Should I Do It

[joey88tc]

A liitle background about myself....I work in the u.s. as a state prision guard....Im 45 years old.....Been on the job 17 years....I have beeen on vacations to thailand about 25 times in the past 7 years....And now the dilema....Im just so tired of the job......Its a struggle to go into work every day.....Never had children and i am waiting to start my life.... I can leave now with 65k dollar to live off for 3 years than get a guaranteed pension for 2k us dollar a month until death...than at 62 will get social security, about another 1,600 us a month...I am not much of a drinker.....and hate the bars....I wish to live in a quiet area....and take my time to hopefully meet a nice lady...And another thing the job is really tearing me apart....any comments will be appreciated...thanks

[necronx99]

Thats plenty, go for it.

But what are actually going to do here?

[bikkalad]

Go for it........ Life's not a rehersal......... Nothing worse if the job your doing is giving you the shits

[joey88tc]

Thats plenty, go for it.

But what are actually going to do here?

start by clearing my head out.......getting negativity out of my life

[necronx99]

Thats plenty, go for it.

But what are actually going to do here?

start by clearing my head out.......getting negativity out of my life

Admirable.

To be honest, the only problem I see is that you are short of capital, just a tad. Another 50 or 100k would be nice if a countryside setup is in your plans.

Would you be substantially better off by hanging in for 20yrs?

Edited March 26, 2012 by necronx99

[joey88tc]

Thats plenty, go for it.

But what are actually going to do here?

start by clearing my head out.......getting negativity out of my life

Admirable.

To be honest, the only problem I see is that you are short of capital, just a tad. Another 50 or 100k would be nice if a countryside setup is in your plans.

another 50 or 100k us will set me back another 2 years.....

[bendix]

Don't do it.

Thailand is not a place to come to for negative reasons, and neither is it a good plan to blow your life savings.

I personally would stick the job out and keep the savings intact.

But I'm more conservative than most.

[Gary A]

If you are sure that you will get the $2,000 per month at age 48, then go for it. Give it a try because you have nothing to lose except a job that you hate.

I'm a little skeptical that you can get the lifetime pension at age 48.

[Jingthing]

I think you can and should do it financially, but you are five years short of the retirement visa age which you easily qualify for with the pension you will be getting (using the combo method a bit). So that means hanging on with the ED visa, visa runs, etc. for five years. That's not so good. So if I were you I'd think a little harder. Maybe hang out in Cambodia for a while (super easy visas) or even reconsider working there a bit longer if you can stomach it.

[joey88tc]

Don't do it.

Thailand is not a place to come to for negative reasons, and neither is it a good plan to blow your life savings.

I personally would stick the job out and keep the savings intact.

But I'm more conservative than most.

My pension os my real savings......Its not a great deal of money but one thing for sure....on the first of every month there will be 2,000 us deposited in my checking account.....the life expectancy of a corrections officer at a max security prision is about 57 years old....i could have more money in a few more years.....but what price tag do you put on a quality life

[necronx99]

Thats plenty, go for it.

But what are actually going to do here?

start by clearing my head out.......getting negativity out of my life

Admirable.

To be honest, the only problem I see is that you are short of capital, just a tad. Another 50 or 100k would be nice if a countryside setup is in your plans.

another 50 or 100k us will set me back another 2 years.....

then I would suck it up and hang out for your 20 yrs. Put your lump sum into something you can't piss away on the first cute thing you fall for

(and you will, everyone does) and then come out for a few years to get grounded.

[Jingthing]

Yeah, I hear what you're saying. That field of work is very brutal. Congratulations on making it so far. I think you're a special case because of that. I can see more strongly that you should try this. But like I said, you will have visa issues for five years, so I would explore creative ways of making it to 50, without that job, and maybe not the entire time in Thailand.

Edited March 26, 2012 by Jingthing

[Kwasaki]

Having been here 25 times and with those figures I reckon you can answer your own question, goodluck.

[David48]

Have to agree with both necronx99 and bendix (is that an oxymoron?)

At 45 you (hopefully) have so much energy and to go from a fulltime job to zero work would be some sort of adjustment even in your own country, let alone Thailand.

Plus, the thought about not coming to Thailand for a negative reason, rather then a positive reason.

Being less then 50 years old will require a lot of Visa runs until you qualify for retirement Visa.

Edit:

Jingthing posted (twice) while I was writing ... some good advice there also about the Visa etc.

Also pop up to the new members section and introduce yourself (yes I know you joined years ago) ...

Edited March 26, 2012 by David48

[joey88tc]

If you are sure that you will get the $2,000 per month at age 48, then go for it. Give it a try because you have nothing to lose except a job that you hate.

I'm a little skeptical that you can get the lifetime pension at age 48.

Its calculated at 2.5 percent per year of your highest average....It will be 17 years and 1 year for military service...that 18 x2.5=45% of a 65k average thats 29,250...which is 2,437 per mont minus 10% federal tax.....and a penalty for being under 50....right around 2.000.

[bendix]

For me it's not about the financial side (although I would still be reluctant to blow 65k of life savings to live for three years because you dont ever get that back).

For me it's as much about the psychological side. It's so tempting to want to come to the other side of the world - your vacation place of refuge - and get away from the crap you're dealing with every day. Frankly, the mental state you're in leaves you wide open to all sorts of traps that beset people here.

I could be wrong - I might have read your posts in the wrong way - but I would strongly recommend you think hard about this.

There is a big difference between 'could' and 'should' .

I can -easily, and I'm only two years older than you. But I don't . . not yet, anyway. Not until I'm 49 and 364 days old.

[bikkalad]

Health is No:1. Physically and mentally.........

