smotherb

5 minutes ago, Gecko123 said:

My point is that there are a lot of contingency risks when you live overseas as an expat: currency risk, involuntary repatriation due to medical problems or death of spouse, voluntary repatriation due to divorce or disenchantment with Thailand, inflation in the local currency, pension security. Lots of guys ignore these potential risks and spend at full throttle. Just look at what happened when the pound collapsed after the Brexit vote. You have to admit that the need to hold funds in abeyance for things like an un- or under-insured medical event, a dollar crisis, social security benefits being slashed, a stock market crash, hyper-inflation, involuntary repatriation is much higher when you're in your 50's than when you are in your 80's. Many people imprudently ignore these risks. Those who do may appear on the surface to be "living large", but I submit that in many cases this often proves to be illusory when unforeseen events arise.

Yes, but you see, I am not ignoring those risks you mention and I am still able to live well here. It appears those to whom you refer do not have enough liquidity. Which again, brings me to believe you are supporting my original premise. 

16 minutes ago, thrilled said:

I enjoy life I don’t have A budget.I spend about A million baht A year give or take.

when traveling the hotels I go to are approximately 10,000 baht.I eat at nice restaurants.I didn’t go to Thailand to skimp.

A million baht is only about $30k, or about B2740/day. Easy enough to spend; especially with B10k hotel rooms.

1 hour ago, Gecko123 said:

How my post managed to reinforce your view when I did nothing but take exception to it is beyond me. Oh well.

 

Maybe if you're pushing 80 or 90 years old, the uncertainty about whether social security is going to be there for you, or how your investment portfolio is going to perform in the coming years can be brushed aside, and a 'can't take it with you, might as well spend it while you can' mindset takes hold, but, fortunately, I'm not there yet.

 

It's a little insulting to keep telling everybody who says they're living below their means in reality just doesn't have the money to spend any more than they do.

Your first paragraph talked about not having enough to leave loved ones and the uncertainty of pensions and social security; which led me to think you were not spending money now because of those reasons. 

I am pushing 80, I am 73, but I have no pension and my social security is beer money in comparison to what I spend. However, as I said, we have already taken care of our son and my wife is taken care of on her own.  If for some reason pension, social security disappear and we blow all the liquid and non-liquid assets; well, we would't be alone we probably as we start living a meager existence.

50 minutes ago, tingtongtourist said:

when first in Thailand over 10year ago  i could live on 15k a month easy, but no gf and limited times of funny business.

As you go on and because of boredom, is impossible to go back to the 15k thing once ladies involved.
So yes, Gf's that come and go is obvious dead money but who can be without some action?
you will just be alcoholic if no job, retired and left to your own and Pay to play 

Some guys cant understand what/how/why i waste money on what i do here, but one thing, i never lost on a house or business so i now can live good.
Unlike others that lost 3million on assets then they must go back to mamma noodles and fan appartment and cry into the chang beermug. for them they wasted millions and now worry about every 10baht. rediculous.

I had money all along i could have spend but i did 15k budget every month as far as can tolerate because at the time i know it would help to stay longer.
Its like i explain to Thai gf's..you are rich by putting money INTO bank not wasting on cars and hi lifestyle thinking it will impress others.

Even now i can live in decent appartment around 7k a month and happy to save every month 3-8k to spend on other stuff that make life better, compared to others renting 10-15k/month.

Your base cost is rent. Stay on lowest rent as possible that can still live happy and the budget will follow that.

Some FB adverts you see renting larger appartments in the city at 20k-40k/month.
to me that is just rediculous waste of money unless you working earning 100k/month or only stay short term

I have never wanted to be rent poor.  I learned long ago the best budget is to spend less than you make and invest the difference; and the best way to do that was to have the contract pay expenses. When I worked, the contracts paid for the housing; when I lived in the States, the contracts paid for the houses I bought. Now that I am retired, I spend B8k/mo on rent--yet I have a very nice three-story, 4 bedroom, 4 bathroom row-house in a quiet well-to-do downtown neighborhood. Yet I still manage to spend over six figures monthly.

55 minutes ago, JAZZDOG said:

Bottom line is LOS must be cheaper or most people would opt for someplace else. I sailed here from Cal in my Ketch taking in most all the pacific before selling my boat last year in Kota Kinabalu. Thought I would try Thailand for awhile and it indeed is cheaper but it is a reach to say it is better. IMHO if you weigh in what you give up living in a 1st world country with a stable government, less corruption, cleaner everything along with things that work and roads that aren't suicide traps then LOS is really no bargain at all. For folks that love it here that's cool but there is no denying that if you could live in Japan, Oz, USA or even Europe for the same money the only ones remaining would be the old bar fine guys and Chinese.

