GypsyT

"Pahrump was an ok city. Cheap. Relatively good weather. Close to Vegas for shopping." I agree - I pay visit once a year. No for paid sex, just racing and hanging out with car guys & gals. Nice Racing Country Club for car guys/gals; https://www.springmountainmotorsports.com/ A piece of Pattaya too 🙂 https://www.sherisranch.com/ and https://chickenranchbrothel.com/ FREE food (IF you can finish it in 30 min); https://www.sherisranch.com/hotel/sports-bar-and-restaurant.aspx I could live there! Better than my current boring St George...

I'm non-resident in Utah - no state tax. I'm there max 30 days a year. Many Californians use same tax planning. "A Nonresident is an individual that was not domiciled in Utah at any time during the year. No place of abode was maintained in Utah during the tax year. The individual did not spend 183 days or more within the state"

https://www.freightos.com/shipping-routes/shipping-from-thailand-to-the-uk/

"Have a look at Hong Kong. Loads of good nightlife, Toaist temples, hiking, beaches and great food. Just over 2 hours from BKK/DMK and it's a cheap flight due to the number of flight operators. " I found Hong Kong too crowded but still interesting and shopping for for anything is good. Next to it is 3x bigger business than Las Vegas - gambling hell Macau: "Macau's casinos generated about $36 billion in revenue in 2019; Nevada, the home of Las Vegas, reported just under $12 billion in gambling revenue over the same period." Plenty of cheap hotels plus, of course, extra luxury hotels. Not my kind of place but OK for 3-4 nights stay in luxury for cheap with a right lady... they seem to like that. My motto is; Every place is worth to visit! At least once.

You should be OK if you don't stay there over 30 days a year. This is a Federal IRS rule. Also, don't use WI address for anything official, like to vote, DL and so on. Banks are OK. If you need US phone# get it in other state. Pre paid T-mobile issues them in any state you want to. If you're retired and only have SS you really don't need to report anything to the state. I don't. I keep the address in UT and they send letters etc but I ignore all and I only do Fed tax returns. My thinking is if I don't open them and know that they are I don't do anything wrong. "Sir - I didn't know...." will work. I stay max 30 days a year in the US. I was in California before and to get off the books took 10 years! They are very aggressive to keep folk to pay taxes... Finally I took UT DL and asked them to report my UT residency. That worked. https://www.revenue.wi.gov/Pages/FAQS/pcs-domicile.aspx

Financial requirement per day are different and poorer countries ask for less money. All 27 countries are open to visit on one visa and most don't have border checks. However, it's OK to add 1 in & out entry for same price in case your want to visit Putin or Erdogan for kicks....

I have friends in Ridgecrest, CA. Very safe thanks to strong military guarding China Lake rocket factory, or what ever they make there under ground. https://www.apartments.com/ridgecrest-ca/?so=2 Houses are cheap too. Good Latino food places. Not much to see, just desert, but near by is decent fishing, off road sports and 395 takes you to nice areas in North.

America is a very funny country; Republicans scream for "new tough laws" and want to "kick illegal immigrants out" but they approved (with dems) "special driver licenses" to them 🙂 in 19 states. Why? Because their builder pals don't have enough workers. Very smart move (...but let's keep it secret...). https://www.ncsl.org/immigration/states-offering-drivers-licenses-to-immigrants

Where in Thailand are you? In Pattaya I see lonely old retireers, mainly men, who drink too much, don't care to look after their health and only social contact involves bars, drinking and bar girls. And the net, like AN where I know only ONE female taking part of very few conversations. Thais see suckers and for sure there's very little respect... Being old single farang in Thailand is like high security risk prisoner (like the BritMan said): Photos and finger prints every time you enter and leave. Plus 90 day BS. Is that respect? I travel a lot but have never seen so paranoid officials. Every city in California has a very large programs for retires and cheap daily meals. Cheap hospitals are rare but thankfully churches run "pay what you can afford" health centers where you don't need give any information. Not even your name. I used them too but paid (donated) more than my regular doc's fee because I got in right the way. In my experience Californian are more generous and helpful than most in other states. That's why taxes are high and poor people go there.

