How to live for 4000 baht a month. Not inc rents.

[Kadilo]

1 hour ago, fiddlehead said:

That's pretty good and I always get some ideas from these threads. 

I understand some people go through ups and downs in life and might have to live as cheaply as possible at times. 
But I think you missed a few: 

Internet? 

Soap, shampoo, shaving cream, coffee, 

Phone?

Snacks? 

If he's only washing his clothes 3 times a month I guessing he don't use much soap or shampoo. 

[Craig krup]

You're missing a trick with the "25 baht but now 6:25" Lotus bags of curry. Undo the rubber band, get the air out, pack them in the freezer on day of purchase. As it says in the good book*, "On the six days there ain't much, except that weird pink fishcake, but on the seventh there are many, and yeah you must buy, squeeze and freeze for the many [otherwise hungry] days". 

 

 

 

[*The Little Book of Calvin]. 

[KiChakayan]

50 minutes ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

 

I'm still waiting for that job offer that pays 8000k for 2 days work. Lets see if you high rollers can put the money where your mouth is.

 

Otherwise you're worse than digital nomads, rofl

Can someone translate this for me? But, anyway, I am just a normal bloke, who tries to enjoy his well earned pension with his family. USD 7000 a month doesn't make me a "high roller" either.

[theguyfromanotherforum]

5 minutes ago, KiChakayan said:

Can someone translate this for me? But, anyway, I am just a normal bloke, who tries to enjoy his well earned pension with his family. USD 7000 a month doesn't make me a "high roller" either.

 

Your standard of living is 33 times higher than mine. I live on 7000 baht a month.

 

Last month though, I spent around 10,000 baht on my neighbour's dog, so she essentially lived more hi so than I did.

 

Too bad she doesn't have any clue about it, otherwise this dog should be posting on Thai Visa about overspending me.

[stevymac]

Lose more than that down the back of the couch. What a sad existence.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Goldbear]

17 minutes ago, KiChakayan said:

Can someone translate this for me? But, anyway, I am just a normal bloke, who tries to enjoy his well earned pension with his family. USD 7000 a month doesn't make me a "high roller" either.

 

Are you *spending* the $7000 USD every month? If so you would be a "high roller" to me. Yes I realize that some people have and spend a lot more than that. But not most people. 

[Craig krup]

12 minutes ago, KiChakayan said:

Can someone translate this for me? But, anyway, I am just a normal bloke, who tries to enjoy his well earned pension with his family. USD 7000 a month doesn't make me a "high roller" either.

I'm reminded of a letter written to a student by a bank manager back in the 1980s. 

 

Dear P**artist, 

 

As per our conversation of the 25th your overdraft has been raised to £1,000. This should be regarded as a limit and not a target. 

 

Yours faithfully, 

 

S. Arky

(Manager)

 

Without big single-item expenditures on health or education you're going some to blow through $7,000. A lot of folk just can't amuse themselves without spending money. I went into the bank a few years ago. They wanted to speak to me. I was dressed in an old waterproof, £2 tracksuit bottoms and work boots. I had £80,000 in my current account. My wages had just mounted up. I'm reading Ray Monk's "Wittgenstein" at the moment. I've just finished Angela Duckworth's "Grit". This morning I did a big back and bicep workout in the gym. Now I'm posting inflammatory comments on Thai Visa. None of this costs very much. Seriously - $7,000 a month? Dear oh dear. Hopefully that's three kids, $1,000 a month on education, and a family health plan that involves a cardiologist living in the spare room. 

[InMyShadow]

You do often get the guys on here who loathe guys who live on very little. 
Let's be honest, those loathers aren't very nice people
 
 

It's loathing because you western pathetic bums slumming it in a devolping country make us normal people look bad as well

Go home before your 2 year overstay kicks in.

we all know it's going to happen

Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Tapatalk

[KiChakayan]

22 minutes ago, Goldbear said:

 

Are you *spending* the $7000 USD every month? If so you would be a "high roller" to me. Yes I realize that some people have and spend a lot more than that. But not most people. 

I try to save... But donno, 5000 on electricity, 7000 on wine, 20-30000 on food, 20000 on health insurance, 20000 on holidays, still spending on the house, and so on... but nothing extravagant.

 

Oh forgot cycling: 10000km a year, at 3/4 baht per km sets me back another 3000 a month.

Honda CRV + Nissan March (no loan)

Nappies and baby formula,

Toys,

School,

15000 for the missus

1000 for Yai Tuat

6000 for gardener

 

I need Excel... But reading myself, I think I am bringing so sense to this thread.

