Queer Money®: How Gay People Do Money

Top 5 Cities to Retire in Croatia for Gay Folks | Affordable Gay Retirement in Europe
Your morning walk is along a stone promenade by the Adriatic Sea.
Your biggest decision? Coffee… or wine… or both.
And your cost of living just dropped by 40–60%.
If you’ve been dreaming about gay retirement abroad, but assumed Europe meant Paris prices or Barcelona crowds, think again. In this episode of Queer Money, we break down the top 5 cities to retire in Croatia for gay men who want affordability, culture, and coastal beauty without draining their portfolio.
Croatia may be Europe’s best-kept retirement secret.
We ranked these cities using our Queer Money Retirement Rating, overweighting affordability because stretching your retirement dollars matters — especially if you want options.
In This Episode We Cover:
➜ Zagreb – Croatia’s largest LGBTQ+ community and most livable city
➜ Split – Beach life, island hopping, and expat-friendly energy
➜ Rijeka – Progressive, artsy, and quietly affordable
➜ Osijek – Shockingly low cost of living with small-town charm
➜ Zadar – Romantic seaside sunsets without the tourist chaos

We also break down:
➜ Cost of living compared to Denver (40–60% cheaper)
➜ Average two-bedroom rent ($700–$1,400 USD)
➜ LGBTQ+ protections and civil union laws
➜ What the gay scene actually looks like (and where to be discreet)
➜ Why Dubrovnik didn’t make the list

Croatia offers Mediterranean lifestyle, national healthcare access, and European culture — without the Spain or Italy price tag.
But affordability is only half the story. We also talk honestly about LGBTQ+ acceptance, legal protections, and what life is really like for gay retirees in Croatia.
🎯 Key Takeaways
✔ You don’t need Western Europe pricing to live a beautiful gay retirement
✔ Zagreb is the easiest plug-and-play LGBTQ+ community
✔ Split is amazing — but summer tourism spikes prices
✔ Smaller cities offer serious savings if you’re flexible
✔ The right retirement city depends on your numbers

Want to see if Croatia works with your retirement savings?
And if Croatia isn’t your vibe, stay tuned — we’re covering Colombia next.
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
00:39 - Zadar
01:51 - Osijek
03:05 - About Croatia
04:44 -...

Ever told yourself, “It’s too late for me” or “I should’ve started saving earlier”?
If you’re 45 or older and feeling behind on retirement, this episode is your wake-up call. Because while achieving financial independence in three years isn’t easy—or typical—it is possible.
In this episode of Queer Money, we break down the exact systems, mindset shifts, and lifestyle upgrades required to accelerate your path to financial freedom. This isn’t about crypto speculation, stock tips, or manifesting millions with oat milk and a vision board. It’s about building systems that work harder than you do.
We redefine financial independence as five freedoms:
Money freedom
Location freedom
Time freedom
Relationship freedom
You freedom

And we show you how to design your life around them.
What You’ll Learn About Financial Independence:
Why extraordinary results require extraordinary systems
The mindset shift from “sacrifice” to “building something bigger”
How to calculate your real Financial Independence (FI) number
Why tracking your baseline expenses is non-negotiable
The difference between luxury and comfort (and why that matters)
How to build multiple income streams through business, investing, and real estate
Why passive income beats clocked-in income

We walk you through the Queer Money Financial Independence Framework:
Change your mindset
Change your habits
Change your cash flow

You’ll also hear how we:
Paid off $51,000 in debt
Kept a car for 15 years
House hacked a duplex
Built two businesses
Invested strategically
Created income streams that continue working even when we don’t

Financial independence isn’t about working harder. It’s about aligning your systems with your values—and then ruthlessly optimizing your life around your “why.”
Three years is possible.
But only if you treat it like a system, not a fantasy.
If you’re ready to stop financing coping mechanisms and start building freedom, this episode is your blueprint.
Chapters:
00:00:00 Intro
00:37:03 - FI / 5...

6 LGBTQ-Friendly Countries Where Americans Can Retire for Less—and Still Achieve Retirement Success
Most gay men assume retiring abroad requires extreme wealth, immigration lawyers, or giving up their U.S. passport.
The truth?
If you’re over 50 and have Social Security, a pension, rental income, or a 401(k), you may already qualify for residency in multiple LGBTQ-friendly countries—and at a cost that actually supports retirement success instead of draining it.
In this episode of Queer Money, we break down six verifiable LGBTQ-friendly countries where Americans can legally obtain residency without being ultra-wealthy—and where everyday life costs significantly less than in the United States.
This conversation is about grounding the dream of retiring abroad in reality. These are real visa programs, real income thresholds, and real places where gay men can live openly, affordably, and with dignity.
We cover:
Why retiring abroad is often easier than people think
How reciprocity, visa policy changes, and global politics affect Americans
Why cost of living—not net worth—is the real driver of retirement success
How residency visas work for retirees, investors, and financially independent individuals