Maybe for some, or most, but not for me. I had money, good booming business and most friends were there. The house was paid for 25 yrs ago and taxes were low thanks to "original owners protection rule" against increases. I left because I got tired sitting 2-4 h in traffic every day, including Sat & Sun in the end. Also increased hostilities among people leading shooting and killing. Pollution wasn't that bad after CARB got engines cleaner but still eye watering in bad days. Quality of life were going down for me. I do miss many things there and have dreamed to go back but I don't think it never happens... I don't even want to visit thanks thanks to high hotel and car rental prices. If I visit it's at least 20-30 days and that's expensive. Hell, I paid $6/day in Gran Canaria for 10 day rental last winter! In the US it's $ 45-75/day. When home sick there I play this (the greatest song and the honest truth about California):

In the future Vietnam will be the power house in the Asia; Average age 32,5! - I'm not the smart one to say so, I read about it in many medias, but I could feel it during my trips there. Not one wanted to leave their country, unlike 90% of women of Isan... 🙂 "NBC 2024: The Southeast Asian country is forecast to see a 125% increase in wealth over the next 10 years, Andrew Amoils, New World Wealth’s analyst, told CNBC. This would be the largest expansion in wealth of any country in terms of GDP per capita and number of millionaires, according to the firm’s analysis." - Vn like tourists, they kicked out "backpacking teacher" tourists taking jobs away from young Vietnamese teachers - Spoil you partner in Vn; https://vinpearl.com/en/hotels - Phu Quoc luxury for pennies, others are more

For me Nha Trang wins hand down. DaNang has beautiful river bank walk but I didn't like rest of the city. I'm back to EU now and already planning next winter in Nha Trang 😉 I also plan to continue train trips along the ocean, up & down. PS. I miss Thai girls... and Thai food... but nothing else.

...been sending greenbacks to EU already and will keep in Euros. I noticed Euros were valued high in Thailand and specially in Vietnam last winter.

It may be this; IRS paid my $ 600 Covid payment to "somebody". I didn't get it. They refuse to investigate more or give me receiving person's name, address and account etc info. Maybe they make it good this way? I sure don't want to bother them more....

Double murderer. Skin color helped to skip jail.....

COSTCOs gold sale are crazy! I went to buy 2-3 bars, here in Utah, but was told "available only in Seattle warehouse". They are making killing on gold! “It’s time to start paying attention” to Costco’s gold sales, which could amount to over $200 million per month, Wells Fargo analysts led by Edward Kelly wrote to clients this week" https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2024/04/10/whats-up-with-gold-heres-why-everyone-from-costco-to-central-banks-is-rushing-in/

Old topic but new info; https://wherecani.live/safest-places-to-live/#h-the-safest-countries-to-live-in-europe My newfound favorite in Asia, Vietnam (specially Nha Trang), is quite high... And my curiosity grows to visit Okinawa too. Asia; Singapore (Where Can I Live Rank 1) Japan (10) South Korea (21) Malaysia (33) Vietnam (48)

I DO report every penny of "Foreign Interest Income" every year but they don't tax me...

By flying BKK-PQC direct on VietJetAir. Check out SkyScanner.

This sounds good. Is anyone doing this? "IRS Form 8938 You must file IRS Form 8938, Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets, with your income tax return if: you had $50,000 in a foreign account on the last day of the year, or you had more than $75,000 in such an account at any point during the year. For married couples filing jointly (as almost all do), these thresholds are increased to $100,000 and $150,000, respectively. If you live abroad, the thresholds are greater: $200,000 at the end of the year or $300,000 at any time; $400,000 and $600,000 if you're married and file jointly. I got 7 accounts in 5 countries. Every one must be reported. All that would be history. $ 200 000 a year would be more than enough. I'd continue to keep most in the US. Then, only simple FBAR to do. PS. Since my SSA pension is small no Fed nor state reporting. I get very good interest income but, what ever the reason, no tax so far! No, I don't go and ask....

You went to wrong part of Vietnam.... Go to Phu Quoc Island - no visa. PS. Sorry your trip went south... Make an other one.

More interesting places on the way IF Mr X get's in the office; https://www.yahoo.com/news/kushner-investment-firm-steps-potential-170714531.html

I found this interesting. I didn't realize how bad my old "Golden State" has gone; "The median cost of a California house was nearly $800,000 in November, more than double the $336,000 you’d pay in Texas, according to Redfin housing market data. In neighboring Arizona and Nevada, it was $435,000 and $479,000, respectively. These are destination states for departing Californians." Link; https://www.yahoo.com/news/why-californians-fleeing-once-golden-100055244.html It makes me sad.... I had my best years there and made my money there. I still like CA a lot and most of my friends are there. I hope to return if housing etc will improve.

I'm getting there next fall and if I like then NIE, bank account and rental for 6 months to test drive. If OK then residency. See u there!

Thank you for spreading this. More room for me and like minded 🙂