California couple moves to Thailand to avoid the financial stress of living In the US

[FritsSikkink]

So this is about a couple of graduates who ripped off their banks by doing a runner to Thailand and not paying back their student loans.

Life is hard isn't it.

They have run away from what they call a struggle? This is no different a situation than most young people breaking out into the real world from mummy and daddy's financial apron strings have to endure.

It's called building a life from the bottom up and we all had to do it. They are not running from the stress of living in California and their student loans, they are running away from life itself.

They won't last a year here with that attitude.

This story does not belong here. It is not news to anyone.

Did you bothet to read the article because it says they are paying off the student loans.

Yes I did read it, but obviously not in the same way you read it. So I re-read it and can't see where it conclusively says that they are paying off their loans. It does say that they couldn't repay their loans, so were leaving to go and live in a country that pays a lot less than the salary rates of California.

It also does not conclusively say that they are now able to pay off their loans as a result of moving to Thailand.

I suppose you are assuming that they are skipping to the other side of the world in order to repay their loans. But I would be willing to bet that given the distance and the inability for the bank to effectively collect, that they will consider the debt as 'avoidable'.

I have already determined that these two people are totally irresponsible with their lives, because I think it is a huge mistake to come here for the reasons they stated. There are many other reasons to come, but their reason is a bit silly really.

So you can't read then:

They've been able to pay off thousands of dollars on their student loans

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/couple-moved-to-thailand-to-avoid-us-financial-struggles-2013-10?op=1#ixzz2kWV1hWNq

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Wonder how they sorted the work permits?

From all I can tell reading the story, they're doing whatever they're doing without any permits...and thus probably...illegally.

Pretty hard to do freelance photograpy jobs over the Internet as opposed to in-person, on-site.

No mention in the article of what kind of permission to stay they're here on... visa exempt, tourist visa or???

But the article does mention they're only planning to stay in Thailand for six months before moving somewhere else.

Perhaps they'll discover in the meantime that Phuket isn't quite the "paradise" for Westerners that perhaps it used to be in years past.

Or perhaps their planned six-month stay in "paradise" will get cut short when Thai Immigration hauls them off to jail for working without valid work permits.

[jaffacakes1]

Seems an odd choice of all the places in the world to come to with all the visa runs work permits and crap every 90 days to stressful to live / work here full time.

Jumping on a budget airline 4 times a year to enjoy another wonderful SE Asian country? I can think of more stressful things in life. Fortunately none of them here.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[ray23]

You know mostr that come here running away from problems don't make it. You need to be running to yuor future, not away from financial problems. Making even a basic living here is no cake walk. sorry I will pass on that bet,

[oops]

I'll give them a year... any takers?

It depends on how ugly his wife is..

[watcharacters]

.

Brilliant!

.

[deepcell]

In my opinion, life is not only the F*** capitalism, each one in earth has the right to at least try to bring hapiness into life. I wish good luck for this couple and a warm welcome to Thailand. I'm sure they will find what they want here, if not here somewhere else, but the first step the did already. Now keep working to get what they really want.

[zydeco]

Let's raise our hands to see who actually read the paragraph where they said they were paying off their student loans and actually living here for less than they would in the United States.

*Raises hand*

As well as the paragraph that stated that Thailand was just the first of several planned work stops they planned. Seems a good idea to me. Work and live in a different country every six months while they're young enough to appreciate it physically and mentally. And if it helps them get on their feet financially, then all the more better for them.

[kuteguy]

ppl are so cynical on here. The couple are doing what many people can't do ... living a great life, traveling the world, enjoying each other's company. They might make mistakes, then they will get up and learn from the mistakes. Is that not the best way to learn!

[yooper2001]

They could have moved to any other state and lived cheaper then California. To say they moved to Thailand because it is cheaper to live in Thailand is asinine. I lived in Michigan and it cost me the same to live here as it did in Michigan. The only thing cheaper in Thailand is labor and medical.

Have you tried buying a car lately or a computer or go buy some petrol for your car. The big difference in cost is you can buy

cheap china products that USA does not allow in country.

Where in Michigan did you live? In a van down by the river? With a pen name of Yooper, I imagine you were in the U.P. Please don't get me wrong. I'm not calling you a liar, I'd just like to know how you were able to live so cheaply.....had to be way out in the sticks. I lived in Michigan all my life until I retired. I lived a fairly spartan lifestyle in a very modest dwelling, cutting costs, sometimes painfully, wherever I could, and it was NEVER as cheap as it is here in Thailand. Currently I am able to maintain a comfortable lifestyle AND put money in the bank on my Social Security and a very small pension from my former employer. If I was back in Michigan (in the area where I lived previously), I would just barely be able to make it from month to month, and would have no savings in case of emergency.

