Going Home

[FarangBuddha]

WOW...that sucks...and with the UK economy shrinking, I hear there aren't too many jobs to be had right now as well...double-sucks!

A cautionary tale for others who may be tempted to make the jump to Thailand and "retired" status too soon as well.

[transam]

Wheres ''Harry Enfield'' at a time like this.

[letitbe]

I didn't read all of the posts, but if you are spending 120K a month, you are spending way too much. I have no idea how old you are, but if over 50-years, why not cut expenses and stay in the Kingdom with your family?

I've had three friends return to Farangland and all returned within a year. My wife and I did a two-year stint in the US, but we returned as soon as we could.

Why not take your wife back to the UK with you? We only get one ticket to ride in this life - best to do it as you see fit.

Good luck....

people like you have absolutely no idea. ITs simply not possible with 2 kids and a good standard of living to live here on less than 100,000 a month and thats pushing it. Do you actually understand a decent school (by no means most expensive) costs at least 20,000 baht a month each child. Proper food (not crap mama noodles) even if you eat thai but quality will add for 4 at least 15,000 baht a month. And I could go on and on. I dont know what standard of living people like you are used to but it costs us as much to live here for same standard as in UK due to school fees, health care and a half/half Thai western lifestyle. Yes ive met the pathetic live on 30,000 baht a month people with 2 kids and maybe in some hole in some part of Issan you can exist sort of ok by western standards but in developed parts of Thailand totally impossible if your going to have any quality of life. And yes thais around us live on 20,000 or so family income and their kids go to dump government school, they sadly have to eat mostly very poor quality foods have no car and air con would be out of the question. Single I could live here fine in a small condo for around 50,000 a month but with 2 kids, car and occasional trips home as well as health care costs, maintenance on old wood house, termite control ............. For a start my last operation with meds came to around 250,000 baht and meds come to 12,000 or so a month but then in west id be dead.

Edited June 27, 2012 by tombkk
: Double quote

[tombkk]

200k a month ?

I sleep in a blanket on the beach ,it doesnt have much mod-cons but its saves me a fortune

I can catch a fish or wake up early and pick mushrooms for free from the fields

i collect scraps behind resturants before the rats ,cats and soi dogs can get them

sometimes friendly people leave a sandwich beside me when i sleeping

i can wash and shave in the big C toilets

I drink beer for 26 thb per bottle outside the 7-11 ,when im flush i eat at the local restaurant and it

costs me 25thb for a chicken drumstick and some rice soup

ive had the same clothes for years ,who needs to buy clothes EVERY month ? im the same size now as i was when i was 18

I think the embedded video says all about the current state of this topic. Wanna continue?

[letitbe]

and you think they are getting an education wake up man have you even bothered to look into your kids school please do you will get a shock <deleted> you must live in some shit hole place and have some very low expectations of what your kids will do later on sorry again <deleted> and like another poster said im off to cool sparkling wine and check on fillet steak (im poor). Totally fed up with the I live on 2 baht a day brigade. Our maid hardly survives with 3 working on 30,000 a month with no debt or mortgage and also growing a lot of her own food and she would not be seen dead around here in a government ward.

My step-daughter intends to train as a doctor, grades are already in line for acceptance. Please explain how you think private school would improve her chances?

Your listed expenses are totally ridiculous, you are surely trolling.

10k a month for house repairs ...... yours must be falling down.

50k for food ???????

and you think they are getting an education wake up man have you even bothered to look into your kids school please do you will get a shock <deleted> you must live in some shit hole place and have some very low expectations of what your kids will do later on sorry again <deleted> and like another poster said im off to cool sparkling wine and check on fillet steak (im poor). Totally fed up with the I live on 2 baht a day brigade. Our maid hardly survives with 3 working on 30,000 a month with no debt or mortgage and also growing a lot of her own food and she would not be seen dead around here in a government ward.

My step-daughter intends to train as a doctor, grades are already in line for acceptance. Please explain how you think private school would improve her chances?

Your listed expenses are totally ridiculous, you are surely trolling.

10k a month for house repairs ...... yours must be falling down.

