there are usually no fees. However, before you start, think of your own brand. It always proves to be a great decision to come up with a catchy name at least, as people can follow your shop and will keep an eye on your work. By creating your own brand and selling creative images, you can gain a better reputation, which will lead to better sales.

5. Start Freelancing

There are numerous professional platforms on the web which offer the opportunity to start your own freelance career. These sites enable businesses to get that required extra help for their project success, while they enable freelancers to build their reputation and apply to various types of projects. Starting from graphic design, translation, programming to data entry tasks, you will find various projects which you can join. Build your own rockstar profile and start bidding to get your business running.

6. Build Websites

If you are into coding, offering a website building service can get you big bucks. Set up your own site and describe your services. Start advertising your service on social media, along with a marketing campaign. Pay attention to the latest trends and keep up with them to attract as many customers as possible. As the world of web design is constantly changing, you will need to learn things constantly. You can get an idea about the latest design trends with a simple Google search.

7. Create WordPress Themes

Another option if you have a talent for designing websites, is to create your own WordPress themes and sell them. As many people look for easy and simple solutions to establish their online presence, WordPress themes are highly popular. You can sell your own designs for numerous sites and profit from your hard work.

8. Become A Blogger

Even though nowadays it seems impossible to get profit from blogging, lots of people managed to do so. If you are passionate about writing and have the right amount of motivation, it is worth taking the plunge. Setting up your own blog does not require a lot of technical skills, however, getting high traffic is a different challenge. Picking a topic is always hard. If you are an expert in something, you might want to choose to share your own insights, which can help other professionals. Whatever your topic area, you will need to invest time to build a strong audience. This will enable you to promote other brands, build new business relationships and finally gain profit. Blogging is rather competitive but if you are good with the words, you can make a profit.

9. Becoming An Online Affiliate

If you are up for making a few bucks online and would like to do it without developing any product yourself, becoming an online affiliate might be your best choice. Amazon, eBay, and most of the bigger companies offer an affiliate program, where the only thing that you need to do is to drive traffic to their site and get people to buy their products. After each sale, you will be getting a considerable commission, with the top commission tier around 8.5%. You will also generate profit after users sign up via your referral. You can either build a new site for a specific product type or add referral links to your already existing blog or website.

10. GET STARTED WITH E-COMMERCE/ DROP-SHIPPING

Shopify and Woocommerce make it easy to set up your own online shop in a second. In case you have a product in mind, you can easily start selling online, while there are also several methods, like drop shipping available which can save you from a headache when it comes to storing or delivering products.

I really hope this article answered some of your questions about living on an island in Mexico. If there's something you'd like to know more about, feel free to leave your questions below.

Off to the beach, until next time,

Adios!!

Taquita Ali is a 38-year-old African American woman originally from Atlanta, GA residing in Isla Mujeres, Mexico. She is a serial entrepreneur, with a true passion for people. Taquita, who has visited 18 US states and 11 countries, travels to seek a more clear understanding of the world, and the people who inhabit it.