How Can You Retire At 50?

[Bluecat]

I do not understand your question Chonabot?

6 months in a wheelchair was not quick and felt like 6 years.

It shows.

In some of your postings.

You're excused.

By me, anyway,...

[Miami Bob]

I don't drink or like hanging around in bars much. I study Thai, watch movies, read, work out at the gym, ride my bicyle everyday,act as a quide for visiting friends from the states, snorkel, travel around Thialand etc., have girls come over to hang out. You learn to relax and slow everything down so it takes longer. I owned a business here for awhile but that was more boring because I was stuck in one place everyday. But in the big picture, being a little bored at times here in Phuket with all the girls, is better than having to bust my ass everyday and be stressed out back in Miami.

[KevinN]

Being retired does not mean that you set in a chair all day and act like a fukin cabbage,,if you were smart and have a few bucks to do with as you wish,then only a ###### fool will want to keep on working.

When I was a practiceing alcoholic and drank everyday,I often wondered what I would do with all my free time if I didnt spend it drinking,,now that i have been sober awhile,I do not have any free time,,always seems like I got things to do, and not enough hours in a day.

[pnustedt]

I'm planning to retire - a bit over 50 - and wonderng if I'm gonna get enough time to get drunk - my plan is to be a practising alcho but the wife has other ideas

[KevinN]

I'm planning to retire - a bit over 50 - and wonderng if I'm gonna get enough time to get drunk - my plan is to be a practising alcho but the wife has other ideas

In the Blue Book of Alcoholics Anonymous there is 164 pages about the program and a bunch of the book dedicated to storys from AA members so the new comer can understand what it is we are talking about.

There is one of the stories about a business man that found drinking interfered with his business plans.

So he decided to give it up til he was sucessful and rich and then retire and go back to drinking.

This he did,and sold out and retired at a young age, got out his pipe,slippers and booze.

Spent his days drinking,very soon,he couldn't get sober even for a day,and in very few years,,He died an alcoholic death.

Not really something to look foreward to is it?

Really hope you were just kidding.

[pnustedt]

In the Blue Book of Alcoholics Anonymous there is 164 pages about the program and a bunch of the book dedicated to storys from AA members so the new comer can understand what it is we are talking about.

There is one of the stories about a business man that found drinking interfered with his business plans.

So he decided to give it up til he was sucessful and rich and then retire and go back to drinking.

This he did,and sold out and retired at a young age, got out his pipe,slippers and booze.

Spent his days drinking,very soon,he couldn't get sober even for a day,and in very few years,,He died an alcoholic death.

Not really something to look foreward to is it?

Really hope you were just kidding.

Tks for your concern Kevin.

Actually I do intend to drink more, realax more and, hopefully, health permitting, work more. At the moment I really do find reasons NOT to drink i.e. got a mtg tomorrow, driving, etc. Part of my plan is to put that behind me. Not that drinking is the No. 1 priority of my life! (or of course my death!) but, no doubt, will play an important part in both!

[Rex7777]

In 2006 I'll retire early at 55. Plan on moving to Thailand on a retirement visa, although Malaysia is also a thought, even though I've never been there. In any event, I don't think a little rest and relaxation will kill me, at least for the first year. I'd like to travel around and see Thailand and the rest of SE Asia.

After that? I'd like to write some books, or maybe a screenplay or two, just to keep busy. By bigest concern is where to start out? Should I maintain some sort of "home base," or just move around? I guess I worry about the security of having a place I call home, and then leaving it for months at a time to travel.

I beginning to think I'll look for a place in Bangkok and then go from there.

Rex

[RamdomChances]

When I was a practiceing alcoholic

Why were you only practiceing Kev, cound'nt you get it right

[Yohan]

In 2006 I'll retire early at 55.  Plan on moving to Thailand on a retirement visa, although Malaysia is also a thought, even though I've never been there.  In any event, I don't think a little rest and relaxation will kill me, at least for the first year.  I'd like to travel around and see Thailand and the rest of SE Asia.

After that?  I'd like to write some books, or maybe a screenplay or two, just to keep busy.  By bigest concern is where to start out?  Should I maintain some sort of "home base," or just move around?  I guess I worry about the security of having a place I call home, and then leaving it for months at a time to travel. 

