Retire and Earn Money with the Internet, whether you are a local national or a foreigner living overseas

A relaxing lifestyle in Southeast Asia, living among friendly people, low cost of living; a warm, tropical climate, great food everywhere, and access to modern facilities and services. For younger generations of Asians living in cities like Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Shanghai and many more, that's life today! It can be available to foreign residents too, but cost of living and facilities vary greatly depending on where they choose to live. Even in a 'late starter' like the Lao PDR, cheap living and good internet connections are available in the main centres.

International banking, offshore finance and taxes

Foreigners wishing to work or earn money in a foreign country need to be aware of and comply with visa, work and income tax regulations at home and abroad. Most countries, even outside Asia, do not allow foreign residents to earn money locally on visitor or retirement visas. Some are stricter than others in enforcing the law. In many places, provided one is discreet, internet business is possible if transactions are conducted in a different country. Working from home or an internet shop it's possible to operate web sites which can be hosted in a different country. It's also possible to trade in stocks and shares or foreign currencies (forex). Tax issues can often be worked around to best advantage.

How about the possibility to earn extra income direct from your mobile phone, anywhere in the world? Many of today's phones work just like computers and you can connect to your favourite websites for both pleasure and business.

Nationals of the USA especially, Canada, UK and Europe, Australia and other countries can operate bank accounts with fewer restrictions more easily using internet banking. Payments and receipts can be managed from outside their country of current residence. They can also transfer funds from home to local bank accounts in various ways; cash can also be withdrawn locally from more than two million ATMs around the world – now even in Laos!

Nevertheless, all those who do not have US$ bank accounts lose money when their internet business earns dollars rather than their 'local currency'. A significant portion of profits can be lost through bad exchange rates, commission and other charges and fees involved in depositing foreign cheques, transferring cash or PayPal US$ balances into non US$ bank accounts. Here's how to get an inexpensive solution.

Nationals and foreign residents of countries with stricter currency and banking regulations are at an even greater disadvantage when trying to manage income from an internet business or making foreign payments. They need to be able to receive funds from other countries, make foreign purchases and would certainly benefit from having an international credit or debit (ATM) card to make purchases or withdraw cash anywhere. Otherwise the money they make over the internet is 'locked' in a PayPal account, to be spent only on internet purchases. Free services like PayPal are useful and necessary if there is no alternative, but they can be expensive and there are some better options.

The solution to getting full access to your money is to open an account in a bank in a more flexible country. The best place is the USA, especially if the account includes online access and an international Visa or Mastercard credit or debit card which can be used in ATMs all over the world. However it is almost impossible to open this type of account without being a US resident or at least being in the USA when applying. Fortunately we are aware of solutions to problems of money access or income tax avoidance that do not involve paying high fees to open and operate a US bank account with check book, Visa card and PayPal transfer without visiting the USA. This is by far the easiest way to international and internet banking facilities.

Valis International offers not only US bank account and merchant services but can form a US corporation for you, including company name, address and phone and fax numbers for foreign businesses and non US citizens. Ideal for a 'professional' business image.

P.S. See our Banking page for more details about financial management for overseas residents. Get a $8.95 report which explains exactly where and how to open a FREE non-US resident bank account with Visa Debit Card – a useful facility for many people, especially those involved in the internet business.

Internet-based business and other options

New income opportunities are available for all ages, allowing partial or full early retirement, wherever you may be living (maybe in more than one location). Apart from the internet, there are conventional occupations like teaching English to both students and business people. The internet has also opened up a whole 'New World' of ways to earn income using a computer, working either from the comfort of home, an internet cafe – or even while relaxing by a pool or at the beach! You can live and earn in a better environment.

There's no doubt that an ever-increasing number of 'ordinary' computer users, working, unemployed, semi- or even fully retired, are becoming intrigued by the possibilities of using a personal computer to start their own internet business. According to a recent BBC report, there are over one billion internet users already – some 15% of the whole world's population – and like all things involving computer technology, the numbers keep rising faster and faster. That means more opportunities for more people. Hundreds if not thousands of different ways of earning easy money (but beware) are offered on web pages and by email. The opportunities are increasing exponentially as well, as entrepreneurs and programmers develop new ideas and ways of doing business online. It's not too late for anyone with a little ambition, originality, a lot of enthusiasm and some perseverance, to start a whole new career in 'retirement'.

Read this revealing article on The Tricks Behind Clickbank and Adwords to get some idea of the importance of this income earning method for many.

Nationals and Citizens of South East Asia

Aspiring Asian entrepreneurs need look no further for advice on how to be successful in business over the internet than Singapore's own master of internet marketing, Ewen Chia. He will show you exactly what you need to know to start and run your own business in SE Asia or anywhere there's an internet connection. Is $37 too much to invest in your future success?

SE Asian nationals can also learn more about internet marketing here:

Internet Marketing Malaysia, learn how to make money online
with Malaysia Internet Marketing Tips.

Internet Marketing Singapore, learn how to make money online
with Singapore Internet Marketing Tips.

'Retirement' should be seen not as the ability to sit around doing nothing (boredom will set in for sure) but being able to pick and choose exactly what you want to do, when and where you want to do it, and how much time you want to spend at it. The internet is absolutely ideal for this. You have the choice of 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and in 200 different countries!

People are starting to realise that with the right knowledge and some effort, they can 'retire' from conventional full time work as young as they like, by consolidating their current resources and moving to a cheaper location, with better climate and social life. Several SE Asian countries are popular: Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Laos are examples.

Wherever you make your home now, in the West or abroad, a PC with an internet connection is virtually all you need for a completely self-operated home-based business. You can sit around all day in your underwear if you like! And overseas, few popular holiday and retirement locations are without some sort of connection to the internet now. You can even do it without your own computer, from airport terminals, hotel rooms, guest houses, villas, cafes or internet shops. And now, even from your mobile phone. You've probably seen a picture of someone in a swimsuit doing business (making money of course!) using their mobile phone, a notebook computer with wireless internet link, while relaxing under an umbrella by the pool, or at the beach under a coconut palm, sipping on an exotic cocktail, in some idyllic tropical paradise. It's not fantasy any more. People really are doing it!

You can do business and make money anywhere – even in Thailand

We've bought and read many manuals, guides, courses and systems; all promising the 'Holy Grail' of internet marketing and financial success. Some are rubbish, others just re-labelled out-of-date 'guru' stuff. For only $37 comes a guide from a young, single Mom who went to live in Chiangmai, Thailand and within 4 months was earning $12,000 a month of online income. Success doesn't come without some effort, but perseverance will pay off, there's no doubt. For this sort of investment you can hardly go wrong, but it comes with a guarantee too. Read Holly Mann's "Honest Riches" story – what she did when she needed money., and how you can follow in her footsteps – step-by-step!

There are so many different ideas and opportunities to choose from, though, where does one possibly begin? Well, we draw on considerable experience of both the world wide web and ten years of living in several countries in Asia. We feel at least a little qualified to offer some suggestions as to which opportunities are real and which are exaggerated, imaginary, or worse, rip offs, scams and fraud. Even the real opportunities must not always be taken at face value. When people become enthused about something or a juicy carrot is dangled in front them, they often take it without thinking. Most of us tend to believe that what we want to be true, is. Too often this is not the case. "All that glitters is not gold" – that old saying is especially true of the internet! So we will discuss some opportunities which are real, but caution is always recommended.

As you are reading this, you already know enough about the internet to search and find yourself on this page! A lot of information, including free programs and tutorials about the internet is available, of course, but it can be difficult finding just a simple explanation of how it works, and how you can join the thousands of others benefiting from it.

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