Episode Details

Johnny announces his next one-week Latin American Insider seminar in Guatemala and El Salvador (November 14–20, 2026). Go to Expatplanb.com for signup details:

• The difference betweenkilowatts (power rate) and kilowatt-hours (energy used or stored), a common source of confusion for people considering solar systems.
• A Panama listener mixed up the terms (calling a 5 kW inverter “5 kWh” and a 40 kWh battery “40 kW”); the real issue was an underpowered inverter that couldn’t handle three mini-split ACs at night.
• Advice for solar shoppers: Ask the salesperson to explain the difference between kilowatts and kilowatt-hours — if they can’t, walk away.
• A modern 1-ton AC unit typically draws about 800–1,000 watts; look for a SEER rating of 20+ for much better efficiency than older units.
• Brazilian president Lula’s Bolsa Família program is mentioned critically for tying cash payments to children’s vaccinations.
• A Mexican national living in the U.S. was arrested in Colombia for defrauding U.S. COVID relief programs of more than $1 million.
• A new retirement-cost study shows a middle-class American needs roughlya $738,000 nestegg to retire comfortably in the U.S.; most Latin American countries require less than half that amount (Costa Rica and Uruguay are the most expensive in the region).
• Practical warnings about renting in Latin America: verbal promises from landlords often don’t match the written Spanish contract, tenants are usually responsible for appliance repairs, and full security deposits are rarely returned.
• Strong recommendation to use WhatsApp for all landlord communications (for a permanent record) and to run any Spanish rental or purchase contract through Grok or ChatGPT before signing.
• The first unmistakable sign you’re getting old issomewhat gross and not much discussed …

 Be sure to pick up my newly updated, "2026 - LATIN AMERICAN HEALTHCARE REPORT":

The new edition for 2026 (and beyond) is available now, including the latest "Stem Cell Clinic" info and data and my top picks for the best treatment centers for expats and gringos. Just go to www.ExpatPlanB.com