Repatriated to the US after seven years in LOS on OA.

[moontang]

Moved specifically to NE Wyoming, the nation's energy capital...  Really needed to see the parents, missed last year's trip.  Spent three weeks with them in VA and now I am in a house I bought last November, sight unseen, from a deceased woman's daughter.  Would be willing to answer some questions you may have about the bigger challenges, and about life here, in general. 

 

Top of the list was health insurance.  I am mid 50s.  Was looking at short term policies, and I know why they call it junk insurance.  Went to the Marketplace, and signed up under open enrollment.  Getting a subsidy for the full amount.. around 1500 USD per month.  Now I need to watch my income.. not too little, not too much.. Never used Obamacare before.. always used travel medical in LOS and with some luck, was fine.  Next concern.. broadband.. 100 Mbps residential is 52 per month.. and that is the promo.  So that was a loss.  Yesterday, peanut butter, 16 oz. was on sale for a Dollar.. I hadn't eaten it in years, I think... tastes pretty good.. with 2 liter soda for 79 cents.  Sleeping on a bed delivered by Amazon/UPS. 

Questions or comments are welcome.  Sheers! 

 

 

 

Edited May 24, 2021 by moontang

[GinBoy2]

So are you in Gillette? 

 

On the internet you got kinda screwed. Here in Rapid we pay $79 for 1 Gig service

Edited May 24, 2021 by GinBoy2

[moontang]

36 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

So are you in Gillette? 

 

On the internet you got kinda screwed. Here in Rapid we pay $79 for 1 Gig service

Correct... using Spectrum.  Also, looked for homes in RAP, but they lacked good fixer offerings.  May use RAP for flights in the future, but for now have three flights to/from DEN.. all with UAL.  Free parking at GCC. 

[DerbyDan]

I tried that a couple times and never really adjusted back to where I was. Same age bracket.

 

Things feel 2-3x more expensive no matter how well off you are. Dating is a crime. Lots of time spent dwelling on previous exciting travel lifestyle for the same money. A little dental work and your thinking about just getting it done abroad and throwing in a free holiday.

 

It was nice to see parents though and sort financial affairs while there. It was also nice to be around people and places that felt like home where there were no language issues and no mosquito's.

[sirineou]

Welcome back to the states. We just did the opposite and moved back to Thailand, I don't have an opinion on where it's better. 

IMO some things some things in the US are better, and some things in Thailand are better, If you consider everything , in the end it's a wash. 

It all depends what is important , or nessacery at the time. 

I am not giving up the house in the US, I realize that one day I will have to return, medical care as I get older being the biggest reason. 

  Wyoming is beautiful country, I some ways I envy you. How long have you been there? Did you have a winter yet?  

[moontang]

4 minutes ago, sirineou said:

Welcome back to the states. We just did the opposite and moved back to Thailand, I don't have an opinion on where it's better. 

IMO some things some things in the US are better, and some things in Thailand are better, If you consider everything , in the end it's a wash. 

It all depends what is important , or nessacery at the time. 

I am not giving up the house in the US, I realize that one day I will have to return, medical care as I get older being the biggest reason. 

  Wyoming is beautiful country, I some ways I envy you. How long have you been there? Did you have a winter yet?  

I may snowbird in Mexico.  Agreed, some things are better, some worse.  And as above stated, dating scene is a horror story.. but it only takes one (or two, lol). 

[sirineou]

21 minutes ago, moontang said:

I may snowbird in Mexico.  Agreed, some things are better, some worse.  And as above stated, dating scene is a horror story.. but it only takes one (or two, lol). 

 Mexico for a couple of months in the winter might not be a bad idea. Winters are brutal (though beautiful) in Wyoming. If you do the snowbird thing, consider the fact that you will either have to winterize the house, or will need to have some one to keep an eye on it. 

How are the property taxes there?  I gave up New York and moved to Florida, cause I was unwilling to pay close to $1,000 a month for property  tax., and had enough of the winters, though I did mess them once in a while. 

Do you have acreage there? I miss my summer garden in New York. , How is the soil there. Will you be starting a summer garden? 

Picture!! we need pictures.  

 

Edited May 24, 2021 by sirineou

[GinBoy2]

52 minutes ago, moontang said:

Correct... using Spectrum.  Also, looked for homes in RAP, but they lacked good fixer offerings.  May use RAP for flights in the future, but for now have three flights to/from DEN.. all with UAL.  Free parking at GCC. 

