Read & Weep

http://dollardaze.org/blog/?post_id=00288

cheers..

I wish I could understand all of this stuff...


I think it is all a plot against me...knowing that I was gunna retire this year and try to be happy.

Let me help you the dollar stinks.

Now don't let this freak you out you can come up with 65 K a month in Baht you will be just fine. My measly little retirement still brings in a 100K I still live better then I did in the states.

On I/3 of what I used to earn.

Once your sit up life is not expensive here. With rare aecepion I still do what I want to when I want to and I could and I could really do it for a lot less if I cared to try. I don't

65 K a month in Baht

I'm good on that one..alot more than that actually.

I still live better then I did in the states.

That's what I hoping for. A comfortable life without too much worry.

With rare aecepion I still do what I want to when I want to and I could and I could really do it for a lot less if I cared to try. I don't

That's all I want too.


Thanks Ray.

Your Welcome, you have to remeber when we are bitching a lot of us are doing so because we don't have as much as we did have, not because we don't still have enough.

I will try to give you an example of how things can go here. I came here with 6k cash in the bank adn my retirement whcih was roughly $2700 a month a month at that time. I paid child support of roughly $1200 a month for the first 14 months I was here.

about two year out I went to Kuwait and worked fo 90 days or so, no taxes and no living expenses to speak of, my retirement still coming. My girl friend now my wife made it very very well on 15K baht a month while I was gone. ( these wa a key factor cause it doesn't always and as matter of more the often does not go that way) Frome that I came out with about $35 K cash.

From that I had a house built and spent 400K down on it, that ended in a civil action which is still in progress.

Put 500K down on the house I'm now buying, put a heafty down payment on a new Chevy Colorodo pick up and purchased more motorcycle then the law allows Till I finally got a really good one.

Child supprt was stisfied the retrement goes up 3% per year so I have now net $2900 a month Socail Scurity is just around the corner about a year. How much I don't have a clue ,but more is more.

Now I came here on a five month leave of absence and no intention of retiring, I had three suit caseswith me nothing more.

I five years I have more stuff then I even have places for. The house has three aircons in it, I paid for a Western Kitchen with an oven ect. The house has outside covers over 50% of it. These things were all in addition to purchasing the house.

The house has everything I need in it and moer I really don't need to three TV's and two entertainment sytems. I have UBC and the Thai Cable set up. I have ADSL in the house. A full time housekeeper something I could certainly do with out wouldn't effect me at all. She and her husband a good hard working people and I have set up a college fund for thier two girls.

Today I make payments of 29 K baht a month for the house and transportation.

Even with all that if I care to without changing anything I can still save 25% of my retirement each month.

When the baht was higher I could save more but I still live the way I want to.

Now what I have written is fact of how things went not theory. Could you do better more then likely so, remember I have worked 90 days in the past five years.

Will things eventually improve for dollar holders I believe so, but it will be a few years. Even if it gets worse within the limits that I have seen presented on the negative side I will still be OK.

You won't be able to do waht I do at first it takes time to learn your way around. But neither could I when I first got here. I was a freshmen in Water Buffalo Unversity and that first years tuition is expensive. But I got through it with very little money in reality. My biggest expense during that first year wa playing the women, they were much better at the game then I was. whn I finally found the right lady for me. That really changed that cost factor. The second biggest play expense for me has been motorcycles and I doubt that is over

I will say this even if you haev huge sum of money, you really got to want this life, I guarentee you will have times wondering if you did the right thing. Heck even today I still have those thughts from tiem to tiem. But certainly a lot less the the fiorst three eyars. This is home now I can't imagine living anywhere else.

So if you have a deep desire for a different life and this one fits you will be OK

ray23 wrote:Your Welcome, you have to remeber when we are bitching a lot of us are doing so because we don't have as much as we did have, not because we don't still have enough.

I will try to give you an example of how things can go here. I came here with 6k cash in the bank adn my retirement whcih was roughly $2700 a month a month at that time. I paid child support of roughly $1200 a month for the first 14 months I was here.

about two year out I went to Kuwait and worked fo 90 days or so, no taxes and no living expenses to speak of, my retirement still coming. My girl friend now my wife made it very very well on 15K baht a month while I was gone. ( these wa a key factor cause it doesn't always and as matter of more the often does not go that way) Frome that I came out with about $35 K cash.

From that I had a house built and spent 400K down on it, that ended in a civil action which is still in progress.

Put 500K down on the house I'm now buying, put a heafty down payment on a new Chevy Colorodo pick up and purchased more motorcycle then the law allows Till I finally got a really good one.

Child supprt was stisfied the retrement goes up 3% per year so I have now net $2900 a month Socail Scurity is just around the corner about a year. How much I don't have a clue ,but more is more.

Now I came here on a five month leave of absence and no intention of retiring, I had three suit caseswith me nothing more.

