My husband and I left our stable income of over $200,000 and moved to Mexico. I've never had so much freedom over my life — it's a blessing.
My husband and I are both Mexican-American. In our culture, we were taught to put our heads down and work hard to make a name for ourselves.
We both made six figures, so our household income was over $200,000, but I don't know if we were really happy.
My father-in-law moved to America so my husband and his siblings could build a better life. When my husband and I got married in 2018, our aim was to keep pursuing the American dream by moving up the corporate ladder.
But we were stressed and exhausted. It felt like no matter how hard we worked, it would never be enough to meet our American dream.
In 2024, we moved our family to Mexico. We're earning less money and downsized our lifestyle, but I have more time with my kids and get to redefine what success means to me. It's been worth it.
I started to struggle with the idea of the American dream
In the US, I pursued a career in HR, focusing on inclusion and diversity. My husband worked in sales.
Before kids, all I thought about was moving up the corporate ladder. I had a vision to be a VP of HR.
We bought a four-bedroom house in Austin. He drove a Tundra, and I drove an Audi. A lot of our money was spent on paying the nanny for our two kids.
I felt pressure to keep upgrading our lives: a bigger house, nicer cars, and more things, because that's what I thought success was.
Every upgrade meant working harder and losing time with my kids.
We initially struggled to have children. We finally had our son in 2021 and daughter in 2022. Having my son completely shifted my values. Time with my children felt more important than working in a corporate job to afford more stuff.
We decided to leave the US
Although I worked remotely in the US, back-to-back meetings made spending time with my kids difficult.
Around the same time, I also started thinking more about my identity as a Mexican-American. We began to think moving to Mexico could help our kids understand more about their cultural identity.
In 2022, my husband and I started talking about leaving America.
We spent two years having long conversations about moving. We cut back on our finances, started saving, and got our documentation for moving to Mexico. We slowly sold our things, including both of our cars, and put our house up for rent.
We both handed in our resignations and moved to Mexico in August 2024.
Telling our families was difficult. My husband's family left Mexico to come here, so sitting them down and saying we were moving back was terrifying. We were afraid they'd feel like we were failing them.
We've made sacrifices financially
My husband, who dabbled in day trading before the move to Mexico, has decided to pursue it full-time. His pay is less predictable, but the flexible hours mean he can spend more time with us.
When I resigned from my job, my company offered me the option to move to a part-time, remote role with them. Now, I have the flexibility to focus on my family while also pursuing content creation. My ultimate goal is to build an online community for people who want more freedom and balance in their lives.
We make $2,400 from renting out our house in the States, but our professional incomes are less than they were in the US. Both of our businesses are in their infancy, but we have a big vision for our future.
We don't consume just to consume anymore. In the States, I enjoyed interior design and filling my house with stuff, but in Mexico, my kids share a room and the decorations don't match like they used to. Having everything looking pristine is no longer important or financially realistic.
While most things are less expensive in Mexico than in the States, branded shoes and clothing are more expensive here.
We live in a two-bedroom condo in Playa del Carmen, which is smaller than our old home. We pay $1,300 a month for rent, which is less than our monthly mortgage payment. We live a 10-minute walk from the beach, and our kids love sharing a room. It's made me realize we never needed a big house to begin with.
I'm redefining success outside the corporate ladder
My life's taken a dramatic turn. I have more time to be present with my children because I'm not stressed and always checking my emails.
I've never had so much freedom. I'm responsible for creating my own success and pursuing my business dreams. It's a blessing to be able to grab control of my life.
In the US, work is always a part of your identity. When you meet new people, the first thing they'll ask is what you do. In Mexico, people work to live instead of living to work. When you meet people, they ask about your family or invite you for a drink.