I own a house on shore of lake Michigan a 2 bedroom with a 4 car garage with 130' ft frontage on little bay de noc and 600' deep I have a 16x40 deck with a jucuzi on the deck. I never made more then $45,000 a year I am going back next spring to sell my house and if you are interested to buy then I will sell for 7,000,000bt and I guarantee that no 7 million bhat house will compare in Thailand You all must live in Beverly hills because property is cheap in USA also check out the price of gas. I USA gas dropped 20% in the last month because a ballell of crude dropped from $115.00 to $94.00 but gas did not drop in Thailand 1 bt. You all need to do some checking

P.S. if you are interested in my home I will send photos [email protected]

[thailiketoo]

They could have moved to any other state and lived cheaper then California. To say they moved to Thailand because it is cheaper to live in Thailand is asinine. I lived in Michigan and it cost me the same to live here as it did in Michigan. The only thing cheaper in Thailand is labor and medical.

Have you tried buying a car lately or a computer or go buy some petrol for your car. The big difference in cost is you can buy

cheap china products that USA does not allow in country.

Where in Michigan did you live? In a van down by the river? With a pen name of Yooper, I imagine you were in the U.P. Please don't get me wrong. I'm not calling you a liar, I'd just like to know how you were able to live so cheaply.....had to be way out in the sticks. I lived in Michigan all my life until I retired. I lived a fairly spartan lifestyle in a very modest dwelling, cutting costs, sometimes painfully, wherever I could, and it was NEVER as cheap as it is here in Thailand. Currently I am able to maintain a comfortable lifestyle AND put money in the bank on my Social Security and a very small pension from my former employer. If I was back in Michigan (in the area where I lived previously), I would just barely be able to make it from month to month, and would have no savings in case of emergency.

I own a house on shore of lake Michigan a 2 bedroom with a 4 car garage with 130' ft frontage on little bay de noc and 600' deep I have a 16x40 deck with a jucuzi on the deck. I never made more then $45,000 a year I am going back next spring to sell my house and if you are interested to buy then I will sell for 7,000,000bt and I guarantee that no 7 million bhat house will compare in Thailand You all must live in Beverly hills because property is cheap in USA also check out the price of gas. I USA gas dropped 20% in the last month because a ballell of crude dropped from $115.00 to $94.00 but gas did not drop in Thailand 1 bt. You all need to do some checking

P.S. if you are interested in my home I will send photos [email protected]

With all due respect I believe if you have a pool and put a solar blanket on it every day for three months you might get a chance to use it for 2 weeks a year.

You live in the Upper Peninsula, that's like the North Pole. The Keweenaw Peninsula averages more snowfall than almost anywhere in the United States.

“Yoopers,” as local residents call themselves, scoff at warm-weather visitors as much as 160 inches of snow falls annually in parts of the UP. Even in July and August (summer), when daylight stretches past 10 p.m.

Jes** I would hope land was cheap there. Think dog sled races and curling instead of go go bars. I would imagine there are more dancing bears than bar girls in the UP. My gosh do people really live in a place that cold and desolate?

I remember driving along a main road with 5 foot of snow either side and Finnish people running out of a sauna and frolicking naked in the snow. That was as close to excitement as we got besides shooting deer.

Edited November 13, 2013 by thailiketoo

[isawasnake]

If it is so easy to just go on vacation, pay off your loans, and meet your friends at the beach everyday, why wouldn't everyone do it?

The headline should have read: "Two more Californians decide to become deadbeats".

[thrilled]

There's quite A few people that come tomThailand to live.What you don't hear is that after A few years they end up going back home.

[55Jay]

They could have moved to any other state and lived cheaper then California. To say they moved to Thailand because it is cheaper to live in Thailand is asinine. I lived in Michigan and it cost me the same to live here as it did in Michigan. The only thing cheaper in Thailand is labor and medical.

Have you tried buying a car lately or a computer or go buy some petrol for your car. The big difference in cost is you can buy

cheap china products that USA does not allow in country.