Edited October 28, 2017 by KiChakayan

[Meljames]

4 hours ago, dfdgfdfdgs said:

Go to the supermarkets at 9pm.  Max Valu, Big C, Tesco, you can buy a bag full of food for under 50 baht and there's nothing wrong with it as long as you eat it within 24 hours or so

 

If this means going to Big C every night...forget it.

[KiChakayan]

53 minutes ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

Last month though, I spent around 10,000 baht on my neighbour's dog, so she essentially lived more hi so than I did.

You go to the races? Thought you were living in Thailand.

[geriatrickid]

Perhaps this should be labeled as the Pattaya Resident's Guide to Imaginary Happiness?

The OP's budget is not realistic because it does not reflect Thailand's own poverty measurements. Depending upon which source one uses, the poverty line income decider is between 2500 and 3500 baht per month. This amount is associated with those who live in  the large communal homes common  in rural areas. A person living on his/her own would need significantly more, pushing the value towards 4,000-5,000 baht.  Nor does the OP's calculation take into account the indirect subsidies can  access such as health care,  quarterly rice handouts, thai pricing , free transport on some days, etc.  Currently 12%+ of the population lives below the  poverty line with the % in the 25%  range in the Northeast. These are also the people who die at an early age.  Conclusion: 4,000 baht is inadequate for anyone who wishes to remain sane and in good health.

 

Unfortunately, the The budget described by the OP is more likely to be associated with the people who kill themselves either through intentional means or through misadventure such as a drug overdose.

Sorry to say, if one reads the  news and TVF reports, the people who have jumped from buildings , hung themselves, slashed their wrists, overdosed etc. are of two distinct subgroups neither of which is exclusive; 1-They have suffered from a chronic illness and 2-  They have had very limited financial means. The 4000 baht  budget does not allow for the medical insurance let alone decent medical care, nor the contribution to a family unit essential to surviving critical  illness. 

 

My takeaway from the OP is  that yes, one could survive on 4,000 baht, but one would be  dead relatively fast once the lifestyle took its toll.

 

Anyway, not my concern, such people are not to be found in the nicer parts of Thailand, nor anywhere in my proximity. And I give thanks for that.

[cyberfarang]

Now in my early 60s and maybe won`t be here in the next 10 to 15 years or so, all the budget have per month I spend mostly on my self. If I fancy it, I buy it. If westerners decide to live in Thailand and only have a monthly budget of 4000 baht even if that does not include rent, then better not to come here and live a life of crap.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Personally, I have no problem with the OP's lifestyle...

 

But it seems he left off a few real expenses, like:

--visa/extension costs

--health insurance and/or medical expenses

--dental care/teeth cleaning

--trips back to the home country at some point/points

--a GF or wife or just one night fling sometimes

--mobile phone and/or home internet services

..and the list goes on and on...

 

[dbrenn]

Sounds like a horrible way to live - like being on the dole except that you won't get free medical treatment if you are sick.

[MaeJoMTB]

"Buy Thai food in Thailand.  Go to local markets and eat rice dishes for 30 baht. "

 

Or you could just learn to cook yourself.

Western food like Spagetti is 75bht/kg (10-15 portions), Mince 50bht/400gm, Tomatoes 10bht/kg.

Spaghetti bolognese  works out around 15bht/meal. 

 

or Sicilian  chicken soup, 2 chicken breasts 35bht, potato 20bht/kg, tomato 10bht/kg, bell peppers 10bht/4, onions 10bht/kg.

7 meals at least from that at around 10bht/meal.

 

Pizza, make the bread yourself, bread flour 32bht/kg, Mozzarella cheese 300bht/kg (30 pizza), toppings almost nothing.

Around 25bht/pizza 

 

Cooking yourself, way cheaper than buying ready cooked from market stalls.

[MaeJoMTB]

6 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Personally, I have no problem with the OP's lifestyle...

 

But it seems he left off a few real expenses, like:

--visa/extension costs

--health insurance and/or medical expenses

--dental care/teeth cleaning

--trips back to the home country at some point/points

--a GF or wife or just one night fling sometimes

--mobile phone and/or home internet services

..and the list goes on and on...

 

Not everyone is American ..........

As an English person, we mainly don't bother with insurance (beyond legal requirements), our teeth are as they come, I'm already home, women are optional. My VISA 5,000bht for 15 months (no other money required). I do spend 100bht/month on my AIS (Zeed) SIM which includes free internet, currently have 1,100 credit as I don't use the credit, just the free internet.

