Do you think (most) financially struggling western retirees are stupid for not retiring abroad?

[Jingthing]

2 minutes ago, nauseus said:

Was that another low-level comment?

How does that make you feel?

[sirineou]

6 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Do you think (most) financially struggling western retirees are stupid for not retiring abroad?

Not stupid, 

It take a particular personality to do what we have done.

For most humans the fear of loss of what they have, is much greater than the desire for gain,

It takes a risk tolerant personality to pick up and move to a foreign country. 

Most older people are for the most part risk averse  

[Northstar1]

Fact is many have come here, living in a shoe box, eating at tin cup, no health insurance,( hence the go fund me pages) and thought it would be great!

grass ain’t always greener on the other side!

thailand is no place for a poor man 

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, Northstar1 said:

Fact is many have come here, living in a shoe box, eating at tin cup, no health insurance,( hence the go fund me pages) and thought it would be great!

grass ain’t always greener on the other side!

thailand is no place for a poor man 

Better a shoe box than no box or your box costing most of your income.

[bignok]

5 minutes ago, Northstar1 said:

Fact is many have come here, living in a shoe box, eating at tin cup, no health insurance,( hence the go fund me pages) and thought it would be great!

grass ain’t always greener on the other side!

thailand is no place for a poor man 

50m poor Thais. Live on 10,000 baht a month or less.

[bignok]

Sad emoji troll 5555

[JimTripper]

1 hour ago, GinBoy2 said:

An interesting question would also be, Don't underestimate how in the final chapter of your life being close to family is a huge draw.

getting old alone is downright scary. probably top of the list for most people. you don't realize it until you get older.

 

if you start getting less mobile or problems with cataracts, the list goes on... there's nobody around to help you out except the maid who may not speak english. your dead or crawling for help to the next door neighbor.

 

that's why my neighbor in bangkok went back to home country after decades (at that same apartment in bangkok). he did hire a young thai lady to help him out, but probably not for increasing physical care, it was more just for groceries, errands etc.

 

i hope he got along ok. i think he had extended family back in the home country that settled him in.

Edited October 21, 2023 by JimTripper

[persimmon]

6 hours ago, bignok said:

Nong Khai has 3,500 baht a month rooms. Get yourself a 30yo gf. 

Maybe unaffordable for those on a tight budget . I think the going rate for support is around 10 - 20,000 / month .

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, JimTripper said:

Most people don't really act on anything unless they have to.

 

Give them a TV and a couch and food stamps and they just sit there. That's why they time limit social programs, or ween down the benefits over time, and you need to show you're looking for work. People don't like to change on their own.

 

Ditto for moving to a foreign country. Most won't be proactive, they will just delay until they are skint broke and don't have the retirement deposit.

It is called a wasted life. I have a friend who is planning on retiring in Thailand he finally retired after 10 years of planning he decided to stay in Los Angeles what an incredible mistake all because his brother had a nice house that he could stay in for free and likely some fear factor too. He is miserable there. 

[spidermike007]

1 minute ago, persimmon said:

Maybe unaffordable for those on a tight budget . I think the going rate for support is around 10 - 20,000 / month .

Personally I think if you take into account all the additional expenses that one has to factor in when you have a girlfriend it's not double, it's more like 1.3 times more than what you would spend if you were single. Face creams, moisturizers, doctors, dentists, clothing, the dishes she orders that you wouldn't, the list literally goes on and on and on. 20 to 30,000 Baht is a realistic budget for having a woman regardless of whether or not you're giving her a generous allowance, just basic expenses. 

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

As far as the being there for family question (or the family being there for you) for those that still have those kinds of connections, depending on your home country, you can move closer to your home country. It's no mystery why there are millions of American expats in Mexico. 

That doesn't work for everyone of course because of a funny thing called geography.

Americans are much more comfortable being close to home. Not me. But many. 

[bignok]

6 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

It is called a wasted life. I have a friend who is planning on retiring in Thailand he finally retired after 10 years of planning he decided to stay in Los Angeles what an incredible mistake all because his brother had a nice house that he could stay in for free and likely some fear factor too. He is miserable there. 

I know a guy who lives with sister. Cheap rent, rarely leaves the house. His life is the most boring ive seen.

[spidermike007]

2 minutes ago, bignok said:

I know a guy who lives with sister. Cheap rent, rarely leaves the house. His life is the most boring ive seen.

Yikes. And it will be over in a flash. And what did he have to say for it? Why not seek out a far more fulfilling and adventurous life? Thailand ticks many of the boxes for me. Is it perfect? No. Do I have some complaints? Yes. Am I fulfilled? Absolutely. I love the life and feel very blessed to have had the courage to make the move away from the US. The land of the bitter, unfulfilled, malcontent, humorless, violent and social misfits. 

[Jingthing]

6 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Americans are much more comfortable being close to home. Not me. But many. 

I haven't been to Mexico in a long time but I'm hearing that it's gotten a lot more Americanized. Not necessarily a good thing. Also of course the dollar ain't what it used to be there.

[Prubangboy]

Heavy selection bias here; we're the ones who did it and it worked out -or who are gagging to do it. We never hear from the failed and the not-interested, who are many.

 

Back home, how many people were/are travel/diff culture-driven?

 

I have one friend who I mentioned being Brazil-oriented, and one who's married in Kyoto. Out of a lifetime.

