Minimalist living in Pattaya

[paddyjenkins]

Maybe we should stop the discussion? It is getting absurd and when fiction takes over there is nothing left to debate.

No, fiction is when it starts to get interesting, its just that you are too mentally dull to see that.

[Rimmer]

Troll post and reply to it removed

[AnotherOneAmerican]

If you suddenly inherited some money....lets say enough to spend 250,000 baht a month forever, would you be happier and then be able to live the life you would really want, or does this minimalist lifestyle provide all you want anyway?

I'm already living the life I want on 40k/month.

If I didn't have a gf, would be living the same life I want on 20k/month.

Not sure the gf is worth the expense .............. thinking her days are numbered.

Having money doesn't mean you need to spend it.

I am happy for you, if indeed you are living the life you want. I know several farangs who live here on a teacher's pittance. They rarely reject my wife's offer of a dinner invitation or my shout of another beer--and even more rarely do they reciprocate. No one I know is content with less, unless their lifestyle expectations have diminished to an existence. Perhaps, I simply do not travel in minimalist circles.

An average day for me,

Today breakfast of cornflakes with a chopped up banana, then I was out on the MTB with some pals, we started at 8:30, cycled and sat by lakes, bit of off road, bit of downhill, lots of jungle tracks, bit of road, about 50Km in all.

Had a bottle of Pepsi at a roadside mini market, sat at their tables out front, home for scones with Greek yogurt and jam (made the scones, yoghurt and jam myself), my pals left so late lunch alone, plate of french fries with boiled eggs (french fries from potatoes donated by a neighbour who grows them, eggs from my birds). Crashed out for the afternoon (it was a lot of exercise for a 60YO). Went to the shops this evening, 2l milk, bar of chocolate, bunch of bananas, graprow gai from a stall for my evening meal. Plenty of mugs of tea (1 bag makes 2 mugs).

Watching movies now and a bit of web surfing.

Total personal spending in the order of 180bht.

That's for a half day out with pals & several luxury food items.

Tomorrow,

Hiking in the mountains with a different group of friends, then coffee in our local coffee shop (35bht), followed by lunch at a mall (60bht).

Yesterday,

Cycled cross country 15Km alone, hiked with friends in the mountains 15Km, swam and ate at a lakeside restaurant (80bht), cycled home alone 15Km along farm tracks through paddy fields.

That's my life, swimming, cycling, hiking, with friends (mostly), or sometimes alone. Evenings at home with the family.

I often wonder how people spend so much money, and if spending money makes them happy?

What do you want from life? do you think I am missing out on anything?

Is your daily food so much better than mine?

[smotherb]

If you suddenly inherited some money....lets say enough to spend 250,000 baht a month forever, would you be happier and then be able to live the life you would really want, or does this minimalist lifestyle provide all you want anyway?

I'm already living the life I want on 40k/month.

If I didn't have a gf, would be living the same life I want on 20k/month.

Not sure the gf is worth the expense .............. thinking her days are numbered.

Having money doesn't mean you need to spend it.

I am happy for you, if indeed you are living the life you want. I know several farangs who live here on a teacher's pittance. They rarely reject my wife's offer of a dinner invitation or my shout of another beer--and even more rarely do they reciprocate. No one I know is content with less, unless their lifestyle expectations have diminished to an existence. Perhaps, I simply do not travel in minimalist circles.

An average day for me,

Today breakfast of cornflakes with a chopped up banana, then I was out on the MTB with some pals, we started at 8:30, cycled and sat by lakes, bit of off road, bit of downhill, lots of jungle tracks, bit of road, about 50Km in all.

Had a bottle of Pepsi at a roadside mini market, sat at their tables out front, home for scones with Greek yogurt and jam (made the scones, yoghurt and jam myself), my pals left so late lunch alone, plate of french fries with boiled eggs (french fries from potatoes donated by a neighbour who grows them, eggs from my birds). Crashed out for the afternoon (it was a lot of exercise for a 60YO). Went to the shops this evening, 2l milk, bar of chocolate, bunch of bananas, graprow gai from a stall for my evening meal. Plenty of mugs of tea (1 bag makes 2 mugs).