Edited October 29, 2017 by MaeJoMTB

[torrzent]

Reminds me a bit of one classic episode, of Extreme Cheapskates (S1E1) - Kate Hashimoto

This lady does dumpster diving for dinner(and serving to guests no less!), medical trials for cash, laundry while taking shower, etcetc

She has saved alot of cash, and is a very interesting person!

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xwfzj0

 

Edited October 29, 2017 by torrzent

[gk10002000]

OK.  So let's see.  No auto or travel accident insurance?  No medical insurance?  No transport costs, baht bus, moto taxi, bus to anywhere? No visa fees of any sort?    Don't do anything, don't go to a movie, don't do anything social, play pool, go bowling, an occasional go kart, visit a zoo, Nong Nooch garden, visit Sukhothai, travel to Ko Samet or Phuket and some Cleaner Indian Ocean facing beaches? Don't have a GF or BF or Ladyboy or whatever.  No computer, phone or whatever or did you bring your own and start your cost accounting then?   Room and board is one things, and I agree there are many ways to live quite frugally. 

[BuaBS]

5 hours ago, MaeJoMTB said:

Spagetti is 75bht/kg

Where ? More like 60 B/500 gr, the cheapest I could find . ( aldi europe 16B/500gr)!!   10 portions out of 1 kg ? I eat 250 gr ( half a pack) in one go.

 

Pancakes are my go to : flour 24 B/kg , sugar 23B/kg , water & some sunflower oil = 20 B to get stuffed with pancakes with 1/2 kg flour.

No need for eggs nor milk.

[MaeJoMTB]

18 minutes ago, BuaBS said:

Where ? More like 60 B/500 gr, the cheapest I could find . ( aldi europe 16B/500gr)!!   10 portions out of 1 kg ? I eat 250 gr ( half a pack) in one go.

 

Pancakes are my go to : flour 24 B/kg , sugar 23B/kg , water & some sunflower oil = 20 B to get stuffed with pancakes with 1/2 kg flour.

No need for eggs nor milk.

Makro, Unilever spaghetti 75bht/kg.

I eat approx 60 strings (55gm) as 1 portion (packet says 18 servings at 60 strings).

 

I also eat a lot of jam, much cheaper if you make it yourself, around 50bht  a jar.

Frozen raspberry (80%) and blackberry (20%) from Makro, 2 cups of berries and 3/4 cup sugar, microwave at 800w for 15 minutes (stir every 3 mins) and the result is 1 jar of quality jam.

Edited October 29, 2017 by MaeJoMTB

[bert bloggs]

More like 4000 baht a day in our house  thank god the wife earns good money ,her last handbag was two days money .

Edited October 29, 2017 by bert bloggs

[BuaBS]

5 hours ago, MaeJoMTB said:

Makro, Unilever spaghetti 75bht/kg.

I eat approx 60 strings (55gm) as 1 portion (packet says 18 servings at 60 strings).

Still expensive . You can buy 5 kg of rice for 75 B. Spaghetti = flour , and flour is 24 B/kg . But next time in makro , I'll look again.

You don't eat much , do you ... 55 gr of spaghetti ? I never read the packet , their portions are not realistic.

[FritsSikkink]

15 hours ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

I love threads like this because it seems to enrage some old fools on this forum.

They don't get enraged, they feel sorry for the useless life these people are having. 

[AYJAYDEE]

14 hours ago, giddyup said:

Perhaps it's because those who live on very little, even if they can afford a more extravagant lifestyle, see it as a badge of honour, when there's really nothing noble about it. I lived a pretty frugal lifestyle when I was 19 and hitching around Europe and the US, but that was out of necessity.

nothing noble is your opinion. many monks that I respect live very frugally

 

[Kwasaki]

I came to Thailand to get away from having to live in ways of that the OP lists a sad individual.

[AYJAYDEE]

7 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

I came to Thailand to get away from having to live in ways of that the OP lists a sad individual.

he didnt seem sad in his OP

 

[Kwasaki]

3 minutes ago, AYJAYDEE said:

he didn't seem sad in his OP

 

You joke or mis-understand what I mean.

[AYJAYDEE]

13 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

You joke or mis-understand what I mean.

perhaps

 

[theguyfromanotherforum]

1 hour ago, FritsSikkink said:

They don't get enraged, they feel sorry for the useless life these people are having. 

 

Nah....they feel enraged because money really can't buy happiness so they put down anyone who spends less than them....which includes the prostitutes apparently.