Where in Michigan did you live? In a van down by the river? With a pen name of Yooper, I imagine you were in the U.P. Please don't get me wrong. I'm not calling you a liar, I'd just like to know how you were able to live so cheaply.....had to be way out in the sticks. I lived in Michigan all my life until I retired. I lived a fairly spartan lifestyle in a very modest dwelling, cutting costs, sometimes painfully, wherever I could, and it was NEVER as cheap as it is here in Thailand. Currently I am able to maintain a comfortable lifestyle AND put money in the bank on my Social Security and a very small pension from my former employer. If I was back in Michigan (in the area where I lived previously), I would just barely be able to make it from month to month, and would have no savings in case of emergency.

I own a house on shore of lake Michigan a 2 bedroom with a 4 car garage with 130' ft frontage on little bay de noc and 600' deep I have a 16x40 deck with a jucuzi on the deck. I never made more then $45,000 a year I am going back next spring to sell my house and if you are interested to buy then I will sell for 7,000,000bt and I guarantee that no 7 million bhat house will compare in Thailand You all must live in Beverly hills because property is cheap in USA also check out the price of gas. I USA gas dropped 20% in the last month because a ballell of crude dropped from $115.00 to $94.00 but gas did not drop in Thailand 1 bt. You all need to do some checking

P.S. if you are interested in my home I will send photos [email protected]

With all due respect I believe if you have a pool and put a solar blanket on it every day for three months you might get a chance to use it for 2 weeks a year.

You live in the Upper Peninsula, that's like the North Pole. The Keweenaw Peninsula averages more snowfall than almost anywhere in the United States.

“Yoopers,” as local residents call themselves, scoff at warm-weather visitors as much as 160 inches of snow falls annually in parts of the UP. Even in July and August (summer), when daylight stretches past 10 p.m.

Jes** I would hope land was cheap there. Think dog sled races and curling instead of go go bars. I would imagine there are more dancing bears than bar girls in the UP. My gosh do people really live in a place that cold and desolate?

I remember driving along a main road with 5 foot of snow either side and Finnish people running out of a sauna and frolicking naked in the snow. That was as close to excitement as we got besides shooting deer.

I asked him back on page 5 why he moved to Thailand. He didn't answer but your response gave me at least one idea.

[davejones]

Hold the front page... major story breaking... foreigner couple move to Thailand...

Is that it?

[davejones]

Seems an odd choice of all the places in the world to come to with all the visa runs work permits and crap every 90 days to stressful to live / work here full time.

Not stressful at all. I've never been less stressed in my entire life since living here. If posting a letter to immigration every 90 days is stressful to you, then you need to find ways to de-stress yourself.

[davejones]

You know mostr that come here running away from problems don't make it. You need to be running to yuor future, not away from financial problems. Making even a basic living here is no cake walk. sorry I will pass on that bet,

Changing your situation isn't running away. We all have choices in life. To succeed you need to make the best choices, Making the best choices ins't running away. Why do you think people should stay in bad situations?

[bobthomas]

How do you spend 500% less?

My math is not that good anymore but it sounds like if you subtract 500% from 100%, I would imagine this guy is then getting paid cash in the amount of 400% of his former expenditures.This sounds like a good deal. Where does a person sign on to this kind of program in Thailand?

Edited November 13, 2013 by bobthomas

[HaleySabai]

They would of really saved "a bundle" if they moved up to ChiangMai instead of Phuket!....but with a European vacation in the works they really have the Fizz back in their Fandango!

[anotheruser]

They could have moved to any other state and lived cheaper then California. To say they moved to Thailand because it is cheaper to live in Thailand is asinine. I lived in Michigan and it cost me the same to live here as it did in Michigan. The only thing cheaper in Thailand is labor and medical.

Have you tried buying a car lately or a computer or go buy some petrol for your car. The big difference in cost is you can buy

cheap china products that USA does not allow in country.

They moved to Phuket. lol

[dighambara]

They could have moved to any other state and lived cheaper then California. To say they moved to Thailand because it is cheaper to live in Thailand is asinine. I lived in Michigan and it cost me the same to live here as it did in Michigan. The only thing cheaper in Thailand is labor and medical.

Have you tried buying a car lately or a computer or go buy some petrol for your car. The big difference in cost is you can buy

cheap china products that USA does not allow in country.

Your response is pure BS.

After I retired (in California), 12 years ago, I moved to Nevada (no State Tax) and lived with extremely low rent, but still had difficulty making ends meet. The future was looking more bleak every day.

