I am almost ready to Pull the plug and leave

[Shiver]

12 hours ago, wgdanson said:

Part of the decision depends on who you have here to stay with. I have someone so would not leave.

That's the major factor in my own circumstances.  If I didn't have my missus I'd probably be scouting neighbouring countries by now.

 

Wrt OP question;  Do you know others locally who are in a similar situation?  Could you get together and occupy a larger building whilst maintaining your personal space and a common space?  Group buy and all that.  This is assuming personal relationships are not a factor where privacy becomes strained.

 

Although I'm not against the wall (anymore...or should I say, at the moment) regarding existing financially above water, those lessons stuck with me and I like to keep expenses down, and splash out only as something special rather than an everyday occurrence that loses it's magic if done all the time.  Maybe with a few friends you can shop, use internet, share rent and still be able to have your own private space.  I know that wouldn't sound appealing on the face of it, but if you're a close gang of friends then it might work.  Depends on the individuals involved.  You might find you end up with money at the end of the month rather than the other way around.   Exchange rates have a 'sort of' cyclical nature, but that doesn't cut it when right here and right now matters.

[Ban Phe Dezza]

4 hours ago, alzack said:

Hi well I know full well your situation with declining pension income. I am British and for the reasons you set out we  returned to live in UK  2 years a go now, ( I was in Thailand since 1998).  As you, my income was going down and down each month. I lost 40%  in the period 2004 to 2016 when we returned. Now much better off, free schools for my kids, free health,free buses,help with rent, help with council tax, full child tax credits (which   i could not get in Thailand)  Full increase in Pension rises  (which     i could not get in Thailand) it was hard to get back into the system, as no credit record not having lived in uk for so long, but now much better off, and the pound continues its free fall . Good luck to you

alzak

I left England in 1949 so moving there is definitely not an option 

I was a ten pound Pom as the Aussies put it back then 

[Tchooptip]

7 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I know a couple of Thai families living quite well on 10k/month (and paying rent and uni fees for their kids out of that).

As for health care, some of us aren't constantly ill, my last visit to a doctor was 4 years back for a few stitches after a crash (about 1,000bht). I live well on 20k/month + house loan repayments.

I've not had any health insurance since I left the UK.

It is reassuring to read such an answer, in fact, it shows a positive and shall I say an optimistic mind too.  (At least not pessimistic at all) ?

 

[Ban Phe Dezza]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

Maybe he's one of those people on TV that has a GF who supports him.

55 55 55

[Ban Phe Dezza]

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

Here's an idea for you:

Stay in Thailand to avoid the drama of leaving.

Cut your costs further.

Give your carer a pay cut and explain the situation, if she doesn't understand you'll need to let her go, maybe she can get a job.

The exchange rate may recover in a few years, $ is causing pain all over at the moment, so maybe think of it as a few years and see.

This is controversial but I'm ok with it for me if need be. If you fall seriously ill and don't want to go on, head to somewhere like Cambodia PP and take an overdose of sorts. Sounds bad but not really, its your life.

Good luck

some good advice there Thanks 

[greenchair]

11 hours ago, baansgr said:

Eking out on 40k a single man. Me and three kids live very nicely on 30k a month, and we can even afford to go to Ramayana water park this weekend. Food, utilities just about everything except booze is cheap here.

 

[Lacessit]

3 minutes ago, greenchair said:

 

It depends on the booze. Wine is ridiculously expensive, Thai beer on a par. Imported whisky ( lower end brands ) are half the cost of those in Australia.

[Catoni]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

I would spend of the order of 70K baht a month. That's living well, eating out every day, playing golf, and having a Thai GF. IMHO she's worth every baht I spend on her.

I don't drink much, and avoid the bars. I've given up buying expensive cars.

If it came to a pinch, I could probably cut down to about 30 K baht and become a miserable git. But why should I?

