How low can you go, monthly budget cost

[JASON THAI]

Hi guys & girls just wondering if you think I will be ok with my budget when I come over to live here next year, I have a budget of around 26,000 Baht per month, I have a little brat (9 years old), grown up brat (22 years old) & wife to look after, here's what a rough idea is of my budget for a month this is for living in Non Sung in a village and not the city of Korat.

Rent (free) have 3 bedroom house already built.

Electric 2500 Baht, I have worked this out to be an average over 12 months, use 1 AC all the time with the other only used occasionally but in the cold season will just use fans.

Water 250 Baht per month.

Gas Bottles 1600 Baht a year, so about 150 Baht a month.

Phone Card 250 Baht a month.

Internet 650 Baht per month, hopefully can get air net package for 7mb or 10mb for the house

Food 9000 Baht per month, Eat western food for breakfast and Thai in the evening.

Drink 2600 Baht per month, Do not drink everyday just every second day

Travel 1400 Baht per month, Do not have a bike or car but just use the taxi service in the morning to go to the market to buy food (60 Baht per week) also do a couple of trips to Korat City in the month with a cost of 600 Baht per trip

Visa fees & Runs Yearly cost including travel & hotel 36,500 Baht, so 3050 Baht a month

4 Holiday Trips Travel costs are included in the visa runs, Hotel & spending money works out at around 13,500 Baht per trip (5 Nights per trip) so leaving 2500 Baht spending money per day after paying for hotel, I have also added the money I would spend per day in the village to the 2500 Baht budget above, this should work out to around 4500 Baht a month to cover the yearly cost.

School Fees, books & uniform 11,500 Baht per year so about 950 Baht a month, my son have been with me & the wife in the UK for nearly 5 nears now and can read & write English so I will not be putting him into an English program school, he can speak Thai so I just want him to learn to read Thai & learn Chinese, looking at 4500 per term for a school in Non Sung, with the remaining 2500 Baht going towards his uniform & books. I am not sure about this figure so if you guys do the same can you let me know how much you pay ?

School Travel 500 Baht per month for school bus to pick him up and bring him back, total cost for year 4500 Baht based on 9 months a year schooling.

Medical Insurance Looking at getting the yellow house book and getting insurance from a government hospital, 2200 Baht a year, so about 200 Baht a month.

So looking at coming in at around 26,000 Baht a month, do you think this can work ?

I know I have not added anything for extras like clothing and so on, but the wife will have extra income coming in of around 3500/4000 Baht per month so this should cover this.

[Jubes]

Could probably work but how long for? There's always gonna be extras with the young bloke and schooling. Having you're own mode of transport is a must it will save so much hassle even though you haven't included it

Edited February 7, 2014 by Jubes

[daboyz1]

I'm planning on about a 35k a month budget, but we don't have any kids. We also have a house, so no payment there. I'll be curious to see how it goes for you. Keep us posted.

[DILLIGAD]

I think overall you appear to be quite accurate and level-headed in your estimations. Sure a couple of items could be slightly out but who knows?

One question, having been there, done that (and f***ed up before) .....

How are you going to spend your time in a village? You know what they say about idle hands and all that. I am asking an honest and very relevant question, as it greatly impacts on your spending potential.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[JASON THAI]

Could probably work but how long for? There's always gonna be extras with the young bloke and schooling. Having you're own mode of transport is a must it will save so much hassle even though you haven't included it

I need to live within this budget for 9 years until my company pension kicks as this will give me 1.3 Mil Baht tax free & a pension of about 18,000 Baht a month so I would not be using my savings that much, I also have £12k GBP as a back up if things go wrong and need to return back to the UK, I will also have a TEFL cert aswell so I might look for a PT job to boost the income from my wife to around 10-12k Baht per month, I don't need transport as I have people willing to take me wherever I won't to go and I think it works out cheaper.

I'm planning on about a 35k a month budget, but we don't have any kids. We also have a house, so no payment there. I'll be curious to see how it goes for you. Keep us posted.

Not going to be easy but it beats living in the UK, should be able to boost the monthly budget to over 30k Baht per month when the wife starts working, our oldest is working in Korat and is willing to pay 1000 Baht a month and raise this to 2000 a month after she has paid off her motorbike to stay with us.

[SantiSuk]

Since you asked specifically, I can confirm that your school fees, transport, uniforms etc budget is sensible based on my experience of one child at a fee paying local Mueang convent school. As opposed to falangland school clothing is remarkably inexpensive here. May need a little extra for school trips and occasional school 'gimme-please's, but should be within your 2,500.

