55Jay

2 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

The topic is not about building wealth. It's about getting to a point in life when it's more logical to spend down a notch or two or three, or more, enjoying their money while still ALIVE. Depending on a lot of personal factors of course.

Already mentioned, multiple times, including in the OP article, is that if a person is very interested in leaving a bigger legacy, the concept of spending down will be less relevant. 

 

It's just a discussion topic. I'm not "interested" in it beyond that.s

 

10-4!  I get it, don't bite my head off!  I have mates in their late 60s on SSI, who are pulling down on principal to supplement the monthly spend rate.   I try to give them gentle advice but they aren't having it, so I just let it go.

But... would you allow that your views aren't shared by some who are in the position you are talking about?  Why would you seek to impart your baseless wisdom on others?  I do get your point in this, and agree for the most part, but, as usual, you take it too far in some of your comments.

I'm not THAT much younger than you, so you can quit the barking nonsense.  

My perspective qualifies here in that I have a lump larger than the average dead person in your OP link article.  My intent is to preserve it as long as I can, and if I never have to "touch principal" tp maintain my current quality of life, then who are you to suggest I'm being foolish or selfish? 

To me, my sock full of coins is the same as having a house in the US or UK, that I rent out, and collect a passive income from.  I'll do that until I die, and then arrangements are in place to transfer that wealth to certain designees.  I'm sure they won't complain that I was too conservative in my spending whilst I was alive. 

11 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I'm assuming they would be spending less with the goal of maintaining (or growing the nest egg). In cases where they are just having the most wonderful time and not even thinking about that and the nest egg just happens to stay the same or grow, that would be different. 

I'm pretty sure this is a thing. You hear people saying that stuff all the time. I never touch principle! Like its some kind of taboo or something. 

Not touching principle IS a THING.  It's a very basic thing.  You know that, Fidelity should be telling you that. 

If rich people want to die clutching their bank books and portfolio statements, what is your interest in that?  It's up to them.  They are probably smart enough to have distributions set up on their death.  What is your interest here? 

36 minutes ago, statman78 said:

I agree with your statement that they do not need to maintain the entire nest egg but why would they be foolish?  In the example given, if the person is living the life they want to live why should they spend more?

Precisely, and so do I, much to JT's chagrin.  The concept is sound, but he's in no position to be commenting or doling out advice to others.

Ultra Liberals like to tell others what to do with their money and how they ought to be living.  Maybe some of the rich dopes will die without a will or trust, riches go to the State treasury, and JT can avail some free stuff in the US, if he ever moves back there. Which I doubt.  Cause he can't sell his condo and he's got not capital beyond that really.  But right, let's take some advice from THIS guy.  Spend it why you got it.  LOL. 

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

Happy to hear we have an understanding.

You are a real piece of work but ok, I'll leave you and your thread in peace, carry on then.

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

You're not sorry. 

Desist from your long standing agenda of personal attacks or expect continued push back. Clear enough? 

The topic is about the topic.

 

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

So you are not in the group of people that this topic involves but you just pop in to hurl yet another personal attack at me? Dude, not cool.

Also, you grossly oversimplify the breadth of my posts here.

I'm tired of your insult games. 

As far as the message that younger people need to save more for retirement. Yes, of course, that is basic, and so many people do reach older age with much less than they will need to be comfortable, or even survive. 

Neither are you. 

Didn't think you'd mind the candor from the massive ignore list.  I was wrong.  So solly. 

I get this is mostly about "older folks", I've still got a while to go, so I hoard, preserve and grow what I've got. 

If I wasn't though, the last person I would take unsolicited advice from about my financial attitude, is a bossy, pedantic dude in Pattaya with a minimal financial portfolio who says so cavalierly that it's all so "simple". 

I'm not in the "unprecedented piles of assets" category but, apparently, doing well in comparison to Net Worth at Death bar chart in linked article.

Can relate to the OMG! feeling when I stopped working and we moved here.  Not only loss of revenue, but going from 100mph to Zero, it was like being dropped off a cliff.  Hell, I even tried golf for a while because you're supposed to.    

The unknown future does contribute to my high level of fiscal discipline, although I've always been that way, even when I was at my peak earning years. 

We spend enough here in Thailand though.  Could spend more but don't.  Thailand is not very stimulating for us, and always guard against shopping when bored, retail therapy, etc.    We do get it on when we travel, specifically to the US.  Splash out on expensive air tickets because we won't be folded up like beach chairs in Economy.  Screw that.  Nice rental cars, and lots of shopping for a couple months.... then back to boring "normal" here in Sabai Land for a while.

More filler, but again, it's the chickens coming home to roost.  Trump is waaayy out of his league now, these DC sharks are going to rip him to shreds and the media will bury the remains.  I don't expect there will be any real barn burners, not on Trump specifically, but even if he does survive, he'll be full on radioactive and might as well resign.

Coulda shoulda woulda..... had he not conducted himself like a douche bag after winning the R nomination, he could of gotten some things accomplished and maybe done some good.  In some areas, broad strokes, he's not wrong, but nobody likes an <deleted>. 

Wasn't long ago, similar happened at an Amazon Coffee shop.  Gritty reality. 

Yeah, same comment as others, wrong way rider.  That was one of the constant attention to detail items I had to pay attention to when first driving here, moreover, we came out of a left side drive country.   4 1/2 years, touch wood, no collisions yet but I imagine I'll get caught out at some point, and hopefully it's mild like your encounter.  Thanks for sharing the vid, good mental training/reminder.   