50k for food ???????

no its a nice house but it does have a few air cons and bits. We do keep house maintained nicely most thais and it is a nice wood house. MY house in UK cost around 10,000 gbp a year to maintain so 2,000 a year here for same size is cheap. Sure if we lived in a 3 bed 2 bath place (which would be fine) maintenance would be probably 3-4000 a month on average allowing for odd replacement of an air/con, termite control, repainting say every 5 years and rest but we live as we did in UK or USA. We live well thats true but not like kings. We dont skimp on education or food and run 2 cars so cars alone allowing for replacement say every 10 years is around 20,000 a month.

Please understand some of us actually live a good standard not hand to mouth and we know friends whose spend would blow your mind but unlike my wife they do go a bit crazy on shopping. If you live a mostly western lifestyle its not much cheaper once education and health care are accounted for than living in the UK or USA. Of course in UK we could never have or afford a maid but way some of you people talk our maid and her family spend more than you do and it seems actually earn or get a higher income than you or others. I happily admit we pay way over the odds for our maid at around 15,000 a month but she has been with us for 15 years and is worth 5 times that. Sorry i dont believe just because most here pay their staff hardly living wage just because they can. It will also surprise you to know that many of my wife's friends earn 50,000 plus a month working here fro Thai companies. I fully understand this is not the norm same as in our circle of expats here it is not norm to try and exist on less than 150,000 baht or so a month.

[letitbe]

Quote

Then they will tell you how bad you are spending all that money and you should be ashamed of the way you spend "YOUR" money.

If somone is happy living in a hovel and spending THB 20,000 a month...good for you....but please dont start judging other people because they are spending more money in a month, than you send in year..everyone to their own..

I am of the opinion that the vast majority of these people are making these comments purely out of jealousy, when they realise there are actually farangs living in Thailand who can afford to live a reasonable/good life in Thailand.

with that being said, have to answer the door as my new shipment of Beluga has just arrived...

can you send me some my shipment got lost and im down to my last case of champers. Yes I know its useless actually telling some that to live here costs a bit if you live a decent style and I should not raise to the bait. I honestly think most are simply not counting a lot of costs like holidays, improvements to the home and many other things. My mother in law actually lives on around 8,000 baht a month and im always amazed how she does it and feel a bit guilty so yes it can be done but she runs her own mom and pop shop (booze and fags mostly) so a lot of her day to day living is free and she has no kids anymore and even when she did of course could not give them much. For those thinking were supporting some extended family we support no one but in early days their were expectations. We've paid her health care when needed and feeling guilty bought her shop for her so she could save the rent and she gets odd Christmas present but for some reason she does not like bulega or champers preferring some form of roasted insect instead. Im actually beginning to feel guilty about that now given we give our maid twice what my mother in law makes a month. Im sure theirs plenty here would pay their MIL 15,000 to never visit.

[wana]

Even without counting wifes/gfs/kids i can spend a small fortune on ......random stuff......

Anyone who really lives here will know

even a cheap car is the best part of a million

a "decent" motorbike 250k+ for a kawasaki (not talking scooters )

,tyres for a decent sized motorbike are 12,000+

a tank of gas is 700 and lasts a couple of days (around 200km if your lucky)

a crate of beer 600 in the big c

a steak and potatoes meal every night 200 per person (400+ if you go as a couple )a coffee in the mornings ,sandwich at lunch and a yoghurt or oranage juice in afternoon combined about 300 )

go out for drinks to a decent place ,you can blow a few thousand without thinking

if you like to have a bit of fun with ladies ,you probably need factor in hotel bills or even rent another place for the Mia Noi /Entertainment

gym membership

doctors fees

clothing expenses

border runs and or immigration visa stamps

occasional police bribes ,sometimes 400 thb here and there

10thb for using another banks ATM

150 thb for using a non thai atm card

internet

water

electricty

maintaince of homes .property ,service charge of vehicles (lets be cheap and say 2000 a month)

none of these alone are outrageously expensive but add them all together and you can have a

whopping great bill some months even without international schools leaning on you and emergency

medical expenses

i personally dont think bangkok is all that cheap anymore and not being funny but im probably a lot

better off than the average thai

###bangkok only though ### (not talking about villages up in esan where you can still eat for 5-10 thb and sleep in a shack on stilts )

[onthemoon]

Even without counting wifes/gfs/kids i can spend a small fortune on ......random stuff......

