Be Prepared

[afarang]

No, I use ATM. I wait and take the max allowed per transaction, B20,000. The conversion is done by the Oz banks ( a lower rate than if done by a Thai bank ,about B 1 per $. The charges are approx. Au$25 per withdrawal + Mastercard fee of Au$ 5. Oz banks NOT kind !!!! to pensioners doing conversions. They are far too hungry.+ the Thai banks stiff you for B150 each time

This post has been edited by afarang: Today, 14:11

Why dont you look at opening a Thai bank a/c and having Centrelink deposit your pension directly to it.That way you cut out Oz bank charges.

Your pension will be converted by Centrelink at the exchange rate prevailing and transmitted in Thai Baht.It will be depositted in your Thai A/c on the fourth working day after pension day.

If you withdraw from the branch your a/c is with with the ATM they provide ,they are no charges at all.

Centrelink pay all transfer charges .

Centrelink informed ,while I was still in Oz, that they no longer allow Pension money to be paid into a foreign Bank Account. Now, It must be paid into an Aust. bank account and the conversion is done by the Aust. Bank. In Aust., I suspect so that the Aust. banks can enhance their fee income, at our expense. All these changes were done under Costello, when treasurer

Edited August 7, 2011 by afarang

[harrry]

No, I use ATM. I wait and take the max allowed per transaction, B20,000. The conversion is done by the Oz banks ( a lower rate than if done by a Thai bank ,about B 1 per $. The charges are approx. Au$25 per withdrawal + Mastercard fee of Au$ 5. Oz banks NOT kind !!!! to pensioners doing conversions. They are far too hungry.+ the Thai banks stiff you for B150 each time

This post has been edited by afarang: Today, 14:11

Why dont you look at opening a Thai bank a/c and having Centrelink deposit your pension directly to it.That way you cut out Oz bank charges.

Your pension will be converted by Centrelink at the exchange rate prevailing and transmitted in Thai Baht.It will be depositted in your Thai A/c on the fourth working day after pension day.

If you withdraw from the branch your a/c is with with the ATM they provide ,they are no charges at all.

Centrelink pay all transfer charges .

Centrelink informed ,while I was still in Oz, that they no longer allow Pension money to be paid into a foreign Bank Account. Now, It must be paid into an Aust. bank account and the conversion is done by the Aust. Bank. In Aust., I suspect so that the Aust. banks can enhance their fee income, at our expense. All these changes were done under Costello, when treasurer

This is totally incorrect if you are leaving Australia for more than a year and are on OP. the newsletter http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/filestores/int001_1104x/$file/int001_1104en.pdf will provide mpost of the info and the number to call in Thailand so that you are connected to International services in australia for a local call here.

[toffo9]

Thailand easily cheaper than UK... Rent 3bed home for 6000 baht not a chance back home try 30 to 40 thousand in home country

[Asianrider]

when it comes to economics, it doesn't matter whether you're in the UK or Thailand, if one can't control their budget, everything will spiral out of control eventually due to inflation.

Spot on here

[ozzydom]

No, I use ATM. I wait and take the max allowed per transaction, B20,000. The conversion is done by the Oz banks ( a lower rate than if done by a Thai bank ,about B 1 per $. The charges are approx. Au$25 per withdrawal + Mastercard fee of Au$ 5. Oz banks NOT kind !!!! to pensioners doing conversions. They are far too hungry.+ the Thai banks stiff you for B150 each time

This post has been edited by afarang: Today, 14:11

Why dont you look at opening a Thai bank a/c and having Centrelink deposit your pension directly to it.That way you cut out Oz bank charges.

Your pension will be converted by Centrelink at the exchange rate prevailing and transmitted in Thai Baht.It will be depositted in your Thai A/c on the fourth working day after pension day.

If you withdraw from the branch your a/c is with with the ATM they provide ,they are no charges at all.

Centrelink pay all transfer charges .

Centrelink informed ,while I was still in Oz, that they no longer allow Pension money to be paid into a foreign Bank Account. Now, It must be paid into an Aust. bank account and the conversion is done by the Aust. Bank. In Aust., I suspect so that the Aust. banks can enhance their fee income, at our expense. All these changes were done under Costello, when treasurer

As harrry says ,totally incorrect, my OAP has been paid into my Thai bank a/c for the last six years.

Always deal with International Services in Hobart,toll free number 001 800 611 4136.

dom

[renaissanc]

Murgatroyd, I can help you to reduce your medical expenses very significantly. Your first reaction may be to ignore the advice, but before you do, please research the suggestions. There is plenty of information on the internet about them.

1. 35% Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide (A pharmacy can tell you where to buy it. Very cheap!)

2. M.M.S. (Miracle Mineral Solution). (Buy it on the internet or ask the pharmacy where to buy the powder so you can make it yourself.)

3. EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique). Removes energy pathway blocks caused by stress. 80%+ of illnesses come from stress.

4. The Healing Codes - Another energy technique. Illnesses are actually caused by cellular memories. When you get rid of the negative energy, the illness goes away. This was a discovery made by mainstream medical researchers a few years ago, but it's bad for business, so don't expect your doctor to know about it or recommend it.

