40K A Month Isn't Enough Anymore

[balloon chaser]

I don't think any Thai woman is going to be content with a husband on an income of 40k/month these days. Agree?

Makes you wonder how most of the Thai guys are feeling. How on earth do they do it? Do they go into debt or something?

[mogandave]

I don't agree. Anyone that can't be content at 40K will not be content at 400K

Happiness isn't getting what you want, it's wanting what you have.

[FunFon]

You're right if you've got an impatient mercenary wife, wrong if she has faith you're going to turn thing around.

Right if she's young and cute, wrong if she's older and/or unattractive.

Right if she's been raised with high expectations, wrong if she's straight off the rice farm.

Right if you're fat and old or a miserable old git, wrong if you're young and hansum or she really really loves you (whatever meaning you attach to that ambiguous term).

Bottom line - too many variables to say, each girl makes her own decisions and sometimes depends on the time of the month or on what side of the bed she got up this morning.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

None of the Thai guys I know on the estate I live in are getting anywhere near 40k a month.

The combined wage of most Thai families I know is 24-28k a month.

Generally the wife seems to have a better education (degree) and wage (14k) than the man (10k).

This is in a middle class, Thai only, estate just outside CM, bank staff, office workers, teachers, nurses, police, etc.

Another really odd happening

When the men get paid, end of month, they are expected to bring their wage packet home, unopened, and hand it to their wife. She will then open the wage packet, count the money and hand the guy 200-400bht for him to spend. She keeps the rest to pay household bills.

Edited April 16, 2013 by AnotherOneAmerican

[cardholder]

None of the Thai guys I know on the estate I live in are getting anywhere near 40k a month.

The combined wage of most Thai families I know is 24-28k a month.

Generally the wife seems to have a better education (degree) and wage (14k) than the man (10k).

This is in a middle class, Thai only, estate just outside CM, bank staff, office workers, teachers, nurses, police, etc.

I bet they are not paying Farang prices though........

[Kitsune]

Oh goodie ! I have not seen a 40K topic for about 2 hours

[geriatrickid]

I don't agree. Anyone that can't be content at 40K will not be content at 400K

Happiness isn't getting what you want, it's wanting what you have.

Well, I am.

Seriously, when I walk up to a Krungsi ATM and push the buttons for 30,000 baht I am relieved when the machine spits out the 1000 baht notes. I can do that several times in a month. On the other hand, when there was a disruption and I was forced to use a SCB for 20K, I was stressing for 2 days until my bank sorted the account issues out. I can't live my life the way I want on 40K.

I'd be miserable relegated to living in a small room with no fan and forced to subsist on cheap Thai food. Sometimes I will take a cheap FD or NOK airfare at 2,000 baht or so, but mostly, I will pay the 3200 baht to fly in business so as to avoid the hassles of some airports. That's what the difference in income means. It also means being able to take care of those I love , and being able to support some charities that I hold dear. If I couldn't do that I would be unhappy.

[FunFon]

If I couldn't do that I would be unhappy.

-

If circumstances were such that you had to make do on less, I would hope you'd find a way to still find happiness.

Just to give some perspective, some of the Jews waiting to be exterminated by the Nazis found ways to be happy.

[arthurwait]

None of the Thai guys I know on the estate I live in are getting anywhere near 40k a month.

The combined wage of most Thai families I know is 24-28k a month.

Generally the wife seems to have a better education (degree) and wage (14k) than the man (10k).

This is in a middle class, Thai only, estate just outside CM, bank staff, office workers, teachers, nurses, police, etc.

Another really odd happening

When the men get paid, end of month, they are expected to bring their wage packet home, unopened, and hand it to their wife. She will then open the wage packet, count the money and hand the guy 200-400bht for him to spend. She keeps the rest to pay household bills.

Nowhere close to a middle class income.

[LawrenceChee]

I agree. It's just not much to do so and not much fun. I know there are one thousand ninja warriors who want to show you how this can be done comfortably, I just dont want to try.

I have made plans and the minimum was based on 60,000

[Hedghog]

Why do you think the threshhold,for retirement visa is Bht 62,000 per month.