On another note, you have a lovely garden/drive area.  When I saw the electric gate motors mounted up high on the boundary wall, I smiled at the detail.  Reckon your house, infrastructure and related moving parts, have been done right all around.   Nice!   

You have rice fields, pond or water source nearby?  Looks like a rice paddy/water snake, had one in my garden once, hanging around front fish pond area going after small frogs. 

https://bangkokherps.wordpress.com/2011/04/23/yellow-bellied-water-snake/

22 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

Speaking of bizarre, how about this latest revelation...coming from the GOP leadership no less!

 

[In a 2016 conversation with fellow members of House leadership, majority leader Kevin McCarthy suggested that Donald Trump was on Vladimir Putin’s payroll.

In an exchange first reported by the Washington Post, McCarthy said: “There’s…there’s two people, I think, Putin pays: [California Representative Dana] Rohrabacher and Trump…[laughter]…swear to God.”]

 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/may/17/putin-pays-donald-trump-kevin-mccarthy-recording

 

Revelation.  LOL. 

Was this a fixed road inspection point, or a mobile one?  Can't imagine a mobile site with a quick set up CCTV system being too exotic as to require special gear.  I used to work with large, high end CCTV/Security systems.  It was no trouble at all for the contract techs to pull video and give it to us.   The incompetence here is not unusual but the reason for the long delay in this case seems painfully obvious.  Might as well put their big boy pants on and deal with this cause it ain't going away.

I always take my laptop with me on trips to the US, manage the books, email, iBanking, etc.   Leave it here next time, buy an El Cheapo at Walmart (or whatever) and leave it in the US for next time.  One here, one there.

Good move and good choice.  FBI needs to be extracted from this political shit storm.  Facts, not opinion and partisan rancor.  Let the chips fall where they may.

6 minutes ago, ilostmypassword said:

What I find fascinating is that to many on the right Edward Snowden is a hero.  But Chelsea Manning is a traitor.  Can someone please explain to me the distinction?

I think the gender bender issue is one of the factors. 

Addressing individual issues is a useless exercise. 

You have to start with basic fundamentals. Parenting skills.  Civic responsibility.  Leadership.  Proper management techniques.  Religion would have to play a role here, but even that is so corrupt and rudderless, it requires a complete reset as well.

2 minutes ago, robblok said:

I can understand the nurses, i mean they were lied to by Yingluck and now they worry they are lied to by Prayut.

 

But I also understand Prayut, budgets are not limitless and other government agencies also want an upgrade.. give in to one and you have to give in to all. So sure I get it.. maybe if they had kept the army budget the same (in % of GDP) instead of increasing there would have been room for it. Or maybe if the stupid rice scam did not drain the country of money then they could have afforded it.

 

Point is who do you want to pay for it.. the taxpayer.. in increases of taxes. the tax-base is already low and supporting far to many people. Better to find some cuts somewhere.

Yes, Prayuth is trying to strong arm them into being quiet to prevent the inevitable creep of other departments wanting a pay/status review.  Been there done that, it can mushroom out of control and get really messy.  The strong arm tactic and divide/conquer is a fool's response.  I smell a labor strike coming on. 

9 hours ago, baboon said:

  9 hours ago, 55Jay said:

Right.  I was reading in the previous thread a comment by Pib, that the last government promised movement on this but failed to deliver before they dissolved.  So PM's attitude make it sound like this annoying complaint from the nurses is the first round, but apparently, they've been at this a while. 

9 hours ago, baboon said:

You make sure to tell them that next time you require treatment and suggest they quit their carping. You will be like a ray of sunshine shining clearly through their black clouds of ignorance...

Did you, by chance, respond to the wrong post? 

What I would tell them is I understand how the government system they are trying to work within to address their complaint, has let them down.  They aren't ignorant.  What are you on about? 

2 hours ago, yellowboat said:

The nurses fear that he will not follow through on his promise therefor they want it all at once.  Perhaps if the blustering general were to put something in writing to ensure who got status when, the nurses might be more patient.  He is not offering any assurances and his word is not enough. 

Right.  I was reading in the previous thread a comment by Pib, that the last government promised movement on this but failed to deliver before they dissolved.  So PM's attitude make it sound like this annoying complaint from the nurses is the first round, but apparently, they've been at this a while. 

Banks and their employees seem to be stuck between the modern age and this caveman, provincial mindset.  Ironically, for me, dealing with Immigration has been a breeze compared to the banks at times.

Some of the rules are chiseled in stone but for some of the common hang ups, long as you don't lose your cool, can generally persuade bank employees to pull their head out, make a few calls, and learn something new about their job.  And after that lackluster performance, they have the cheek to impart unsolicited, highly competent investment advice; usually involving a more expensive ATM card, or some lame ass insurance scheme. 

I tell them no thanks, my financial advisor is Pii Lek, the noodle lady at the market, but if she's busy with another client, her teenage son, Panya the petrol pumper at PTT, fills in. 

31 minutes ago, Khon Kaen Dave said:

Well, you learn something new every day, and there was me thinking it was an old Navy expression.

It is.  Nautical, not specifically Navy. 

I've been traveling, working/living overseas for most of my adult life, so Thailand was just another somewhat backward, "ancient but developing country".  Same same but different.

Recycled OPs like this remind me that I'm blessed not having to work here, and thus don't have to smile and pretend like I give a shit.