Don't Put Off Your Life.

[lifeisrandom]

financial crisis's are great opportunities for smart people to get themselves paid.

[benjamat]

You know its nice to have the dream of putting all the old responsibilities behind us and living without any cares.

Heres a thought though,

We all get older, it may be fine just now to live careless and day to day but what happens if you have no savings and are unable to earn though age or disability.

I dont want to have to go back to the uk and live out my days in some ghastly nursing home.

[long]

i hope i can get retired on my 35 years old, what i can do now is, try my best to earn more now.

[Moonrakers]

i hope i can get retired on my 35 years old, what i can do now is, try my best to earn more now.

But would you really want to retire at 35? What would you do with yourself? What reason would you have for waking up in the morning?

For many success and achievement (Including myself) is a greater motivation than money. Ask yourself why Bill Gates continued working for so many years.

[thesunset75]

i hope i can get retired on my 35 years old, what i can do now is, try my best to earn more now.

Im spending money and study, I want to start working(again) when im 35

[lifeisrandom]

I think those who don't have much in terms of savings and fixed income streams are the ones who will be hurting the most... that's true of just about any financial crisis. Dreams and financial independence can most certainly go together hand in hand, probably more often than the other way around.

for people with savings and a fixed income plan the biggest concern for them is having the dollar devalued. they should be on their knees right now praying to Buddha that the government's bailout fails and the country dives head first into a global recession. if the government busts open the cookie jar its going to get ugly for them.

[Heng]

i hope i can get retired on my 35 years old, what i can do now is, try my best to earn more now.

But would you really want to retire at 35? What would you do with yourself? What reason would you have for waking up in the morning?

All the things that the world has to offer without having to worry about mundane things like bills or how much things cost. I've done the 14 hour day for years and have been pretty much coasting (I don't say "retired" because I do still 'work' around an hour or so a day) since age 30 (33 now) and IMO it's well worth not having to do it again for the rest of my life.

[Heng]

I think those who don't have much in terms of savings and fixed income streams are the ones who will be hurting the most... that's true of just about any financial crisis. Dreams and financial independence can most certainly go together hand in hand, probably more often than the other way around.

for people with savings and a fixed income plan the biggest concern for them is having the dollar devalued. they should be on their knees right now praying to Buddha that the government's bailout fails and the country dives head first into a global recession. if the government busts open the cookie jar its going to get ugly for them.

You mean the Oz, New Zealand, and Singapore $... not to mention Pound and Euro?

Edited September 26, 2008 by Heng

[lifeisrandom]

The economy in the short term is going to produce less greed and materialism and a retreat into the spiritual values that bring happiness to all.

Yeah, that and a huge rise in violent robberies.

[JimmyTheMook]

Remember money is just paper , the same thing we use to wipe our asses with

[lifeisrandom]

I think those who don't have much in terms of savings and fixed income streams are the ones who will be hurting the most... that's true of just about any financial crisis. Dreams and financial independence can most certainly go together hand in hand, probably more often than the other way around.

for people with savings and a fixed income plan the biggest concern for them is having the dollar devalued. they should be on their knees right now praying to Buddha that the government's bailout fails and the country dives head first into a global recession. if the government busts open the cookie jar its going to get ugly for them.

You mean the Oz, New Zealand, and Singapore $... not to mention Pound and Euro?

sure, there is no excuse to not be diversified especially when all it takes these days is to log onto your brokerage and buy a foreign currency fund.

of course, those with a pension/fixed income don't have that luxury.

[Heng]

I think those who don't have much in terms of savings and fixed income streams are the ones who will be hurting the most... that's true of just about any financial crisis. Dreams and financial independence can most certainly go together hand in hand, probably more often than the other way around.

for people with savings and a fixed income plan the biggest concern for them is having the dollar devalued. they should be on their knees right now praying to Buddha that the government's bailout fails and the country dives head first into a global recession. if the government busts open the cookie jar its going to get ugly for them.

You mean the Oz, New Zealand, and Singapore $... not to mention Pound and Euro?

sure, there is no excuse to not be diversified especially when all it takes these days is to log onto your brokerage and buy a foreign currency fund.

of course, those with a pension/fixed income don't have that luxury.

I have to admit that my experience with pensions is limited. Is it like the hole punch lunch card program they give old people at nursing homes where you only can choose one meat, side, and drink?