Allopathic medicine uses chemicals to remove the symptoms of illnesses, not the causes. The FDA in the USA has been trying to deny that Hydrogen Peroxide works since the early 1960s, but people have used it to cure cancers and serious diseases for many decades. It oxygenates your body and kills the bad stuff in your blood. The FDA is literally harassing MMS sellers as it is very bad for the pharmaceutical business. Both leave you feeling really good too as your body gets rid of the toxins, pathogens, etc.. No chemicals in either. Natural!

If you won't try any of the above, then go to the medicineless hospital in Beijing. It also uses energy medicine. There's a video on YouTube of a bowel cancer being removed in 2 mins 36 seconds.by voice energy. It's in a Gregg Braden video too.

I have worked out how to create a different kind of hotel guest experience using thought energy and heart energy. I helped a hotel to be chosen Best in the World to prove it works, but hotel corporate offices can't accept the concept, which is before it's time for the hotel industry, so I'm leaving the hotel industry to help farmers increase crop yields - including by using thought energy and heart energy. It's very easy to increase crop growth by sending love energy to plants.

Anyway, I'm rambling. Research what I've suggested. They work. Many people will testify to the 4 suggestions, and you'll find their comments on many, many websites. I wish you and your wife well!

Edited August 7, 2011 by renaissanc

[outofoz]

Murgatroyd, I can help you to reduce your medical expenses very significantly. Your first reaction may be to ignore the advice, but before you do, please research the suggestions. There is plenty of information on the internet about them.

1. 35% Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide (A pharmacy can tell you where to buy it. Very cheap!)

2. M.M.S. (Miracle Mineral Solution). (Buy it on the internet or ask the pharmacy where to buy the powder so you can make it yourself.)

3. EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique). Removes energy pathway blocks caused by stress. 80%+ of illnesses come from stress.

4. The Healing Codes - Another energy technique. Illnesses are actually caused by cellular memories. When you get rid of the negative energy, the illness goes away. This was a discovery made by mainstream medical researchers a few years ago, but it's bad for business, so don't expect your doctor to know about it or recommend it.

Allopathic medicine uses chemicals to remove the symptoms of illnesses, not the causes. The FDA in the USA has been trying to deny that Hydrogen Peroxide works since the early 1960s, but people have used it to cure cancers and serious diseases for many decades. It oxygenates your body and kills the bad stuff in your blood. The FDA is literally harassing MMS sellers as it is very bad for the pharmaceutical business. Both leave you feeling really good too as your body gets rid of the toxins, pathogens, etc.. No chemicals in either. Natural!

If you won't try any of the above, then go to the medicineless hospital in Beijing. It also uses energy medicine. There's a video on YouTube of a bowel cancer being removed in 2 mins 36 seconds.by voice energy. It's in a Gregg Braden video too.

I have worked out how to create a different kind of hotel guest experience using thought energy and heart energy. I helped a hotel to be chosen Best in the World to prove it works, but hotel corporate offices can't accept the concept, which is before it's time for the hotel industry, so I'm leaving the hotel industry to help farmers increase crop yields - including by using thought energy and heart energy. It's very easy to increase crop growth by sending love energy to plants.

Anyway, I'm rambling. Research what I've suggested. They work. Many people will testify to the 4 suggestions, and you'll find their comments on many, many websites. I wish you and your wife well!

where to start?? so much wrong with this post....

How about here....."Illnesses are actually caused by cellular memories." "ths was a discovery made by mainstream medical researchers a few years ago, but it's bad for business, so don't expect your doctor to know about it or recommend it. "

[astral]

Sorry about the health problems, didn't you consider health insurance for the family

when you got married?

We are all hit my decreasing investments and bad exchange rates.

You and your wife must learn to cut your coat according to the cloth.

[boomer777]

Some of the replies are harsh, especially "dump the wife" is so unfair. Remember LOVE??? Oh well, my concern is that so many of you mention living on 35,000 baht. To be here on retirement visa takes 65,000 verified income, or 800,000 in the bank for at least the previous 3 months. WPermit changes things, and marriage also. Just wondering???

[Ulysses G.]

This was a discovery made by mainstream medical researchers a few years ago, but it's bad for business, so don't expect your doctor to know about it or recommend it.

I have studied holistic medicine for many years and have come to the conclusion that anyone who claims that the mainstream medical establishment is conducting a big conspiracy to ignore cures that work in order to make bigger profits needs to make a doctor's appointment and pronto.

[vpi78]

For me to live here only cost me around 28000 to 29000 per month and i live happy here ? i could never live like this back in the Uk and if i go out on a lads night out i only spend around 4000THB and always come home with change ...

Two Bedroom House 5000 THB Per month,

Electric Bill 3000 THB Per month,

Water Bill 300THB Per month,

UBC 2000 THB Per month.

3BB Premier 2700THB Per month,

Food 500thb a day cost me around 15000 Per month

Nicky

That is so funny; only 28,000 Baht per month eh? Not many Lads nights out then judging from your arithmetic. I guess you can watch the rest of the partiers on cable and YouTube.