I work at the airport in RAP.

 

Right now much better than GCC.

One mainline UAL A319 flight to DEN then 4 more EMB 175 UAX to  Denver. Next week we start mainline Delta to MSP & ATL on top of the Delta connection flights

 

[GinBoy2]

23 minutes ago, sirineou said:

 Mexico for a couple of months in the winter might not be a bad idea. Winters are brutal (though beautiful) in Wyoming. If you do the snowbird thing, consider the fact that you will either have to winterize the house, or will need to have some one to keep an eye on it. 

How are the property taxes there?  I gave up New York and moved to Florida, cause I was unwilling to pay close to $1,000 a month for property  tax., and had enough of the winters, though I did mess them once in a while. 

Do you have acreage there? I miss my summer garden in New York. , How is the soil there. Will you be starting a summer garden? 

Picture!! we need pictures.  

 

Gillette isn't bad in terms of weather, practically the same as here in Western South Dakota., tucked up against the Black Hills

 

Whenever folks hear South Dakota or Wyoming they think North Dakota, which thanks to the movie Fargo  is freakin extreme.

 

We get hot summers and the winters can be cold, but it's a few weeks at it's worst

 

Right now it's beautiful. Me and Mrs G just went for a walk around Canyon Lake. A balmy 75 degree's and perfect blue sky.

 

The local RV park next to the lake is packed, which is early for this time of year, I think folks are just done with the whole covid thing and wanna stretch their legs in open spaces

Edited May 24, 2021 by GinBoy2

[moontang]

1 hour ago, sirineou said:

 Mexico for a couple of months in the winter might not be a bad idea. Winters are brutal (though beautiful) in Wyoming. If you do the snowbird thing, consider the fact that you will either have to winterize the house, or will need to have some one to keep an eye on it. 

How are the property taxes there?  I gave up New York and moved to Florida, cause I was unwilling to pay close to $1,000 a month for property  tax., and had enough of the winters, though I did mess them once in a while. 

Do you have acreage there? I miss my summer garden in New York. , How is the soil there. Will you be starting a summer garden? 

Picture!! we need pictures.  

 

Prop taxes are low.. less than one percent of market value.  No state income tax, and 5% sales tax, but zero on non restaurant food.  I have a small house on 3500 sf lot, it is zoned commercial/residential and is 86 yo.  I am in what has been designated as historic downtown... there is a ton of potential.  Soil is excellent, but growing season is short. 

Edited May 24, 2021 by moontang

[GinBoy2]

1 hour ago, moontang said:

Prop taxes are low.. less than one percent of market value.  No state income tax, and 5% sales tax, but zero on non restaurant food.  I have a small house on 3500 sf lot, it is zoned commercial/residential and is 86 yo.  I am in what has been designated as historic downtown... there is a ton of potential.  Soil is excellent, but growing season is short. 

The no State tax is a biggie.

 

I'm a Californian, and it was when I moved to Asia that I realized it was time to move my residency.

 

Sacramento, sticks very much to the Hotel California model, keep a CA DL and they can decide you a still a Californian resident, and thereby subject to State tax.

 

In my early career I worked for Rockwell and came out here with the B1 bomber deployments, so when I went to Asia I bought a home  here which I rented out, and I was a South Dakotan, thus zero State tax.

 

It subsequently made our move back easy since we had a house to immediately move in to.

 

On the horticultural front. Mrs G bemoans the fact that the flower growing season is pretty short here in the Midwest, but great for the flower sellers!

[moontang]

57 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

The no State tax is a biggie.

 

I'm a Californian, and it was when I moved to Asia that I realized it was time to move my residency.

 

Sacramento, sticks very much to the Hotel California model, keep a CA DL and they can decide you a still a Californian resident, and thereby subject to State tax.

 

In my early career I worked for Rockwell and came out here with the B1 bomber deployments, so when I went to Asia I bought a home  here which I rented out, and I was a South Dakotan, thus zero State tax.

 

It subsequently made our move back easy since we had a house to immediately move in to.

 

On the horticultural front. Mrs G bemoans the fact that the flower growing season is pretty short here in the Midwest, but great for the flower sellers!

I lived in CA from 89 to 95.  A few years ago, got a letter from Sukramento saying the 200 I owed them had now mushroomed into 1250...from 1996.  Sorted by showing the home I bought in AZ in 95.  Kind of upsetting.. they had been stalking me for years, apparently, but waited till the amount had grown. Several hours on the phone took care of it, but to this day, I won't bank with any institution based in CA...mostly for fear of levy.  