I beginning to think I'll look for a place in Bangkok and then go from there.

Rex

Both Malaysia and Thailand, have some pro and contra...Generally I think, Thailand is the better choice.

Yes, you need a place, which is your home. If you are planning to travel around a lot, you should buy a condominium in a well-guarded compound.

It might happen to you suddenly, that you cannot travel around due to some health or other problem - you should have a certain place in your region, you consider as your home.

If you buy a codominium, you need not worry about maintenance questions, like water and electricity supply, swimming pool, general security.....

Better buy a condominium near the beaches of Pattaya out of Bangkok, you can easily enter Bangkok any time, if you really have to go there. The new international airport will be east of Bangkok, so no problem at all to go there from Pattaya. Good medical service, supermakets and so on are available in Pattaya.

Immigration Services are also available as well.

-----

Malaysia offers some good services regarding visa conditions, however it is more expensive, has little public traffic (you must drive your own car there) - has not always housing available you can buy as a foreigner......

Malaysia is a favorite destination for some well-off Hongkong Chinese to have a place where to go for retirement, also a well known destination for Japanese Golfers....good English everywhere spoken.

Philippines also offers good retirement conditions...

[curveblade]

Simon, with all the hours you work you might not be around come retirement time.

When do you have time to enjoy yourself? Life is short enough. I have many hobbies and little projects to keep me busy. But for me, retirement means freedom. I get get up as early or as late as I wish. Go or come when I want.

I don't have to answer to anyone. No longer have to worry about a boss expecting everyone to kiss his butt. I can lay around and watch TV all day or go fishing, swimming or just travel around. I get a steady tax free check every month. Time is not that important any longer. The only time I check the time is to see if it's lunch time. Of course I should add that I don't have a wife to tie me down either. I had the chance to retire at 37 but blew it.

Always regretted it.

[Storekeeper]

What could possibly be so boring about sleeping in till about 0800 every day, having breakfast, reading the paper, hitting the gym, taking a nap, going to the bookstore and having a latte every day ? Mixing in some billiards, passing some scuttlebut with friends at the VFW or teaching english part time ? Or just plain lounging? I can't wait to be a Thailand expat

[duke69]

I plan to retire @ 45, expat salary till that date (and savings) will be enough.

After that I plan to open a shop selling antiques, plan to import european antiques to Asia (visiting Europe, friends, relatives) and trade asian antiques in Europe (travelling all around Far East).

The shop in Asia will have employees and just a supervision by me, in Europe will be a pure trading activity. So I plan to spend most of my time travelling.

Business has to pay "bread and butter", the extra quality of life will be paid by savings and return on investments.

Sport, friends, beaches, TV, hobbies will do the rest.

..... bot not in LOS, I'm starting to think to buy a property in Krabi, where prices are still reasonable.

[blaze]

The biggest problem with retiring in Thailand, is that no longer can you fantasize about retiring in Thailand.

So you better learn to live in the moment. . Something most of us workaday stiffs by and large missed, despite having been the best toilet seat marketer on the block.

And what better place to learn to slow down and enjoy the moment than Thailand, because, really, what is the term "sanuk" all about? It sure isnt' about high-fiving hysteria in the office after clenching a sale for 300 toilet seats.

Some retirees don't face the challenge.(they just devise a new business plan contingent on maximizing distribution of remaing sperm). Others face it and fail (look for any kind of job, not for money but for "something to do").

And some, -they just learn to enjoy being alive. Those are the ones that have learned that there is nothing so profound as the ripening of a pineapple. And that flies right in the face of everything we in the "industrialized" world have learned.

As the Thais say, (and so does Sartre and Buddha)- ... it's all "up to you."

[Storekeeper]

Some retirees don't face the challenge.(they just devise a new business plan contingent on maximizing distribution of remaing sperm). Others face it and fail (look for any kind of job, not for money but for "something to do").

This seems a bit extreme in opinion...would you say a person who retires at age 46 or 47 with a monthly pension in excess of 125,000 baht monthly, but went into retirement in Thailand actually wanting to teach english failed ? Cause they knew what they wanted to do ?

