Fund Your Life Overseas Archives

Getting Started with a Micro-Business

By International Living |

November 8, 2013

For every substantial, bricks-and mortar business set up by an expat overseas, there are hundreds of small enterprises that people operate from their own homes with very little investment. Within a year of starting their micro-enterprise overseas, Jim and Mariellen Wiemann are making a profit and supplementing their retirement income. “The business allows us to purchase the things we might otherwise not have. We are planning some vacations abroad, and the business will support those adventures,” says Jim.

Hostel Owners Reap Rewards in Colombia’s Coffee Triangle

By Michael Evans |

November 1, 2013

The tourism market in Colombia’s Coffee Triangle is heating up fast—and expat hostel owners are setting up shop and cashing in. For decades, the Coffee Triangle—referred to locally as El Eje Cafetero—has been a favorite vacation spot for Colombians. But an increasing number of foreign tourists are descending on the region, too.

Earn an A+ with an Education Franchise

By Rogelio Martinez |

November 1, 2013

When we hear “tutoring job,” we often picture an underpaid, but hardworking person trying to make some side income while finishing their studies. Guess what? We’re wrong. In the U.S., tutoring is a $7-billion-ayear industry, according to the education research company EduVentures. That is more than what all the casinos on the Las Vegas Strip generate on an annual basis. The Daily Telegraph newspaper in the UK recently published an article about “super tutors”, earning up to £1,000 (about $1,600) per hour.

Finding an Easier Rhythm of Life in Ecuador

By Amy Pinoargote |

November 1, 2013

I had a cute house with a backyard, a great job, a wonderful marriage, and two beautiful little boys. I was living the American dream, but it didn’t feel like it. The long hours at work meant I didn’t have time to enjoy gardening in the backyard. Our sons Diego and Dante spent more time in daycare than with us. My husband and I were once so stressed that we both forgot our wedding anniversary.

The Allure and Profit of Café Culture in Penang’s Historic Mile

By Keith Hockton |

November 1, 2013

Tanya Mimbres loves food. It’s one of her top interests when she travels. A native of New Mexico, she has lived in Paris and Barcelona. But when she moved to Malaysia five years ago she felt right at home. “Lots of my friends were traveling in Asia and were a bit shocked that I hadn’t been there,” she recalls.

How My Camera Became a Passport to Travel

By Shelley Perry |

November 1, 2013

When I first started uploading photos to an online stock agency I had no idea how it would change my life. I had stumbled on stock agencies while looking for a photo for a small design job. But once I saw how much money people were making from their photos, I realized I could do the same. A year after I started, I was making $600 a month. And my best-selling photo has now earned me more than $3,500.

Setting Up Shop in Business Friendly Malaysia

By Janet Nisted |

October 1, 2013

Margaret and Rhys Shelton from South Africa moved to Malaysia 18 months ago, following their lifelong dream to open a café. They’re just two of the expats taking advantage of the ease of doing business in Malaysia. In fact, the World Bank recently ranked it number 12 (out of 185 countries) on that score. Foreign Internet entrepreneurs, restaurateurs, jewellers, hoteliers, and language school owners are all setting up and thriving here.

A Short Week and Good Pay for English Teachers in China

By Charlotte Edwards |

October 1, 2013

With a 16-hour work week…a month-long winter vacation…a huge number of well-paid jobs…and all the Chinese food you can eat…it’s no wonder so many people of all ages and backgrounds are heading to teach English in China. More than 300 million children under 18 begin learning English in classroom settings as early as age three…but it’s not just the young who are learning English. China is a world player and millions of college students and adults enroll in English courses to help them get better jobs.

Easy Income Online: Teach English from Home

By John Clites |

October 1, 2013

I never envisioned myself teaching English. Perhaps you feel the same way. But soon after I started my five-year career in this field, I found that I enjoyed it, largely because the students are so enthusiastic and wonderful to teach. They need English to enjoy more opportunities in their life and career, they are grateful to have a native speaker as their teacher, and they apply themselves to learning.

“How We Opened Our Ecuadorian Tea Shop”

By Cleo Murphy |

October 1, 2013

Location is a huge part of success in business…particularly when you’re dependent on foot traffic. When Cody Leigh Brown of Montana decided to set up a tea shop in Ecuador, she chose Cumbayá, a fashionable suburb of Quito, as her location. It just happens to be home to the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, where more than 5,000 students are enrolled.