500,000 Over 55? 200,000 Over 60?

[DogNo1]

Hi Udon,

Sounds as though you've got a nice situation. Did you have to go 30 minutes out to find a good rental? (Unless you bought the house, of course) It's great that you get all of the things you listed for 20K per month. I've gathered from various posts that the best way to go is to rent a bare house or apartment and furnish it yourself. That must make for a considrable initial cost to buy all of the things you need, though I guess if you're staying long-term it works out to be cheaper than paying the extra rental a furnished place would cost. I wonder if you use air conditioning very much? I'm a pretty heavy user of air conditioning, so I expect my electricity bill wil be pretty high. When I was looking at a furnished apartment out in the Emporium area of Sukumvit, the agent estimated that constant air conditioning use in the apartment might come to $150 a month.

I come to Bangkok at least once a year and am continuing to check things out and prepare for my eventual move to Thailand. I had not thought to check into rentals a distance out from the city, but I'll look into it next time I'm there.

Thanks for the information

[RDN]

Do not let those that make money off your investments dictate when you should be cash or invested, if they knew it so well they would not be dealing with your money they would be doing it with their own.  Better safe than sorry we are to old to recover as before.

Very wise words - ignore the bullshitters and conmen - invest safely. Don't expect big returns on investment.

"We are to old to recover" - very true! Put it on my epitaph after "See? I said I was ill".

[RDN]

The only noise I get is from the bloody frogs as it's the monsoon season rt now.

Ha ha ha! My new Italian neighbour asked me if there was something wrong with my car alarm or something in the house - he couldn't figure out where the high pitched beeps were coming from every few seconds. Had to explain to him about the frogs

[DogNo1]

Hi Khun ?,

Wow! 4 to 5K per month would allow for a terrific lifestyle in Thailand!

Your post was interesting, especially the reference to closed-end funds and funds that pay 0.75% per month. Would you like to share the names of those? I've not done well with my investing and my portfolio is now nearly 3% in the red. I'm trying to learn how to invest more wisely, but the market has been very volatile these past few years. You mentioned possibly putting 50 to 60% of your money in long-term bonds, possibly the 20 government bond if it pays 6%. I have about 40% of my money in a fixed annuity that may pay 6% or more when annuitized if the Fed raises interest rates 200 basis points (2%) over the next two years. The percentage of payout depends on the conditions you choose, but one of the higher paying options is payments for life with nothing left at the end. I'm trying to make a good return on the remaining 60%, but it's not easy. I learned to my sorrow that mutual funds will continue to eat up 1.5 to 2% of your investment even if their value has crashed.

At present, I do love my job and would like to continue working to save as much as possible until I retire. It can be nice to have nothing to do and sleep in late, but after a while it gets boring. I'll have to find something to do when I move to Thailand. Maybe teaching English a little would be fun if I could find a rewarding and enjoyable situation. Money wouldn't be the object, so I could afford to be picky. Maybe some of the national universities in Bangkok might offer the opportunity for teaching a class or two. Do you plan to retire completely, or will you plan to do something to keep you from getting bored?

Thanks for your observations, especially on investing. I really must do better in the future.

[udon]

I wonder if you use air conditioning very much? I'm a pretty heavy user of air conditioning, so I expect my electricity bill wil be pretty high. When I was looking at a furnished apartment out in the Emporium area of Sukumvit, the agent estimated that constant air conditioning use in the apartment might come to $150 a month.

Hi Mooney,

the agent was right on the money, that's exactly what I pay each month, directly to the power supplier, NOT the landlord.

Go for a furnished place, the rent receipt will be divided in 2,

showing a low rental for the propertyand a high rent for the furniture,

it's some kind of tax dodge for the owner of the property.

Unfurnished digs are as common as chicken teeth.

I have a 2 yr agreement and a fantastic landlord (Thai/Farang).

I consider myself to be very lucky.

My last landlord was a complete <deleted>!

I wouldn't swap this house for anything near the action.

Keep in touch.