[mrt273nva]

Remember money is just paper , the same thing we use to wipe our asses with

i use the bum gun personally .

but money isn't paper. currency is paper. money can be in the form of many things that are an equitable asset. if tomorrow we were to revert back to the barter system then your assets and your skills would be your money which you could use to acquire other assets and services. personally i hate currency because it is constantly losing its value, however currency is simple to use and easy to understand when putting a value on a good or service (the value can be misrepresented at times, such as the sub prime mortgage crisis where homes were over valued). i am learning now that it is never wise to save currency and that you should only have enough on hand at any given moment for your wants and needs. you should be putting the rest of your currency into money. back in the 70's Nixon took the currency off the gold standard so that the US could print funny money to pay off debts. the dollar has been losing value ever since and will never stop. not wise to save, it is wise to spend wisely (if that makes any sense).

so yeah, don't put off your life and instead of keeping your currency in a bank keep it in something else that retains its value over time, or else one day you might realize that wiping your ass with it isn't such a bad idea (careful which currency you use, because some have pictures of important people on them and you might wind up in a shi_tty situation.

[JimmyTheMook]

Remember money is just paper , the same thing we use to wipe our asses with

i use the bum gun personally .

Me too !

but money isn't paper. currency is paper. money can be in the form of many things that are an equitable asset. if tomorrow we were to revert back to the barter system then your assets and your skills would be your money which you could use to acquire other assets and services.

whose assets ?

and for how much ?

not wise to save, it is wise to spend wisely (if that makes any sense).

please advise ?

so yeah, don't put off your life and instead of keeping your currency in a bank keep it in something else that retains its value over time

Thai Condo's ???

or else one day you might realize that wiping your ass with it isn't such a bad idea (careful which currency you use, because some have pictures of important people on them and you might wind up in a shi_tty situation.

Good point

[mrt273nva]

but money isn't paper. currency is paper. money can be in the form of many things that are an equitable asset. if tomorrow we were to revert back to the barter system then your assets and your skills would be your money which you could use to acquire other assets and services.

whose assets ?

and for how much ?

how can you ask "how much" in a barter system? example: I'll fix your car if you give me your sofa. Your car was fixed for 1 sofa. now you are out of a sofa and would like one, so you decide to trade your recently fixed car for 1 sofa, 1 tv, and sound system. now you are out of a car so you find some sucker that will lend you his car every week for your 2 hour special massage. all of this has been done without the use of currency. the people in the transaction associate the value. currency is easy, but it is just laziness to hold it for a rainy day because that rainy day might be the super inflation of your held currency.

I suggest gold, guns, and ammo. in thailand there is plenty of gold but the laws here don't let us keep guns. so be creative and save your money and not your currency.

[JohnBanPrang]

but money isn't paper. currency is paper. money can be in the form of many things that are an equitable asset. if tomorrow we were to revert back to the barter system then your assets and your skills would be your money which you could use to acquire other assets and services.

whose assets ?

and for how much ?

how can you ask "how much" in a barter system? example: I'll fix your car if you give me your sofa. Your car was fixed for 1 sofa. now you are out of a sofa and would like one, so you decide to trade your recently fixed car for 1 sofa, 1 tv, and sound system. now you are out of a car so you find some sucker that will lend you his car every week for your 2 hour special massage. all of this has been done without the use of currency. the people in the transaction associate the value. currency is easy, but it is just laziness to hold it for a rainy day because that rainy day might be the super inflation of your held currency.

I suggest gold, guns, and ammo. in thailand there is plenty of gold but the laws here don't let us keep guns. so be creative and save your money and not your currency.

What about my grandmother???

No rainy day.....!

Please, need gun & ammo.

NO SOFA.

[JimmyTheMook]

I suggest gold, guns, and ammo.

I had all three of those back in USA , now all that is left is my well worn Warren Zevon song "Lawyers, Guns and Money"

But often that is enough to keep me warm at night

[JohnBanPrang]

I suggest gold, guns, and ammo.

I had all three of those back in USA , now all that is left is my well worn Warren Zevon song "Lawyers, Guns and Money"

But often that is enough to keep me warm at night

Can't your wife/gf to keep you warm???

Guess she don't like the song!

Try Thai songs.

[JimmyTheMook]

Can't your wife/gf to keep you warm???

They both left me after the gold was gone.

Even the dog split.

[roamer]

I suggest gold, guns, and ammo.

I had all three of those back in USA , now all that is left is my well worn Warren Zevon song "Lawyers, Guns and Money"

But often that is enough to keep me warm at night

And "Carmelita" is enough to make me think, there but for the grace of God.

[0Mix1up]

beyond wealth

is health

which can get ANYBODY at anytime

[Martian]

beyond wealth

is health

which can get ANYBODY at anytime

This is a very true statement that should get people to thinking about just how much time do they really believe they have in this life? Although most people expect to live well into their 70's or 80's, anything can happen to anyone at anytime to greatly affect this possibility. This is another reason to be balanced in your life by remembering the past, living in the present and planning for the future......balance between the three is the key to happiness. Too much emphasis on any one or two could result in unforeseen difficulties and unhappiness.