Nah some of use have to work 6 days a week also cant be assed with it these days bar girls drive me nut can just sit down and have a beer like what u can do back home also doesnt help being 6ft 1 blonde hair and blue eyes and if i had a pound for everytime i head handsome man can i go home with you i would be even more well off then i'm already i'm .. i'm also 29 and very responsible these days and i dont see the point pissing away money when i can buy and do other things with my money .. i'm not like the average joe who live here every day in the bars and clubs ...

Yeah, that's why you are in Thailand, you're such a handsome fellow. Pulling down that cool 30k baht/month is quite the aphrodisiac with Western birds.

[vpi78]

Murgatroyd, I can help you to reduce your medical expenses very significantly. Your first reaction may be to ignore the advice, but before you do, please research the suggestions. There is plenty of information on the internet about them.

1. 35% Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide (A pharmacy can tell you where to buy it. Very cheap!)

2. M.M.S. (Miracle Mineral Solution). (Buy it on the internet or ask the pharmacy where to buy the powder so you can make it yourself.)

3. EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique). Removes energy pathway blocks caused by stress. 80%+ of illnesses come from stress.

4. The Healing Codes - Another energy technique. Illnesses are actually caused by cellular memories. When you get rid of the negative energy, the illness goes away. This was a discovery made by mainstream medical researchers a few years ago, but it's bad for business, so don't expect your doctor to know about it or recommend it.

Allopathic medicine uses chemicals to remove the symptoms of illnesses, not the causes. The FDA in the USA has been trying to deny that Hydrogen Peroxide works since the early 1960s, but people have used it to cure cancers and serious diseases for many decades. It oxygenates your body and kills the bad stuff in your blood. The FDA is literally harassing MMS sellers as it is very bad for the pharmaceutical business. Both leave you feeling really good too as your body gets rid of the toxins, pathogens, etc.. No chemicals in either. Natural!

If you won't try any of the above, then go to the medicineless hospital in Beijing. It also uses energy medicine. There's a video on YouTube of a bowel cancer being removed in 2 mins 36 seconds.by voice energy. It's in a Gregg Braden video too.

I have worked out how to create a different kind of hotel guest experience using thought energy and heart energy. I helped a hotel to be chosen Best in the World to prove it works, but hotel corporate offices can't accept the concept, which is before it's time for the hotel industry, so I'm leaving the hotel industry to help farmers increase crop yields - including by using thought energy and heart energy. It's very easy to increase crop growth by sending love energy to plants.

Anyway, I'm rambling. Research what I've suggested. They work. Many people will testify to the 4 suggestions, and you'll find their comments on many, many websites. I wish you and your wife well!

Be afraid Murgatory .... be very very afraid of taking any medical advice on a discussion board, but this is just plain nuts.

[fletchsmile]

Some useful thoughts by OP for many who have probably not considered their finances as thoroughly as they might before coming here. Exchange rate risks, medical bills, family "influences"; and returns on (these days even "of") investment being some of the key ones.

Buying a place to live can be a wise move to fix living expenses, reduce exchange rate risks on the basics, and ensure you have a roof over your head, plus also it will be there after you're gone and your wife and child need it. Buying a brand new car under these circumstances also doesn't make sense, even with the emotional reasons behind it.

Without sounding harsh though, I think Murgatroyd is still unprepared for the future here. Looking forward, inflation plus exchange movements are likely to make things even worse. With only a 5% return on investments, and that level of income, it doesn't allow to save much. Even at 3.5% inflation his income halves in twenty years. GBP and western currencies are likely to decline against Asian ones. It wouldn't be unreasonable to ask what if his income falls below 30k a month in real terms within 5 years. This may not happen of course, but there's a reasonable chance it could.

Edited August 7, 2011 by fletchsmile

[Shiver]

if she was smart she would asked to be paid a commission for special services....or set up a union to negotiate a better package

In my imperfect relationship with my GF, (I call her my maid, which displeases her, lol!) I call the money I give her, her salary, to emphasise constantly that it is finite, which is fairly generous but limited to what I can do without causing myself financial issues. I take care of her, and she takes care of her family. I don't take care of her family, because that way it would be a bottomless pit. When the daughter is the bread winner (albeit just taking it from the farang) then she has a lot more sway in the family matters, and it can be quite interesting to see how little they really need when it's coming from *her* salary. Actually my Thai 'family' - the ones who matter to me, aren't related to my GF at all, and they have been my family since before meeting my GF, simply because they were the 'family' of a farang friend. I've never met my GF's family. This was a wonderful accidental setup, bringing unplanned clarity to my responsibilities and management of affairs. I recommend everyone do a 'family swap', then they have no pull on you, and you can have a good relationship with your surrogate family, which allows some latitude in posturing and explaining to the neighbours that they won't be expecting a fortuner and 10 baht gold any time soon.

Sorry for rambling off topic. Just thought it might allow a re-frame of the situation and create a set up that serves both the purpose of protecting your funds, getting your wife to adjust her wishlist and/or her relationship with her sister in order to get the car she wants, without doing anything divisive with your own relationship.

I think if she did that, it would be like setting a minimum wage at a level that is at the top of the pay scale already. Oh wait, politicians discussing that already. Better cancel the 'caben' TV so she doesn't get ideas. I do like the idea of pay as you go though, I could save a chunk doing that, and have a lot more freedom.

[Ulysses G.]