Watching movies now and a bit of web surfing.

Total personal spending in the order of 180bht.

That's for a half day out with pals & several luxury food items.

Tomorrow,

Hiking in the mountains with a different group of friends, then coffee in our local coffee shop (35bht), followed by lunch at a mall (60bht).

Yesterday,

Cycled cross country 15Km alone, hiked with friends in the mountains 15Km, swam and ate at a lakeside restaurant (80bht), cycled home alone 15Km along farm tracks through paddy fields.

That's my life, swimming, cycling, hiking, with friends (mostly), or sometimes alone. Evenings at home with the family.

I often wonder how people spend so much money, and if spending money makes them happy?

What do you want from life? do you think I am missing out on anything?

Is your daily food so much better than mine?

Sounds like a good day. I awoke at noon thirty to black coffee, English muffins, and papaya with lime and salt. Took my wife to the mall and went to my local for a few beers and jawing with the boys. Met my wife back at home at dinner time. She had prepared prime rib, scalloped potatoes, steamed cauliflower, and a Waldorf salad. Our guests and I drank about 5 liters of Italian red wine with gorgonzola cheese and baguets and had brewed coffee and lime cheese cake for dessert. Our son and his wife were among our guests and left our grandson with us for the weekend. That was the reason my wife went to the mall, she needed a stroller and a bassinet and some ingredients for dinner. Don't really know how much all that cost, I don't really care. However, it will be more, meeting some friends for drinks and music later. Will sleep when I get home after closing time. Not bad for a 70 year old.

[georgegeorgia]

"AMERICAN" Enjoyed your post..you sound extremely fit for a 60yo,most 60yo guys I see in Thailand especially Pattaya are puffed out walking a few streets.

It doesnt mean however you wont get sick or Cancer but your days sounds great and theres no need to be bored.

Edited February 5, 2015 by georgegeorgia

[paddyjenkins]

My day: cup of tea, boiled egg, TV, boiled egg, tea, TV, egg, bath, potatoes

[SheungWan]

Yes, there is a very frugal chap who visits Starbucks, what a fantastic minimalist. He goes in with a plastic cup, visits the toilet, fills the cup with tap water and uses a tea bag from home. He says cold tea is more minimalist. He then sits in Starbucks and enjoys his tea, leafing through the free and discarded newspapers, his gnarled and filthy feet up on the table, occasionally lifting himself slightly to let out a loud burst of gas from his bloated and protruding gut. He scans the papers for vouchers or freebies that catch his beady little eyes, close together, magnified by thick plastic lenses that don't quite fit because its cheaper to pick up some frames from the market than visiting an opticians, the frames sitting high and clumsily on the bridge of his huge, pitted and bulbous nose. Wow, what an inspiring figure. And he watches other customers like a hawk, wearing his cheap nylon shirt and shorts and 50 baht slippers from the second hand market. His whole outfit cost less than 100 baht. Yes, to save on washing he wears them a month without changing, and so some people will notice the acrid smell of stale sweat, urine and drying excrement, but they are just superficial consumers, brainwashed by the norms of society, not enlightened minimalists. As soon as customers leave he is up like a shot and collects the uneaten crusts and whatnot and a cup. A cup. Why a cup? Because after a few hours of this the staff finally get tired and politely ask if he is going to order a drink, as the seats are for customers. But he points to his cup and aggressively screams back that he already did and that he knows his rights and he will write to the CEO about them. And so they leave him be, just discretely spraying the area around him with air freshener and disinfectant. What a man, what a minimalist.

It might be the same guy who approached a friend of mine and asked when the would be finished with the 2 newspapers on his table. My friend told him that these were papers he had personally purchsed. The 'chap' got aggressive as he was convinced the papers belonged to Starbucks and asked several times before giving up and then going into the shop and berating the staff for not providing the papers to be available for his use. No he hadn't bought anything from Starbucks. I nominate him for minimalist of the week.

[georgegeorgia]

NO SW..the example Paddy gave was made up,but it wasnt really portraying a miniminalist anyway.

Why would go to somewhere such as Starbucks ..never..its got air conditioning...

