Retiring At 32 Next Feb!

[ExCommando]

Hey everyone

Quite a few months ago I caused a bit of a stir with my statement regarding the sale of my business, and our possible move to Thailand.

The sale of the business is finalized in 2 weeks time, and we're making the move in February!

We've decided on Nai Harn as our first area to live in - really excited that it's only a few months away!!

I'll be spending more time on here to hopefully get to know some of you, and look forward to possibly meeting some new friends once we arrive.

Cheers everyone

[payak]

well done, 32 years old thats fantastic.

hope you love it.

[ExCommando]

well done, 32 years old thats fantastic.

hope you love it.

Spent loads of time in Thailand - one of my best mates lives and works there.

Bringing my wife, young daughter, and my mother with me - going to be a great new life for us all

Any advice or input appreciated.

[GuestHouse]

32 - Play the long game.

[payak]

just be yourself and enjoy it.

stay busy, many get bored after a time, get grumpy and turn to alcahol.

plenty to do if you look around.

[notmyself]

32 - Play the long game.

It's pretty young isn't it. When I was 32 I was also thinking about retirement but for when I was 35-36, ended up going on until I was 39 because there was just so much money about.

[ExCommando]

just be yourself and enjoy it.

stay busy, many get bored after a time, get grumpy and turn to alcahol.

plenty to do if you look around.

Oh for sure - I posted a few months ago and got absolutely ripped apart. Seems to be a lot of haters on here, but that's the nature of the beast with forums.

First 6 - 12 months will be devoted to training and getting healthy again, spent way too much time in an office over the last few years!

After that, running a few other businesses I'm involved in remotely from Thailand, and also looking at starting a few smaller businesses in country. More than enough to keep me occupied

What do you do?

[ExCommando]

32 - Play the long game.

It's pretty young isn't it. When I was 32 I was also thinking about retirement but for when I was 35-36, ended up going on until I was 39 because there was just so much money about.

As Bill Gates said, once you make your first million, the rest is the same hamburger.

We only need a certain amount of passive income to be comfortable, which we've got. I've made the mistake of working my ass off to buy shiny things, and it doesn't make me happy.

Lesson learnt.

[bunnaag]

how about visas

[GuestHouse]

When I say 'Play the long game' I am not necessarily talking about money.

That people assume I am talking about money, suggests to me they don't understand 'the long game'.

But understanding will come - do be aware it will not come alone.

[taninthai]

I came here at 32 had great life for 8 years but as my business is only running in high season the low season got to me ,so boring going back home after this high season

[BookMan]

Nice one excommando. Great if u can do it!

[Pormax]

Best of luck to you and your family.

I don't think it will be easy making the change specially for your daughter and mother, it will take time and a lot of patience.

You stated that you had ion the past spent a lot of time here so have some idea but vacations and living here are too different things.

There will be frustrations big style along the way but as long as you understand TIT (this is Thailand) you will have a great time.

[payak]

just be yourself and enjoy it.

stay busy, many get bored after a time, get grumpy and turn to alcahol.

plenty to do if you look around.

Oh for sure - I posted a few months ago and got absolutely ripped apart. Seems to be a lot of haters on here, but that's the nature of the beast with forums.

First 6 - 12 months will be devoted to training and getting healthy again, spent way too much time in an office over the last few years!

After that, running a few other businesses I'm involved in remotely from Thailand, and also looking at starting a few smaller businesses in country. More than enough to keep me occupied

What do you do?

contracted out to police and military depts teaching H2H combat, keeps me well travelled and pays the bills, barely.

[tinfoilhat]

at 40 i redefined the way i work, 4 years on i have confirmed my suspicion that would die of boredom if i ceased to work altogether.

[jacktrip]

selling your biz is s cop out. it is almost never the way to go as many regret it over time.

usually its from being too attached to it ironically, inability to let it evolve or hire others to take over.

Edited November 18, 2012 by jacktrip

[payak]

yes but he did say he is still involved in others, didn't he say that.

[NeverSure]

OP, I can't for the life of me understand why a young man would bring his wife and daughter and MIL to LOS to live. I don't understand how you get visas for it, but I suppose there's a way. They are always a hassle though.

Education for the daughter if still school-age is sticky. Public schools clear through university don't show me anything and private schools aren't everywhere and are very expensive.

You can't own land in LOS so be very wary of anyone who knows how to make you that sole exception to the rule. It's probably a scam. When you find something which Thai law won't allow you to own unless a Thai owns 51%, beware even if the Thai is an attorney who draws the paperwork and sets it up. The attorney will probably wind up owning all of it, or whoever the 51% will. Maybe not, but it sure happens. In court against a Thai, you probably lost before you went in.