From your budgeting and prose you seem like a smart guy - should be able to earn a little bit of pleasure and contingency money if you want to have a go at teaching for a few hours a week. Many Isaan falang who have never done it before (and don't have a degree) do that. I don't but i would if I unexpectedly fell on hard times.

Take up exercise, birding and learning languages (there's 3 available to learn in the average Isaan village). All free!

{Just seen - you posted coterminously with me and answered the teaching point in advance: Good luck, suspect you don't need luck though}

Edited February 8, 2014 by SantiSuk

[soihok]

Its manageable but its a tight budget considering there are 4 of you.

When we are back home in Korat its at least double that, but we aren't held by a budget as such (four of us too).

Is your 22 year old a Thai national?

If so, I suggest you get him/her working to help with the bills and provide for themselves.

Good luck, hope it works out

Edited February 8, 2014 by soihok

[gerry123]

spot on is this a fixed income? cost of living even in the village rising quite steadily here in Thai

so if fixed this will be good for or fwo year but later a re budget maybe required good luck sounds like a good

plan

[patongphil]

Personally I would ditch the aircon quick quick if I had to survive on such a budget.

Also a motorbike is worth it's weight in gold. Go where you want when you want, explore all the local roads, villages etc. many hours of fun for very little outlay.

Do you like fishing?

[soihok]

Yes, Phil's right - forget the aircon and get a bike.

[JASON THAI]

I think overall you appear to be quite accurate and level-headed in your estimations. Sure a couple of items could be slightly out but who knows?

One question, having been there, done that (and f***ed up before) .....

How are you going to spend your time in a village? You know what they say about idle hands and all that. I am asking an honest and very relevant question, as it greatly impacts on your spending potential.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Thanks for your great reply I was waiting for someone to say this, I have been going to this village for over 13 years now, I started off when I was 30 years old and I must admit that I did not like it at first as the living standards are very poor if you are living in a wooden shack which I did when I used to go up there, but this has all changed now and I have a house with full mods comes with a 50 TV and a chipped Wii U & PS3 with over 750 games between them and over 1500 blue ray movies to watch on HDD's with full 5.1 dolby sourround sound system, AC in the bedroom and front room so I don't fell like I am away from home and this will keep me busy if I get bored

One thing about living in the village is that it will give me time to learn more Thai without being distracted which is something I want to do,also I have a few farangs living close to me so I can speak to them when I am bored.

Also I will be visiting friends in Pattaya every 3 months for a holiday so it's not all that bad LOL

Edited February 8, 2014 by JASON THAI

[SantiSuk]

I think overall you appear to be quite accurate and level-headed in your estimations. Sure a couple of items could be slightly out but who knows?

One question, having been there, done that (and f***ed up before) .....

How are you going to spend your time in a village? You know what they say about idle hands and all that. I am asking an honest and very relevant question, as it greatly impacts on your spending potential.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Thanks for your great reply I was waiting for someone to say this, I have been going to this village for over 13 years now, I started off when I was 30 years old and I must admit that I did not like it at first as the living standards are very poor if you are living in a wooden shack which I did when I used to go up there, but this has all changed now and I have a house with full mods comes with a 50 TV and a chipped Wii U & PS3 with over 750 games between them and over 1500 blue ray movies to watch on HDD's with full 5.1 dolby sourround sound system, AC in the bedroom and front room so I don't fell like I am away from home and this will keep me busy if I get bored

One thing about living in the village is that it will give me time to learn more Thai without being distracted which is something I want to do,also I have a few farangs living close to me so I can speak to them when I am bored.

Also I will be visiting friends in Pattaya every 3 months for a holiday so it's not all that bad LOL

I guess that if you've spent your time in a bedroom in falangland playing games and watching movies you might as well do the same here. Different generation

Edited February 8, 2014 by SantiSuk

[Jip99]

Only time, and your own discipline, will tell if the budget will work.

I did not see any figures for capital items - there will always be something you need or something that needs replacing.

Your visa fees seem high @ 36k. You also don't have the income, or Thai bank balance, to support a married extension. What visa do you have ?

I agree with the comments about the motorcy - it gives you certain freedom.

How will your (and your families) lifestyle compare to what you had in the UK.

What family is around you and what attitude do they have - to your money.

