Are You A Middlescent?

[Khun ?]

I have an ex thai wife who done ok marrying another foreigner and going to his country to live. ( Thanks bhudda)

I have lived most of my adult life working in foreign countries.

I hand out more a year than many people make back home, helping people out like my folks, children and friends in hard times.

I have probably handed out a half mil dollars over the last 20 years.

I put in as many hours at work in a week as most do in a month and I have done it for several years.

next month I semi retire might work 5 months a year for a while.

Many have in mind to have a local family, love life when they are single

and cut out of work on a early retirement and move to Thailand. I was kind of thinking in those lines myself. That puts a known responsibility that should be accepted for the most by us early retiree's, rich kings.

We are if you think in Issan terms or general Thai population.

A thai family would be lucky to make a mil baht in 3 years and we

walk in at a young age with 50 years of their average pay of 30K a month. I would think that would be of King status there but only just about average back home. Few and far between back home would think of retiring in their 40's now days with less than a mil in the bank.

No matter what you think for a budget for thailand there will always be a unkown future. If it is not enough to live at least a meager life back home in retirement, then it is not enough for Thailand to consider to retire early. I am thinking in terms of under 55 years of age.

mid 50 and above I think people can actually live on quite a bit less

and $2K a month would do quite good.

[NovaBlue05]

For what it's worth to the 26 yo poster, $300K is worth a LOT more when you're 56 than when you are 26. You have about 55 years to fund.

When you're old & full of arthritis & own all those 'required' material possessions, suddenly say to yourself, "ok. This is what I've been waiting for...freedom. Maybe now I can do all those I wanted to do...except for rockclimbing, bungy-jumping, running, jumping, sex marathons, etc etc. Oh shit!!! I forgot my heart, diabetes & blood pressure pills. Shit!!! I knew I should have done those things while I was still able to but I was too busy saving for the future."

One can live in 'this moment' or one can pretend to forecast the future.

You may as well live 'high on the hog' today...you may be dead tomorrow.

Oh...I wasn't trying to discourage the lad from going to Thailand. My point is that I dont think $300K is enough to fund 55 years of retirement. If I were him, I would move there for a year or two and learn as much about the place as he can. Then...sit down and assess whether his finances balance his goals. If not, so what...he's still only 28. He can go back home...get in a full 30 year career and still retire in his 50's

[Khun ?]

Imagine if the guy gave it 10 more years. If he can save 300K in his 20's which is not normally great earnings years. With decent investments and adding 30 to 50K a year to it the guy could really

have a serious chance to retire by 40.

the guy is 3/4's up the hill for his age and not much more to be sitting on top of it. Being a pessimist at 28 is about as useless as it can get.

Average age for a male is something like 75 now days and increasing.

Better to think with averages than he may get ran over by a buss tomorrow if he don't spend his savings. Todays attitude that you need everything, and now, is just being irresponsible and childish.

I was tied with children and might of had 10% of what he has at that age. 99% of the people in his age group have not done as well as he has done which is just another reason to believe he will continue to do well in the future.

Draw down on savings at 30 would be about 1.5% a year. That will last a couple months living expenses for a young guy. Even if he started a business chances are he will be broke in 6 or 7 years and also have picked up a family to support by then.

[linglhom]

well this "Middlescent" thing hit me at 36, so i flogged everything and came to live here.....one year on and no intention of going back

Hey Thaipwriter. What are you doing in LOS? I'm about the same age as you and I have felt this way for the last 5 years! A taste of SE Asia in 2004/2005, a close shave in the Andaman sea on Dec 26th 2004 and missing somebody over there has left me feeling it more too.

I have spent so much time in telecomms jobs here in th UK that I have gradually lost interest in to the point that I have actually been sitting at work forgetting all my skills. I have also been trying to make it as a musician with my band, chasing opportunities as far as the USA and now even that dream looks like it may have faded. I gave up a well paid job in Feb and I am currently not working, although I have no mortgage either. Thank God!

Now with the feeling that I am too old to capitalise on my greatest talent (the music) and no money or savings at all behind me. I'm stuck. The only thing I can see as a remote possibility is to create my own websites and try to earn money form google ads etc.... I know that there are people doing a good job of that.

What other work opportunities exist in LOS? I'm not really English-teacher material.

I just need some inspiration I suppose.

[JimsKnight]

I'm 28 Years old and (fingers crossed) about to get started in the oil business. I'm looking at retiring by 40 years old. Hard work doesn't bother me and saving it in investments and then working off portfolios is a smart move!

I think one thing I've noticed in thailand that most people with money (expats) are usually 40+ and going out to thailand too young (like I did) to make money is a no brainer. With no exceptions most typical kids and men in their 20s (even 30s) won't have the financial clout to live in LOS long term. The pitfalls are many. Once you've got the experience and age behind you thailand is a lot more stable.