Countries Covered in This Episode:
Portugal – Income-based residency, strong LGBTQ protections, and EU access
Mexico – Familiar culture, flexible residency paths, and major healthcare savings
Thailand – Marriage equality, retirement visas, and exceptional affordability
Greece – EU residency options with one of the lowest Golden Visa thresholds
Brazil – Strong LGBTQ protections and low income requirements
Latvia – An emerging EU option with Schengen access and lower costs

Key Takeaways for Retirement Success:
You don’t need millionaire money to retire abroad—clarity beats wealth
Cost-of-living arbitrage can extend your retirement years dramatically
Residency is about documentation and income, not perfection
The right country can turn “barely enough” into “more than enough”

Retiring abroad isn’t about running away.
It’s about running the numbers—and choosing a life that actually works.
If retirement success means more freedom, less stress, and living openly as yourself, this episode shows you where to start.
👉 Want to know how long your money could last—at home or abroad?
Use the Happy Gay Retirement Calculator to see what retirement success actually looks like for you.
🔗 Start here:

Why Brutal Honesty Is the Missing Link to Retirement Success for Gay Men
What if the reason you haven’t achieved retirement success yet isn’t the market, your income, or your age—but your relationship with the truth about your money?
In this episode of Queer Money, we get radically honest about the quiet habit that keeps most gay men financially stressed well into midlife: avoiding the full truth about how we earn, spend, and use money to cope. Not because we’re bad with money—but because honesty feels unsafe when money has long been tied to identity, belonging, and survival.
Many gay men over 45 believe they’re doing “fine.” The bills are paid. The lifestyle looks good. But underneath that calm exterior is often anxiety, denial, and a nagging sense that retirement success feels farther away than it should. That’s not a spending problem. It’s an honesty problem.
In this conversation, we unpack why so many of us:
Overestimate how well we’re doing
Underestimate how much we actually spend
Confuse gross income with real financial capacity
Avoid the numbers because we’re afraid of what they’ll say

We also explore the deeper emotional layer: how growing up queer taught many of us to perform success, buy safety, and fund the appearance of being chosen—often at the expense of long-term financial independence.
Key Takeaways for Retirement Success:
Why net income is the only number your life actually runs on
How emotional spending becomes a lifelong coping mechanism
Why financial freedom isn’t unlimited spending—it’s having options
How guardrails create freedom without killing joy
Three simple actions you can take this week to regain control

We also share how getting honest about our own money story helped us pay off $51,000 in credit card debt, reach Coast FI, and create work that supports our lives instead of draining them.
Retirement success isn’t about pretending you’re fine.
It’s about telling yourself the truth—and building from there.
If you want less stress, more choice, and a real path to financial independence, this episode is your starting point.
Download the Happy Gay Retirement Calculator here: https://queermoneypodcast.com/hgrcalc
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
00:45 - The Truth
01:35 - Spending Problems?
02:27 - Lack of Knowledge
02:58 - Avoidance
03:40 - Misconception
04:25 - Getting Brutal
05:47 - Authority
06:36 - Outro

Mentioned in this episode:

Gay Retirement Abroad: Why Germany Might Be Better Than the U.S.
Imagine a retirement where Pride isn’t just a parade once a year — it’s woven into everyday life.
You walk to your favorite gay café.
Your neighbors actually know your name.
Your biggest decision of the day is beer by the Rhine… or in your own neighborhood.

If you’re thinking about retiring abroad, you’re not alone — and Germany might surprise you.
In this episode of Queer Money, we’re breaking down the best German cities for gay retirees, where you can live well, feel safer than in much of the U.S., and potentially retire earlier than you thought — without selling your soul or your Roth.
We cover:
Affordable, walkable German cities with real LGBTQ+ communities
What life actually feels like for gay retirees in Germany
Rent, cost of living, and geo-arbitrage opportunities compared to the U.S.
Where Germany shines — and where reality checks matter
Our Queer Money Retirement Ratings for each city

Cities featured include:
Heidelberg
Dresden
Leipzig
Cologne
Magdeburg (our #1 geo-arbitrage darling)

Germany won’t sell you a fantasy.
But it will sell you stability, dignity, strong infrastructure, and a future that actually works.
🎯 Not sure how much money you need to retire — in Germany or anywhere else?
Grab our free, new & improved Happy Gay Retirement Calculator and get clarity on when and how you can retire fabulously.
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
00:49 - Heidelberg
02:59 - Dresden
04:41 - About Germany
05:39 - Leipzig
07:25 - Cologne
09:08 - Recap
10:27:06 - Magdeburg
13:05:13 - Outro

Mentioned in this episode:
Get Your Portugal Golden Visa Here!
Your fabulous retirement in Portugal is calling!
Ready to turn your IRA assets into a gateway to living in Europe?
With the Optimize Portugal Golden Opportunities fund you can do just that. Join hundreds of other U.S. investors taking control of their retirement and using the assets they have to open doors to freedom.