Nah some of use have to work 6 days a week also cant be assed with it these days bar girls drive me nut can just sit down and have a beer like what u can do back home also doesnt help being 6ft 1 blonde hair and blue eyes and if i had a pound for everytime i head handsome man can i go home with you i would be even more well off then i'm already

Yeah, that's why you are in Thailand, you're such a handsome fellow. Pulling down that cool 30k baht/month is quite the aphrodisiac with Western birds.

[Shiver]

You don't seem that knowledgeable about investment. No one living off investment income keeps the bulk of their funds in low return bank instruments.

Just in the US there are secure bond funds that deliver 5% and higher returns not to mention those less risk averse still invest in dividend stocks such as AT&T which has appreciated in value 10% over the past few years despite the recent minor correction and pays a dividend of +5%.

As far as fuel goes, the global oil market is based on the US$. As the US$ lowers in value versus other currencies, e.g., the Thai baht, the price of oil in baht terms lowers. This filters down to the pump price which has been lowering recently, especially diesel where this week the Thai government reinstated a 60 satang surcharge to the pump price keeping the retail price of diesel basically at 30 Baht per liter.

But then you don't seem to be a car owner/driver in Thailand either.

The stock markets have been kept afloat by QE which devalues currencies. Is the 5% a year gross enough to cover the rise in real inflation and dollar depreciation - do you feel richer?

I am not a car owner in Thailand but have read lots of posts about people complaining about rising costs in general.

Why does the minimum wage need to go up 70% if everything is so hunky dory? That in itself will create further inflation.

You are so naive. Some currencies have risen and some have fallen. It is a zero sum game. Do you understand?

Yes, I do feel considerably richer. I bought assets in Thailand 5 years ago and just by currency that investment has appreciated by more than 40%.

You do also understand that the minimum wage discussion is about politics ... right? It has nothing to do with economics just like it has nothing to do with economics in the West.

I would take a guess that UphillStruggle has, from what little I've seen in this thread, a very good grasp of what's really being done with the money. 40% in 5 years is not really much of a profit, if a profit at all (although many would love to have had this experience rather than their own). It is a partial hedge against inflation (aka tax).

[Tanaka]

and talk about it or go home !

Nice to see there are compassionate people on TV......

Rather than seeking advice on TV, think he has illustrated even with decent forward planning, things can go down the toilet pretty quickly...

I can see this degenerating into bi-monthly Cheap Charlie thread, where are resident cheap charlies out do each other on who can spend the least....

So let me open the bidding....my monthly budget is THB 200,000/m and these days, I just dont know how to make ends meet these days in Thailand....

Indeed Soup!!! My living expenses are close to 300,000 per month and expect them to rise at least another 20% within 8 years. Oh well, time to suck it up.... Careful budget work to consider.

300K a month? Then your understanding and grip of money is as good as most Thai ladies.

[Thakkar]

Murgatroyd, I can help you to reduce your medical expenses very significantly. Your first reaction may be to ignore the advice, but before you do, please research the suggestions. There is plenty of information on the internet about them.

1. 35% Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide (A pharmacy can tell you where to buy it. Very cheap!)

2. M.M.S. (Miracle Mineral Solution). (Buy it on the internet or ask the pharmacy where to buy the powder so you can make it yourself.)

3. EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique). Removes energy pathway blocks caused by stress. 80%+ of illnesses come from stress.

4. The Healing Codes - Another energy technique. Illnesses are actually caused by cellular memories. When you get rid of the negative energy, the illness goes away. This was a discovery made by mainstream medical researchers a few years ago, but it's bad for business, so don't expect your doctor to know about it or recommend it.

Allopathic medicine uses chemicals to remove the symptoms of illnesses, not the causes. The FDA in the USA has been trying to deny that Hydrogen Peroxide works since the early 1960s, but people have used it to cure cancers and serious diseases for many decades. It oxygenates your body and kills the bad stuff in your blood. The FDA is literally harassing MMS sellers as it is very bad for the pharmaceutical business. Both leave you feeling really good too as your body gets rid of the toxins, pathogens, etc.. No chemicals in either. Natural!

If you won't try any of the above, then go to the medicineless hospital in Beijing. It also uses energy medicine. There's a video on YouTube of a bowel cancer being removed in 2 mins 36 seconds.by voice energy. It's in a Gregg Braden video too.

I have worked out how to create a different kind of hotel guest experience using thought energy and heart energy. I helped a hotel to be chosen Best in the World to prove it works, but hotel corporate offices can't accept the concept, which is before it's time for the hotel industry, so I'm leaving the hotel industry to help farmers increase crop yields - including by using thought energy and heart energy. It's very easy to increase crop growth by sending love energy to plants.

Anyway, I'm rambling. Research what I've suggested. They work. Many people will testify to the 4 suggestions, and you'll find their comments on many, many websites. I wish you and your wife well!

I'm no doctor, but I am an expert on cell memories (heck, isn't everyone?) and I'd be wary of all that mumbo-jumbo. Diabetes is well manageable without incurring too much cost; follow your doctor's advice, OP.