Walking away from my corporate dreams was one of the hardest things I've had to do. I worked so hard to get to where I was, and had more climbing to do. But I'm glad I'm betting on myself and redefining what the future looks like for me and my family.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Journals
10 minutes ago
- Business Journals
The next normal in housing: 3 trends that will define real estate through 2028
Seismic shifts are changing the housing landscape. The AI boom is reshaping real estate workflows. Experience-driven living is emerging as a new standard for luxury buyers. And the largest wealth transfer in U.S. history is underway, altering who buys and what they value. These aren't passing trends, and Atlanta is poised to evolve with them. Here's how the market will look different in three years: 1. AI will be deeply embedded in both home design and transaction management. Artificial intelligence is rapidly restructuring how homes are bought, sold, built and lived in. For developers and brokerages, AI tools are optimizing everything from site selection to pricing and lead generation. For buyers, AI streamlines financing and forecasts long-term value. The result will be faster, more informed transactions in an increasingly competitive market, especially in the high-net-worth space. A study released by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies noted, 'AI could also play a big role in improving home automation products and features, better managing home energy and predicting when major home components and systems are likely to fail.' 2. Generational shifts will redefine what 'home' means. As boomers downsize, millennials gain buying power and Generation X enters peak earning years, real estate preferences are poised to evolve in deeply personal ways. Once dubbed the 'renter generation,' millennials are actively purchasing homes but seeking things like smart technology, wellness-centric features and homes that double as personal sanctuaries. Meanwhile, Gen X buyers want homes that serve multigenerational needs, balancing aging parents and grown children under one roof. Many boomers are choosing to age in place or purchase second homes near their adult children, which keeps inventory tight in addition to reshaping what retirement looks like. According to the National Association of REALTORS, 17 percent of all homebuyers in 2023 purchased multigenerational homes (the highest since NAR began recording this in 2013). For Atlanta developers and agents, responding to this generational complexity will be key to capturing long-term demand. 3. Heirs and high-earning early buyers will skip the 'starter' phase entirely. The largest wealth transfer in American history is already changing the face of real estate. Cerulli Associates estimates that millennials and Gen Xers will inherit somewhere in the neighborhood of $84 trillion by 2045. As these heirs enter the housing market, many of them are bypassing the traditional 'starter home' in favor of going straight to second homes, investment properties or branded residences. In Atlanta, where luxury real estate still offers comparative value versus coastal hubs, this generational wealth shift is likely to accelerate demand for properties that combine values with smart financial positioning. The new luxury market will be intentional, not just impressive. As these trends converge, opportunity will lie in anticipating demand; and capitalizing on it will require storytelling, intelligent positioning and elevated service. Atlanta's edge lies in its ability to evolve quickly with a growing luxury inventory, a pipeline of innovative builders and developers and a consumer base that spans generations and geographies. The next normal will belong to the most adaptable players, not just the biggest ones. Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty was founded in 2007 and serves as the exclusive Sotheby's International Realty affiliate in Metro Atlanta, building upon the 280-year foundation and heritage of Sotheby's auction house. The company has offices in Buckhead, Cobb, Intown and North Atlanta. As President and CEO of Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty, David Boehmig touches every aspect of the company. His 26 years of experience in residential real estate is complemented by 10 additional years in commercial banking where he focused on real estate and small business financing.
Time Magazine
11 minutes ago
- Time Magazine
What Corp. for Public Broadcasting Shutdown Means For NPR, PBS
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting announced on Friday that it would begin winding down its operations after President Donald Trump rescinded $1.1 billion in funding for the nonprofit, which for decades has helped sustain NPR, PBS, and hundreds of local public media stations across the country. 'Despite the extraordinary efforts of millions of Americans who called, wrote, and petitioned Congress to preserve federal funding for CPB, we now face the difficult reality of closing our operations,' CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison said in a statement. She added that the organization would work to support its partners during the transition 'with transparency and care.' The loss of federal support, enacted as part of a broader $9 billion rescissions package signed by Trump in July, will not bring an immediate end to national programming like PBS NewsHour or NPR's Morning Edition. But the decision is expected to pose serious challenges to the network of smaller, often rural public broadcasters that have long depended on CPB funding for their survival. The majority of the CPB's roughly 100 employees will be laid off when the federal fiscal year ends on September 30, according to a press release. A smaller team will remain through January to complete financial and legal obligations, including final disbursements and the expiration of system-wide music licenses. Harrison, who has led the CPB since 2005, called the decision to shut down 'difficult' but inevitable given the scale of the funding withdrawal. 