A good rule of thumb to be happy is to get as much as you can afford. You end up being happy in that because you have to basically. There’s no yearning for something that’s not obtainable.

17 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

A good rule of thumb to be happy is to get as much as you can afford. You end up being happy in that because you have to basically. There’s no yearning for something that’s not obtainable.

How's that working for you?

3 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

How's that working for you?

How’s what working out for me?

34 minutes ago, HappyExpat57 said:

Different strokes. I was living in a 148 sq mtr on the water in Na Jomtien. Initially I was thrilled, but keeping it clean was more bother than my lazy butt wanted to do....

Had the same problem, so bought one of these.

 

Created a schedule so living room cleaned first thing in the morning before I get up. Simples.

 

Where do you guys do your cooking 

12 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

Where do you guys do your cooking 

I have a small kitchen and use one of those gas camping stoves. Works like a charm.

Never cooked in Thailand. 60 baht for cooked food.

1 hour ago, champers said:

OK, I'll be first.

I do live in a "shoebox"; with my girlfriend; on a condo complex with about 2000 units and have done for almost 7 years. It is not my ideal but before moving in I saw many places in my budget far worse than where I am now. I am by no means the only farang here, many have been here longer than I have so must like it as I do.

I have a gym and pool (included in my rent of 7000 Baht per month), a library, a launderette, an onsite 7/11 open 24/7 and nice landscaped gardens to relax in. 

I am way better off financially and emotionally than I would be back in the UK. After visiting here twice a year for many years it was my dream to move here in retirement. I am now living my dream. In a couple of years I will be eligible for my UK state pension which will be a life changing amount of money for me. I will look to upscale my condo but am happy to stay on the same complex which is clean, safe, quiet, well maintained and on a baht bus route.

I have easy access to shopping malls, countless bars, cafes and restaurants. Four cinema complexes are nearby.

The only time I have felt closed in and cramped for room was during the strictest part of the Covid lockdown when me and the girlfriend got under each others feet and skin. That was for about a month or so. My girlfriend has her own business so we don't normally live in each others pockets.

As for cooking, I have a slow cooker, toaster, microwave, a hot plate and a halogen oven/grill. I would like more room to expand my culinary repertoire but I get by just fine for now.

I appreciate that many could not or will not live in such a small condo unit. It is fine for me, so I am not going to get into an argument or discuss my life story with anybody. My choices affect me and my girlfriend, not other posters on here.

You already did discuss your life story. Thanks for sharing ???? 

35 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

How’s what working out for me?

I think he’s referring to your often yearning for your ‘unobtainable’, on this forum ????

"yep studio for me with balcony but only 2nd floor in case i get pushed off... ???? "

 

Are you Russian? Seems it's their national illness... ????

 

"........... and is already thinking of buying her a 3.5Mbht house."

 

You think that's being too cheap?

4 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I think balconies, and also swimming pools, are overrated.

Everybody wants one. But then most people never use the balcony and never use the swimming pool. 

Why? I don't know. But it's reality. 

That’s just crazy. Without a balcony, you live in a shoe box. My balcony doors are rarely closed. It’s an extension of my living space and at 15 square metres would be a waste to not use it. It also has an East/West aspect, so I can watch the sunrise and sunset from the same place.

I’ve rarely  eaten a meal inside the apartment. Usually on the balcony. 
Didn’t have COVID claustrophobia, since I was mostly outside, even when at home. 

1 hour ago, HappyExpat57 said:

have two 36 sq mtr rooms in the same building across the hall from each other.

How convenient. This is exactly what I would do as it lets you always live in a unit on the shade side. The building would of course need to have a north and south side. 

45 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

Where do you guys do your cooking 

kitchen area, some studios have a kitchen on the balcony but how about the rain and insects?

33 minutes ago, bignok said:

Never cooked in Thailand. 60 baht for cooked food.

Lazy, sometimes it's better at home

11 minutes ago, GypsyT said:

"........... and is already thinking of buying her a 3.5Mbht house."

 

You think that's being too cheap?

who commits to a girl being a girlfriend without meeting? answer, a very naive person

"Is your name 'Mark', 'cos there's one born every minute.'

 

If you had used "sucker" that'd be more correct except in my case it will be her.... ????

1 hour ago, HappyExpat57 said:

Different strokes. I was living in a 148 sq mtr on the water in Na Jomtien. Initially I was thrilled, but keeping it clean was more bother than my lazy butt wanted to do. I moved to Chanthaburi for work and have two 36 sq mtr rooms in the same building across the hall from each other. I live in one and store my "stuff" in the other, and it suits me just fine.

And that is all that is important. As long as it works for you, means absolutely nothing what I think or prefer. Contentment is a beautiful thing.

As a long term marrieds, I love having a large one bedroom corner unit so we can get away from each other. Two rooms, about 55 sqm per room.

 

We also have a wrap-around terrace for bong hits., but like most Thai balconies, you'd be hard pressed to fit a sun bed out there. At this life stage, I'd still want a lot of space even if I was single. Like SpiderMike said, space around you is the ultimate luxury.