As to your other disease—the unreasonably demanding wife—it may take more effort to manage. If she's had a job, handled a mortgage and kept her head above water, if she's running a business that hasn't gone bankrupt, then she's no dummy when it comes to budgets. She probably well understands the situation, but is unwilling to accept it.

OP, if I were you, I'd live well below budget and start saving because the Baht will likely strengthen, inflation increase, illnesses and accidents arise, appliances break, house repair needs arise, etc. As you say in your title, Be Prepared. With your low base of savings, it won't be easy. But with your family's love and support, it's doable.

[khunPer]

... i am looking to come live in thailand on 60000/ month, and i will have to pay rent, thats what my wage will be , untill i get my super, i have about 16000 aud as back up, i am now starting to worry???

60,000 baht/m + 16,000 aud as back-up sounds fair enough. It all depends of your lifestyle and what you expect, from living in "paradise". The 800,000 baht/year - or 65,000 baht/m - recommended by Thai immigration is actually a quite fair average figure. You can live happily for less - and you can easially spent a lot more.

I have been through semilar consideration some nine years ago, when thinking of moving to Thailand - now I have lived here for six years. First of all, you may consider to have a fixed deposit in a Thai bank of 800,000 baht to qualify for retirement extensions of your visa - or a mix of a fixed deposit and a certifed monthly income, totalling 800,000 baht yearly.

Think of what you expect from staying in LoS. Where and how do you want to live. You can find a decent bungalow or house for 5,000 baht/m or you may chose a better quality house for 15,000 - 20,000 baht/m.

Heath insurance etc.? If you do not have, you shall either expect some 40,000+ baht/y or set a lump sum aside. Thai public hospitals are quite okay, as mentioned in another post. In Thailand our are on your own as an expat, so you will always need some cash deposit, just in case something happens - even you have an insurance, you may need to pay and claim back.

Daily expences for food can be within 500 baht, so around 15,000 baht/m excl. transportation, clothes etc. and other expences, fx. a evening out. It easily totals up to some 20,000 - 25,000 baht/m. Thailand may not be as cheap to live in as many people think, if you want a kind of Western style life or the lifestyle you remember from holiday trips.

More important is the question, are you going to live alone? - or with a Thai spouse? The latter may easily add another 20,000 bath/m or completely change your budget.

And where do you wish to stay? Up north at Isaan, you may find a house for some 3-5,000 baht/m - do you wish to live there? Or shall it be at Phuket or Koh Samui, where you may spent 15,000+ bath/m for a house.

Do your dream about living in Thailand include evenings out?

fx.

15,000 b/m House rent + expences (Electric, Internet, Water)

25,000 b/m Daily average living expences

5,000 b/m Health insurance or emergency savings

10,000 b/m At disposal for ?

I must admit, I adjusted my initial budgets quite a bit - started out with some 50,000 baht/m. I tried to visualize the lifestyle I could afford within my budget, waited a few more years and have been able to live a bit more like the dream of a "life in paradise". Do make space in your budget for installation costs - like rent deposit, furnitures, electronics, kitchen apliances etc. - and unforeseen expences of at least 200k baht.

[tailspin]

Bartender...one vodka and peroxide please....I read on the internet from a TV expert that it is good for you

And then for the hangover, I am gonna undo my cells memory of drinking to before when I started so that my body won't know I drank, and therefore no hangover....

Thanks for helping me figure it out!

Murgatroyd, I can help you to reduce your medical expenses very significantly. Your first reaction may be to ignore the advice, but before you do, please research the suggestions. There is plenty of information on the internet about them.

1. 35% Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide (A pharmacy can tell you where to buy it. Very cheap!)

2. M.M.S. (Miracle Mineral Solution). (Buy it on the internet or ask the pharmacy where to buy the powder so you can make it yourself.)

3. EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique). Removes energy pathway blocks caused by stress. 80%+ of illnesses come from stress.

4. The Healing Codes - Another energy technique. Illnesses are actually caused by cellular memories. When you get rid of the negative energy, the illness goes away. This was a discovery made by mainstream medical researchers a few years ago, but it's bad for business, so don't expect your doctor to know about it or recommend it.

Allopathic medicine uses chemicals to remove the symptoms of illnesses, not the causes. The FDA in the USA has been trying to deny that Hydrogen Peroxide works since the early 1960s, but people have used it to cure cancers and serious diseases for many decades. It oxygenates your body and kills the bad stuff in your blood. The FDA is literally harassing MMS sellers as it is very bad for the pharmaceutical business. Both leave you feeling really good too as your body gets rid of the toxins, pathogens, etc.. No chemicals in either. Natural!

If you won't try any of the above, then go to the medicineless hospital in Beijing. It also uses energy medicine. There's a video on YouTube of a bowel cancer being removed in 2 mins 36 seconds.by voice energy. It's in a Gregg Braden video too.

I have worked out how to create a different kind of hotel guest experience using thought energy and heart energy. I helped a hotel to be chosen Best in the World to prove it works, but hotel corporate offices can't accept the concept, which is before it's time for the hotel industry, so I'm leaving the hotel industry to help farmers increase crop yields - including by using thought energy and heart energy. It's very easy to increase crop growth by sending love energy to plants.

Anyway, I'm rambling. Research what I've suggested. They work. Many people will testify to the 4 suggestions, and you'll find their comments on many, many websites. I wish you and your wife well!

