KhunLA

Surely one would do a vid chat, before actually meeting in person. Though TBH, I never did, but that was decades past, when not really available like it is today. Though possible, but I just didn't bother. Back in the day, when Yahoo Chat was a thing. Just a current photo was enough, and actually needed, as they were picking my up at the airport when meeting.

It's called a marriage, and just like in the USA, in my world anyway, we share everything. Doesn't matter who earns more money. Wife #2 made about the same, sometimes more than me, depending how many days I worked. Did take her 5 days, but only 2 for me, but hey, we shared everything. No my money, or her money, and no, here's money for you or me. All ours, and we make, made decisions on how to utilize it. Same here / TH. Our money to spend & invest, as 'we' decide to. If I want to buy a BEV pick up next week, I'll buy it. If we want to go to Japan for a week, we go. If she wants 10 more water storage tanks for her garden / greenhouse, she'll buy 'em. There's no asking permission, as long as we aren't going crazy. After 19 years, we know our 'iimits' and what needs to be jointly decided or considered on. What she contributes daily, weekly, monthly, you couldn't put a value on. What I contribute, monthly, financially, really has no value, except monetary.

I take a lot of photos & vids, so my laptop's SSD was getting full. Now ~50% free, and ext SSD storing the prior few year of media. Ext SDD stay conx, so fast access to anything shot previously.

Agree, and having enough, or just a wee bit more, allowing an oops fund, has always worked for me. I don't need a $1M USD. My 'free time' is way more important than making more money. I find making money is easy, but doesn't really add to my happiness. A wee bit of the opposite, as can be time consuming, at times.

Hopefully Musk will cut UA off StarLink, if he hasn't already. That should bring an end to the war quickly.

I have the SanDisk 1TB version for my ASUS (Win10) laptop, and they do make a 2TB, also for Apple. Thinking is should be compatible. Fan of SanDisk and they've yet to fail, owning about 8 of their drives. https://www.apple.com/shop/product/HRQ12ZM/A/sandisk-extreme-portable-ssd-2tb#:~:text=With the SanDisk Extreme Portable,your iPhone%2C iPad and MacBook. Bought mine from Advice Dist. the past year, on sale, about ฿3000, I think off sale, about ฿3500, for 1TB.

Sort of both, retirement was well planned, but for 2 years later. Heavily researched a few countries, mostly in the Americas. Then on a whim, only because a timeshare trade was approved last minute for Phuket, and having 24 hrs to sort the flights, and first class being available, R/T, I accepted, and that changed 'the plan'. Had a great long week holiday, Oct 1999. Returned following year, Sept 2000 to do a retirement recon, at 45 yrs old, without any prior research, and decided to stay. Actually lived in hotels here / TH, and commuted back & forth to work, (MEM airport), for 6 months, spending more time here / TH, than at work. Burning all my holiday & sick time, along w/OJI sick time, and got fired for the OJI part. So retired 2 years earlier than planned The rest as they say, is history.

I prefer this brand, over others, including imported. Buy from local bakery supply shop for ฿315 / 1 kg. Home Fresh Gold Butter (เนยโฮมเฟรชโกลด์), if out of stock, simply make our own, using heavy (whipping) cream, till restocked. "Home Fresh Gold Butter, salted, 1 kilogram, produced with the Sweet Cream Process method, using cream separated from fresh milk as the raw material, adding high quality butterfat imported from a famous source, adding a special strain of fermentation culture, and fermenting at temperature to extend the fermentation period for a longer time in order to increase the aroma and smooth, well-rounded flavor. Home Fresh Gold Butter is therefore the prototype of authentic fresh butter that still adheres to the raw materials used and the traditional production process."

