KhunLA

Yea ... not understanding the need for the large plot, as that's a 70m X 70m plot. Better just rent a place that backs up to a National Park area, if you want to be in nature a bit. A plot that large, as stated, will need maintaining, or be farmland. And if you're bored now, living extreme rural, isn't going to help. Nice for a weekend of R&R, but everyday living, think it will get to you sooner or later .... probably much sooner.

If I'm spending a 1000 baht on some tipple, it's going to be Bailey's. Over ice or in your coffee ... BLISS. A bit addicting though

Curious George & Pippi ..from the book club at school. OP did state 'pre-adolescence' Bob Hayes got me into track & field. A good thing, as PoPo could never catch my butt

Don't drink wine, or any alcohol of late. Simply an additional cost to everyday spending ... the hotel and charging the EV. We need to eat, no matter where we are, so just little extra for dining out, every day. As stated, I think, rural TH, and hotel/guesthouse run from 500-800, and think a couple nights were 1000 baht. Go to Krung Thep, and more like 1500-3500 baht a night. Actually hard to find accommodations that are pet friendly in the mid to higher end, or they want some silly 'pet fee', with silly rules. We don't use the amenities anyway, so no desire to pay more. Single bungalow with some green around, for the dog, and a nice view for us is way more important. I don't travel to relax at the hotel, I do that at home 24/7. Just give me a balcony/veranda/porch with a view, with morning coffee or evening tea, and I'm happy.

I guess you still think JFK was shot by Oswald

Nick his ear. Good thing most idiots can't shoot for sh!t Actually surprised the 'deep state' hasn't taken him out already. Although he does fit will in the divisive tactics. And the EC / puppeteers can appoint who ever they want for president.

Good advice. More fermented foods for good gut bacteria. Make our own kefir, and surprisingly easy. Buy grains online, 10 or 20 grams, and you'll have more kefir every 24 hours than you can drink or eat/yogurt.

Always enjoyed cooking for myself, along with dining out. A year ago, budget was about 30k a month. Past year, we really transitioned to almost all whole foods. If we had more, better restaurants, w/AC, we'd probably eat out more. Not much of a selection here, and we do a much better job in house. The wife is the gardener, even built the greenhouse, and now we actually get to eat most of what she grows, instead of the squirrels & birds. I ran out of toys to buy, and more saving is just a result of, can't think of anything I need or want to buy. I think I need a new hobby, as taken a photo of everything I can think of. Don't build or fly the drones much or use the RC toys (cars & boats) much any more.

Bob Hayes Curious George Pippi Longstocking

We make our own, though not really inexpensive. I was addicted to Swensen's, and hit them a couple times a month, 2 for 1 scoops on Tuesday Card expired and we haven't renewed it. Great bargain, if Swensen's fan. 4 Scoops only 138 baht

300k, not budget, goes into savings account. Our play money or an oops. Usually don't spend it, and when that hits 1M, gets put into a new account, as banks in TH only insure up to 1M per depositor. Don't know where we'll stick the next one, as already has a collection of passbooks. Already stated, no heath insurance. Your suggestion of total up for the year and divide by 12, is good. But I guess you didn't look at the first link, as that's exactly what I did for the first 6 months of this year. So that came up with the 15k a month number. Not living off the land, but avoid processed foods. Most, except our coffee shop stops. By eating whole foods, mean we'll make our breads, though cut back a lot on wheat & grains. Even pasta, stopped buying, and just eat egg noodles, as our pasta. I personally rarely eat rice, and just not a fan. Make our own kefir, or Natto and baked beans from dried bean. That kind of stuff, instead of buying canned baked beans that are crap & silly priced. One way to put is, people say ... 'learn how to read the labels'....well, if it has a label, it's not whole food, and I don't need to buy, as don't need to read the crap they put in it. We do like some things, tater tots. I'll buy puff pastry, as a pain in the butt make. But most from scratch, and a good hobby to have. Make our PB & jelly. One of more expensive food items beside proteins/meats, is frozen fruit (berries), per kg that is. Only expensive thing we eat, that's relative, is Salmon, actually had for dinner today. Greenhouse & garden provide some things, mostly figs, but far from enough to live on. Straying a bit off subject here, sort of, and more a healthy eating post. But healthy eating is much less expensive than processed food. So easy to lessen your budget, by eating healthy. Does require a full kitchen though, and can't be done out of a small condo or 1 or 2 room rental.

