So you’ve seen the TikToks: sunshine, cocktails, beaches, cheap rent. You think you’re just going to pack a suitcase, hop on a plane, and “live your best life” abroad. Cute idea. Too bad reality doesn’t work that way.
Most Americans who move abroad without a plan end up right back in the U.S. broke, bitter, and bragging about how “living overseas just wasn’t for them.” Wrong. They just didn’t do the homework. Here are the top screw-ups.
Forgetting Their Paper Trail
Birth certificate? Apostilled. Divorce decree? Multiple copies. Background check? Recent and certified. Most don’t even know what half those words mean. Then they’re shocked when immigration says, “No documents, no residency.”
Keeping All Their Money in U.S. Banks
Yeah, keep trusting that one debit card tied to your U.S. phone number. Wait until it gets flagged for “suspicious activity” and you’re locked out. No Wise, no HSBC, no international bank? Congratulations, you’re broke in paradise.
Ignoring Healthcare Reality
They move abroad with zero medical prep. No vaccine records, no prescriptions stocked, no dental checkup. Then boom, first toothache, first denied insurance claim, and they’re running home crying about “bad healthcare.”
Thinking Tourist Visas Last Forever
They move on a 30 or 90-day stamp and act like they’ve “made it.” Two border runs later, immigration’s watching them like a hawk. Residency? Oh, right, that takes planning, documents, and money. Oops.
Living Like It’s Spring Break Forever
They spend like they’re on vacation: fancy meals, overpriced rentals, daily cocktails. Newsflash: expat life isn’t a permanent holiday. That nest egg burns fast when you live like a tourist instead of a resident.
Pretending Language Isn’t Necessary
“No worries, everyone speaks English!” Sure, until you’re at immigration, the bank, or the hospital. A year in, they can’t order food without pointing at the menu like a toddler. Then they complain they feel “isolated.” No kidding.
Forgetting the Off-Season Exists
They show up in high season, overpay for rent, and brag about their “great deal.” Locals laugh. If you had half a brain, you’d move in the off-season, negotiate, and lock in a real price before the tourists roll back in.
Flying Solo With No Community
They never bother to join expat groups, language classes, or meet locals. A year later, they’re lonely, bitter, and claiming “people there just weren’t friendly.” No, you weren’t friendly.
Underestimating Costs
They move abroad thinking it’s cheap everywhere. Rent hikes? Currency swings? Insurance premiums? They never built a buffer. By year two, they’re selling their laptop just to pay the landlord.
Having No Exit Strategy
What if you hate it? What if health declines? What if laws change? Most Americans move abroad with zero Plan B. Then, when things go sideways, they panic, burn cash on last-minute flights, and come crawling back broke.
The Bottom Line
Moving abroad can absolutely be the best decision you ever make, but not if you go in blind. Treat it like a vacation and you’ll end up broke. Treat it like a life move, with the right prep, and you’ll thrive while everyone else is scrambling.