E72: Retire in Portugal & See the World for Free by Pet Sitting

Terry and Clyde share how they reinvented their lives—losing half their body weight, retiring early to Panama, house-sitting across the globe, and ultimately settling in Portugal—on a modest budget and a spirit of saying “yes.”

👤 Guest Bio:

Terry and Clyde are a retired American couple who transformed their lives through dramatic weight loss, early retirement, and international house-sitting. Terry is the author of Rescued and Transformed, a memoir about leaving behind a conventional American life to embrace global travel and minimalist living. Together, they’ve lived in Panama, house-sat across Asia, Africa, and Europe, and now reside in Portugal.

📌 Topics Discussed:

• How they left unhappy marriages and started over in their 50s
• Dramatic weight loss journeys and Terry’s gastric bypass
• Living in Panama on $2,000/month and discovering international house-sitting
• Navigating foreign healthcare, language, and residency systems
• Comparing Portugal vs. Panama for expats
• Lessons from 35+ house sits around the world (Kenya, Egypt, Paris, Vienna)
• The psychological shift of downsizing and debt-free living
• Expat taxes, healthcare, and social integration
• Why retiring abroad isn’t just for the rich
• Their philosophy of “say yes” and building a new life at any age

💬 Top 2 Quotes:

• “You don’t have to be rich to travel—you just have to be brave enough to say yes.”
• “We saved each other by walking away from everything and starting over with nothing but love and curiosity.”

🎙 The Pod is hosted by Jesse Wright
💬 For guest suggestions, questions, or media inquiries, reach out at https://elpodcast.media/
📬 Never miss an episode – subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.
⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show. It helps others find us.

Thanks for listening!