So I used a little of my savings to join friends at a Thailand Reunion. It took only 24 hours to realize that I could live here much better on much less. Since then, I bought a Condo (not affordable in the US) and my bank accounts have continued growing, even though I married, have kids & step kids, with the stepkids in college.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

After I retired (in California), 12 years ago, I moved to Nevada (no State Tax) and lived with extremely low rent, but still had difficulty making ends meet. The future was looking more bleak every day.

So I used a little of my savings to join friends at a Thailand Reunion. It took only 24 hours to realize that I could live here much better on much less. Since then, I bought a Condo (not affordable in the US) and my bank accounts have continued growing, even though I married, have kids & step kids, with the stepkids in college.

I think it depends a lot of locations and lifestyle choices as to whether one's expenses will be more or less living in some less expensive parts of the U.S. compared to Thailand.

But I don't understand you comments above. Assuming your income was staying roughly the same during both the U.S. and Thailand periods of time, how could you have difficulty making ends meet living (single???) in Nevada and paying "extremely low rent" compared to married life in Thailand supporting wife, kids and stepkids?

Usually, housing expense is one of, if not the, largest expenses in anyone's household budget. So if your money wasn't much going for that in the U.S., just where were you bleeding cash during that period of time?

[Trickcyclist]

"Drop the Dead Donkey" journalism.

[krabimike]

They could have moved to any other state and lived cheaper then California. To say they moved to Thailand because it is cheaper to live in Thailand is asinine. I lived in Michigan and it cost me the same to live here as it did in Michigan. The only thing cheaper in Thailand is labor and medical.

Have you tried buying a car lately or a computer or go buy some petrol for your car.  The big difference in cost is you can buy

cheap china products that USA does not allow in country.

I get tired of dump puffed up Americans making false statements like this!

You cannot! no way! no how! live in Michigan for the cost of living in Thailand!

And on top of that you have to make a jab at thailand's products.

How much is your electric bill in good or cold ass Michigan? how much is your thai electric bill? Water food? Rent? What does it cost in Michigan for a nice lady to take care of you go shopping and wash your clothes? And there not 185 lbs and on welfare! I rent a marble home in thiland with garden, pond, like paradise. For 550 USD. And could rent for 150 if I wanted. Your so full of beans it smells.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[thailiketoo]

Where in Michigan did you live? In a van down by the river? With a pen name of Yooper, I imagine you were in the U.P. Please don't get me wrong. I'm not calling you a liar, I'd just like to know how you were able to live so cheaply.....had to be way out in the sticks. I lived in Michigan all my life until I retired. I lived a fairly spartan lifestyle in a very modest dwelling, cutting costs, sometimes painfully, wherever I could, and it was NEVER as cheap as it is here in Thailand. Currently I am able to maintain a comfortable lifestyle AND put money in the bank on my Social Security and a very small pension from my former employer. If I was back in Michigan (in the area where I lived previously), I would just barely be able to make it from month to month, and would have no savings in case of emergency.

I own a house on shore of lake Michigan a 2 bedroom with a 4 car garage with 130' ft frontage on little bay de noc and 600' deep I have a 16x40 deck with a jucuzi on the deck. I never made more then $45,000 a year I am going back next spring to sell my house and if you are interested to buy then I will sell for 7,000,000bt and I guarantee that no 7 million bhat house will compare in Thailand You all must live in Beverly hills because property is cheap in USA also check out the price of gas. I USA gas dropped 20% in the last month because a ballell of crude dropped from $115.00 to $94.00 but gas did not drop in Thailand 1 bt. You all need to do some checking

P.S. if you are interested in my home I will send photos [email protected]

With all due respect I believe if you have a pool and put a solar blanket on it every day for three months you might get a chance to use it for 2 weeks a year.

You live in the Upper Peninsula, that's like the North Pole. The Keweenaw Peninsula averages more snowfall than almost anywhere in the United States.

“Yoopers,” as local residents call themselves, scoff at warm-weather visitors as much as 160 inches of snow falls annually in parts of the UP. Even in July and August (summer), when daylight stretches past 10 p.m.

Jes** I would hope land was cheap there. Think dog sled races and curling instead of go go bars. I would imagine there are more dancing bears than bar girls in the UP. My gosh do people really live in a place that cold and desolate?

I remember driving along a main road with 5 foot of snow either side and Finnish people running out of a sauna and frolicking naked in the snow. That was as close to excitement as we got besides shooting deer.

I asked him back on page 5 why he moved to Thailand. He didn't answer but your response gave me at least one idea.