Lacessit.....  Each to their own.....  some ex-pats would feel very miserable if they had to cut back to 100 K baht a month.   Others are happy at 20 K like BritManToo.   All depends on how much luxury and female companionship and partying you feel you "want" .      Many people are happy with just what they need.  "Wants".... are extra... and not eveyone wants everything.  Myself... I was raised in luxury by a businessman father,,, did all my partying and girls when I was young... .Got a good job and bought a lot of "toys" and had my share of lovely women.  

    Now I'm older... I find I don't need all that..  I'm perfectly happy living a simple life....  and being a Buddhist now... I'm happy with a temple nearby...   although I can practice the Dhamma at home without that also if need be. 

    So my costs are much lower than yours...   and I could live on even less.. 

  Yeah...  I've met guys who would be miserable if they had to live on less than 100 k Baht a month. They tried to tell me you NEED AT LEAST 100 K baht a month to live in Thailand. ...   Oh well...

    Everyones "needs" and "wants" are different.    For me... as long as I have a good simple roof over my head with toilet with bum gun and a shower... and some food and clean water, and free to walk around... ... I'm happy now.  

[Stevemercer]

58 minutes ago, Tchooptip said:

I know a couple of Thai families living quite well on 10k/month (and paying rent and uni fees for their kids out of that).

 

I think that, in many cases like this, all is not what it seems. Many Thai families live with crippling debt that catches up to them eventually. Of course, in Thai fashion, they will never let an outsider know about their problems.

[Catoni]

2 hours ago, rosst said:

I am in the Philippines and I find it suits me, the food is not as good until you get the knowledge but immigration is excellent the better English is also nice, probably not for everyone but I am happy, I still have a house in Thailand and I visit for a month or two each year. 

 rosst....   Do you find you have to watch your back more in the Phil  ?    I.E.....  Moro Islamic extremists ?  Abu Sayyaf kidnappings of westerners?  ....killings. .... N.P.A.   higher street crime and armed robbery and police scams  ? 

 

    Or is it peaceful now compared to Thailand and Cambodia and Laos and Vietnam ? ?     Has the Phil improved much in the last five or ten years ? 

Edited September 5, 2018 by Catoni
Addition

[Catoni]

3 hours ago, millwall_fan said:

Medical insurance is a con. They take your premiums when your young and fit and then throw you on the scrap heap when you get older and might need to claim on it - another illusion of the American 'dream'. Thailand is becoming very expensive unless you live at the rock bottom - eating market food, drinking laew kao and living in a chicken shack. 

 

I would try Vietnam, Ban Phe Dezza -  I was there in the Summer - Vung Tau a couple of hours South East of Saigon has a large expat Aussie community - mainly elderly, living out their remaining years with cheap Aussie and Vietnamese food, pretty girls who dont demand too much, amazingly cheap beer and very liberal visa policies. The only drawback that I found was that everyone smokes, which was  problem but if it ticks all the other boxes for you.....

  "millwall_fan" .......  What are average medical costs in 'Nam these days for an older ex-pat compared to Cambodia and Thailand... if you happen to know. ? ? 

     Thank you.  

Edited September 5, 2018 by Catoni
minor correction. addition

[Dick Crank]

4 hours ago, millwall_fan said:

Medical insurance is a con. They take your premiums when your young and fit and then throw you on the scrap heap when you get older and might need to claim on it - another illusion of the American 'dream'. Thailand is becoming very expensive unless you live at the rock bottom - eating market food, drinking laew kao and living in a chicken shack. 

 

I would try Vietnam, Ban Phe Dezza -  I was there in the Summer - Vung Tau a couple of hours South East of Saigon has a large expat Aussie community - mainly elderly, living out their remaining years with cheap Aussie and Vietnamese food, pretty girls who dont demand too much, amazingly cheap beer and very liberal visa policies. The only drawback that I found was that everyone smokes, which was  problem but if it ticks all the other boxes for you.....

did u see any spitting or luigi slinging while u were there?

 

 

Edited September 5, 2018 by Dick Crank

[Tchooptip]

2 hours ago, Stevemercer said:

 

I think that, in many cases like this, all is not what it seems. Many Thai families live with crippling debt that catches up to them eventually. Of course, in Thai fashion, they will never let an outsider know about their problems.