Overall. you have thought this through better than most and you know that your finances improve in 9 years. 9 years is a long time but if YOU and your family, have the right attitude then you can make it work. I have friends who get by on similar figures but they don't have kids.

[JASON THAI]

Since you asked specifically, I can confirm that your school fees, transport, uniforms etc budget is sensible based on my experience of one child at a fee paying local Mueang convent school. As opposed to falangland school clothing is remarkably inexpensive here. May need a little extra for school trips and occasional school 'gimme-please's, but should be within your 2,500.

From your budgeting and prose you seem like a smart guy - should be able to earn a little bit of pleasure and contingency money if you want to have a go at teaching for a few hours a week. Many Isaan falang who have never done it before (and don't have a degree) do that. I don't but i would if I unexpectedly fell on hard times.

Take up exercise, birding and learning languages (there's 3 available to learn in the average Isaan village). All free!

{Just seen - you posted coterminously with me and answered the teaching point in advance: Good luck, suspect you don't need luck though}

I have been offered some money to teach English to 3 of my wives sisters children so I can make some money, plus I will have a TEFL cert so this will help if I want to look for work, but I will use this later on if I need to make ends meet, this is Plan B for me.

[JASON THAI]

Its manageable but its a tight budget considering there are 4 of you.

When we are back home in Korat its at least double that, but we aren't held by a budget as such (four of us too).

Is your 22 year old a Thai national?

If so, I suggest you get him/her working to help with the bills and provide for themselves.

Good luck, hope it works out

Yes she is a Thai national and is working FT in Korat does not earn much 6500 Baht a month but she is willing to pay 1000 Baht a month and increase this to 2000 when she has finished paying off for the motorbike, I am not her father but brought her up from the age of 8 and paid for her through collage and now she call's me daddy and repsects me which is all I every wanted

[JASON THAI]

spot on is this a fixed income? cost of living even in the village rising quite steadily here in Thai

so if fixed this will be good for or fwo year but later a re budget maybe required good luck sounds like a good

plan

It;s not a fixed cost as the wife will be working but if needed I can reduce to take into account inflation year on year, just need to have a beer or 2 less a week which is good for your budget & health

[soihok]

Great to hear that Jason, good on you.

Hope it goes well, as you know, the grass "is" greener in Thailand (rather than the UK, my birthplace). Depends on what you want out of life.

Edited February 8, 2014 by soihok

[JASON THAI]

I think overall you appear to be quite accurate and level-headed in your estimations. Sure a couple of items could be slightly out but who knows?

One question, having been there, done that (and f***ed up before) .....

How are you going to spend your time in a village? You know what they say about idle hands and all that. I am asking an honest and very relevant question, as it greatly impacts on your spending potential.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Thanks for your great reply I was waiting for someone to say this, I have been going to this village for over 13 years now, I started off when I was 30 years old and I must admit that I did not like it at first as the living standards are very poor if you are living in a wooden shack which I did when I used to go up there, but this has all changed now and I have a house with full mods comes with a 50 TV and a chipped Wii U & PS3 with over 750 games between them and over 1500 blue ray movies to watch on HDD's with full 5.1 dolby sourround sound system, AC in the bedroom and front room so I don't fell like I am away from home and this will keep me busy if I get bored

One thing about living in the village is that it will give me time to learn more Thai without being distracted which is something I want to do,also I have a few farangs living close to me so I can speak to them when I am bored.

Also I will be visiting friends in Pattaya every 3 months for a holiday so it's not all that bad LOL

I guess that if you've spent your time in a bedroom in falangland playing games and watching movies you might as well do the same here. Different generation

How else do you think people save money for there holidays to LOS without having to work 70 hour + a week lol

[JASON THAI]

Only time, and your own discipline, will tell if the budget will work.

I did not see any figures for capital items - there will always be something you need or something that needs replacing.

Your visa fees seem high @ 36k. You also don't have the income, or Thai bank balance, to support a married extension. What visa do you have ?

I agree with the comments about the motorcy - it gives you certain freedom.

How will your (and your families) lifestyle compare to what you had in the UK.

What family is around you and what attitude do they have - to your money.

Overall. you have thought this through better than most and you know that your finances improve in 9 years. 9 years is a long time but if YOU and your family, have the right attitude then you can make it work. I have friends who get by on similar figures but they don't have kids.