I five years I have more stuff then I even have places for. The house has three aircons in it, I paid for a Western Kitchen with an oven ect. The house has outside covers over 50% of it. These things were all in addition to purchasing the house.

The house has everything I need in it and moer I really don't need to three TV's and two entertainment sytems. I have UBC and the Thai Cable set up. I have ADSL in the house. A full time housekeeper something I could certainly do with out wouldn't effect me at all. She and her husband a good hard working people and I have set up a college fund for thier two girls.

Today I make payments of 29 K baht a month for the house and transportation.

Even with all that if I care to without changing anything I can still save 25% of my retirement each month.

When the baht was higher I could save more but I still live the way I want to.

Now what I have written is fact of how things went not theory. Could you do better more then likely so, remember I have worked 90 days in the past five years.

Will things eventually improve for dollar holders I believe so, but it will be a few years. Even if it gets worse within the limits that I have seen presented on the negative side I will still be OK.

You won't be able to do waht I do at first it takes time to learn your way around. But neither could I when I first got here. I was a freshmen in Water Buffalo Unversity and that first years tuition is expensive. But I got through it with very little money in reality. My biggest expense during that first year wa playing the women, they were much better at the game then I was. whn I finally found the right lady for me. That really changed that cost factor. The second biggest play expense for me has been motorcycles and I doubt that is over

I will say this even if you haev huge sum of money, you really got to want this life, I guarentee you will have times wondering if you did the right thing. Heck even today I still have those thughts from tiem to tiem. But certainly a lot less the the fiorst three eyars. This is home now I can't imagine living anywhere else.

So if you have a deep desire for a different life and this one fits you will be OK

Ray and if you decide to go you will leave with only those suit cases you came with. I have said in many post as well as saying to my friends quote- if you can not wear it & it does not fit in your luggage you don't own it I am not doing as well as you in the money market I get less than 2K a month now with the exchange rate I am around 60k a month which take away my play money so now I am living the same way as in the USA except I have a wife and no TV programs to watch and piss poor internet speed and no good food to eat that I like
and yes I am ready to run because this falling USD is scarring me very much. and I came to thai. with more money than you now I am broke have a truck payment and house not finished and no money to complete it
so I read & weep

So I'm no worse off then I started. I have had five good years not something to complain about I still got my 6k that I came with.

You have roughly $1800.00 a month where in the states can you live on that pay rent and buy a pickup?

You must be paying rent here how much is it, have you pursued a bank loan to finish the house, what would the payments be.

I don't me want to be rough on you but somethings are no different here, you want success you have to try to find ways to have it.

This thing has been eating at you for months, you are where you are. What can you do to change it.

You know you seem to have a wife that is supportive, do you have any idea how lucky that makes you?

I don't know how long you have been here but I gurantee the first three years doubt is going to eat you alive.

When is the last time you thought about what you do have instead of what you don't have?

Like the rest of us you probably made some mistakes and now the prices are being paid, heck that doesn't make you any different then the rest of us.

If I were you I would do two excercies, first I would sit down and make a list of the reasons why you left he states in the first place. Trust me those reasons are still there.

Secondly make a list of what you do like here.

Third think about this if you didn't have enough money in the states what would you do about it. More then likely you would go get a job. If your here on a marriage visa you can get a work pemit. Being a Walmart greeter isn't the best job in the world but it does pay. Teaching english is the same here. No real magic to it follow the books.

The bottom line is you can make it here. It all depends on how bad you want it.

This simply is not for everybody. Even with my bills I can make it on 60K so can you.

You seem to be miserable in Thailand there is only one alrernative to change that and that is not being here.

I don't really meant to be brutal with you, but I think you have been through tough time before, why your so consumed by this. You got through them and you will get through this one as well. But you go to try.

My friend it's all up to you, to find your happiness and there are no guarantees that yuo ever will, here or anywhere else.

Ya I liked it better when I had more money no doubt about it. But, I dont have to work to maintain my life. If I returned to the states that is exactly what I would have to do.

If yuo can have more in your life that gives you joy on $1,800 a month then I think you are making a huge mistake in staying. Personally I couldn't even come close.

I feel for your position but in the end you go to do what you need to do.

Being aware of this and preparing the best you can is one thing, letting it consume you is very different.

I wish you nothing but the best and hope you can find the way that is best for you.

Let me say this. I have a beautiful wife of three years now, a beautiful daughter, a beautiful home furnished very nicely, and a beautiful car. All of this would be impossible for me in the USA. I'm a very lucky man that Thailand came along for me and I intend to spend the rest of my life here. Oh yes, and I'm able to support all of this on my Social Security check. Try this in the USA!!! Just say a few prayers for me that the dollar won't drop any further so I don't have to start sacrificing, heaven forbid. So, Maligator, you can come here and find the happiness you're looking for and actually live better than you can in the USA on a retirement check.