'Public media has been one of the most trusted institutions in American life,' she said in her statement, 'providing educational opportunity, emergency alerts, civil discourse, and cultural connection to every corner of the country.' Here's what to know about the funding cuts. What is the Corporation for Public Broadcasting? Founded in 1967 under the Public Broadcasting Act, CPB was created as a nonpartisan nonprofit to channel federal appropriations to public television and radio stations across the United States, including affiliates of PBS and NPR. While national organizations like NPR and PBS generate their own revenue and receive only a small share of direct federal funding, their local member stations rely heavily on CPB grants. In many smaller and rural markets, federal money accounts for 25% or more of a station's total budget. In addition to distributing funding, the CPB also helped stations remain in legal compliance and negotiated system-wide rights, such as royalties for music and content use. Why did Republicans push to eliminate CPB funding? Trump and his allies have long accused NPR and PBS of leaning left politically and argued that taxpayer dollars should not support news organizations they see as ideologically biased. 'NO MORE FUNDING FOR NPR, A TOTAL SCAM!' Trump wrote on Truth Social on April 10, calling the organization 'A LIBERAL DISINFORMATION MACHINE.' After gaining unified control of Congress this year, Republicans pushed to eliminate CPB's funding through a process known as a rescission—a formal cancellation of previously approved federal spending. The Trump Administration proposed eliminating $1.1 billion that had already been appropriated for the CPB through fiscal year 2027. Congress approved the measure in July as part of a broader $9 billion package of rescinded funds, which also included cuts to foreign aid. Only four Republicans in both chambers of Congress broke with their party and voted with all Democrats against the package: Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Mike Turner of Ohio. 'If you don't like what's going on within NPR, you think that there's too much bias there, we can address that,' Sen. Murkowski said in a floor speech ahead of the vote. 'But you don't need to gut the entire Corporation for Public Broadcasting.' In an op-ed for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, she warned that the loss of CPB's $12 million in funding for Alaska's public stations—which covers between 30 and 70% of each stations' budgets—would be 'devastating.' Sen. Collins expressed similar concerns: 'I share the frustration with the biased reporting by NPR, and I would support defunding it. Nevertheless, local TV and radio stations continue to provide important coverage. In Maine, this funding supports the emergency alert network, coverage of high school basketball championships, a locally produced high school quiz show, and classical music stations.' The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday advanced a bill that would eliminate future funding for CPB altogether—a move that Harrison said 'will cause irreparable harm, especially to small and rural public media stations.' 'The absence of future funding eliminates CPB's ability to fulfill our statutory mission—providing support to nearly 1,500 local public media stations and making needed investments that help stations serve their communities,' Harrison said before announcing the decision to wind down operations. Despite the push in Congress to eliminate funding for public broadcasting, most Americans still support public media. A Harris Poll conducted in July on behalf of NPR found that 66% of U.S. adults favor continued federal funding for public radio, including 58% of Republicans and 77% of Democrats. 66% of respondents said that federal funding for public radio is a good value for taxpayer dollars. What does this mean for NPR, PBS, and local stations? National programming like PBS NewsHour, All Things Considered, and children's shows will not disappear overnight. But the loss of CPB funding threatens the financial stability of the local stations that carry these shows—particularly those in rural or underserved regions that have long depended on federal support to stay on the air. Without CPB grants, some stations may be forced to reduce staff, cut programming, or shut down altogether. That could have a significant impact in smaller communities, where public media stations are often among the few remaining sources of local journalism. Researchers have classified many rural areas as 'news deserts' due to the decline of local newspapers and commercial outlets. Public broadcasters have filled that gap in many communities by providing access to local news coverage, educational content, and emergency alerts. Those stations may seek new funding from state governments or private donors, but these solutions are not likely to fully replace the funding CPB provided. The New York Times reported that roughly 120,000 new donors have contributed an estimated $20 million in annual value to public media over the last three months, according to the Contributor Development Partnership, a firm that analyzes fundraising data. Total donations this year are about $70 million ahead of last year's pace—a sharp uptick sparked in part by public concern over the loss of federal support. The day Congress approved the rescissions, member stations saw a spike in giving, the Times reported. Rocky Mountain Public Media in Colorado received more than 6,600 donations in one weekend, including a $500,000 gift. WUNC in North Carolina raised over $1 million. WMNF in Tampa brought in more than $280,000—unusually high numbers for both.