Another great post thanks Jip99, yes i agree 100% with discipline and that is what I have done for the last 5 years with my wife in the UK and now she understands that the money we make it not all that much after you pay all the bills and now understands we are not all walking ATM's, she understands now why people work hard and save to go on holiday and enjoy there holidays for a sort period and then back home to work whilst most Thai's who have never stepped foot outside of there own country think we all have unlimited funds LOL.

I have some item in the house in Thailand now but 95% of this is now in Enland and has been brought brand new or a year old, I will nev

goods in my wife's name to save on import tax, yes things may need replacing but if I think like that I will never end up getting to live the dream !

I can not get a married extension as I do have the 400,000 baht in the bank for 3 months which I do not want, as I get a good return on my Stocks & Shares ISA so I would lose out in interest, but there are ways to get around this remember you are in LOS, also remember that the 36,500 cost includes travel & hotel for the year

I cannot ride a motorbike so it's no use to me, but I can find other means to get away.

I know my family will be happy to get out of England and live in Thailand, they miss Thailand and hate England apart from the snow LOL, If I could take them back tomorrow I would. !

My wife's family have been very good and have only asked for money once in the last 12 years which they paid back, took them about 5 though LOL, but they are a good bunch, I liked the way my wife's sister asked me what nickname I would like to call her daughter, all that i could think of was the normal Thai names, Chang, Leo A,B,C.D and so on, then I looked up at the beautiful clear sky and said SKY that is what they named her !

It's going to be hard for 9 years, I think my money will last for 6 but I will give it a go, I will still have a house to come back to in the UK & money so it's not the end of the world

Edited February 8, 2014 by JASON THAI

[soihok]

I know my family will be happy to get out of England and live in Thailand, they miss Thailand and hate England apart from the snow LOL, If I could take them back tomorrow I would. !

Go for it Jason, if you don't do it you may live to regret it.

Saying that, your minds are already made.

My wife tells me she never wants to live in the UK, and I have to agree, neither do I (living in Malaysia at the moment).

[slipperylobster]

As long as you have medical coverage.... for everyone.

Otherwise...no dice.

[soihok]

If I were you, I would seriously look at learning to ride a bike (scooter). It will give you some freedom.

[SailingHome]

OP, you mentioned 'live the dream'. What is 'the dream' for you?

[DILLIGAD]

I would seriously consider teaching Jason, not just for extra income but to :

1) Get you out of the house.

2) Give you a reason to get up in the morning.

3) Help you meet (hopefully) nice educated people (I don't mean that in a snobbish way).

4) Give you objectives that are NOT family based.

5) Stop you drinking &/or getting bored.

6) Make friends from different locations/backgrounds.

7) Motivation and to earn respect (hopefully)

That's how it helped me

[JASON THAI]

Great to hear that Jason, good on you.

Hope it goes well, as you know, the grass "is" greener in Thailand (rather than the UK, my birthplace). Depends on what you want out of life.

I have watched how the NHS treated my father and now he is dead and now I am watching how they treat my 84 year old mother, this is no good and the UK has no respect for the eldery which is something the Thai's do, I would rather die in LOS than in the UK and have a less stressful life and enjoy it, you only have 1 life so why not enjoy it before it's to late !

[patongphil]

If I were you, I would seriously look at learning to ride a bike (scooter). It will give you some freedom.

Couldn't agree more. I know lots of guys who had never ridden a motorbike before that have learnt over here. Pretty easy going around the village roads etc.

I remember many years ago when I learnt to ride and the first question my instructor asked me was "do you know what the best thing about riding a motorbike is?"

His answer was "riding a motorbike!!"

Never a truer word.

[soihok]

When my Father left my Mother, my 2 brothers and me (ran off with his business partners wife- but that's another story) - his departing gift to me was a Suzuki 50, I was 17.

Didn't know how to ride, so taught myself up and down a field on it. Test wise, not heard of a farang to take his bike test in Thailand but sure its happened, met a guy who had passed his Heavy Goods test in Thailand though.

[JASON THAI]

If I were you, I would seriously look at learning to ride a bike (scooter). It will give you some freedom.

Very True but on the roads in Thailand I will most likely end up dead, some crazy drivers out there pissed up !

[JASON THAI]

OP, you mentioned 'live the dream'. What is 'the dream' for you?

Have the balls to leave my own country and try and live in another and stand on my own 2 feet (Not easy done without help) and most of all give back the time my wife has sacificed to her family to come and live with me in the UK.

[soihok]

What a great post