 

We were in a 60 sqm one bedroom for 20K a month in The Nimmana, a very plush condo with all the trappings. Now we're in concrete oldie down a quiet soi for double the space for 25K a month. For Nimman, that's a good a deal.

6 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

I'm looking at real estate in Pattaya now ready for my future 

 

I did stay in a 1 bedroom studio ( separated wall ) 28sqm in Arcadia waters condominiums which was great for a short period but could I do it longer !

 

Studio is good for single busy man I guess 

 

Studios , rooms ,bedsitters that's the names they call them.

 

Judging by the real estate sites the majority of for sale are Studio apartment ranging from 16sqm to 38sqm

 

,my question is who here lives actually lives in a studio apartment/ room /bedsitter ?

 

Do you have a real cooking kitchen or a hotplate setup

 

Do you use the bed to watch TV or actually have a lounge chair?

 

How do you find it for living ?

Are you sick of it ?

I could not live without a balcony and I saw some for sale without ,one was 16sqm for 300,000 baht 

 

 

Studio is not the issue, it’s the size, design,  location and price etc that is your issue. 
If you are going to live there, forget about new builds with their tiny rooms and ‘impressive’ facilities. Smallest studio I utilised was around 40sq.m with an inside kitchen. That was okay. If you have a decent balcony space, that can be utilised for cooking and eating too. A halogen style oven can warm your breakfast pastries and can be utilised for lunch and dinner too. You can even have a hot plate out there. Balconies are indispensable to healthy living here. 

9 minutes ago, LaosLover said:

As a long term marrieds, I love having a large one bedroom corner unit so we can get away from each other. Two rooms, about 55 sqm per room.

 

We also have a wrap-around terrace for bong hits., but like most Thai balconies, you'd be hard pressed to fit a sun bed out there. At this life stage, I'd still want a lot of space even if I was single. Like SpiderMike said, space around you is the ultimate luxury.

 

We were in a 60 sqm one bedroom for 20K a month in The Nimmana, a very plush condo with all the trappings. Now we're in concrete oldie down a quiet soi for double the space for 25K a month. For Nimman, that's a good a deal.

ah so not a studio, off topic

31 minutes ago, NextG said:

That’s just crazy. Without a balcony, you live in a shoe box. My balcony doors are rarely closed. It’s an extension of my living space and at 15 square metres would be a waste to not use it. It also has an East/West aspect, so I can watch the sunrise and sunset from the same place.

I’ve rarely  eaten a meal inside the apartment. Usually on the balcony. 
Didn’t have COVID claustrophobia, since I was mostly outside, even when at home. 

Great for you. And I am sure there are people who are regularly on their balconies.

But there are also many who rented a bough a place with a balcony and then "never" used it.

My studio did not have a balcony, my new place, to be moved in soon, has one. Let's see how often I will use it.

3 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Great for you. And I am sure there are people who are regularly on their balconies.

But there are also many who rented a bough a place with a balcony and then "never" used it.

My studio did not have a balcony, my new place, to be moved in soon, has one. Let's see how often I will use it.

It depends on whether you intend to utilise it in the first place. Of course having beachfront/sea view location is an incentive. If it polluted and humid outside, one might be tempted to close the doors and to turn on the air conditioning. But I choose places where I could live naturally without air conditioning. I haven’t turned them on even once, in years. 

37 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

who commits to a girl being a girlfriend without meeting? answer, a very naive person

Takes 1 month of dating to become a gf imo

They havent even met

40 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Lazy, sometimes it's better at home

Im a nomad. 

10 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Great for you. And I am sure there are people who are regularly on their balconies.

But there are also many who rented a bough a place with a balcony and then "never" used it.

My studio did not have a balcony, my new place, to be moved in soon, has one. Let's see how often I will use it.

Balconies are dirty and dusty. Id rather sit inside.

34 minutes ago, LaosLover said:

As a long term marrieds, I love having a large one bedroom corner unit so we can get away from each other. Two rooms, about 55 sqm per room.

 

We also have a wrap-around terrace for bong hits., but like most Thai balconies, you'd be hard pressed to fit a sun bed out there. At this life stage, I'd still want a lot of space even if I was single. Like SpiderMike said, space around you is the ultimate luxury.

 

We were in a 60 sqm one bedroom for 20K a month in The Nimmana, a very plush condo with all the trappings. Now we're in concrete oldie down a quiet soi for double the space for 25K a month. For Nimman, that's a good a deal.

Id want to live in another unit than share with a 70yo woman.

2 hours ago, GypsyT said:

 

My new gf, who I haven't met in person yet, suggested I'd buy a business condo close to Nong Prue Lake.

 

Wow sounds like she’s good at her business…you’re already roped in 

2 hours ago, GypsyT said:

My new gf, who I haven't met in person yet, suggested I'd buy a business condo close to Nong Prue Lake

Is that where her Thai boyfriend lives?

6 minutes ago, novacova said:

Wow sounds like she’s good at her business…you’re already roped in 

Could be a guy from Nigeria