Being a minimalist means you lose your emotional baggage as well as your material ones.

As for your incident, I dont know any minimimlists who read the newspapers..they come from trees..many minimilists are "greenies".

Some people are getting confused with homeless people or people with Psychiatric

issues.

Being a minimalist is a religion.a lifestyle..there are umpteen books on this life...

Edited February 6, 2015 by georgegeorgia

[anto]

>>It might be the same guy who approached a friend of mine and asked when the would be finished with the 2 newspapers on his table. My friend told him that these were papers he had personally purchsed. The 'chap' got aggressive as he was convinced the papers belonged to Starbucks and asked several times before giving up and then going into the shop and berating the staff for not providing the papers to be available for his use. No he hadn't bought anything from Starbucks. I nominate him for minimalist of the week.<<

I have had that many times when i lived down in Pattaya .They would never dream of buying their own B30 newspaper .It got to the point that when i finished one section ,to read another ,i would have to sit on it ,or it would be taken ;-)

[VIPinthailand]

some people can live beyond 100 and with technology in medical science I expect that many old folks will live 150 or 200 years before end of 21st century.

so if you are 70, except to reach 100 and you should really save money because soon you will say bye bye to your Ssn and freebies from your nanny state.

Edited February 6, 2015 by VIPinthailand

[georgegeorgia]

Mmmmm..they still cant cure Cancer..even skin Cancer.

Currently the doctor just tells you that theres nothing more to do but go home and die.

[SpokaneAl]

some people can live beyond 100 and with technology in medical science I expect that many old folks will live 150 or 200 years before end of 21st century.

so if you are 70, except to reach 100 and you should really save money because soon you will say bye bye to your Ssn and freebies from your nanny state.

Social security is hardly a freebie. It is a repayment of deductions made over the working life of the earner. Edited February 6, 2015 by SpokaneAl

[georgegeorgia]

Im not sure why everyone wakes up so late lol...minimalists tend to be early risers .

I used to love walking with my friends along Jomtien evety morning..so many people out walking at 6am along Jomtien esplanade.

Im in bed usually by 8 or 9pm most nights.

[smotherb]

Yes, there is a very frugal chap who visits Starbucks, what a fantastic minimalist. He goes in with a plastic cup, visits the toilet, fills the cup with tap water and uses a tea bag from home. He says cold tea is more minimalist. He then sits in Starbucks and enjoys his tea, leafing through the free and discarded newspapers, his gnarled and filthy feet up on the table, occasionally lifting himself slightly to let out a loud burst of gas from his bloated and protruding gut. He scans the papers for vouchers or freebies that catch his beady little eyes, close together, magnified by thick plastic lenses that don't quite fit because its cheaper to pick up some frames from the market than visiting an opticians, the frames sitting high and clumsily on the bridge of his huge, pitted and bulbous nose. Wow, what an inspiring figure. And he watches other customers like a hawk, wearing his cheap nylon shirt and shorts and 50 baht slippers from the second hand market. His whole outfit cost less than 100 baht. Yes, to save on washing he wears them a month without changing, and so some people will notice the acrid smell of stale sweat, urine and drying excrement, but they are just superficial consumers, brainwashed by the norms of society, not enlightened minimalists. As soon as customers leave he is up like a shot and collects the uneaten crusts and whatnot and a cup. A cup. Why a cup? Because after a few hours of this the staff finally get tired and politely ask if he is going to order a drink, as the seats are for customers. But he points to his cup and aggressively screams back that he already did and that he knows his rights and he will write to the CEO about them. And so they leave him be, just discretely spraying the area around him with air freshener and disinfectant. What a man, what a minimalist.

It might be the same guy who approached a friend of mine and asked when the would be finished with the 2 newspapers on his table. My friend told him that these were papers he had personally purchsed. The 'chap' got aggressive as he was convinced the papers belonged to Starbucks and asked several times before giving up and then going into the shop and berating the staff for not providing the papers to be available for his use. No he hadn't bought anything from Starbucks. I nominate him for minimalist of the week.

We see how different words with a similar definition do not exactly convey the same meaning to all. For example, "minimalist" doesn't exactly convey the same meaning as "cheapskate" or "social leech." Someone who misuses anothers' property to avoid incurring cost is not a minimalist.

