How can we save money living in Thailand?

[KIngsofisaan]

9 hours ago, newnative said:

     That's the biggie, isn't it?  Keeping a roof over your head.  Usually the biggest monthly expense for many, most anywhere.  I know when I lived in America and was working, keeping a roof over my head was, like your pensioners, about 50% of my monthly income, too.  In the beginning years probably more than 50% as I was low paid.  And, it was 50% whether I was renting or when I finally scraped up enough money to buy a condo.  

     Which brings me to Thailand.  Whether I rent or own here, it costs me far, far less than what I'd be spending monthly in the US for something comparable.  With a much smaller amount being spent on keeping a roof over my head, it leaves lots more to handle the price increases on other things.  And, while rents and housing prices are skyrocketing in some other countries, that has not been the case here.  

      

You are only looking at half the coin.

 

Has your Thailand property appreciated 200+% as it has in some places in the USA over the last 2 to 3 years?

 

Our US property has appreciated US $325,000 since 2019.

 

Smart people make it to retirement age with NO mortgage.

 

With no mortgage, $0 a month housing is the same in your own country or in Thailand.

 

 

[patman30]

4 minutes ago, KIngsofisaan said:

Smart people make it to retirement age with NO mortgage.

Smart people never have a mortgage????

For any location,

House appreciation is meaningless right up until the day you actually sell,
and inflation must then also be factored in.

some countries still Tax home owners, so "$0 a month housing" doesn't always apply everywhere

[FritsSikkink]

On 7/1/2022 at 10:18 PM, JimTripper said:

My problem is I don't like that lifestyle.

 

Although I don't prefer to be around people who are skint, I prefer being outside on the street, outdoor markets, street food, etc. I don't like indoor places with a/c or places where I'm catered to.

 

There is a lack of risk or edge that I don't like when I am in more expensive venues. They feel to me like a cushion from real life.

You can enjoy street food AND go to more upmarket places. What is real life? 

[JimTripper]

3 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

You can enjoy street food AND go to more upmarket places. What is real life? 

Thanks Fritz, I tried that and it solved my problem. I'm not sure about the life question and will need to grt back to you at a later time when I discover the answer.

[newnative]

11 hours ago, KIngsofisaan said:

You are only looking at half the coin.

 

Has your Thailand property appreciated 200+% as it has in some places in the USA over the last 2 to 3 years?

 

Our US property has appreciated US $325,000 since 2019.

 

Smart people make it to retirement age with NO mortgage.

 

With no mortgage, $0 a month housing is the same in your own country or in Thailand.

 

 

      Your mortgage may be 0 but other costs will likely be higher--including property taxes, HOA fees, and utilities.  If you own a condo in the US, the monthly condo fees are also likely much higher.  My monthly condo fee on my small Virginia condo was $500.   I pay $67 a month in condo fees on my Bangkok condo and $100 a month on my Pattaya condo, both mortgage-free.   Both condos are in doorman buildings with nice amenities in great locations--so, not dives.

      You're absolutely right that housing prices here are not rising 200%.  But, the other half of that coin is housing prices here are still affordable--a good thing, I think, for any society.  If one wants to own mortgage-free there are lots of very reasonable condos and homes available here.  If one prefers to rent, also a wide selection, with many nice ones for less than $500 a month. 

      Certainly, if you own property in the US I commend you.  Buying my first condo in the US after too many years of renting was the smartest thing I ever did.  However, for others not in that boat trying to keep a roof over their heads, Thailand offers reasonable choices both to own or rent--which saves money in Thailand, the topic of this thread..

[BayArea]

On 6/30/2022 at 11:54 AM, talahtnut said:

Live humbly like an ordinary Thai.

Lol!! I think your take on " ordinary " Thai is 20 years behind!

[balo]

If you set your mind to it, you can spend only 300 baht daily. and that will be a normal Thai salary.  No problem.  Only eat locally produced food. 