[simon43]

Hi Curveblade. Well, I hope I'm around when it's time to retire My father is 86 years old and going strong! He also does about 8 hours work (studying/writing books etc) every day.

I think the important point about work is when you can do it because it is your own business and you like to do it. If you are working your butt off for someone else's benefit then that's no fun!

And it also depends how you define work! My work is mostly writing software, sending emails etc, easy easy!!

[Khun ?]

I have been trying to get to the point of early retirement in the next few years.

My biggest worry is having the funds for a quality life. Stopping work and having to stay around the nieghborhood does not appeal to me at all. Fun travel and adventure as a sanuker is on my agenda. If living cheap is retirment then I would just as soon keep working. I find golf is a very good way to stay active and keep

a good social agenda intact. I think someone mentioned 125K baht as an amount of capable funds to accomplish a healthy enjoyable retirement. That seems to me

to be just about the low end of my plans as being a normal working person all my life and being able to adapt to inflation and all during retirement. Do any of you

just get an itch some days and say you are tired of seeing the same places and people every day and head out on a week or two excursion. I find even the towns of Issan to be rewarding when I get bored on vacation. A new golf course or seeing new people are rewarding in itself just to break up the same old day to day routine. You do not have to make exercise the end all of healthy retirement.

I think the biggest thing that is at harm to early retirement is the worry of funds.

That is probably the most unhealthy void most of us will have other than the anchor of conpanionship. I don't see living old sitting around reading being a viable

retirement regardless of how sharp the mind has to be. Many ways to keep the mind intact while on the move and grove. As for me I still find the hurdle of funds to be the most detrimental burden ahead of us. Do any of you travel in your own country or is your budget just not enough to have this on the agenda. How do you all invest to keep a healthy cash flow?

[OxfordWill]

As the Thais say, (and so does Sartre and Buddha)- ... it's all "up to you."

Actually Sartre says 'You too up'.. 55..

Learning to enjoy the small yet amazing things in life (natural wonder such as fruit) is the key to a successful early retirement, in my unexperienced opinion.

[Lloyd]

How many retiree posters here get a good days exercise in all that thai heat ?

apart from pumping the girl , do you work up a sweat and get the heart pumping hard ?

how many take the minumum 10,000 steps a day to keep the circulation in a reasonable state ? Do you exercise very much in the heat ??

From my observations farangs in LOS are unlikely to get off their bikes for a few steps and keep heart and circulation healthy.

Ok I aint a retiree....... far from........... I'm only 25

But as I live out in the sticks, there are not to many other farangs around and those who are mostly enjoy playing Golf (which to me is not a sport).

And I have to say that I am not a health fanatic at all, actually I'm a heavy smoker and of course enjoy a couple of drinks now and again.

But I have found that most thais are very welcoming of farangs wanting to join them as they play different sports. I tend to play alot af basket and football mostly with locals, but have had a few friends over from back home for a " friendly international game" Its great fun and the thais seem to enjoy playing with a farang too.......

And even if you are a retiree you should still have alot of places to get good social sports life. of course depending on location and desires...

well just some of my silly thoughts

cheers all

[blaze]

Hi Storekeeper. Regarding the guy in your scenario who quits his big job and takes a job teaching english: He hasn't failed because he never intended to not work. He simply changed jobs. Is that really retirement?

[Thaiquila]

Am I the only one who thinks having a retirement pension of 125K per month in Thailand is way more than enough? Under current cost conditions, my perception is that 60 to 80K per month is decent for most foreigners. Of course, that doesn't mean that will be enough 10 or 20 years from now.

[pnustedt]

Am I the only one who thinks having a retirement pension of 125K per month in Thailand is way more than enough?

You'll never regret having too much money. How much is too much is down to the individual but I think most retiree farangs in LOS live on much less.

I guess there's a balance to be made for most people on being young and fit enough to enjoy retirement and having saved enough to be able to afford it.

[Storekeeper]

Hi Storekeeper. Regarding the guy in your scenario who quits his big job and takes a job teaching english: He hasn't failed because he never intended to not work. He simply changed jobs. Is that really retirement?