[SheungWan]

Yes, there is a very frugal chap who visits Starbucks, what a fantastic minimalist. He goes in with a plastic cup, visits the toilet, fills the cup with tap water and uses a tea bag from home. He says cold tea is more minimalist. He then sits in Starbucks and enjoys his tea, leafing through the free and discarded newspapers, his gnarled and filthy feet up on the table, occasionally lifting himself slightly to let out a loud burst of gas from his bloated and protruding gut. He scans the papers for vouchers or freebies that catch his beady little eyes, close together, magnified by thick plastic lenses that don't quite fit because its cheaper to pick up some frames from the market than visiting an opticians, the frames sitting high and clumsily on the bridge of his huge, pitted and bulbous nose. Wow, what an inspiring figure. And he watches other customers like a hawk, wearing his cheap nylon shirt and shorts and 50 baht slippers from the second hand market. His whole outfit cost less than 100 baht. Yes, to save on washing he wears them a month without changing, and so some people will notice the acrid smell of stale sweat, urine and drying excrement, but they are just superficial consumers, brainwashed by the norms of society, not enlightened minimalists. As soon as customers leave he is up like a shot and collects the uneaten crusts and whatnot and a cup. A cup. Why a cup? Because after a few hours of this the staff finally get tired and politely ask if he is going to order a drink, as the seats are for customers. But he points to his cup and aggressively screams back that he already did and that he knows his rights and he will write to the CEO about them. And so they leave him be, just discretely spraying the area around him with air freshener and disinfectant. What a man, what a minimalist.

It might be the same guy who approached a friend of mine and asked when the would be finished with the 2 newspapers on his table. My friend told him that these were papers he had personally purchsed. The 'chap' got aggressive as he was convinced the papers belonged to Starbucks and asked several times before giving up and then going into the shop and berating the staff for not providing the papers to be available for his use. No he hadn't bought anything from Starbucks. I nominate him for minimalist of the week.

We see how different words with a similar definition do not exactly convey the same meaning to all. For example, "minimalist" doesn't exactly convey the same meaning as "cheapskate" or "social leech." Someone who misuses anothers' property to avoid incurring cost is not a minimalist.

I guess you are trying to say that not all minimalists are cheapskates, but you will have trouble convincing us either that not all cheapskates are minimalists (a fine line of separation) or that the combination thereof in Pattaya is not a veritable artists quarter. Coming up.....the guy who considers himself upmarket for using Mach 3 razorblades, who shaves every day and proudly claims to make each and every blade last a whole month. Presumably more than a month in February. I might just ask him.....

[paddyjenkins]

Yes, there is a very frugal chap who visits Starbucks, what a fantastic minimalist. He goes in with a plastic cup, visits the toilet, fills the cup with tap water and uses a tea bag from home. He says cold tea is more minimalist. He then sits in Starbucks and enjoys his tea, leafing through the free and discarded newspapers, his gnarled and filthy feet up on the table, occasionally lifting himself slightly to let out a loud burst of gas from his bloated and protruding gut. He scans the papers for vouchers or freebies that catch his beady little eyes, close together, magnified by thick plastic lenses that don't quite fit because its cheaper to pick up some frames from the market than visiting an opticians, the frames sitting high and clumsily on the bridge of his huge, pitted and bulbous nose. Wow, what an inspiring figure. And he watches other customers like a hawk, wearing his cheap nylon shirt and shorts and 50 baht slippers from the second hand market. His whole outfit cost less than 100 baht. Yes, to save on washing he wears them a month without changing, and so some people will notice the acrid smell of stale sweat, urine and drying excrement, but they are just superficial consumers, brainwashed by the norms of society, not enlightened minimalists. As soon as customers leave he is up like a shot and collects the uneaten crusts and whatnot and a cup. A cup. Why a cup? Because after a few hours of this the staff finally get tired and politely ask if he is going to order a drink, as the seats are for customers. But he points to his cup and aggressively screams back that he already did and that he knows his rights and he will write to the CEO about them. And so they leave him be, just discretely spraying the area around him with air freshener and disinfectant. What a man, what a minimalist.