Beach photos of the UP of Michigan. It is beautiful country but I think you get an idea why it is not very expensive.

[ray23]

You know mostr that come here running away from problems don't make it. You need to be running to yuor future, not away from financial problems. Making even a basic living here is no cake walk. sorry I will pass on that bet,

Changing your situation isn't running away. We all have choices in life. To succeed you need to make the best choices, Making the best choices ins't running away. Why do you think people should stay in bad situations?

I've been here 11 years now I have seen people come and go. There is risk in doing what they have chosen. They have lost there support base if they stay to long. Every good job I ever had came from networking. Amongst the people I have seen come and go, Some were in good financial positions for retirement. The simply could not adjust here,

It would seem trying to live on a Teachers salary here is not easy, which is more then likely what they are doing, to earn money. If they are lucky between the two of them 30K baht a month, Those student loans they walked away from are still there. What is this going to do to pay those off?

A friend jus visited from Texas things ae booming there, in the oil fields. Go paying jobs. Sometimes you have to do what works finanacially, if I had to escape California and was still young with obligations that is what I would have done. As a matter of fact that is exactly what i did one time in my life. But, I was running to work, not away from overwhelming loans.

The move they made sounds like a very romantic approach to life, But, sooner or later real life steps in the daily grind to make a living, we all go thouhgh it. Then things are no longer dreams and money problems will raise it's ugly head again, if your not prepared.

Like it or not we all ge older for the most part, if you have not prepare for the they time when we can't work any longer and you need money to live. Your not going find that here.

A Nephew of mind sunk all his money into a Beautiful home in Sri Cahing Mai, he hasn't seen it four years and the Thai family is living in it. Why, he found out very quickly he you can't live on dreams. So in the end what happened the very rat race he ran from is exactly where he had to be.

Most of us paid a price to be able to retire here comfortably. Not fun, nothing exciting about it, But for that, you will pay your dues one way or another Yes they will leave Thailand eventually maybe for another country. But, eventually they will go back to that rat race. Hopefully their support network will be in place. But, I doubt it. Out of sight out of mind.

I agree things not working where you are and California is a tough place to get a job right now. Move on and find something to take care of yourself and loved ones. But there were other options where people spoke the same language as you, have basically the same customs you do. The income would have ben a lot better, even if wasn't your chosen field.

So a far as moving on in life is conserned you would be preaching to the choir. Most of us have done just that. But, we took the time to prepare ourselves. to make sure we woild have an income. Money to establish our selves. I don't see that they have any of that, they won't find it here.

In any event I wish them all the luck in the world. They will need it Thailand can be a very cruel place withiout a good income.

Sorry they were running away, not to something.

[willyumiii]

They could have moved to any other state and lived cheaper then California. To say they moved to Thailand because it is cheaper to live in Thailand is asinine. I lived in Michigan and it cost me the same to live here as it did in Michigan. The only thing cheaper in Thailand is labor and medical.

Have you tried buying a car lately or a computer or go buy some petrol for your car. The big difference in cost is you can buy

cheap china products that USA does not allow in country.

Cheap china products, like batteries that are dead when you buy them? electronics and power tools that don't work when brand new?

If there were a store in Thailand called Things made in China to be sold In the USA I would be one of their best customers!

[LomSak27]

I'll give them a year... any takers?

Yp but these "Business mags" aren't to keen on follow up. I recall getting corralled when back home by a retirement couple who had read about thailand a lot in those retirement magazines, so they just up and decided to move - I tried to paint a more realistic picture but .... they were sold on the dream.

The good thing, they did not burn bridges, they did not buy anything so after year when they saw another side to the country, one the retirment mags do not mention, they were gone, none the worse for it.

I only wish a bunch of the perma expats here who burned their bridges and now post on TV, had been as wise, for newbies

[TheNativeSon]

Very nice story. Thank you both for sharing it.

[TheNativeSon]

I'll give them a year... any takers?

Yp but these "Business mags" aren't to keen on follow up. I recall getting corralled when back home by a retirement couple who had read about thailand a lot in those retirement magazines, so they just up and decided to move - I tried to paint a more realistic picture but .... they were sold on the dream.

The good thing, they did not burn bridges, they did not buy anything so after year when they saw another side to the country, one the retirment mags do not mention, they were gone, none the worse for it.

I only wish a bunch of the perma expats here who burned their bridges and now post on TV, had been as wise, for newbies