[GinBoy2]

7 hours ago, moontang said:

I lived in CA from 89 to 95.  A few years ago, got a letter from Sukramento saying the 200 I owed them had now mushroomed into 1250...from 1996.  Sorted by showing the home I bought in AZ in 95.  Kind of upsetting.. they had been stalking me for years, apparently, but waited till the amount had grown. Several hours on the phone took care of it, but to this day, I won't bank with any institution based in CA...mostly for fear of levy.  

You are not alone with that scenario.

 

The Franchise Tax Board in Sac is very good at squeezing out every penny of unwilling victims!

 

[GinBoy2]

21 hours ago, sirineou said:

 Mexico for a couple of months in the winter might not be a bad idea. Winters are brutal (though beautiful) in Wyoming. If you do the snowbird thing, consider the fact that you will either have to winterize the house, or will need to have some one to keep an eye on it. 

How are the property taxes there?  I gave up New York and moved to Florida, cause I was unwilling to pay close to $1,000 a month for property  tax., and had enough of the winters, though I did mess them once in a while. 

Do you have acreage there? I miss my summer garden in New York. , How is the soil there. Will you be starting a summer garden? 

Picture!! we need pictures.  

 

Property taxes in the Northeast do seem unreal.

 

I have a friend that lives just south of Boston, and he tells the same tale of monthly property taxes in the thousands.

 

We pay $2k a year!

 

Even in the Democratic Socialist Republic of California I never paid anywhere near those kind of numbers

[GinBoy2]

22 hours ago, sirineou said:

Welcome back to the states. We just did the opposite and moved back to Thailand, I don't have an opinion on where it's better. 

IMO some things some things in the US are better, and some things in Thailand are better, If you consider everything , in the end it's a wash. 

It all depends what is important , or nessacery at the time. 

I am not giving up the house in the US, I realize that one day I will have to return, medical care as I get older being the biggest reason. 

  Wyoming is beautiful country, I some ways I envy you. How long have you been there? Did you have a winter yet?  

I can go backwards and forwards on which is better or worse.

 

If you live a 100% western lifestyle in Thailand, I think it's marginal if it's any cheaper than in a non coastal State in the US.

I've done the cost comparisons before, and I'm hard pressed to come up with a definitive answer one way or the other.

 

We keep our house in Thailand, which is a great vacation spot, although not this year or last!

 

But in general I am happy we moved back to the US as our primary residence.

 

Mrs G desperately wanted to move closer to our son who had followed my daughter to Denver, and she wanted to restart her career, which as a female engineer in Thailand had pretty much stalled.

 

So unlike many on here, I don't feel I need to hate one to love the other. They both have positives and negatives.

 

That being said. The older I get, the idea of getting sick or worse still infirm in Thailand would not be a prospect I would want.

In that circumstance being home in the US would be a must, which is why I always advise folks never to burn bridges, have an exit plan.

[moontang]

39 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

I can go backwards and forwards on which is better or worse.

 

If you live a 100% western lifestyle in Thailand, I think it's marginal if it's any cheaper than in a non coastal State in the US.

I've done the cost comparisons before, and I'm hard pressed to come up with a definitive answer one way or the other.

 

We keep our house in Thailand, which is a great vacation spot, although not this year or last!

 

But in general I am happy we moved back to the US as our primary residence.

 

Mrs G desperately wanted to move closer to our son who had followed my daughter to Denver, and she wanted to restart her career, which as a female engineer in Thailand had pretty much stalled.

 

So unlike many on here, I don't feel I need to hate one to love the other. They both have positives and negatives.

 

That being said. The older I get, the idea of getting sick or worse still infirm in Thailand would not be a prospect I would want.

In that circumstance being home in the US would be a must, which is why I always advise folks never to burn bridges, have an exit plan.

Agreed.  Quality food is less here, but no such thing as cheap and tasty street food.  I have been walking a lot on the good sidewalks and breathing the much cleaner air.  Seems to have helped lower my BP.  

 

Joined www.latincupid.com yesterday.  Lots of Catholic girls out there... impossible to do any thing without paying, unlike Thai Friend Finder, etc.. 

 

After LOS, it is pure culture shock to see how courteous the drivers are, here.  If you are anywhere near the intersection, as a pedestrian.. they insist that you cross first with a wave.  I always return with a wave and a nod of appreciation.  