It might be the same guy who approached a friend of mine and asked when the would be finished with the 2 newspapers on his table. My friend told him that these were papers he had personally purchsed. The 'chap' got aggressive as he was convinced the papers belonged to Starbucks and asked several times before giving up and then going into the shop and berating the staff for not providing the papers to be available for his use. No he hadn't bought anything from Starbucks. I nominate him for minimalist of the week.

We see how different words with a similar definition do not exactly convey the same meaning to all. For example, "minimalist" doesn't exactly convey the same meaning as "cheapskate" or "social leech." Someone who misuses anothers' property to avoid incurring cost is not a minimalist.

I guess you are trying to say that not all minimalists are cheapskates, but you will have trouble convincing us either that not all cheapskates are minimalists (a fine line of separation) or that the combination thereof in Pattaya is not a veritable artists quarter. Coming up.....the guy who considers himself upmarket for using Mach 3 razorblades, who shaves every day and proudly claims to make each and every blade last a whole month. Presumably more than a month in February. I might just ask him.....

Oh, i thought he was under the impression we needed a lesson in basic English. Strange chap.

I think many of these people who call themselves minimalists are just self grandiose and pretentious, the truth being they are penny pinching cheapskates who have no regard whatsoever for the quality of their own lives or for the ugliness of their behavior. They've told us about everything from persuading poor fishermen to give them fish for free, to renting out bunk beds in their tiny studio apartments, in the cheapest apartment blocks in town, to sitting at home in semi darkness to save a minuscule amount of electricity.

When their objective is to make everything cheaper for themselves, no matter that by saving a few baht they take a few baht from some poor vendor who they have haggled down to some non existent profit margin because the vendor is desperate. I sometimes haggle too, but only to a point, i want vendors to make money, i just don't want to pay the dumb tourist price. And i also dislike buying anything branded, for status, or collecting too many possessions, because that does tend to act as a burden. But i also leave tips in cafes and bars i like to visit, where the owners have become friends. No doubt the minimalist idea would be to make friends in order to get freebies. These so called minimalists try to to hide the ugliness of their lifestyles by labeling themselves in a way that sounds like a kind of alternative, spiritual lifestyle. Its not, for most of them its just small minded penny pinching that goes way beyond the concept of living a simple life. There are a few genuine ones our there of course, people who just lead simple lives, but most are just parasites and low lives.

Edited February 8, 2015 by paddyjenkins

[jpinx]

Anyone who can't recognise the difference between a minimalist and a cheapskate is merely abusing the topic to feed his own need to boost his ego by saying that he can spend as much as he wants and it makes him happy. In reality he has no concept of true happiness

[AnotherOneAmerican]

When their objective is to make everything cheaper for themselves, no matter that by saving a few baht they take a few baht from some poor vendor who they have haggled down to some non existent profit margin because the vendor is desperate. I sometimes haggle too, but only to a point, i want vendors to make money, i just don't want to pay the dumb tourist price. And i also dislike buying anything branded, for status, or collecting too many possessions, because that does tend to act as a burden. But i also leave tips in cafes and bars i like to visit, where the owners have become friends. No doubt the minimalist idea would be to make friends in order to get freebies. These so called minimalists try to to hide the ugliness of their lifestyles by labeling themselves in a way that sounds like a kind of alternative, spiritual lifestyle. Its not, for most of them its just small minded penny pinching that goes way beyond the concept of living a simple life. There are a few genuine ones our there of course, people who just lead simple lives, but most are just parasites and low lives.

Only a fool pays more than they have to for anything.

You have confused business with charity,

You have confused customer with friend.

[Briggsy]

Many, many years ago in Bangkok, I shared many traits with this bloke. e.g. walking or catching the 2.5 Baht public bus; eating cheap food; saving something out of my meagre income every month; no air con; no water heater.

It was the way I was brought up, not to waste money on comforts. I did it without thinking.

I have been here almost 20 years and my income has increased. Now I wouldn't want to go back to the simple life without air con, a water heater, wi-fi and a 500 cc motorbike.