Regards,

Martian

[Sir Burr]

I wonder what the people that were forced to go home because they didn't save enough money and got wiped out by the first emergency to come along, would say to Garro's warm and fuzzy philosophy?

[G54]

After having a heart operation and understanding I nearly died, I looked at my life and what pleasures I had. I also looked at what future I had and at what my friends were doing with their lives. The word 'mundane' springs to mind and aptly described many of their lives and mine too at the time. Many of them wanted to opt out of the life they had but kept finding excuses to keep plodding on.

I am not rich but worked out that I could afford to be here and still keep the house back home. So I made the choice and here I am while friends are still back in the home country plodding along and often cursing the general price increases and the falling house prices that have bound them tighter to their already 'mundane' lives.

Yes, I am glad I made the decision to be here, even with the faults this place can have it is a far better option than being back home.

[siamamerican]

The truth is their is no real financial security and waiting for a magic day when you feel financially secure is just delaying your dreams until a day that might never come. I earn a modest wage in Thailand, but I am living the life I want to live today. What do others think?

It is easier for someone without financial security to question the sacrifices other endure to create a more secure future. The truth is there is no such thing as guaranteed financial security, but nothing is a sure thing. It is though much more likely that a financial or medical crisis will ruin your future happiness than someone that saved for unforeseen disasters.

You are living the life you want to live today and with a little luck, you will be enjoying many tomorrows. I would rather save enough to live my simple life with a higher probability of not being destitute one day.

I'm not claiming to understand the road to happiness – hel_l five years ago I nearly opted for living a simple life in Thailand with meager savings. Should be moving to Thailand soon and time will tell if I made the right decision.

[kangeroo]

I am not rich, I am not poor, I made a decision to live in Thailand 7 years ago, and I never regret it one bit. This is the life for me !!!! No regrets whatsoever, I cannot enjoy myself when i am dead, so I am enjoying myself while I am alive, and i refuse to worry about the future anymore. I take each day as it comes from now on. Lifes great here.

yes but i bet you had a decent job otherwise you wouldnt get back .

What about the people that havent got that.

[GuestHouse]

I think that the current financial crisis around the world contains a lesson for us all. How many times do you hear the more financially secure members of this type of forum lecture others on the importance of financial security before moving to Thailand. The truth is their is no real financial security and waiting for a magic day when you feel financially secure is just delaying your dreams until a day that might never come. I earn a modest wage in Thailand, but I am living the life I want to live today. What do others think?

There are times I read what Garro has to say and think 'well he's got a point'..... This is not one of them.

The above statement is replete with false assumptions.

Firstly that the current financial crisis is negatively effecting people who have not yet given up their working lives and moved to Thailand.

Secondly that the only meaningful life is in Thailand and the only reason to be working is to get a life in Thailand

And thirdly that those of us who enjoy financial security have somehow traded our souls to get it.

To put it as briefly as I can - The whole premise is utter cr@p.

Yes enjoy life, today and now, this very minute.... WHERE EVER YOU ARE AND WHAT EVER YOU ARE DOING.

(And try to get over the idea that financial security is somehow synonymous with living a life akin to slavery - For very many people it is not.

Personally and financially rewarding lives exist... they are not mutually exclusive.

[Gary A]

I moved to Thailand in 1991 because I had a good job offer. I went back to the US during Thailand's economic crash. I ended up working five more years in the US before finally retiring here. I wanted to assure myself of a company pension and to build up my Social Security. Thailand offered nothing as far as a pension and I am pretty conservative money wise.

Sure, I could have retired earlier but I would be very nervous right now. I have now lost over 40 percent of my savings through the US stock market. I have a LOT more faith in pensions than the sick stock market. Planning my future relying on savings and stock market dividends would have nearly ruined me, probably totally ruined me. As it turns out my children are just going to have a much smaller inheritance than planned.

If I were a young man right now, I'd likely be suicidal thinking about the economy and the uncertain working years ahead.

[GuestHouse]

If I were a young man right now, I'd likely be suicidal thinking about the economy and the uncertain working years ahead

Then spare a thought for the guys who jumped to retire when the Bht was 70+ to the pound, inflation was running at 2% per annum and the lump sum they amassed from selling their house back home seemed like it would last for ever.

I wonder what the people that were forced to go home because they didn't save enough money and got wiped out by the first emergency to come along, would say to Garro's warm and fuzzy philosophy?

No doubt something not dissimilar to that which those who have yet to get on the plane will have to say.. is my guess.

Edited September 27, 2008 by GuestHouse

[cmsally]

Personally I would think there is nothing different about living in Thailand and anywhere else.

Could be a little bit of grass is greener syndrome.

It's just better in some respects and worse in others.

Most of the people I know (outside of Thailand) wouldn't come to live here if you paid them.