What is the updates on Puerto Rico economy and family 2014

Hello Cubanldy39

Kindly note that your thread is now on the Puerto Rico Forum so as to help you get better interactions.

So as to get as much information as possible, I would suggest you to check out the threads on the forum and participate on the most active ones to get feedback from the expats who done the move.

Regards
Kenjee

Everything's going up but money is harder to get. We are luckily retired so are not as effected. However it is harder to get things done, services are even slower that they have been and I didn't think they could ever be slower. If you plan on working here I would say don't come unless you are a doctor and an Industrial Construction Manager. Building materials are higher . Rummers of a big project in Ceiba this year may jump the economy around Naguabo. There is a new CZS about to open in Naguabo. Humacao has a home depot going. No more driving to Caguas for parts and materials. Even with these projects it is vary hard for people to make it. Without food stamps and assistance most people would not make it. I hope for a change but fear is is still a long way off.

Thanks for updates on the job side. What very curious about the health care me an me husband is in our late 30's we have 7 children me the mother have a pre-existing that I have to have good high quality doctors  for me to be given meds for rest of my life and good case management I know they do not have  but do they have social security for disability over DR and how much is the schools public and private I'm willing to work to. And before make large decision to live there with family we are going to vacation there and see what is like first. Gracias

My experience with the public health system (I usually use the VA) is poor. We have experienced serious mis-diagnosis, long waits, poor facilities and a lack of qualified board certified specialists. If it was not for the good care I get at the VA I would not be able to stat here.

Not sure about your reference to DR - presume you meant PR. PR is the USA so Social Security is the same as in the States. If you have life long medical issues, and have competent doctors where you live now I strongly recommend that you do not move to Puerto Rico. May I guess that one reason reason you want to move to PR is it's less expensive to live there. I live in the northwest and housing is inexpensive there but food is expensive, as expensive as where you live now. Although I have no children in school, from what people share with me the schools are not great, and maybe your children would get a better education where you are now.

You can collect  regular Social Security benefits in PR but you can't collect SSI(disability). If you need regular quality medical care then PR is not the place for you. Same for access to quality meds. They still use demerol for pain in the hospitals. It's antiquated here in the states.To put it plainly in general, the medical facilities and the public school system both leave a lot to be desired. Like I tell everybody else, read past posts, go back awhile. There is a wealth of information just waiting for you to discover it.

The economy will only get worse. It will not get better anytime soon. This is because PR is caught in a classic debt spiral. It appears governmental-financial collapse is now inevitable.

Not to mention the possible collapse of the infrastructure, i.e, electrical grid and water supply. I'm surprised more people aren't reading the news. There is a lot of this information currently coming out of PR. We are still getting people asking questions about the island because they still think it's some sort of Utopia to retire in. I especially am amused by those who are looking for a "quiet" peaceful place to live. Places like that are getting very scarce.

Do not come here if you need good medical care and if you need it daily, weekly, or monthly. You will spend your life in Dr offices and have no time for anything else. I don't know anyone who goes to public schools here. Everyone I know sends their kids to private schools even if you are Puerto Rican. Any money parents have goes to getting their kids out of public schools. Most private schools cost an average of $6 to $10,000 a year, and the really nice ones are way more than that. Trying to find jobs here will be super difficult. My best advice is stay in the States and save to buy a vacation home here. Moving a large family down here in this economy with some that need good medical care with no specific contracts for a job would not be dream living. I'm not trying to be a downer, but if you want Caribbean culture for your family, I would consider Miami first. If you are in Miami, you will find a lot of Cuban and PR culture, and you will be a quick plane ride away - 2 1/2 hours. The island is a beautiful place, but living here is not easy. My husband's job brought us here. We came already with a job, both speaking Spanish. I'm homeschooling the kids, and we have survived the medical system but after two traumatic experiences where myself and my son needed ER care and follow-up medical care, we will be on planes to Miami if we need more care besides routine Dr visits. I wouldn't trade our time on the island for anything. We have visited a lot of places and love the people here. But it has also been some of the most stressful times in our lives also. I understand your wanting to move here, but unless you can come with a job already in place, the money for schooling the kids or willingness to homeschool, and the ability to fly back to the States to manage your pre-existing condition, I wouldn't advise it.