Not Bht 40,000.

Bht 80,000.is comfortable.

[jbrain]

None of the Thai guys I know on the estate I live in are getting anywhere near 40k a month.

The combined wage of most Thai families I know is 24-28k a month.

Generally the wife seems to have a better education (degree) and wage (14k) than the man (10k).

This is in a middle class, Thai only, estate just outside CM, bank staff, office workers, teachers, nurses, police, etc.

I bet they are not paying Farang prices....................

You think they get lower prices at Big C, Tesco and the gasstation ?

[jbrain]

Why do you think the threshhold,for retirement visa is Bht 62,000 per month.

Not Bht 40,000.

Bht 80,000.is comfortable.

Because most of the farangs have to pay their wife/gf a salary and can't live without hanging in the bar 8 days a week.

Deduct thes two expenses and most save 50.000 Baht a month.

[Jaybonnaza]

Your joking right ? 40k a month!!! More like 120-200k a month when you add eating out 7 days a week, shopping, bar bill nightly for the man 2k. The wife drinks water.

Villa staff costs 20k ,

Then bills such as car fuel ,

I've met people out here who say they live on 30k their lives are very fugal (right word ?)

I'd love to know how you accomplish that!

[norrona]

ha ha....knew this thread would turn into 'look how much money I spunk up the wall every month'

the joys on the internet eh....you can be anything you want to be when posting

[nong38]

Exchange rates have come down, economies have had to be made, thats life. Thais will borrow to maintain the life style. 40,000 bts is not so bad depends on your lifestyle and where you live, not ideal but not down Noodle Street either.

[jbrain]

Your joking right ? 40k a month!!! More like 120-200k a month when you add eating out 7 days a week, shopping, bar bill nightly for the man 2k. The wife drinks water.

Villa staff costs 20k ,

Then bills such as car fuel ,

I've met people out here who say they live on 30k their lives are very fugal (right word ?)

I'd love to know how you accomplish that!

I really wonder how a family of 4 ( 2 adults and 2 children ) in Europe survives, where an average household of 2 working people will earn 100 - 120.000 Baht a month after taxes, and have to deal with most expenses about double or triple the price for the same in Thailand.

[cardholder]

None of the Thai guys I know on the estate I live in are getting anywhere near 40k a month.

The combined wage of most Thai families I know is 24-28k a month.

Generally the wife seems to have a better education (degree) and wage (14k) than the man (10k).

This is in a middle class, Thai only, estate just outside CM, bank staff, office workers, teachers, nurses, police, etc.

I bet they are not paying Farang prices....................

You think they get lower prices at Big C, Tesco and the gasstation ?

No. but then I expect you knew that 'fixed prices' were excluded from my comment.

But for car service, general repairs/maintenance, dentists, hospitals etc, etc they are most likely paying less. If they go to national parks or local attractions they will be paying significantly less.

You are familiar with dual-pricing, I presume.

[yoslim]

I feel sorry for all the guys who have to pay for their wifes/GF. I would only consider marriage with a girl 10X richer than me and if this means spending my life on my own so be it

[AnotherOneAmerican]

I feel sorry for all the guys who have to pay for their wifes/GF. I would only consider marriage with a girl 10X richer than me and if this means spending my life on my own so be it

The foreigners giving their wife/gf a wage, are better off than the Thai guys who hand their wife their entire unopened wage packet.

[HardenedSoul]

I feel sorry for all the guys who have to pay for their wifes/GF.

I don't feel sorry for them at all.

They're idiots for getting into a relationship/marriage with a woman who requires a monthly stipend.

[jbrain]

None of the Thai guys I know on the estate I live in are getting anywhere near 40k a month.

The combined wage of most Thai families I know is 24-28k a month.

Generally the wife seems to have a better education (degree) and wage (14k) than the man (10k).

This is in a middle class, Thai only, estate just outside CM, bank staff, office workers, teachers, nurses, police, etc.

I bet they are not paying Farang prices....................

You think they get lower prices at Big C, Tesco and the gasstation ?