Edited July 3, 2022 by balo

[gk10012001]

As an engineering contractor the last 20 years, I got paid very well, ... when working.  Sometimes the contracts ended much sooner than expected, sometimes I had a few months between jobs, etc.  One thing one of the old time contractors I shared a cube with said struck a chord with me and I repeat it here:

 

  "When working, live like you're not, so that when you are not working, you can live like you are"

 

 

[gk10012001]

One really can live relatively cheaply in Thailand.  Street food, local hole in the wall restaurants, buying food and cooking at home.  Stir Fried rice and some veggies and some meats goes a long way.  Laundry not a big deal.  Drinking out at clubs can be a big expense in any country The problem is one often has expenses related to home country.  Americans such as me for example, really need to continue paying Medicare Health monies.  Not required, but if one every returns to the USA, the prices are higher to start medicare again because one gets a 10 percent penalty every year they did not have it.  The lowest Medicare B premium is 187 a month I think now.  And then one probably has a Part D or advantage plan or Drug plan on top of that.  Maybe one maintains their USA driver license, maintains some auto driver insurance, etc.

[Robin]

Give up smoking and drinking.

Walk or use  a bicycle for short journeys.

Eat Thai food like a local.

You will live much longer to enjoy your new miserable, life style

[billy54]

Not rocket science is it 

Live below your income 

[mania]

On 7/2/2022 at 2:58 AM, KIngsofisaan said:

You are only looking at half the coin.

 

Has your Thailand property appreciated 200+% as it has in some places in the USA over the last 2 to 3 years?

 

Our US property has appreciated US $325,000 since 2019.

 

Smart people make it to retirement age with NO mortgage.

 

With no mortgage, $0 a month housing is the same in your own country or in Thailand.

 

 

Head of the class ^^^ Agree 101%

[JimTripper]

3 hours ago, billy54 said:

Not rocket science is it 

Live below your income 

Yes, it is. Plenty of people have made fortunes through borrowing money and using credit responsibly.

[patman30]

On 7/2/2022 at 6:38 PM, TropicalGuy said:

Kindle Unlimited for Good Free EBooks.

Search google for
"z lib org"
and thank me later.

[KhunLA]

4 hours ago, JimTripper said:

Yes, it is. Plenty of people have made fortunes through borrowing money and using credit responsibly.

Actually bought a house one time (estate sale), on CC/cash advance for 9k USD (1990 ish).  Paid brother to bring it up to specs for 6k, lived in it for a while, rented it out, than sold it for 30k couple years later, to the same bother, who had it appraised at 65k, then took out a low interest loan against it, to pay off his high interest CC bills.

 

Making other people's money work for you is actually quite easy & profitable.  Creative financing ????

[TropicalGuy]

9 hours ago, patman30 said:

Search google for
"z lib org"
and thank me later.

Don’t need it. Kindle Unlimited AI at 350 baht monthly Presents me with exactly the type of free books it knows I like. Wouldn’t otherwise know these authors/ books even existed so unable to search for them

[whereyougo]

Thailand the land of busted arsed pensioners. 

How the <deleted> is it possible to work 40 years and end up with nothing? 

Sitting in a 40 year old shoebox fan room.  What a way to spend your golden years.  Shameful!!! 

[BritManToo]

30 minutes ago, whereyougo said:

Thailand the land of busted arsed pensioners. 

How the <deleted> is it possible to work 40 years and end up with nothing? 

Divorce! 

[JimTripper]

3 hours ago, whereyougo said:

Thailand the land of busted arsed pensioners. 

How the <deleted> is it possible to work 40 years and end up with nothing? 

Sitting in a 40 year old shoebox fan room.  What a way to spend your golden years.  Shameful!!! 

Pretty easily actually. One divorce or jaded family member is enough. In many other countries it's easy to sue anyone in a minor court and get judgements against you. If you don't pay your bank accounts will be garnished.

Edited July 4, 2022 by JimTripper

[garyk]

I saved lots living there before the new rules started. Then I vacated to greener pastures.

So basically I was spending about 70K a month before the rules, after I was spending NOTHING.. 

