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A bug-out plan is something that every seasoned prepper has, but developing a good bug-out plan is another thing entirely. For most of us, the hardest part of that is coming up with a place to go, in the case of an emergency. If you don’t have enough money to build a cabin in the woods, you might have some trouble coming up with a good destination.
This is right where many of us are. We know we need a place to bug out to, but we don’t have the money to “do it right” (however you may define that). So, unless we have family living in the country, we are either left with the idea of bugging out to the woods or having to just move down the road and hope we can find a place good to stop. Neither of those solutions are very good, as they don’t guarantee us a safe refuge where we can wait out the disaster.
What we all need is a place affordable that we can go to, in the event that circumstances demand that we leave our homes. At the same time, it would be nice if that were a place where the government wasn’t likely to be able to find us, just in case that’s an issue. While it won’t work for everyone, Mexico is a good potential destination for many to bug out to.
During the Vietnam War, many draft dodgers headed north to Canada, where they sat out the war. If they could do that, we can head south just as well. While Mexico may not be as much like the United States as Canada is, it is also a considerably cheaper place to live. Besides, who doesn’t like Mexican food?
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I’ve spent a fair amount of time in Mexico through the years, including a trip that I just got back from. While Mexico isn’t my only potential bug-out destination, it has been part of our planning for years. For us, it is ideal for a number of reasons, especially considering how close we live to the border.
What’s so Good About Mexico?
Situated directly south of our border, Mexico is a close location to bug out to, for at least part of the country. It is also cheaper to live in Mexico, than it is in the United States. Depending on what level of comfort you want, you can actually live extremely inexpensively in Mexico (like $400 per month), if you are willing to forgo a lot of the comforts and technology that we are accustomed to.
That’s not to say that those aren’t available in Mexico — they are. But unlike things here at home, that level of comfort is not a requirement for life. You can find people living in Mexico in homemade shacks which look much like some of the survival shelters that people talk about making out of pallet wood in a post-apocalyptic world. You also can find the highest forms of luxury, if you can afford it.
What’s Wrong with Bugging Out to Mexico?
On the flip side of the coin, if you’re going to bug out to Mexico, you’d better start learning Spanish now. While Mexican schools teach English as part of their curriculum, most people won’t admit to understanding it, even if they do. That’s not to insult us, but rather to avoid being insulted by us, if they say something wrong. They don’t want to speak English, unless they are sure they can do it right.
Mexico is not perfect. There is a fair amount of drug-related violence and crime in the country. So you need to be cautious about where you choose to go. You’re actually better off going deeper into Mexico than staying near the border. Most of the violence is in the northern part of the country.
The other problem of going to Mexico is the difficulty of buying property. Foreigners are only allowed to buy property that is more than 25 miles from any border, as well as 25 miles from any body of water. You can get around this, by the simple expedient of hiring a Mexican lawyer to establish a trust and have the trust buy the land or buildings. That trust can exist for 99 years, holding that property longer than you’re going to need it.
The other important thing you need to be aware of in Mexico is that it is illegal to import firearms. While people do it all the time, if you get caught, it’s a 20-year jail sentence. So you may want to limit yourself to other weapons, rather than guns.
How to Make Bugging Out to Mexico Practical
Before seriously considering Mexico as a bug-out destination, I’d recommend traveling to Mexico at least once, to see what it is like. Don’t go to the tourist destinations, as that’s not where you’re going to want to bug out to, unless you have a lot of money. Pick a city and visit it, looking around to see where the cheaper places to live are.
You’ll want to establish yourself in Mexico, either buying or renting property there to be used as a bug-out retreat. Just like anywhere you would want to use, you need to establish a location, build a cache and make sure that you have the right equipment and supplies in place.
Make several trips down there, getting to know the people, the area and what resources are available. If you move down to the southern part of the country, you’ll find a lot of fruit trees growing, which can be a source of food. It’s not unusual for people to have avocado, coconut and mango trees growing on their property.
Things left alone and unsecured in Mexico tend to get stolen. So, you’ll need to have someone watching your property down there. This can easily be accomplished by building a relationship with neighbors, who are used to looking out for each other. The Mexican people are warm and friendly and once you know them, ready to do what they can to help.
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