I think so...it's just a variation of getting some money in trade for volunteering ! 30,000 a month for teaching english sure seems like volunteer work to me ! But at least it covers the expenses for clothes, travel, etc. The guy in my scenario has no intention of working weekends or any overtime...and never before 9:00 AM. It could be viewed as a hobby when you aren't in to golf, diving or other outdoor sports. I think it's a mindset.

[Storekeeper]

Am I the only one who thinks having a retirement pension of 125K per month in Thailand is way more than enough? Under current cost conditions, my perception is that 60 to 80K per month is decent for most foreigners. Of course, that doesn't mean that will be enough 10 or 20 years from now.

You are totally right with your entire statement.

[Lloyd]

Am I the only one who thinks having a retirement pension of 125K per month in Thailand is way more than enough? Under current cost conditions, my perception is that 60 to 80K per month is decent for most foreigners. Of course, that doesn't mean that will be enough 10 or 20 years from now.

if I get a job in los that paid the 40 k a month to get me my visa then I will be ok

that would do me very good, but I also live in issan, where it is generally cheaper..

[Sansai Sam]

I retired early at 40 after selling a successful business. I thought it woulld be great. I was WRONG! It sucked. After living in LOS for 2 years doing nothing I am happy to be back to fulltime work. The money is not the important thing at all. Gotta contribute and have a sense of purpose.

[Khun ?]

I retired early at 40 after selling a successful business. I thought it woulld be great. I was WRONG! It sucked. After living in LOS for 2 years doing nothing I am happy to be back to fulltime work. The money is not the important thing at all. Gotta contribute and have a sense of purpose.

Just what my thinking was. If you do not have enough to last you through

old age your going to try to eck it out stuck in LOS. Boredom is just a matter

of finding something you like to do and money could normally cure this.

The itch to be productive specially at 40 is common place. I am a bit over

40 about 20% so my itch will be not to work and maybe sharpen the investment skills. I would like to have the ability to have decent time back home where I have not lived in 30 years and also be able to travel to other places than Thailand.

I think it would be he*l to have to be tied to thailand and worry about being

limited because of funds. To many foreigners in Thailand that retire young

just to be a slave to money needs. If you are retired are you still a paycheck to paycheck type of person. Thats a life I do not need done that when a young pup

trying to make it in life. I have not seen one post yet about investing. The days

of pensions before age of 60's is almost a thing of the past now days. I guess pensioners and retirees are two different things at least to me.

[Begs]

125,000 baht a month to live on is much more than most people will spend, its 4000 a day everyday, i have spent as little as 100 baht or as much as 10,000, it just depends on the lifestyle, or how drunk i was.

Most people spend much much less than that, don't take too much notice of what people say in a forum, how many will admit to being a tight fisted old fart that spends 80 baht a day begrudgingly?

[ProThaiExpat]

While I won't admit to being a "tight fisted old fart", I don't spend much more that 80 baht a day to live here in Thailand, of course I own my own home and car.

Many have expressed an ability to live comfortably on 30k baht a month.

I get great satisfaction in saving money from my pension, as I know that in ten years, with no health insurance and inflation, I will need to spend more.

In retirement, I have realized with greater understanding, that I can be gainfully employed, my saving money. The truth of "a baht saved is a baht earned" has new meaning with me.

My Thai spends about 10k a month, my electric is about 4-5k and I go out for lunch at least three times a week. Of course, I don't drink or smoke, nor spend time in places where people who do frequent.

Fixing up the house iand foreign travel is where my discretionary income goes.

[simon43]

While I won't admit to being a "tight fisted old fart", I don't spend much more that 80 baht a day to live here in Thailand, of course I own my own home and car.

80 baht a day!!! I think I want to marry you ###### of a lot cheaper that living with a woman

[Up2U]

Due to my wife's decision to build a house, which has had to come out of my monthly income over the past few months, I have been living on 40-50 baht per day recently. It sucks!

My normal annual spending is about 1 million baht, which includes rental of apartment, so on. I will shortly buy a house here in Pattaya, or Jomtien, which will come out of capital. But that is all that will come out of capital - the capital is to provide an interest-generated income for my retirement. And to support my wife and daughter when I quit this mortal coil. At current interest levels and forex it should provide a million a year indefinitely, but who knows the future?

Anyway, that's my current plan. Wife and / or daughter may change that next week