Edited May 25, 2021 by moontang

[sirineou]

21 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

I can go backwards and forwards on which is better or worse.

 

If you live a 100% western lifestyle in Thailand, I think it's marginal if it's any cheaper than in a non coastal State in the US.

I've done the cost comparisons before, and I'm hard pressed to come up with a definitive answer one way or the other.

 

We keep our house in Thailand, which is a great vacation spot, although not this year or last!

 

But in general I am happy we moved back to the US as our primary residence.

 

Mrs G desperately wanted to move closer to our son who had followed my daughter to Denver, and she wanted to restart her career, which as a female engineer in Thailand had pretty much stalled.

 

So unlike many on here, I don't feel I need to hate one to love the other. They both have positives and negatives.

 

That being said. The older I get, the idea of getting sick or worse still infirm in Thailand would not be a prospect I would want.

In that circumstance being home in the US would be a must, which is why I always advise folks never to burn bridges, have an exit plan.

I am much the same as you, Love both places for different reasons, but I realize that at some point when I get older I will have to return where my support system is . Which is why I will not sell my house in the US. I am renting it to a friend right now, not because I need the income, though it is nice, but because it is good to know there is someone taking care of the house. 

We have build a comfortable home here in Thailand all paid for, Same in the US, and with my job pension and Social security, cost of living is not a big concern in either places. , though I am not beyond saving some money. ???? 

I could not agree with you more about burning bridges. IMO. if one had to sell everything to finance retirement  in Thailand , one is not ready to retire, and a few more years of working might be in order. There , must be nothing worst than being stuck here in Thailand , or any place in the world for that matter, with no options. 

[sirineou]

1 hour ago, GinBoy2 said:

Property taxes in the Northeast do seem unreal.

 

I have a friend that lives just south of Boston, and he tells the same tale of monthly property taxes in the thousands.

 

We pay $2k a year!

 

Even in the Democratic Socialist Republic of California I never paid anywhere near those kind of numbers

It is a crime IMO.

To have worked and paid tax your whole life, and then to have to move when you retire, because you don't want to pay half or one third of your pension just in property tax is a crime .

They should have some sort of discount for retired senior citizens that had lived in that area for a length of time before retiring. Perhaps maybe some type of means testing, Property taxes should not be more than a percentage of your fixed retirement income.   

[moontang]

16 minutes ago, sirineou said:

It is a crime IMO.

To have worked and paid tax your whole life, and then to have to move when you retire, because you don't want to pay half or one third of your pension just in property tax is a crime .

They should have some sort of discount for retired senior citizens that had lived in that area for a length of time before retiring. Perhaps maybe some type of means testing, Property taxes should not be more than a percentage of your fixed retirement income.   

There are breaks for over 65 in some jurisdictions.  In Fairfax VA, if you had less than 350k in assets, besides the house, and income under around 40-50k, they would wave prop taxes, which run about 1.25% of market value, with homes averaging 600+.  My parents now live 90 miles from DC, and pay 1600 on a house they could sell for 300k.

 

But drive four hours to Pittsburgh.. crikey.. 50k row house, pretty cool city living, could be 2000 in prop taxes.. and 5% in transfer taxes.. and 1% city income tax.. and the roads are awful. 

Edited May 25, 2021 by moontang

[sirineou]

4:30 am here in Thailand, and I hate roosters. Oh and dogs too. ????

[GinBoy2]

44 minutes ago, sirineou said:

<snip>

I could not agree with you more about burning bridges. IMO. if one had to sell everything to finance retirement  in Thailand , one is not ready to retire, and a few more years of working might be in order. There , must be nothing worst than being stuck here in Thailand , or any place in the world for that matter, with no options. 

I think that may be the problem for some of the more ardent Thai apologists on TVF is that they are in the stuck category.

 

I feel for them, but you make your bed and you ultimately have to lie in in. I would never have moved to a country where I wasn't a citizen or permanent resident without a backup plan to go home

[GinBoy2]

5 minutes ago, sirineou said:

4:30 am here in Thailand, and I hate roosters. Oh and dogs too. ????

Wait a few minutes and the loudspeakers will start alerting you the latest riveting news of the day! lol

[moontang]

8 minutes ago, sirineou said:

4:30 am here in Thailand, and I hate roosters. Oh and dogs too. ????

The dogs are near the top of my Thai hate list.  Quite a few idiots with dogs in the US.. difference is you could get about 20 to 200 times more compensation here, if bitten. 