But, to be honest Thailand is such a polluted cesspool, I was going to leave anyway.

[garyk]

4 hours ago, whereyougo said:

Thailand the land of busted arsed pensioners. 

How the <deleted> is it possible to work 40 years and end up with nothing? 

Sitting in a 40 year old shoebox fan room.  What a way to spend your golden years.  Shameful!!! 

And sleeping with a hottie 2-3 times a week, Shamefu..

 

Edited July 4, 2022 by garyk

[garyk]

On 7/2/2022 at 7:58 AM, KIngsofisaan said:

You are only looking at half the coin.

 

Has your Thailand property appreciated 200+% as it has in some places in the USA over the last 2 to 3 years?

 

Our US property has appreciated US $325,000 since 2019.

 

Smart people make it to retirement age with NO mortgage.

 

With no mortgage, $0 a month housing is the same in your own country or in Thailand.

 

 

Yeah, mine has gone up over 100K in that time. Just a lower middle class home. Totally agree, it costs me much more to live in Thailand than in the US. But, not near the fun, and I can travel and have a blast in one month what is would cost me in a week here. My problem with Thailand it is not a retirement destination for older expats IMO. Way to polluted. Just miserable after you reach a certain age if you have any kind of respiratory problems what so ever. Many other place so much better when you get old, but a blast when younger...

 

Edited July 4, 2022 by garyk

[Thunglom]

the OP looks like the food market on Prayasaja Kiri Rd, Chonburi.

[Thunglom]

5 hours ago, whereyougo said:

Thailand the land of busted arsed pensioners. 

How the <deleted> is it possible to work 40 years and end up with nothing? 

Sitting in a 40 year old shoebox fan room.  What a way to spend your golden years.  Shameful!!! 

Be careful! Pride comes before a fall, one serious health issue and you end up in debt paying for it, or that girl you took for grants takes you for everything.... or the government decides to change the property laws and all foreigners lose their "ownership" rights......and those guys in their shoe boxes suddenly look at lot more comfortable.

[newnative]

19 hours ago, patman30 said:

Search google for
"z lib org"
and thank me later.

Thank you.  I did not know this site.

[KhunLA]

12 hours ago, whereyougo said:

Sitting in a 40 year old shoebox fan room.  What a way to spend your golden years.  Shameful!!! 

If all you can afford is a shoebox fan room in TH, then I guess it's better than being homeless elsewhere.

 

What does $70/฿2500 or less, a month get you in your home country ?  There's 2 bdrm townhouse near me for $100/฿3500, 1.5 kms from the surf, 5-10 min walk to 7-11 & Makro. 

 

฿10k gets you something quite comfy, condo with pool, gym, or a townhouse if needing more space.

 

 

[Joseph98765]

This is too much kii nok for me....

[trainman34014]

On 7/3/2022 at 4:03 PM, BayArea said:

Lol!! I think your take on " ordinary " Thai is 20 years behind!

Seems you need to get out of the City into Rural Area's and see how the majority of 'ordinary' Thai's live !

[BritManToo]

On 7/3/2022 at 6:51 PM, Robin said:

Give up smoking and drinking.

Walk or use  a bicycle for short journeys.

Eat Thai food like a local.

You will live much longer to enjoy your new miserable, life style

I'm not sure why you say miserable. 

To me miserable would be living in a cold damp UK bedsit surrounded by Syrian refugees. 

Here my pension buys me a nice house, younger woman in my bed, plenty of beer and MJ. 

I'm not entirely sure what some posters expect from life in their twilight years. 

 

Time for a mug of typhoo tea and a bacon sarnie...... Can life get any better? 

Edited July 5, 2022 by BritManToo

[jerrymahoney]

9 hours ago, garyk said:

Just miserable after you reach a certain age if you have any kind of respiratory problems what so ever. Many other place so much better when you get old, but a blast when younger...

I don't have any respiratory problems. Distance swimmer. And even when getting old, at least for me, it is still a blast.