No. but then I expect you knew that 'fixed prices' were excluded from my comment.

But for car service, general repairs/maintenance, dentists, hospitals etc, etc they are most likely paying less. If they go to national parks or local attractions they will be paying significantly less.

You are familiar with dual-pricing, I presume.

Oh yes I am, and I realise that the venues where double pricing is practiced will account for approx 1% of the monthly budget, where the fixed prices that you mention will account for more than half of the budget imho.

For medical service, as a foreigner you're also allowed in the same hospitals that the Thai's attend, and ofcourse you will be charged a premium howver small, and again it accounts only for a small portion of the monthly budget.

As I said in a previous post, Thais don't have to pay their wifes or don't hang in the bar 12 hours a day.

Edited April 16, 2013 by jbrain

[ggold]

If I couldn't do that I would be unhappy.-If circumstances were such that you had to make do on less, I would hope you'd find a way to still find happiness.Just to give some perspective, some of the Jews waiting to be exterminated by the Nazis found ways to be happy.

Words fail me, what a comment to make, what utter B*llSh*t

Sent from my GT-P6200 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[mrtoad]

I remember my first salary here 8 years ago was 30k a month, and it was hard enough thento live on it, and prices have certainly gone up.

I certainly couldn't live on that, rent, electric, water and running my car account for around 40k a month these days. I am sure if it had tobe done, I could, but I wouldn't want that type of lifestyle of living on the edge, and not being able to have the luxuries, holidays, meals out etc. From my experience, the more that I have earned, the cost of my living expenditures have gone up as well.

[balo]

Why are expats always comparing a Thai salary with Farangs ?

If you want to live like a Thai middle class , and only eat Thai food most of the week , share a small room and pay 3000 in rent , yes you can afford it with 28k per month if you like for your whole family!

But you are not a Thai , you need to keep your western habits , so forget it.

[soi41]

Your joking right ? 40k a month!!! More like 120-200k a month when you add eating out 7 days a week, shopping, bar bill nightly for the man 2k. The wife drinks water.

Villa staff costs 20k ,

Then bills such as car fuel ,

I've met people out here who say they live on 30k their lives are very fugal (right word ?)

I'd love to know how you accomplish that!

Renting a holidayhome for a month ?? Before going home to save for another 11 months, so you can be the king again!!

[GrantSmith]

What's this wife/gf nonsense... Shouldn't it be wife and gf

[Firefan]

Helped a single friend settle here 3-4 years ago. He was on a budget of the mentioned about 40k/Baht per month (investment income).

His monthly budget split looked something like this:

Rent: 11k (BKK, studio in new building with pool/gym Etc. centrally located by BTS Suk)

Utilities/inet/mobile: 2k

Transport 3k (trains/taxis/motos)

Health insurance: 2k

Visaruns/student visa: 2k

So about 19k in base costs before the food, clothes, drinks, trips, sports - even taking GF out for drinks and dinner.

He is still here and claims to be saving money most months (from the 40k monthly). No amount of money is enough if you spend uncontrolled and live above your means. Whether that is on a wife/GF or completely different costs.

Cheers!

[norrona]

the glory days of early 2000's I survived on B20k a month retainer when I first started working....good times indeed....not having much money made me appreciate it when I started to earn more

that was just me on my own and the occasional gf, mind you I was a young handsome man in those days with a car(provided by work) and a mobile phone so I suppose I looked the part....

if you not including rent then surely B40k a month is suffice for 1 person....as long as you not on the razz in the bars everyday then surely it has to be?

[Blumpkin]

the glory days of early 2000's I survived on B20k a month retainer when I first started working....good times indeed....not having much money made me appreciate it when I started to earn more

that was just me on my own and the occasional gf, mind you I was a young handsome man in those days with a car(provided by work) and a mobile phone so I suppose I looked the part....

if you not including rent then surely B40k a month is suffice for 1 person....as long as you not on the razz in the bars everyday then surely it has to be?

I would say that 30k a month without rent is fine,1,000 baht a day is ample for anyone,spend less in the week and more at weekends.