Anyone who really lives here will know

{snip}

a crate of beer 600 in the big c

{snip}

10thb for using another banks ATM

{snip}

Totally true.

scnr

[wana]

Even without counting wifes/gfs/kids i can spend a small fortune on ......random stuff......

Anyone who really lives here will know

{snip}

a crate of beer 600 in the big c

{snip}

10thb for using another banks ATM

{snip}

Totally true.

scnr

I take it youre a fan of the simple life then ?

[Soutpeel]

###bangkok only though ### (not talking about villages up in esan where you can still eat for 5-10 thb and sleep in a shack on stilts )

THB 5-10 meals....outrageous.. what is wrong with picking various leaves from the side of the road and eating them....like the Thai do ?...

[wana]

###bangkok only though ### (not talking about villages up in esan where you can still eat for 5-10 thb and sleep in a shack on stilts )

THB 5-10 meals....outrageous.. what is wrong with picking various leaves from the side of the road and eating them....like the Thai do ?...

leaves ? we would have killed for fresh leaves ........

a bowl of salty water that once had a chicken bone in it was all we had

IF we were lucky

[Gweiloman]

###bangkok only though ### (not talking about villages up in esan where you can still eat for 5-10 thb and sleep in a shack on stilts )

THB 5-10 meals....outrageous.. what is wrong with picking various leaves from the side of the road and eating them....like the Thai do ?...

leaves ? we would have killed for fresh leaves ........

a bowl of salty water that once had a chicken bone in it was all we had

IF we were lucky

Guys, don't joke about this. There are posters here who average Thb5 pppm and that includes real chicken and fish.......

[tombkk]

Are we done yet? An over-the-top post has been removed from sight. I would hate to have to officially close this topic.

[transam]

Are we done yet? An over-the-top post has been removed from sight. I would hate to have to officially close this topic.

Eeeeeeeeeeeeer, still thinking.

[tombkk]

Are we done yet? An over-the-top post has been removed from sight. I would hate to have to officially close this topic.

Eeeeeeeeeeeeer, still thinking.

About what?

[Murgatroyd]

Are we all done recreating moments from Monty Python yet?

I'm well aware that some people find it easy enough to manage on less than I need to spend to support my family, and I'm also keenly aware that some fortunate people have a great deal more to spend. Bickering over the difference between the two isn't adding much to the thread. Why don't you start a Monty Python sketch thread and go and play there?

Gweiloman, I take your point, but the decision is made, plane tickets booked, and it's a done deal. I can only hope that the parting will only be brief.

SunsetT, You make a good point. I'll talk with my wife and with my bank and explore the possibility of transferring a sum on a monthly basis instead of giving her all the money at once. I too would hate for there to be problem with that money. Most of her family are very reasonable, but I can see her little sisters eyes light up with greed if she only knew that my wife had access to a big chunk of cash.

To all the other posters who have posted advice and/or encouragement I'd like to offer my thanks and appreciation.

[smokie36]

Are we done yet? An over-the-top post has been removed from sight. I would hate to have to officially close this topic.

It would be a disgrace to have to do that, wouldn't it?

I shake my head sometimes....oh and best of luck to the OP!

[edwinclapham]

To

Murgatroyd

You know what you are doing, you have it all worked out, and I sincerely hope it all falls into place for you.

Very best wishes and Bon Voyage!

Eddie

[jts-khorat]

I'd like to offer my thanks and appreciation.

As I would like to offer my thanks and appreciation to Murgatroyd in sharing his decision.

I hope you will also share with us your experiences later on.

Some of us might learn from this, although hopefully you will be sailing in clear waters only (but even from the happy moments and good experiences can something be learned).

My best regards and best wishes to you and your family.

[jackinbkk]

Are we all done recreating moments from Monty Python yet?

I'm well aware that some people find it easy enough to manage on less than I need to spend to support my family, and I'm also keenly aware that some fortunate people have a great deal more to spend. Bickering over the difference between the two isn't adding much to the thread. Why don't you start a Monty Python sketch thread and go and play there?

Gweiloman, I take your point, but the decision is made, plane tickets booked, and it's a done deal. I can only hope that the parting will only be brief.