Each to their own.

[paddyjenkins]

When their objective is to make everything cheaper for themselves, no matter that by saving a few baht they take a few baht from some poor vendor who they have haggled down to some non existent profit margin because the vendor is desperate. I sometimes haggle too, but only to a point, i want vendors to make money, i just don't want to pay the dumb tourist price. And i also dislike buying anything branded, for status, or collecting too many possessions, because that does tend to act as a burden. But i also leave tips in cafes and bars i like to visit, where the owners have become friends. No doubt the minimalist idea would be to make friends in order to get freebies. These so called minimalists try to to hide the ugliness of their lifestyles by labeling themselves in a way that sounds like a kind of alternative, spiritual lifestyle. Its not, for most of them its just small minded penny pinching that goes way beyond the concept of living a simple life. There are a few genuine ones our there of course, people who just lead simple lives, but most are just parasites and low lives.

Only a fool pays more than they have to for anything.

You have confused business with charity,

You have confused customer with friend.

Sometimes it takes people time to learn that the world isn't all black and white. Some people never learn that, just like they don't know that cornflakes are empty calories and that french fries with boiled eggs isn't an especially healthy lunch, even though it may be very cheap. Sometimes, for example, you pay a bit more than you could have, but you also reap what you sow. I am not confused between charity and business, nor being just a customer as opposed to just a friend. Lines can cross, but if you live to scrape the last baht of advantage from every single interaction in your life then you will never learn these things. Likewise, i know the difference between what a cheapskate is, what a minimalist is and what a cheapskate who calls himself a minimalist is. You aren't any of these, just an ordinary man living a simple life, but you do suffer from poor comprehension skills. Edited February 8, 2015 by paddyjenkins

[rgs2001uk]

If you want to see the "minimalists" "cheapskates" or whatever other nom de plume they go by, visit either, the food court in Big C Pattaya klang, or their unoffical hangout opposite Mikes on Beach rd.

I have seen better dressed Cambodian beggars.

[smotherb]

paddyjenkins said, "Oh, i thought he was under the impression we needed a lesson in basic English. Strange chap."

Perhaps you could benefit from an English comprehension lesson. My comment was in response to your post about the social leech at Starbucks. I was pointing out that living the minimalist lifestyle does not mean you have to misuse others' property to save your money; and that there are several words for being cheap, but not all have the same connotation.

[smotherb]

Yes, there is a very frugal chap who visits Starbucks, what a fantastic minimalist. He goes in with a plastic cup, visits the toilet, fills the cup with tap water and uses a tea bag from home. He says cold tea is more minimalist. He then sits in Starbucks and enjoys his tea, leafing through the free and discarded newspapers, his gnarled and filthy feet up on the table, occasionally lifting himself slightly to let out a loud burst of gas from his bloated and protruding gut. He scans the papers for vouchers or freebies that catch his beady little eyes, close together, magnified by thick plastic lenses that don't quite fit because its cheaper to pick up some frames from the market than visiting an opticians, the frames sitting high and clumsily on the bridge of his huge, pitted and bulbous nose. Wow, what an inspiring figure. And he watches other customers like a hawk, wearing his cheap nylon shirt and shorts and 50 baht slippers from the second hand market. His whole outfit cost less than 100 baht. Yes, to save on washing he wears them a month without changing, and so some people will notice the acrid smell of stale sweat, urine and drying excrement, but they are just superficial consumers, brainwashed by the norms of society, not enlightened minimalists. As soon as customers leave he is up like a shot and collects the uneaten crusts and whatnot and a cup. A cup. Why a cup? Because after a few hours of this the staff finally get tired and politely ask if he is going to order a drink, as the seats are for customers. But he points to his cup and aggressively screams back that he already did and that he knows his rights and he will write to the CEO about them. And so they leave him be, just discretely spraying the area around him with air freshener and disinfectant. What a man, what a minimalist.

It might be the same guy who approached a friend of mine and asked when the would be finished with the 2 newspapers on his table. My friend told him that these were papers he had personally purchsed. The 'chap' got aggressive as he was convinced the papers belonged to Starbucks and asked several times before giving up and then going into the shop and berating the staff for not providing the papers to be available for his use. No he hadn't bought anything from Starbucks. I nominate him for minimalist of the week.