So, you don't think many would stay for the weather and the temples?

55 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I'm not on a tight budget, I just don't spend much, mainly because there's nothing more I want.

If it wasn't raining every day, I'd probably be out in the jungle a lot more.

But spending more money can't change the weather.

Have to agree with that; it seems the weather does what is wants. More power to you if you have plenty of money and are satisfied with how you live.

However, most of the people I know who live frugally have simply accepted their plight and try to live within their means. I do say most, I have a good friend who always seeks the lowest cost; yet has a good bit of money. He does go for extended travel all over the world often. So, he does not stick to the LT B20k/mo budget, except maybe while actually here.

46 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

If you are on an Age Pension in Australia, and don't own the roof over your head, you are basically screwed.  Rent will take 50 - 60% of your income. It's caused by a policy which gives tax breaks to property investors, called negative gearing. Drives prices up, and rental yields follow suit.

Here, my rental expenditure is only 10% of my income. Makes a big difference.

 

No doubt, as I said to tropo on this same topic. However, if that is the case in Oz, many places would be cheaper and not just Thailand.

59 minutes ago, tropo said:

Which is the main reason why I'm here. I couldn't afford the lifestyle I'm accustomed to in Thailand in Australia. It doesn't matter what level of accommodation you choose here, it's a lot better value to anything similar over there.

As far as accommodation is concerned, Thailand is great. It is certainly less expensive than it is in the US, and my home is in Florida. Accommodation is also less expensive in Thailand than in the Philippines.

I am surprised at the number of respondents who are spending more than a pittance to live here. In past TV forums, I saw far too many who claimed they lived well on B20k/mo or even less. As with any claim of little expenditure, I wonder what it must be like to not enjoy the things you want--within reason--just because they are expensive. Some say, they enjoy living on the cheap. I do not know if they see it as a challenge or simply have gotten used to living at minimum; however, I suspect for most it is because they have no more to spend. I wonder if their monthly income were doubled; would they spend or save the excess income?

12 hours ago, tropo said:

That will depend on where you're coming from. Australia is very costly these days.

Expensive is indeed relative to your "normal" expenditures; however, if your normal expenditures are high, almost anywhere else may seem cheap. 

3 hours ago, Vacuum said:

In what way are your "better-type-of -Thais-with-200k/month" better than other Thais?

Well, that seems obvious to me. Requests for money to pay for sick buffaloes should decrease if your Thai girl makes B200k/mo. And even better, if she realizes you do not make that kind of money, but still wants to be with you.

17 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Yeah, but it sounds like you'll have had more fun with food than me. Due to a clogged bile duct, I have to be careful with fatty foods. Like I said, jealous.

That's too bad. I have been lucky with health issues. At 73, I can still eat and drink anything I want; and I do like breakfast. But, I am slowing down; it happens to us all.

4 hours ago, The manic said:

Doing what?

Software and Management Consulting

6 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I am jealous of anyone that can consume that much cholesterol without indigestion.

Ah, don't be, I will die some day.

Just now, Maradona 10 said:

Yea really jealous of a no mark on thai visa...the fact that you think someone would be jealous of you really says it all about you. Deluded doesn't even come close.

 

Now haven't you got some sticky rice and somtan to be eating?

Jesus, are you dense. Jealous of anyone making $100k or more. So since I did, yes; or would just envious be the word? No, I finished breakfast, I had English muffins, cream cheese, back bacon and eggs; with tomato juice and coffee, black of course. Or, is that bragging too?

19 hours ago, Maradona 10 said:

I have always believed that all of us given the choice would rather have a great life back in one's own land, if money was no object and had family etc.

 

What person in their own country who had everything a man needed and was happy with his lot woke up one morning and thought 'I think I'll move to Thailand'?

I was happy with my lot--had a good looking gf, a well-paying job and drove a Corvette. However, I always wanted to travel, to live and work overseas. So, I proactively pursued it and spent my career years as an expat.

Perhaps, it was because I never really had a place to call home. My step-father was in the USAF and we traveled from base to base when I was a kid; I simply carried on that cycle of travel.

17 minutes ago, kurtmartens said:

For me, this will be the first time back in the US in 12 years .... hopefully will be able to adjust.

Yeah, I've been gone since early 2007 and have been out as long as 14 years.  I doubt you will have too much of a problem readjusting. I remember I missed the cheap personal services the most--laundry, haircut, manicure, pedicure, massage, etc. Be careful driving, you'll get a ticket, you don't have to wai when you meet someone, and they frown on bringing your own bottle into a bar.