SunsetT, You make a good point. I'll talk with my wife and with my bank and explore the possibility of transferring a sum on a monthly basis instead of giving her all the money at once. I too would hate for there to be problem with that money. Most of her family are very reasonable, but I can see her little sisters eyes light up with greed if she only knew that my wife had access to a big chunk of cash.

To all the other posters who have posted advice and/or encouragement I'd like to offer my thanks and appreciation.

I feel for you my friend. The issue of sending money back to Thailand. Money for nothing for those greedy banks. You'll be looking at about £30 a month for a swift bank transfer. £360 over 12 months. That makes me feel sick.

From talking to friends you can't trust leaving a big lump sum. Lack of planning for the future usually means it's used up much quicker than you think it will be. Maybe you could put it into a Thai bank account opened by you and do something like a direct debit each month if that's available?

It sounds like trying to parent children around sweets when it comes to these matters but that seems to be the way it is.

[IsaanUSA]

It's also VERY hard to overcome 1st world retirement and money devaluation vs 3rd world inflation and stable currency. Over the last 20 years on a fixed retirement you would have lost 50 percent of your buying power, I see the exact same monetary policys that made it happen for the last 20 years still going on for the next 20.

So scary. It makes it very difficult to plan and budget for the future when one's income comes from one's home country. Like they all say, "I remember 10 years ago when ....." I think we all secretly wish for those days to come back, however a crash in Thailand or ASEAN does not sound fun at all.

So what can we do? Just try to save up a load of money and then some? Spend smarter (a.k.a. be a cheap-o)? Even Murgatroyd had it all planned out, his plan still backfired. So scary.

[brit1984]

It's also VERY hard to overcome 1st world retirement and money devaluation vs 3rd world inflation and stable currency. Over the last 20 years on a fixed retirement you would have lost 50 percent of your buying power, I see the exact same monetary policys that made it happen for the last 20 years still going on for the next 20.

So scary. It makes it very difficult to plan and budget for the future when one's income comes from one's home country. Like they all say, "I remember 10 years ago when ....." I think we all secretly wish for those days to come back, however a crash in Thailand or ASEAN does not sound fun at all.

So what can we do? Just try to save up a load of money and then some? Spend smarter (a.k.a. be a cheap-o)? Even Murgatroyd had it all planned out, his plan still backfired. So scary.

I think you raise a very good point, that comes up in many threads.

Retired westerners who move to developing countries to live more comfortably than back home (on a limited pension) should be prepared to relocate from time-to-time to less developed countries.

Otherwise, they must accept that the spending power of their money will decline over time.

Sent from iPhone; please forgive any typos or violations of forum rules

Edited June 29, 2012 by brit1984

[BigJohnnyBKK]

So scary. It makes it very difficult to plan and budget for the future when one's income comes from one's home country. Like they all say, "I remember 10 years ago when ....." I think we all secretly wish for those days to come back, however a crash in Thailand or ASEAN does not sound fun at all.

So what can we do? Just try to save up a load of money and then some? Spend smarter (a.k.a. be a cheap-o)? Even Murgatroyd had it all planned out, his plan still backfired. So scary.

If you have to ask how much you need to retire you don't have enough yet.

[wana]

So scary. It makes it very difficult to plan and budget for the future when one's income comes from one's home country. Like they all say, "I remember 10 years ago when ....." I think we all secretly wish for those days to come back, however a crash in Thailand or ASEAN does not sound fun at all.

So what can we do? Just try to save up a load of money and then some? Spend smarter (a.k.a. be a cheap-o)? Even Murgatroyd had it all planned out, his plan still backfired. So scary.

If you have to ask how much you need to retire you don't have enough yet.

Greatly depends on what age you are too ,more and more people are saying XXXX this shit ,ive had enough of it already

and looking for an early door to escape

i doubt this generation will work like slaves to their graves like most our grandparents probably had to

early retirement may not all be beaches and blowjobs but it sures beats busting your balls in some dead end job and coming home

with barely enough money to pay the bills ......

[IsaanUSA]

So scary. It makes it very difficult to plan and budget for the future when one's income comes from one's home country. Like they all say, "I remember 10 years ago when ....." I think we all secretly wish for those days to come back, however a crash in Thailand or ASEAN does not sound fun at all.