[patroller]

Yep listen to advice from folk that haven't even made the move yet themselves.

[Jingthing]

Yeah, sure, think hard about coming and think hard about staying at that soul crushing job that you're lucky to get out of alive. I think you're coming. Ignore the naysayers. Some posters here are just biased against lower wealth retirees.

[edwinclapham]

My feeling is to go for it. My old man (US citizen) manages on a SS cheque in Issan. His rent is reasonable and the house is great, the utility costs are very manageable.. he doesnt go overboard with a/c, satellite tv etc but he enjoys the simple things in life. The Outreach programme (US) comes to Udon yearly so he manages to sort out the paperwork for his visa for NongKhai Immigration.

I find the simple things in Thailand is what gives the most pleasure if you are sensible. A good life can be had, with all the possibilities of finding a good woman if you take it easy and give it time.

I know what I would choose! Good luck to you, hope you get your freedom soon!

Best wishes

[Eff1n2ret]

Go and get another job. In my early 40s I had a decent job with good employers, but the thought of having to do it for another 20+ years used to keep me awake at night. A management consultant I met around that time said that in future years it would be the norm rather than the exception for people to have at least two if not three completely different careers during their working life. In fact a year or two later I did change - financially it wasn't particularly rewarding but it saved my sanity.

45 is too young to retire. Don't throw away what could be the most productive years of your life. 2000 dollars a month isn't going to feel like a fortune in 20 years time.

[macknife]

Just do it. If you don't like it, then you can go back home.

[CharlieH]

Its not a rehearsal, the life you have is the only one and its far too short, don't live with should've, could've and regrets.

The money you mention you could live fine in rural Thailand especially if your not a drinker and easily smitten by the Ladies.

Pick your spot carefully, try it for a year and take it from there.

Living in Thailand full time is not the same as visiting for a vacation for a few weeks escape from reality often offer.

Good luck !

Edited March 26, 2012 by CharlieH

[submaniac]

OP my opinion is just to do it. The money you are talking about is MORE than enough to live comfortably on in Thailand. Why wait until you are an old man to enjoy your life? Don't you think you should go for it when you are still young enough to.

Also, I don't think alot of other posters realize what a really unhappy kind of job being a prison guard is. While other jobs just kind of suck, being a prison guard is one where you risk your life. Think about people who are convicted and are doing life in prison. Do you really think they really care about stabbing a prison guard so they can get "cred" with the other prisoners. Does anyone think it would be "fun" to hang out with criminals all day? OP I commend you for managing to stick it out 17 years, I couldn't.

[necronx99]

The problem as I see it is if he does love it in LOS.

His income will give him a livable life but no capital to establish himself and make something.

lot of life left at 45.

His income is not even truck money let alone condo or hobby farm money.

If he is happy renting and riding a bike I would say yes, but if he envisages something more then I would hold out a few years and get the nest egg that would make something more available.

[David48]

My feeling is to go for it. My old man (US citizen) manages on a SS cheque in Issan. <snip>

Yes ... but how old is your 'old man' ?

The OP is 45 ... traditional near the peak of his earning potential.

[rijb]

My brother moved to Florida with high hopes, after retiring as a NY state prison guard. Then his marriage fell apart and now he gets half of his retirement check. Today, he works as a security guard because that's all he knows.

Go to school while you finish your 20. Come to Thailand with a degree in case money gets tight and you need to teach for a living. Also, think about what you would do if you have/want to go back to the U.S.

[bendix]

Yeah, sure, think hard about coming and think hard about staying at that soul crushing job that you're lucky to get out of alive. I think you're coming. Ignore the naysayers. Some posters here are just biased against lower wealth retirees.

Sorry Jingthing, but that's a completely stupid thing to say and you're much better than that.

It's not about being biased against lower wealth retirees. It's about providing an alternative view to someone who - frankly - seems depressed to me. It's all very well for people to so cavarlierly say 'go for it' when it isnt them who have to suffer the consequences if it all goes wrong.

This is a life-changing decision and to be honest he doesnt seem in the right frame of mind to make the call logically, and we have people telling him to basically give up his career (at 45), his entire working life, his earning potential and his lifesavings, simply because he has a 60000 pension to look forward to.

It might be enough for many people, but you know NOTHING about this guy - his needs, his health, his eating habits, his expectations of lifestyle etc - so i think it is beholden upon people to put a brake on what appears to be a decision or desire based on current misery.

[klikster]

No one can know when you have really "had enough" -- maybe not even you. If you do decide to pull the pin --

I left a fairly high stress job at around 50, but that was when the retirement visa age was 55. So I had to do visa runs for 4 years. There is actually a positive side to that. Use your visa runs to visit around SE Asia -- not expensive is done 2nd class. A week in Laos can be pretty nice. Same in Cambo. Burma is changing. Malaysia has some nice areas.

If you decide on Thailand, resist the urge to settle in one spot too quickly. Resist the urge to buy a condo or build a house. Resist the urge to find a nice lady too quickly. Rent a serviced apartment on a short term basis. Try different cities. Find your comfort zone.

Also, since you are a vet, visit some of the VFW posts around the country, e.g. Chiang Mai, Korat, Udorn, (others?). Many of those guys have been here a long time and can offer selective advice. They will all hit you up to join.

If you decide that moving offshore was a mistake, you can probably find another job in the US. After all, you will have $ 2,000 plus your salary.

Stress can kill you.

[edwinclapham]

My feeling is to go for it. My old man (US citizen) manages on a SS cheque in Issan. <snip>

Yes ... but how old is your 'old man' ?

The OP is 45 ... traditional near the peak of his earning potential.

Not much older than the OP!