This will help explain it ... here Food budget, as stated at that post, is mostly in home, and not processed. Most whole foods, as so much healthier, and most made from scratch. Since the 1st of this month, did get hit ATM, (18K), but only bought 30 eggs & 5 liter of milk. So spent <500 baht this month, and almost 2 weeks in. Actually had an O&A planned for tomorrow, which is getting postponed due to rain. So need to go shopping, since out of eggs. Need my scrambled eggs for first meal. Supposed to rain all week, down south, so will stay local, home. Took a bit of money out of bank account, as getting close to that $10k USD mark, to avoid filing. 300k went to wife account (play & oops), and kept 40k, for O&A, and a good part of the rest of the year's budget. Think that makes about 75k COH. I'm amazed how little we need to spend. Got one off coming up in Oct, car ins, but that's <9k baht. Don't have health insurance. I also followed up with this post

TH is only a destination. like everywhere else. Life is always great, no matter where I am TH ... most of the country, just avoid smog season USA ... lived in MI, WV, FL, PA, NJ ... all very nice

We've hit 1000+kWh used a few times, with our solar. New insulated, shaded house. New inverter ACs (13 & 24BTU). 13k BTU running almost 24/7. 24k BTU about 8 hrs a day. 2 frigs, medium sizes, 1 old, 1 a few years old When not home, they use 4kWh a day. Couple laptops, and mine, I use 65" TV as monitor, and on 15-18hrs day. Some kitchen electric appliances, but use gas hob mostly. EVs account for 110kWh a month, on average. ... Without the EVs, maybe 900kWh would be high usage bill. 900kWh bill would still be 4440 baht bill. During the brutal, sunny, hot months, April & May our highest usage, that we were home all month. 2023 ... 2024 ...

Hey 'confused', you may want to pick a science book. Will also explain why you sweat your butt off a bit more than your mates, who prefer white / light t-shirts instead of the black one, you may wear. Think these folks know something you don't ... On Topic ... as always ... Just noticed these at local park. What were they thinking ? Surely don't get much use when the sun is out. Although all the exercise equipment is smartly painted white ... go figure ...

Buying quality components avoids headaches. Same as any purchase.

A few years from 75,(69), but plenty of years, (23), living here. Only thing different, 2 things; ... not married 1st Thai wife ... continued renting my properties in USA, instead of liquidating Neither would actually change much of my present life. Just a larger smile factor, if that's even possible. In the very unlike idea of returning (never going to happen), I'd simply buy a RV, and live a nomadic lifestyle. With dog, kid & wife, returning isn't even a thought, while they're still kickin', or, even if they crapped out. Might even need healthcare in later years, in which TH wins hands down... IMHO YMMV

Rewind to pre 2014, then get back to me ...

Actually didn't have a plan, before retiring to TH. As it was a spur of the moment thought, and TBH, didn't do much research at all, if any. Figured I'd just wing it, knowing I could simply leave when ever I wanted. Then I started spending a bit more than I thought I would after arriving. Now 23 years later, I actually spend less per month, than when I first arrived Yes, you can live inexpensively here, though depends on a few factors. Having a honest, savvy partner, or single and renting 'ALL' your needs. Owning home & car takes an investment, but avoids monthly bills. Not needing a car, cuts your monthly bill considerably. A scooter or public trans, if available is inexpensive. One's health is a whole another subject, along with home country's cost & accessibility. I'm a Yank, so basically most places would be better for healthcare, financial wise. When I first got here, monthly expenditures were about ฿15-20k. Then up to ฿50k. Then ฿65-100k, back to ฿30k. Now ฿10-15k, usually on the lower end, unless O&A. Rarely rented housing, and have owned home, MB, car most of the time here, so no monthly loan or rental payments. Only 6 yrs out of 23 have we rented housing. And not expensive, ฿2500 & ฿6000, both for about 3 yrs each. If not all 'bought in', I calculated before, renting & payments, I'd need a monthly budget of about ฿70k. Not exactly inexpensive, but much cheaper than USA. You can exist cheaply here, but takes a bit more, whether investment to own, or renting, to actually enjoy living here. Options abound.

None had to die, along they can end the war anytime they'd like. Not in the best interest of the west's defense contractors though, so it will continue. IMHO

Paint them white ... problem solved

Actually not complicated at all, if mechanically inclined. A few members installed, maintain (very little), and upgrade their own systems. YT will talk you through installing. Doesn't seem difficult at all.

Depends on a lot of factors. Cost obviously, how large a system, with or without ESS/battery back up for none production hours, 14 hrs overnight for us, from 1800-0800 hrs. Our ROI is, will be from 3.7yrs to 6yr, depending how abusive we are with the ACs, and if driving EV local or O&A (20k kms a year). Pretty much base on low PEA & petrol bills of ฿3000 each of month (฿6k), or abusive/high use bills of ฿5000 each (฿10k), during the month. Without the EVs, ROI would be a bit longer, 8-10 yrs. That's being 'off grid', and the ESS was near 42% the cost of installation, ฿185k of the ฿445k 8kWh inverter w/20kWh of ESS. Self installed 5 kWh system, no ESS would be less expensive & supplement most folk's bill nicely. How many units/kWh a month do you use now (printed on your bill). Some months we use 500-700kWh, others we used 1000+kWh. The EV use seems to be constant, 20k kms a year. If local driving EV saves about ฿54k a year, if all solar. If we had to use grid, savings still high, at ฿42k a year, as @ ฿5 a kWh, PEA would only cost ฿12k a year for 20k kms. PEA is that much cheaper than PTT 91.

He's obviously not a people person, BUT, the train doesn't look crowded at all. Just get the F out of the way when people are trying to board. Why we don't visit Bangkok much any more, and don't use public trans during rush hour. Choose your hotel/living location wisely, make sure you have what you need nearby. Any extra cost is worth not having transport hassles.

some people need to get a life ... the danger