[JimTripper]

10 minutes ago, bignok said:

I know a guy who lives with sister. Cheap rent, rarely leaves the house. His life is the most boring ive seen.

17 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

It is called a wasted life. I have a friend who is planning on retiring in Thailand he finally retired after 10 years of planning he decided to stay in Los Angeles what an incredible mistake all because his brother had a nice house that he could stay in for free and likely some fear factor too. He is miserable there. 

a lot of people have issues with their family, good or bad. emeshed entanglements from childhood, etc. where they are manipulated into hanging around and supporting others or need support from particular family members. that makes it hard to make a far away move. it may not be just financial or laziness.

Edited October 21, 2023 by JimTripper

[bignok]

Just now, JimTripper said:

a lot of people have issues with their family, good or bad. emeshed entanglements from childhood, etc. where they are manipulated into hanging around and supporting others or need support from particular family members. that makes it hard to make a far away move. it may not be just financial or laziness.

He watches trash tv from the 90s and eats junk food. Strange dude. 

[Northstar1]

12 minutes ago, bignok said:

I know a guy who lives with sister. Cheap rent, rarely leaves the house. His life is the most boring ive seen.

I know several guys that live in Thailand, little money, hang out in front of miles mall, eat rice soup, no health insurance, no family. Most boring life I have seen!

and that’s before health issues start!

then what?

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, Northstar1 said:

I know several guys that live in Thailand, little money, hang out in front of miles mall, eat rice soup, no health insurance, no family. Most boring life I have seen!

and that’s before health issues start!

then what?

So on that money their life back home would be what?

I'm not saying no money.

 

[still kicking]

7 hours ago, Celsius said:

People with such a low income live in subsidized housing and get many other benefits.

 

They probably live better than you. 

 

Old farts who live in Thailand always like to make themselves feel better about the decision to move here.

Agree, don't know about the US but I live in OZ get a pension $1525 per month my rent is only $ 604.I have free medical, which cost me an arm and leg in Thailand (if I can obtain one due to old age) have free train or bus rides and I can still afford a holiday twice a year. I lived in Thailand for many years and had less money than I have now, plus I found Thai language was hard to learn and I am not too keen on Thai food. So yes, I am happy I moved back.

[bignok]

19 minutes ago, Northstar1 said:

I know several guys that live in Thailand, little money, hang out in front of miles mall, eat rice soup, no health insurance, no family. Most boring life I have seen!

and that’s before health issues start!

then what?

Miles mall?

[KhunLA]

Mind boggling

Edited October 21, 2023 by KhunLA

[bignok]

Find a gf live with her. Everything else is bs. Avoid toxic people.

[Northstar1]

46 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

So on that money their life back home would be what?

I'm not saying no money.

 

you don’t see old people dying on the streets like Thailand!

ftee healthcare, soup kitchens, free long term care, etc etc

[connda]

9 hours ago, EchoPlus said:

Not everything is about money or purchase power.

Most people want to stay in the place they call home.

You need a peculiar mindset to go die in a country where most people don't even speak your language, infrastructure sucks and your family ain't around. Most people retiring in Thailand are in a way or another, deep down inside, sad and lonely individuals. I mean no disrespect. It's just the truth.

Speaking for yourself no doubt.  17 posts but, yeah we know, you've been in Thailand for the last 20 years and expats are your field of study and you're just getting around to Thai Visa AseanNow to school the rest of us on expat psychology.

I have a wife, a family, property and a home, and a life - here- in Thailand.  Many of us do.  Honestly. 
You don't have a clue. No disrespect. 

[nauseus]

4 hours ago, Jingthing said:

How does that make you feel?

High.

[Lacessit]

10 hours ago, CANSIAM said:

Agreed, I would also guess to say many folks living abroad have worked abroad as well, making an international transition much easier and not a massive 'get up and leave Uproot'.............

Spot on.

[stupidfarang]

14 hours ago, Bobthegimp said:

They hate US foreign policy, an important distinction.  When was the last time a plane was hijacked?  Sorry, I haven't watched television in 20 year and am out of touch with made for TV movies. 

September 11th 2001, surprised you missed it there were four planes hijacked all at the same time, plus there is a theroy there was a 5th plane to be hijacked, there is a documentry out now about it. I do agree with you people hate US foreign policy and along with that their are many who hate americans as a whole. Not saying it is right to do so, but there are so many knowen cases in history of US foreign policy backed up with feet on the ground, Take a look at South America as one example of feet on the ground.

[Celsius]

9 hours ago, still kicking said:

Agree, don't know about the US but I live in OZ get a pension $1525 per month my rent is only $ 604.I have free medical, which cost me an arm and leg in Thailand (if I can obtain one due to old age) have free train or bus rides and I can still afford a holiday twice a year. I lived in Thailand for many years and had less money than I have now, plus I found Thai language was hard to learn and I am not too keen on Thai food. So yes, I am happy I moved back.

There you go. Many won't like the truth tho

[gearbox]

2 minutes ago, Celsius said:

There you go. Many won't like the truth tho

That's not the truth. His rental numbers are way off down.

 

https://mozo.com.au/home-loans/articles/what-is-the-average-rent-in-australia

 

In the article above the numbers are weekly rents. His pension is good enough to only rent and then live on tap water...at least the tap water is drinkable in Oz.