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Please, Please, PLEASE Don't Show This Post About Trump's Economy To Your MAGA-Supporting Family (Unless You Want To Start A Fight)
Want to know if Trump's economy is actually doing as well as he promised? Subscribe to the Economy Hate Watch newsletter and never miss our monthly update. Hi there, my name is Alexa, and for each month of Donald Trump's presidency, I'm tracking the real numbers achieved by his administration on BuzzFeed. (AKA the unemployment rate, cost of eggs, gas prices, inflation, the Dow Jones, whether citizens received a stimulus check, and Trump's overall approval rating.) Shockingly, it's not hyperbolic to say that last month, our biggest concern about Trump's impact on the economy centered around his meddling in a literal WAR after announcing US airstrikes on Iran. Related: Now we're faced with the repercussions of his One Big, Beautiful Bill — nicknamed the "Worst Bill in Modern American History" — being signed into law. Tasos Katopodis / Getty Images Among its many spooky factors, the bill is expected to add $3.4 TRILLION to the national debt. (Which the government would LOVE if you Venmo-ed them for. Ya know, like we're splitting a happy hour bill.) Twitter: @jackcorrbit So, with all this in mind, here's how the 79-year-old's June 2025 played out: Note: Data on inflation is released a few weeks after each month has ended, so our reports will look at the previous month's numbers. Unemployment has been teeter-tottering around 4–4.2% ever since Trump took office, and June is no different. This time, we're back at 4.1% according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Egg prices used to be the topic of dinner conversation, but now that the avian flu outbreak has become largely contained, supply is slowly coming back, and normal pricing comes with it. Related: However, when one barn door shuts, another barn door opens. Behind lucky door number two? Beef. In fact, the price per pound of beef has jumped about 12% since this time last year. And what's causing the jump? Unfortunately, it's not as simple as a virus. For the last 10 years, CNN reports that farmers have struggled with shrinking herd sizes, droughts throughout farming land in the US, lack of profitability, and an increase in imported beef prices. Now, everything seems to be catching up to us. Every time I report on gas prices, we get a flurry of comments from people saying they wish their receipts reflected the national average here. So I'm hesitant to inform that June's average was $3.276 per gallon. (Sorry, city dwellers. I know your gas station visits aren't nearly as that we're calling $3.276 low.) Related: In April, Trump claimed there was "virtually no inflation" in the US, and that remains just as false today as it did then. We do indeed have an inflation rate, and it's sitting at 2.7%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics — nearly as high as Biden's closing rate of 2.9%. The stock market being up is probably one of my favorite parts about this month's report. Why? Because of the irony. You see, it's amazing that our retirement accounts aren't screaming in as much pain as they were a few months ago when Trump first announced tariffs, and Wikipedia subsequently created a 2025 Stock Market Crash page. Which may make you consider: Hmmmmm, if pauses on tariffs are meant to end soon on Aug. 1, then why isn't the stock market reacting in the same way? One answer from economists? Because of Trump's new nickname: TACO (aka, Trump Always Chickens Out). Meaning, Trump's trade deals and tariff pauses have been an on-again-off-again affair that the market may have a hard time taking seriously now that it's meant to be on-again. The attitude seems to be, Why worry until we have to? That's good for citizens, at least, who saw a second month of gains. Nope, nope, nope. Not a benefit in sight. Everyone, let's slow clap together. Trump just reached a new milestone: The lowest approval rating of his second term so far. In June, Gallup reports the president had an approval rating of 40%. Breathtaking. Those are our stats for June. Now, let's look at comments we received on our last edition in a little section I like to call ✨Comment Corner✨. Related: Comment Corner #1: First, thank you! Second, I love this idea! Let's start our baseline before the One Big, Beautiful Bill was signed, which put individual Americans at about $7,000 per year on average for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. (This number can change due to many factors, including age, tier plans, whether you're a smoker, etc.) And it's very possible this number may change in the future, as the OBBB makes healthcare coverage harder to secure. Comment Corner #2: Speaking of the OBBB, this commenter shared their opinion that, "Unemployment numbers are going to go up soon" in their industry due to "mass layoffs because of the OBBB." Unemployment will be an interesting figure to watch across multiple industries because of the bill. One I'm keeping a particular eye on is the healthcare industry amid Trump's major reductions in federal support to Medicaid. Not only will these reductions lead to about 12 million more people being without health insurance by 2034, but rural hospitals, doctors, nurses, and staff who rely on Medicaid taxes to stay in operation will also suffer. Comment Corner #3: Shoutout to my fellow economy hate-watchers who inspired us to turn these reports into a newsletter, delivered right to your inbox so you never miss a post. Your readership keeps our little corner of the internet going. 🥹 Want to know if Trump's economy is actually doing as well as he promised? Subscribe to the Economy Hate Watch newsletter and never miss our monthly update. Also in In the News: Also in In the News: Also in In the News: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