Ray my problem is the falling USD with my SS raise next month I will be very close to 2k a month
true if back in the states with a wife I might have to take a part time job to pay the note on a car if i bought one
I will be in thai. 3 years in jan and I guess I got spoiled because I had the play money and now it gone LOL and usd is in the toilet
I am with you diesel I ask my wife every night to pray for the USD to get strong
I don't pray because GOD does not like me LOL
I guess I gave the wrong impression. I do have material things it just that now i am afraid to spend any money. as for the house no I never did contack a bank on loan to finish it that may be the way to go. and I wish all of us a very happy holiday season and hope the USD will get stronger in the coming year
PS i do want to say I have it better than most people and I should not complain
I have friends here in Thai. living on less and having more fun so it must be me LOL

What was that saying how you doing? better then some worse then others.

I understand the falling dollar and being conservative right now is a very good idea.

I don't know if it will move in the next year, but eventually it will get better. sometimes you just got to ride it out.

My low point in life was a young man sittuing Devine Texas, with a broken down car two fifty cent peices to rub together and a wife and child with no job. I got through it and things have never been that bad again.

Tomorrow is a new day, never know what it might offer.

I'm very grateful to be here, I was injuried on duty, that is where my retirement came from. I could nit work in my choosen profesion any longer but I had the retiremtn to gte through until I could work in other fields. I managed to work anothre ten years. I came here to rest my back and return to work again I intended to stay in Kuwait longer the I did. But I received another injury that stopped that. I applied fro SSDI that haas been two and ahlf years and ther still is no decesion. Had this hapened to me in California I would be up the creek without a padle. Had it happened wihout the cop shop retirement the same story.

Sometimes even in the worse set of circumstances yuo really have to take account of what you have.

I live with pain eveyday and have done so for about 15 years now. I eat pain pills to get through a day. But it could be a lot worse I'm eating and taking care of my wife and I. Believe it or not there was a time I could spell and type sure can't tell it these days Every now and then I get a good day and I have learned to cherish that.

Don't worry you will get through this.

So, Maligator, you can come here and find the happiness you're looking for and actually live better than you can in the USA on a retirement check.

Oh yes, I know that!
Example...
Right now I live in a two bedroom apartment, not bad, good size..
44,000bht a month..just rent.
and I could go on and on and on...

Ray,
You really were in trouble if stuck in Devine!!

Just joking but my I think my financial situation pretty much mirrors yours and have not seen the reason to panick just yet. I can still live here comfortably on my pension but the roughly 20% loss in value since I have been here is definately felt. I read a Bangkok Post article that predicted 32 by the end of next year, which would still be tolerable. I think the biggest wory is the uncertainty of the baht and dollar as nobody can accurately say where they will go. If it got down to the pre crash levels of 25 baht to the dollar, as some predict, there may very well be a little bit of panick. I would feel a lot better if social security was just down the road but have 15 years to go and it might not even be available then. Worst case, I might have to actually do the unthinkable, get a JOB!!!!

Well my 3 seconds of considering that has me looking for a new worst case!!

Keg

Yep there is always a way sometimes it might not be what you want to do, but what you need to do.

Devine has good hunting. Not much else though.

I came back to the US. Can I make it here without working? Yes!! Does it allow for extras if I choose not to work. No. By saying this I do work as I want to not as I have to. I only work part time and am happy. Is this the road for everyone. No

By the way Houston still has pretty low living expenses compared to most of the major cities of the world. Pretty interesting but rent on a 2 bedroom house is US$600 month. Reasonable in my book.

Later.

Pretty interesting but rent on a 2 bedroom house is US$600 month. Reasonable in my book.

WOW!!
Compared to here in Phoenix, that's dirt cheap. Houses are normally in the 1500USD range to rent here, you can find cheaper, but ya better sandbag the front of your house to keep the rounds from going through.

I came back to the US. Can I make it here without working? Yes!! Does it allow for extras if I choose not to work. No. By saying this I do work as I want to not as I have to. I only work part time and am happy. Is this the road for everyone. No

Same here, I could stay and still not work, which I have made up my mind not to do anymore, but no extras as you said.
I promised the wife I would move back to Thailand so she could still be closer to her family (More of my choice than hers. We have found the Thai community here is worse than there with all the gossip and backstabbing, and I want her to still be able to enjoy conversations with her fellow countryman and be able to get Thai foods and products..not possible here anymore. )
She likes to work but we found just too many hoops to jump through here for all her visa, WP, residency permits, INS interviews, etc. and for the fact that I really do love Thailand.
The perks are much better there for me than here.
And I'm getting very tired of all the BS here in this country as well. Heck, the powers that be are talking of making spanking your own child illegal, smoking in car illegal, I mean holy sh*t, what's next??
I know Thailand has it's problems, but I wanna put up with them for awhile..
A refreshing change of BS and pace.
I find that "hangin'" with the expats and all our bitchin is much nicer.
then puttin up with my own kind who know nothing about the world but insist that only 'merica is right. ( I wish they had a image of the head up the ass, I'd put it right here. )
all right ...back to the shots of Jager