[raven0099]

and talk about it or go home !

Nice to see there are compassionate people on TV......

Rather than seeking advice on TV, think he has illustrated even with decent forward planning, things can go down the toilet pretty quickly...

I can see this degenerating into bi-monthly Cheap Charlie thread, where are resident cheap charlies out do each other on who can spend the least....

So let me open the bidding....my monthly budget is THB 200,000/m and these days, I just dont know how to make ends meet these days in Thailand....

Indeed Soup!!! My living expenses are close to 300,000 per month and expect them to rise at least another 20% within 8 years. Oh well, time to suck it up.... Careful budget work to consider.

300K a month? Then your understanding and grip of money is as good as most Thai ladies.

I know i was shocked , is it possibly a typing error and he only meant to put 30k ?

[seancbk]

Indeed Soup!!! My living expenses are close to 300,000 per month and expect them to rise at least another 20% within 8 years. Oh well, time to suck it up.... Careful budget work to consider.

300K a month? Then your understanding and grip of money is as good as most Thai ladies.

I know i was shocked , is it possibly a typing error and he only meant to put 30k ?

Depends on so many factors.

How old you are

Married or single

Whether you are working here

Whether you are living on a pension or savings from overseas

Whether you have kids at school here

Where in Thailand you are living

What you consider an acceptable standard of living

If you want to live in central Bangkok (between Sukhumvit 50 and Sukhumvit 4 approx) and you want a decent sized place (minimum 100 sq/m) then you will be paying from 40K to well over 100K a month for rent.

Decent international schools for your teenage kids are very expensive apparently (I don't have kids so can't give you figures).

If you have kids then one would assume you have a wife too and unless you've married someone from a poor family then she's going to want to shop in Paragon etc.

Of course if you have kids and depending then a 100 sq/m (2 bedroom) place is nowhere near big enough so better add another 100K for a suitably sized abode.

Don't forget all the little things because they really add up - Add an iphone 4 (or 5 soon) for every member of the household (don't forget to included the maid and your driver so you can reach them easily) - Lets assume 2 kids, you and the wife, maid, driver that's 6 phone accounts that need paying for.

Dinner out with the wife and friends twice a week to top restaurants, followed by drinks at Bed Supper Club or Spasso - easily top 100K a month

Couple of nights out with your business associates each week - 10K a night give or take.

Golf course fees

Country club fees for the family

Holiday home somewhere else in Thailand so you can get out of Bangkok now and again

Foreign holidays for the family to get out of Thailand now and again (shopping trips to HK and Singapore for the wife every couple of months for example)

Cars

etc etc

Frankly I don't know how he manages to live on as little as 300K a month.

You can't even buy a decent Patek Philippe timepiece for that.

Edited August 7, 2011 by seancbk

[jfchandler]

Thanks to the OP for a good and thought-provoking post.... Something anyone considering coming to Thailand should read.

It highlights the importance of people building in a good size cushion in their financial planning for living expenses...

It also highlights the value of living your everyday life at a level BELOW your financial capability, so that when unexpected things crop up, you have the flexibility to deal with them.

Lastly, I think it points to the importance of the family's main breadwinner also being the one who needs to make the key financial decisions that are in the best long-term interest of his/her family... I don't think the typical Thai spouse is inclined to perform very well in that area...

It may cause some disappointment in the short-term, but the OP will be of no good to his family in the long term if he lets their short-term spending whims drive him into debt or out of Thailand. And it's also partly an education process where one needs to try to bring their spouse around to understanding that money doesn't grow on trees and there's only so much to spend...

If one's spouse can't eventually come to understand or at least grudgingly accept that notion, then one needs to consider the prospect that they've got a gold-digger who isn't interested in the long-term financial health of the family, but rather, extracting as much as possible out of their current mate and then moving on.

[raven0099]

Indeed Soup!!! My living expenses are close to 300,000 per month and expect them to rise at least another 20% within 8 years. Oh well, time to suck it up.... Careful budget work to consider.

300K a month? Then your understanding and grip of money is as good as most Thai ladies.

I know i was shocked , is it possibly a typing error and he only meant to put 30k ?

Depends on so many factors.

How old you are

Married or single

Whether you are working here

Whether you are living on a pension or savings from overseas

Whether you have kids at school here

Where in Thailand you are living

What you consider an acceptable standard of living

If you want to live in central Bangkok (between Sukhumvit 50 and Sukhumvit 4 approx) and you want a decent sized place (minimum 100 sq/m) then you will be paying from 40K to well over 100K a month for rent.

Decent international schools for your teenage kids are very expensive apparently (I don't have kids so can't give you figures).

If you have kids then one would assume you have a wife too and unless you've married someone from a poor family then she's going to want to shop in Paragon etc.

Of course if you have kids and depending then a 100 sq/m (2 bedroom) place is nowhere near big enough so better add another 100K for a suitably sized abode.

Don't forget all the little things because they really add up - Add an iphone 4 (or 5 soon) for every member of the household (don't forget to included the maid and your driver so you can reach them easily) - Lets assume 2 kids, you and the wife, maid, driver that's 6 phone accounts that need paying for.