We see how different words with a similar definition do not exactly convey the same meaning to all. For example, "minimalist" doesn't exactly convey the same meaning as "cheapskate" or "social leech." Someone who misuses anothers' property to avoid incurring cost is not a minimalist.

I guess you are trying to say that not all minimalists are cheapskates, but you will have trouble convincing us either that not all cheapskates are minimalists (a fine line of separation) or that the combination thereof in Pattaya is not a veritable artists quarter. Coming up.....the guy who considers himself upmarket for using Mach 3 razorblades, who shaves every day and proudly claims to make each and every blade last a whole month. Presumably more than a month in February. I might just ask him.....

No I wasn't getting into Boolean logic, I was simply stating there are different connotations to similar words.

[Rimmer]

Enough bickering, please leave it there, thank you

EDIT

More bickering posts removed despite this public warning to cease, no more warnings just suspensions.

[recom273]

Minimalism to me .. Doesn't mean recycling big c plastic bags, it's taking your own bag - the only backpack you own that you have carefully and thoughtfully chosen .. That backpack cost 5000b and will last for another 5-10 years.

Minimalism doesn't mean not spending money nor recycling ice cream boxes

[paddyjenkins]

Minimalism to me .. Doesn't mean recycling big c plastic bags, it's taking your own bag - the only backpack you own that you have carefully and thoughtfully chosen .. That backpack cost 5000b and will last for another 5-10 years.

Minimalism doesn't mean not spending money nor recycling ice cream boxes

I only paid 500 for my last backpack ...and its lasted 5 years so far

[recom273]

Glad to hear it .. Does this make you more of / a better minimalist than me ? It's not a competition.

I'm never that lucky, I get a 6 months of daily use out of a cheap backpack before they fail.

I had 8kg of meat in mine last week and I comfortably travelled for 30 Kms.

So, is minimalism buying one quality well designed backpack or 10 uncomfortable backpacks where the seams rip and the straps pull out ? To me that's just needless waste that needs to be disposed of somehow.

Minimalism is different to everyone, it's mostly about removing clutter from your life.

The cost is the irrelevant and the use of big c bags is unimportant .. At the end of the day. Minimalism isn't at all related to how little money you can spend.

[fey]

well thats five thai meals a day and a 10k baht month room. certainly doable, especially if you have confidence knowing you have ample savings for emergencies.

i had an entire villa to myself for 15k and did not spend more then 100 baht a day on everything when i was in chiang mai, and was never hungry or needy.

i would need to be in the $60 a month thai apt and $2 a day bracket for it to start to become not tolerable. i knew people who were kn this bracket (all thai).

Edited February 8, 2015 by fey

[BigBadGeordie]

Glad to hear it .. Does this make you more of / a better minimalist than me ? It's not a competition.

I'm never that lucky, I get a 6 months of daily use out of a cheap backpack before they fail.

I had 8kg of meat in mine last week and I comfortably travelled for 30 Kms.

So, is minimalism buying one quality well designed backpack or 10 uncomfortable backpacks where the seams rip and the straps pull out ? To me that's just needless waste that needs to be disposed of somehow.

Minimalism is different to everyone, it's mostly about removing clutter from your life.

Minimalism isn't at all related to how little money you can spend.

Now this is a person I can relate to.

I hope one day all of you can also see this.

[JulieM]

well thats five thai meals a day and a 10k baht month room. certainly doable, especially if you have confidence knowing you have ample savings for emergencies.

i had an entire villa to myself for 15k and did not spend more then 100 baht a day on everything when i was in chiang mai, and was never hungry or needy.

i would need to be in the $60 a month thai apt and $2 a day bracket for it to start to become not tolerable. i knew people who were kn this bracket (all thai).

100 baht a day in Chiang Mai? Your diet must have been horrible if that is the case. Those 30 baht meals they serve are fine once in a while, but the cheap oils and high sodium are real killers. I live in Chiang Mai and I cannot imagine life here on 100 baht/day.

Edited February 8, 2015 by JulieM