 

3 hours ago, Tchooptip said:

I know a couple of Thai families living quite well on 10k/month (and paying rent and uni fees for their kids out of that).

It does not change anything ...but  I never said that... it is BritManToo who said so I answered this.

By the way "before" with the old system that kept every answer quoted it was understandable all the time, now with only the last quote it is not always easy to follow, the conversation it is not a critic it is a simple constatation.

[crazyk]

B40000 a month is a good income for a single bloke,unless you have a woman leeching off you,you can decent apartments for a lot less than  b10000 furnished,you  may have to provide your own cooking utensils ie microwave,kettle,electric wok + whatever but some places may have them,try nirun at arunothai central road opposite bigC,I don't know if you can get your retirement visa sorted but I think you may be ok,I think someone in the know will inform you,but if not go to langkawi for 90 days  (duty free,cheap beer & nice beaches)then go to penang thai embassy for a visa,you can get a 60 day set & extra 30 days at immigration,repeat the process but alternate between penang & kl,I doubt they will bother you

[Catoni]

15 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

The reality is that Thailand does not want the  impoverished retirees. It has not wanted them for some time. This socio demographic group has been nothing but trouble for Thailand. They are often without medical insurance, live a marginal subsistence existence and take up space that is more profitably allocated to short term visitors and a wealthier demographic. In the coming years, Thailand will make it more difficult for these people to remain, not easier. The future is bleak for this demographic. If they are lucky, they have a quick death over the next five years before the economy undergoes an adjustment and they find themselves with even less income.

 

Until then, if one comes from an impoverished background. a lifestyle of living hand to mouth, free of worry about the future or care about what happens if he becomes ill, or if one really doesn't want the best for his kids, then all the tales of living on 20,000 or 30,000 or 40,000 baht a month work out.  

 

It is all relative. Some people are quite  happy living in poverty because they don't know anything else, nor desire to have a different lifestyle. They are fine with low quality living arrangements and poor quality  food.  However, for the vast majority of people, they wish to do more than to exist. They want to live comfortably and to have an enjoyable old age. They want clean water, proper facilities, good quality food, and a healthy environment. They want to be sure that they can access quality health care if something happens, and they don't want to worry about yaba fueled crazies in the neighborhood, or having to put up with noisy neighbors or living next door to Chester the Molester. 20-30-40,000 baht doesn't really get one that, despite all the claims to the contrary. A good quality home costs money. So does  food. So do quality clothes etc.   Claiming that all will be well  at 40,000 is an exercise in denial and self delusion. It won't be , nor can it be in today's Thailand.

 

 

 

 

      Remember one thing.   The more stuff you have.... the more luxury you enjoy...  the more you will have to lose when your days on Earth come to an end.    

        The very wealthy have much more they will have to say "Goodbye" to. 

[Catoni]

50 minutes ago, Dick Crank said:

did u see any spitting or luigi slinging while u were there?

 

 

   Huh ? ?    What  ? ! ?  

[whaleboneman]

10 hours ago, Enoon said:

 

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20150408-bhutans-dark-secret-to-happiness

 

 

Thank you Enoon.

[Dene16]

11 hours ago, timendres said:

At some point, it is likely that the AU$ will recover relative to the THB.

I admire your optimism but for many it will come too late or never at all.

As many of the big world manufacturers continue to invest in Thailand i don't see a big change happening, only for the worse.

I don't know but i would assume Australia's exports account for little due to their costs so difficult to see where the  change will come from

[WinterGael]

20 hours ago, meechai said:

There must be more for you in your home country no?

 

At least you would be covered for medical & maybe there is some social programs?

Eking out a living on less than 40k baht is doable for a Thai who has the 30 baht health scheme at

govt hospitals to fall back on.