So what can we do? Just try to save up a load of money and then some? Spend smarter (a.k.a. be a cheap-o)? Even Murgatroyd had it all planned out, his plan still backfired. So scary.

If you have to ask how much you need to retire you don't have enough yet.

I didn't ask, but thanks for the advice

[SimonD]

The glib smugness, and banal superficiality, of some of the recent posts here is almost beyond belief. You know who you are.

You are fooling yourselves if you think that a similar misfortune could never happen to you? None of us knows what lies around the corner and Buddha forbid that the one thing we left out of our equation should come to pass. Even the most enlightened and untouchable washing machines malfunction sometimes...as recent history has proven.

The OP suffered the twin catastrophic effects, both beyond his control or reasonable anticipation, of a slump in the exchange rate (due to financial mismanagement by supposed professionals) and an unexpected medical crisis.

To the self-righteous brigade on here who think they have all bases covered, what would your excuse be and, more importantly, would YOU have the courage to come on here and bare all, if it went to hell? No, of course you wouldn't.

TVGF; 20/20 hindsight guaranteed every time: everything you needed to know after the event.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

So scary. It makes it very difficult to plan and budget for the future when one's income comes from one's home country. Like they all say, "I remember 10 years ago when ....." I think we all secretly wish for those days to come back, however a crash in Thailand or ASEAN does not sound fun at all.

So what can we do? Just try to save up a load of money and then some? Spend smarter (a.k.a. be a cheap-o)? Even Murgatroyd had it all planned out, his plan still backfired. So scary.

If you have to ask how much you need to retire you don't have enough yet.

I didn't ask, but thanks for the advice

You did ask.

The answer I thought implied by my half-joking response (referring to JP Morgan's answer to someone asking about the cost of maintaining his yacht) is:

Keep working and saving (yes being a "cheap-o") until you're really sure you've got enough.

Of course you may die early in which case you'd have been better off retiring earlier.

Better that than finding out at a healthy but tired 85 you've got to choose between getting back into the workforce and living in a cardboard box eating dog food.

Assuming you're American, or otherwise not the lucky citizen of one of those much-maligned "nanny states". . .

[SimonD]

<snip>

Keep working and saving (yes being a "cheap-o") until you're really sure you've got enough.

Of course you may die early in which case you'd have been better off retiring earlier.

<snip>

Are you sure you have covered all the angles there? Not left anything to happenstance?

Utter drivel. Thanks for stopping by.

[IsaanUSA]

Much better response Johnny, thank you

That's why it's so scary to me. What if I budget to live until 90 but end up going to 100? It's hard to know how much is enough, but when you think you've got it all figured out and then the OP's situation happens. Wow.

Most regular people don't really even save that much for retirement, so you can't ask your peers for advice or opinions. Then you have the "I live on 5k baht a month" or "I need 120k a month to survive" and it makes it even more confusing.

EDIT : Simon you might be surprised to know that a lot of young people go by that philosophy. "Why should I slave away my youth when I just might die in a car accident?" So they spend, spend, spend, vacations, cars, parties. I mean, they do have a point, but they should at least be setting aside some money for retirement.

Edited June 29, 2012 by IsaanUSA

[SimonD]

@ IsaanUSA,

I do appreciate your sentiment but (unfortunately) I'm not one of those 'young people' who is oblivious to the value of savings in later life. If only that were true.

On the contrary, I have a perspective due to my age and medical condition which causes me to empathise ^[1] with the OP's predicament. The derailment of the thread for the purposes of their entertainment is despicable and infantile.

My point is quite straightforward. None of us knows what is going to happen in the future. I wasn't expecting a serious medical setback in my early middle age, with no symptoms or warning signs so &lt;deleted&gt; happened there? I'm not going into details 'cos it's my business alone but it caused a complete re-write of the script for my future.

Quite apart from the simplistic, witless and banal views given by some members here (your good self excluded) that have contributed NOTHING to the OP but scorn, invective and churlish one-upmanship on who has the most/least to spend per month when that was never the issue, the OP's original message has been subsumed.

Like I posted earlier, it beggars belief, or words to that effect, how childish many posters on GF can be.

^[1] - British English spelling for the pedants.