 

 

 

 

[GinBoy2]

4 hours ago, moontang said:

Agreed.  Quality food is less here, but no such thing as cheap and tasty street food.  I have been walking a lot on the good sidewalks and breathing the much cleaner air.  Seems to have helped lower my BP.  

 

Joined www.latincupid.com yesterday.  Lots of Catholic girls out there... impossible to do any thing without paying, unlike Thai Friend Finder, etc.. 

 

After LOS, it is pure culture shock to see how courteous the drivers are, here.  If you are anywhere near the intersection, as a pedestrian.. they insist that you cross first with a wave.  I always return with a wave and a nod of appreciation.  

It took me a while to re-adjust to driving in the US after a decade of Thai driving.

 

Although probably the most re-adjustment was being a pedestrian, not assuming that as in Thailand I was a dead man walking as I crossed the road!

[GinBoy2]

On 5/25/2021 at 2:48 PM, moontang said:

Agreed.  Quality food is less here, but no such thing as cheap and tasty street food.  I have been walking a lot on the good sidewalks and breathing the much cleaner air.  Seems to have helped lower my BP.  

 

<snip>

If you miss Thai street food, or Thai food in general let me point you in the direction of Marions kitchen. Obviously I'm in a slightly different position, since Mrs G obviously cooks Thai food, but even she's got some great recipe ideas from this Australian Thai gal, and her recipes and her vids are easy to follow.

 

https://www.marionskitchen.com/

 

Go down to Denver to get all your supplies. The primary reason I work for the airline is that I get to fly free on United.

 Yes I get to see our kids in Denver, but primarily it's to get Mrs G's foodstuffs! LOL.

 

Lao Market in Westminster, and Pacific Ocean Marketplace are our two primary go to stores.

 

They all laugh at me at work, I fly down in the morning with an enormous suitcase and a cooler, and fly back the same evening laden with 'stuff'

 

 

Edited May 27, 2021 by GinBoy2

[EVENKEEL]

On 5/25/2021 at 1:48 PM, moontang said:

 

 

 

 

After LOS, it is pure culture shock to see how courteous the drivers are, here.  If you are anywhere near the intersection, as a pedestrian.. they insist that you cross first with a wave.  I always return with a wave and a nod of appreciation.  

Nice, but I tried the normal Thai style jaywalking in Ca and instead of car driving past me it stopped which messed up my crossing unnecessarily. A different mind set. 

[moontang]

1 hour ago, GinBoy2 said:

If you miss Thai street food, or Thai food in general let me point you in the direction of Marions kitchen. Obviously I'm in a slightly different position, since Mrs G obviously cooks Thai food, but even she's got some great recipe ideas from this Australian Thai gal, and her recipes and her vids are easy to follow.

 

https://www.marionskitchen.com/

 

Go down to Denver to get all your supplies. The primary reason I work for the airline is that I get to fly free on United.

 

 

 

I was thinking Colorado for a different kind of supply, lol.  I'm 340 from Denver, 290 to Ft Collins.  Waiting for the 49 each way, GCC/DEN on UAL.  Surprised how limited bus service is to DEN, but RAP is easy.. 30 bucks, I recall. 

 

The cable guy told me they sent some guys to work for two days at Casper, and the snow kept them there for a week...and it is only 105 miles to Casper. 

Edited May 27, 2021 by moontang

[AgMech Cowboy]

On 5/25/2021 at 2:08 AM, moontang said:

around 1500 USD per month.

That's more than my SSA payments. I remember starting to work in 1976 as a fluids technician for $875/month.  That's what inflation does for ya'.

Thanks for your post moontang. (I may end up having to move to the US, too)

[rosst]

On 5/26/2021 at 5:33 AM, sirineou said:

4:30 am here in Thailand, and I hate roosters. Oh and dogs too. ????

Don't come to the Philippines ????????????????

More cocks than fleas on a street dog. 

I am used to it now and when I am back in Thailand, the quiet in Isaan keeps me awake????????????????????????

[GinBoy2]

14 minutes ago, Inala said:

 

But drive four hours to Pittsburgh.. crikey.. 

As an Aussie, it's great to here such an eloquent turn of aussie slang used by an American in casual conversation. You must've mixed with some aussie/pommie boys in your time in LOS. 

I 'think' I've always used the expression Crikey too.

 

But then again, as a nerdy teenager in 1970's California, I also listened to a lot of the BBC on shortwave while holed up in my bedroom, so that may be the cause!