Just the wife & kid. Kid mainly, as wife may have met someone else, instead of myself, and been just as happy. Kid was born to a poor village, birth parents MIA, and grandparents couldn't even afford decent primary school for her. No way would she have made it to graduating Uni and becoming a successful business woman. I also had the pleasure of saving 3 youngins from certain drowning on Phuket, on 2 separate incidents. Kind of gives my life existence some kind of worth. If there's a God, reckon he/she/it, kept me around for a reason Minor contribution to the economy. Having 3 houses built, and owning my 5th car, 2nd MB. If I died tomorrow, nothing would change, wife & kid are set up, and wife doesn't need to buy anything new, as house & vehicles (car) will last as long as she does.

Just tell them you are going on holiday to Indonesia ...

to the title ... ... always been happy. sometimes not as happy as others, but could always think about that next orgasm, and that alone puts a smile on one's face 😎 when at one of them low points, it's always reassuring and makes one happy, when you realize, 'damn, things can't get much worse than this'

Deestone .. worse tires I ever had on a car

If getting (and qualifying for) a long term visa (for marriage or retirement) that is more than enough to live on, or should be.

To the title ... that's a tough one to answer. ... actually pay her, for her -0- ... Now for Us .... what I do with my 'income' ... I eventually give it all to her, what we don't actually spend to live on. As I don't want it in my name, (funds in TH), for a few reasons. 1. statistically, I'll crap out first, so avoids any legal issue of her getting in that event. 2. she earns more of a pittance interest, than I do, if it sits in the bank. 3. one less form (FBAR) I have to be concerned about as USA citizen, with large balance in bank 4. if I have a major med oops, she has the money to pay hospital, if I'm unable to. Lastly, well, firstly, and more importantly, she can invest it in land, as I can not. Which she (we) have done quite successfully. Money she has received from me (as stated a few times 🙄), she invested in (land, house, land land land land), sold and now, has paid for everything we own that is appreciating (expect the BEVs). house, and 3 more lots of land, Those assets, free & clear, means we have minimal mandatory monthly bills, just; PWA, Ph & Internet. So the money I gave her, has allowed me (us) to live here virtually monthly bill free (<฿1.5k ), and build equity, while now saving most (90%) of future income. All we have to really do, is feed ourselves, and continue to smile. Reality is, I pay her, to provide me with the most comfy & enjoyable life that she can, and she gets to keep anything left over. Left over = ever growing investments and big stash of cash. We seemed to hit the lottery with each other. Who knew ... Lucky Us I'll probably crap out tomorrow

AP ...

If a concern (should be) then live South, and would recommend Chumphon or below. Consistently better PM2.5 / AQI most of the year. Ranong, probably the best province for air quality, unless you are not a fan of rain at all. Will anywhere in TH compare to most of EU or N. American ... NO ... but fair trade off, to avoid the many negatives of living in those areas IMHO

I disagree, as I think most posters here are ... ... completely ignorant of politics, economics & world affairs ... living month to month ... saving up for their next orgasm with another person ... hope to drink enough alcohol to forget their reality till tomorrow ... have no plan for next week, let alone next USA presidential cycle ... aren't Yanks but obsessed about the USA more than Yanks ... full of hate for everything one can imagine ... wouldn't know what to do without the forum, as it seems to be their life Well, I feel better ... and that's all that matters 😎

Not much has changed, as people enjoy reading, or whatever, while being transported ...

Depends, what retirement means for you. Me ... no longer need to work for money. That was 20 yrs before what the 'company' and 'govt' considered retirement age, 65 & 66 respectfully. 45 / 46 worked nicely for me also. Didn't waste no time hanging out in USA. 45 yrs was enough, and really getting bored with the place. Not sure if best idea, but liquidated physical assets before leaving. Hindsight, continuing being a slum lord, would have been better, financially. One country I didn't research much at all, before arriving, so made a few classic mistakes when got here / TH, but somehow all worked out for the good, luckily.

Not necessarily ... but ... not having enough ... not so happy, no matter where you head is at ... having enough ... much better ... having more than enough, even if just a bit ... a lot better

How does one get that fat ? No mirrors, no self respect ... when was last time he saw his penis His stomach would enter the room before his feet