Also, I wouldn't get my roots too deep for at least a couple of years. You may find that wife, daughter or MIL absolutely hate it after a while and you'll have to take them "home." I wouldn't invest in anything I wasn't willing to walk away from.

This is just my opinion and I'll take a lot of flack, but my observation (just for me) is that most expats who move to LOS are single men who move for the women. For that privilege they put up with a lot of issues from visas to corruption in the system, and poor infrastructure in many places. It's women. Period. End of statement. Fini. Only if you plan to do that too as a married man (no judgement here) can I see why you'd want to be in LOS with your family.

Well armed with a pocket full of caveat emptor, have a good time.

$.02 and you get what you paid for.

[NeverSure]

Yeah I know. Now you're going to post about how my above post doesn't apply to you because you are different and you have a better plan.

Heard that before too many times so let's hear a new one, OK?

(Friendly smiles here.)

[payak]

i visit very often, but prefer to raise my family in Australia.

[Neeranam]

i visit very often, but prefer to raise my family in Australia.

If money wan't an issue, I think all of us would.

OP - what ties do you have to Thailand? Is your wife Thai? If not, I'm confused.

[GuestHouse]

This is the internet, you can be who you want to be.

Enjoy that for what it is, but remember in real life you cannot ignore 'the long game'.

[Neeranam]

This is the internet, you can be who you want to be.

Enjoy that for what it is, but remember in real life you cannot ignore 'the long game'.

Can you tell us what the long game is - after mentioning so often.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

This is just my opinion and I'll take a lot of flack, but my observation (just for me) is that most expats who move to LOS are single men who move for the women. For that privilege they put up with a lot of issues from visas to corruption in the system, and poor infrastructure in many places. It's women. Period. End of statement. Fini. Only if you plan to do that too as a married man (no judgement here) can I see why you'd want to be in LOS with your family.

Don't be sexist - have you ever considered that maybe his wife and mother want to move here for the women, and he's just being reluctantly dragged along?

On a serious note, I agree about he schooling issue, he didn't give his daughter's age, but sounds like he's wealthy enough that USD $30K per year may not be a big deal for one of the half-dozen decent international schools in Bangkok.

[GuestHouse]

The 'Long Game' is many things.

When I was 18 the 'long game' was my old man advising me to join the company pension.

When I was 30 the 'long game' was an older friend and colleague telling me to make investments at 30 so I had the choice 'to walk' in my mid fifties (not so that I would have more money at 65 than the plan my old man advised me to put in place).

In life the long game is to tell yourself the truth today, lest the truth bite you in the ass tomorrow.

On TVF the long game is, our posts are not deleted, they can be searched and reposted in the future.

This is the internet, be who or what you want to be....... but whoever you choose to be you will not buck the long game.

The only way to play the long game is upfront truth now - you cannot win lying to yourself.

[samran]

This is the internet, you can be who you want to be.

Enjoy that for what it is, but remember in real life you cannot ignore 'the long game'.

Can you tell us what the long game is - after mentioning so often.

A basic guess would be to make sure you've got enough money to cover you and your family until you are 95 - however much that may be.

Edited November 18, 2012 by samran

[cbrer]

Well, Thais make great business partners and legally Thailand is a great place to set yourself up in.

Good luck with it.

[Bluetongue]

Like not changing your mind every 6 months, perhaps. The Op says he is retiring but he is still going to be running a few businesses remotely from Thailand plus starting up a few more, so is he really retiring. Wow, shucks, golly gosh. Maybe he doesn't need to be anywhere in particular and has chosen Thailand based on his experiences up to this point. If all is as he says then I would say best of luck to him. I have my doubts though. A guy thats gonna do all this feels the need to post and tell us all. But really tells us 3/4 of #$%# all. Says a lot.

[mjj]

This is just my opinion and I'll take a lot of flack, but my observation (just for me) is that most expats who move to LOS are single men who move for the women. For that privilege they put up with a lot of issues from visas to corruption in the system, and poor infrastructure in many places. It's women. Period. End of statement. Fini. Only if you plan to do that too as a married man (no judgement here) can I see why you'd want to be in LOS with your family.

Don't be sexist - have you ever considered that maybe his wife and mother want to move here for the women, and he's just being reluctantly dragged along?

On a serious note, I agree about he schooling issue, he didn't give his daughter's age, but sounds like he's wealthy enough that USD $30K per year may not be a big deal for one of the half-dozen decent international schools in Bangkok.

Naiharn is in Phuket.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Yes most people define retirement as no longer working for money, including being in business.

By my own definition of retirement I don't plan to ever do so even if I'm lucky enough to be in a position to choose to do so.