Dinner out with the wife and friends twice a week to top restaurants, followed by drinks at Bed Supper Club or Spasso - easily top 100K a month

Couple of nights out with your business associates each week - 10K a night give or take.

Golf course fees

Country club fees for the family

Holiday home somewhere else in Thailand so you can get out of Bangkok now and again

Foreign holidays for the family to get out of Thailand now and again (shopping trips to HK and Singapore for the wife every couple of months for example)

Cars

etc etc

Frankly I don't know how he manages to live on as little as 300K a month.

You can't even buy a decent Patek Philippe timepiece for that.

Buying everyone an i phone 4 , and eating out with drinks twice a week for £500 , 10k a night with buisness associates ! if your throwing money away like that i have no sympathy for you !

Edited August 7, 2011 by raven0099

[tombkk]

Some of the replies are harsh, especially "dump the wife" is so unfair. Remember LOVE??? Oh well, my concern is that so many of you mention living on 35,000 baht. To be here on retirement visa takes 65,000 verified income, or 800,000 in the bank for at least the previous 3 months. WPermit changes things, and marriage also. Just wondering???

Some wives are harsh, not only us posters over here. I knew this fellow upcountry, he married a beautiful woman who was from a Thai province, and he paid for the land and for the house (actually, a beautiful villa). It was going to be a beautiful marriage, I remember his eyes very well when looking into the future that he imagined with his wife. And then he paid for the houses (smaller than their villa) for the relatives who were to live on the same plot of land. No problem, he said, it is good to have the family near-by, and they deserve the break from poverty (never crossed his mind why he should be the messias, but that was up to him, I thought at the time).

His wife told her friends that he has X million Baht in his account in Europe, and she already has so many millions and will get the rest. One of those friends was a friend of the (honest) wife of my farang friend, so we tried to tell this fellow-European what is happening. He was so much in LOVE with this woman that he did not listen to our warnings.

Not much later, when the villa had been completed (the houses for the relatives where still partly under construction), I learned that he had to pay rent for living in the villa, which he still accepted: It was her house, after all.

And he was still in LOVE with her, which is why he did not accept the concept that it is his house, as he paid for it.

When all his life savings were spent and he did not have money to pay the rent any more, she kicked him out and he returned to Europe. I have not heard of him since, and I believe he is on the dole now, all his life savings gone. I can imagine that he still LOVES the woman.

I am posting this with the OP in mind. Be prepared.

[tombkk]

Sorry about the health problems, didn't you consider health insurance for the family

when you got married?

It costs THB 30/treatment (including heart surgery!) if you are under Social Security.

If not, health insurance costs some THB 1,800, check out the Thai insurance companies. Coverage up to 1 million, 2 million etc, they'll be happy to come to your home and check out your needs.

Either OP is pulling our legs, or he has been had big time.

[khunPer]

Murgatroyd, I can help you to reduce your medical expenses very significantly. Your first reaction may be to ignore the advice, but before you do, please research the suggestions. There is plenty of information on the internet about them.

1. 35% Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide....

Hydrogen Peroxide - now it has been mentioned - really is a very good and natural product for many purposes.

However fairly or totally harmless in small doses, do not be become fanatic. Do your research and you will find quite a lot of usefull information on the Internet.

Many countries, including many states in USA, use Hydrogen Peroxide to clean water (instead of chlorine). The chemical formula is H2O2, which is water with an extra oxygen atom. The oxidation cleans and kill bacteria. Hydrogen peroxide therefore is better for cleaning than chlorine and completely harmless. NASA use a hydrogen peroxide generating system in space to clean water and a semilar system is available - down at this planet - for chlorine free swimming pools. Aluminium containers for food are cleaned with hydrogen peroxide (food grade) and hospitals are using it as a sterilant.

In health, hydrogen peroxide has a semilar oxidation effect as vitamin C. Recent studies are described in Nature and Wikipedia has a quite comprehensive article.

However, be aware of the 35% solution - which is clean and therefore food grade, compared to 3% and 6% solutions - but also very caustic (have to be thinned). In cleaner solutions hydrogen peroxide is a part for explosives (the 2005 London bombs) or rocket fuel.

Hydrogen peroxide 35% - which can be obtained in 1 ltr. bottles from some of the Thai pharmacies - is actually very good to clean water systems and wells.

As tailspin wrote: "Bartender...one vodka and peroxide please...." may well be a very healthy cure - but for me: Please mix the vodka with something and add only a dash of HP;o)

Edited August 7, 2011 by khunPer

[cigar7]

Some of the replies are harsh, especially "dump the wife" is so unfair. Remember LOVE??? Oh well, my concern is that so many of you mention living on 35,000 baht. To be here on retirement visa takes 65,000 verified income, or 800,000 in the bank for at least the previous 3 months. WPermit changes things, and marriage also. Just wondering???

Some wives are harsh, not only us posters over here. I knew this fellow upcountry, he married a beautiful woman who was from a Thai province, and he paid for the land and for the house (actually, a beautiful villa). It was going to be a beautiful marriage, I remember his eyes very well when looking into the future that he imagined with his wife. And then he paid for the houses (smaller than their villa) for the relatives who were to live on the same plot of land. No problem, he said, it is good to have the family near-by, and they deserve the break from poverty (never crossed his mind why he should be the messias, but that was up to him, I thought at the time).