 

But if your stretched now & aging as you said...Thailand is not a great place for the inevitable

 

There is the problem. I'll be living in Thailand with my wife on a permanent basis next year... My income is 30000 to 35,000 baht per month. Medical will be for provincial hospitals, so have been quoted at about 2000 baht per month. If things go south, is there something to return back to home country to. Free medical, that's it. On a total pension of 2000$C/month (4 years from now) I can barely afford to live in Canada, let alone support a wife there. 

 

I see how my wife's family lives, and even at 20 baht /Canadian dollar, I can have a better life in Thailand. And my wife does bring in an average of 10,000 /month... 

???

[thesetat2013]

20 hours ago, baansgr said:

Eking out on 40k a single man. Me and three kids live very nicely on 30k a month, and we can even afford to go to Ramayana water park this weekend. Food, utilities just about everything except booze is cheap here.

agreed.. even with my car payments... land loan payments and 3 credit cards i still manage to support family with 2 kids on less than 30k monthly... the rest i save got kids college in the future.  

Based on your post i would say you are spending too much on booze or women.. You are living above your means and are worried about finances... In reality, you can have a good life spending only 20k monthly  if your better half is frugal and you are not buying junk just for the sake of pretending you are rich to your woman's friends. 

rent is cheap.. food costs are minimal, especially if you shop at the local fresh food markets and stop shopping at big c or lotus or villa market.. 

Even if you leave and go to another country the cost of living is dependant on your lifestyle which appears to be excessive already

[james1995]

12 hours ago, Wake Up said:

I had a friend in a similar position but worse than you in that he had less than 40,000 baht a month. You asked for advice and he did also. My advice is get a one way ticket to your home country and get medical care, benefits and a job. Yes a job. Make some money and don’t come back until you have enough money saved. You could find some type of work and have a better life.  Good luck. 

well, what about being a digital nomad?  i'm bringing in 5-10k baht daily here.  sky is the limit.  i spend just two hours on my macbook each day and "work" is done.  don't tell him to go home.  tell him to get on that laptop and start earning money.

[Ban Phe Dezza]

1 hour ago, thesetat2013 said:

agreed.. even with my car payments... land loan payments and 3 credit cards i still manage to support family with 2 kids on less than 30k monthly... the rest i save got kids college in the future.  

Based on your post i would say you are spending too much on booze or women.. You are living above your means and are worried about finances... In reality, you can have a good life spending only 20k monthly  if your better half is frugal and you are not buying junk just for the sake of pretending you are rich to your woman's friends. 

rent is cheap.. food costs are minimal, especially if you shop at the local fresh food markets and stop shopping at big c or lotus or villa market.. 

Even if you leave and go to another country the cost of living is dependant on your lifestyle which appears to be excessive already

FTR  I dont Smoke, Drink, and to old to Screw,

It is the constant decline in my $ that is the worry 

Plus issues I will not post to be savaged by Keyboard warriors 

Thank you for your Comments 

[Ban Phe Dezza]

8 minutes ago, james1995 said:

well, what about being a digital nomad?  i'm bringing in 5-10k baht daily here.  sky is the limit.  i spend just two hours on my macbook each day and "work" is done.  don't tell him to go home.  tell him to get on that laptop and start earning money.

Get a Job Now why didn't i think of that?.

It might have some thing to do with fact I am four score years come Visa time in October     

Born the Year Chamberlain went to Germany and came back and proudly boasted Peace In Our Time,

   A couple of years later my Dad was in North Africa with Monty.

I think only the oldies will understand what I am on about 

[simoh1490]

30 minutes ago, james1995 said:

well, what about being a digital nomad?  i'm bringing in 5-10k baht daily here.  sky is the limit.  i spend just two hours on my macbook each day and "work" is done.  don't tell him to go home.  tell him to get on that laptop and start earning money.

How old are you!

[Social Media]

It never fails to amaze and sadden me as to how people view someones difficulty or problem as an opportunity to riducule and attack them.

A guy comes on here with genuine concern and worry about a situation he has no control over (currency value) and people are so quick to attack. This is the problem with disconnected online forums. People dont see the elderly man or his expressions and the hurtful effect the words may be having, its just words on a screen.