His wife told her friends that he has X million Baht in his account in Europe, and she already has so many millions and will get the rest. One of those friends was a friend of the (honest) wife of my farang friend, so we tried to tell this fellow-European what is happening. He was so much in LOVE with this woman that he did not listen to our warnings.

Not much later, when the villa had been completed (the houses for the relatives where still partly under construction), I learned that he had to pay rent for living in the villa, which he still accepted: It was her house, after all.

And he was still in LOVE with her, which is why he did not accept the concept that it is his house, as he paid for it.

When all his life savings were spent and he did not have money to pay the rent any more, she kicked him out and he returned to Europe. I have not heard of him since, and I believe he is on the dole now, all his life savings gone. I can imagine that he still LOVES the woman.

I am posting this with the OP in mind. Be prepared.

I have heard many similar stories as above. The OP may be blind with love, not seeing the reality of the situation in that she and other family members, are only interested in his money. I'm not confident the love is reciprocal. In fact, all of the Thais I have met, give higher priorty to a source of money. If the OP didn't give the money to her, or have the assets, there would be no honey, because there is no money!

The OP should do a reality check. Test her to see if she is interested in him or his assets. How about telling her there has been error in accounting, and now he can only provide 30k baht a money total! Let's see her reaction !!

As previously stated by Shiver:

1. Thai people tend to be generous when they are able. It's when the crunch comes that you get the unexpected behaviour. There is a heirarchy to this as follows:

i) Children

ii) Parents

iii) Rest of family (siblings then cousin and equivalents, second cousin/aunty etc) - There might be some juggling of order here based on personal likes dislikes.

iv) Neighbours

v) Dog

vi) Farang Tirak

Edited August 7, 2011 by cigar7

[losworld]

Thanks for the advice Semper... I bought a small home business for my wife and she works hard at making ladies and children's clothing. However she keeps the money that she earns that way, because she works so hard at it and because she gave up her job to look after me..

Jeffrey, I appreciate what you say. I have indeed sat down and talked the issue through with my wife. I've explained that if we continue to live over budget and buy the wretched new car I will have to go home to earn some more money... and that this will take several years to accomplish. She was frightened to go into the local hospital and I wanted for her to get the best available treatment. So we decided on the National Cancer Hospital in Bangkok. Whilst this is not an expensive private hospital for Farangs, it still cost me somewhat more than I had on hand for this year.

Olaf, I also appreciate that my income is more that most Thai families have... I don't recall asking for sympathy on that basis. I don't seem to be getting the 48baht rate from my bank... something else I'll have to look into.

Thanks Southpeel. Funnily enough my name is Charlie... I guess I'm getting to be a cheaper one than I had hoped to be.

We live in the townhouse that My wife bought a number of years before we first met. The only difference is that I pay the mortgage now. We don't live anywhere fancy.

Thaifan2, I'm not sure that I could live with the guilt involved in "Ditching" my wife and our stepdaughter, both of which I love very much indeed. She's never asked me for anything expensive before and I feel guilty that I cannot provide what she wants.

To all the others who've posted on the thread, many thanks for your advice. I've got a lot to consider.

A couple quick points that may assist you... get off the drugs for type II diabetes... CHANGE YOUR DIET... no sugars, no high fructose corn syrup... no simple carbs such as rice, bread, etc. and you will likely not need the drugs. I don't know how much weight you have to lose but this too is necessary. Also, BUY A USED VEHICLE. Good luck.

[anterian]

Every problem has a solution. Firstly I stuck the required 800,000 Baht in a Thai bank several years ago, not only does it earn interest but I don't need to worry about fluctuations in my income. As to a home, I bought two old houses next to each other, through my partner of course, 300 KBaht each, for a further expenditure of 150 kBaht each I rebuilt and modernised them, I now have 8 rooms, and two toilet/bathrooms, a large patio, two small patios and a small garden, all for 900,000 Baht. My partner also makes dresses, it keeps her in pocket money. I pay all the bills, electricity, water, phone, Internet, food and support 9 cats.

I also am a type 2 diabetic, diagnosed last year, the drug of choice - gliclazide is very cheap, £1.80 for 28 tablets in England, about the same in Thailand. However a small glass of bitter gourd juice every day will do the same job and is cheap to make, cinnamon is also effective. A diabetic diet is no more expensive than a normal diet and all the main stores sell sucralose sweetener. The real difference is you have to cook and eat in-house, ready cooked Thai food is full of sugar.

Why do you need a car? We use a mixture of song tauws, buses, taxis and bicycles, healthier and less stressful.

My basic income in England is about £1000 per month bottom line, sometimes it touches £1200, I shift £500 to Thailand every month via the Internet it costs me about £3.59 per transfer, I never need to contact my British bank, either in person or any other way, Internet banking is available to me in both countries.

Frankly I think you are going about things the wrong way, or your wife is leading you by the nose. As to supporting two kids, I informally support half a dozen kids in my village, feed, clothe and pay their school bus fares, the costs just get lost in the general household budget, as does the 3000 Baht per month tea money to the local police, and contributions to the village social life.