You dont respect his feelings or position in any way. People say things that if it were "face to face" so to speak they (hopefully) wouldnt dream of saying. To a younger man it would probably result in a "smack in the mouth". So please before you hit that "submit" button just show a little empathy and try helping for a change instead of making someone sorry they asked for help or guidance with a situation.

There but for the grace of God could be anyone of us, to face those concerns late in life in my opinion must be quite frightening and certainly doesnt warrant the comments made by some.

 

Just think about the effect you may have on others and have a little compassion and dial it back a bit.

 

 

 

[Ban Phe Dezza]

1 minute ago, Black Ops said:

It never fails to amaze and sadden me as to how people view someones difficulty or problem as an opportunity to riducule and attack them.

A guy comes on here with genuine concern and worry about a situation he has no control over (currency value) and people are so quick to attack. This is the problem with disconnected online forums. People dont see the elderly man or his expressions and the hurtful effect the words may be having, its just words on a screen.

You dont respect his feelings or position in any way. People say things that if it were "face to face" so to speak they (hopefully) wouldnt dream of saying. To a younger man it would probably result in a "smack in the mouth". So please before you hit that "submit" button just show a little empathy and try helping for a change instead of making someone sorry they asked for help or guidance with a situation.

There but for the grace of God could be anyone of us, to face those concerns late in life in my opinion must be quite frightening and certainly doesnt warrant the comments made by some.

 

Just think about the effect you may have on others and have a little compassion and dial it back a bit.

 

 

 

Thank You 

[Peterw42]

39 minutes ago, james1995 said:

well, what about being a digital nomad?  i'm bringing in 5-10k baht daily here.  sky is the limit.  i spend just two hours on my macbook each day and "work" is done.  don't tell him to go home.  tell him to get on that laptop and start earning money.

Its that easy is it? 10,000 baht for 2 hours work. If its that easy why not share with the OP, how to do it, what the work is etc.

[Lacessit]

10 hours ago, Catoni said:

Lacessit.....  Each to their own.....  some ex-pats would feel very miserable if they had to cut back to 100 K baht a month.   Others are happy at 20 K like BritManToo.   All depends on how much luxury and female companionship and partying you feel you "want" .      Many people are happy with just what they need.  "Wants".... are extra... and not eveyone wants everything.  Myself... I was raised in luxury by a businessman father,,, did all my partying and girls when I was young... .Got a good job and bought a lot of "toys" and had my share of lovely women.  

    Now I'm older... I find I don't need all that..  I'm perfectly happy living a simple life....  and being a Buddhist now... I'm happy with a temple nearby...   although I can practice the Dhamma at home without that also if need be. 

    So my costs are much lower than yours...   and I could live on even less.. 

  Yeah...  I've met guys who would be miserable if they had to live on less than 100 k Baht a month. They tried to tell me you NEED AT LEAST 100 K baht a month to live in Thailand. ...   Oh well...

    Everyones "needs" and "wants" are different.    For me... as long as I have a good simple roof over my head with toilet with bum gun and a shower... and some food and clean water, and free to walk around... ... I'm happy now.  

As you say, each to their own. Being an ascetic does bring some people contentment - I doubt very much it would do it for me. Or perhaps you prefer the term minimalism.

As long as we are both happy, that's all that counts.

[cleverman]

20 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Health care for the elderly is unnatural and pointless, I accept my fate whatever it may be.

Enjoy your erectile dysfunction, adult diapers, limited mobility and dementia, hopefully, I'll give them a miss.

I visited an elderly bloke in hospital ,besides his erectile d. ,diapers and limited mobility,he also has two smashed legs from a motor accident, and no money to repair said legs. They were therefore amputated. Haveagoodday. 

[Tanoshi]

1 hour ago, cleverman said:

I visited an elderly bloke in hospital ,besides his erectile d. ,diapers and limited mobility,he also has two smashed legs from a motor accident, and no money to repair said legs. They were therefore amputated. Haveagoodday. 

Your point exactly being what?