You just couldn’t live like a minimalist anymore

[georgegeorgia]

Years ago ,must be at least 10 years-13 years  ago or more ,I met a guy aged in his 70’s in Pattaya.

He was a Aussie guy living off his old age pension.

 

I think he got about 35K -40k thai baht monthly  i recall him saying.

I think hs rent was 3000 baht a mnth,no air con 

 

anyway got to know him from the Jomtien coffee shop he frequented,( brought his own tea bag !????)

 

He described himself as a minimalist and didnt have anything in assets beside  his pension ( no idea if he had the 800k)

 

He had suddenly took off from his Government owned small bedsitter apartmtent in back then Sydney’s notorious Suburb of Redfern after being harassed and bashed by groups of youths and came to Pattaya ,where he rented a studio in Jomtien up behind the shops

 

He bought at the markets and mostly cooked his own vegetables he told me,didnt drink or smoke,ate youghurts ,tinned tuna etc

 

He was quite a fit guy, 3 times a week walking from Jomtien to Pattaya and then walked to that lawn bowling club ( i think long closed)

 

Got his water from those machines ( not sure of the taste)

 

Had girls from the street for sexual fun,he was in bed by 9 everynight and up at 6Am

 

Anyway fast forward 10 years or more and it works out the Aussie pension is still working out to be the same , when changing to thai baht

 

Can you still live on that amount now?

 

Obviously not in Pattaya,impossible!

 

But what about in say Chiang mai or Udon Thani ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[giddyup]

The Aussie pension is not the same as it was 10 years ago, it's adjusted every year in keeping with the CPI (consumer price index). The single pension is currently around $700 per fortnight, or 14,625 baht.

[georgegeorgia]

When converted to Thai baht I meant .its still around the 30-35K per month mark

[giddyup]

1 minute ago, georgegeorgia said:

When converted to Thai baht I meant .its still around the 30-35K per month mark

If a room costs you 8,000 baht a month, still leaves around 20,000 a month to live. You'd need to be pretty frugal to survive on that.

[Curt1591]

There are a couple of apartments, down our soi, that rent for under 4,000 baht per month, with air conditioning.
A short walk from these is a fantastic khao gaeng shop that offers good meals for 35~50 baht, depending on items and quantity.
They also do cook-to-order for 45~55 baht. 

Not too far a walk, or a 15 baht moto ride, there is a large fresh market, open every morning. We head over on my Wave. I sit back and enjoy a 13 baht hot cha Thai while my wife shops for veggies and fruit.
Across from that, there is a great evening market - more great, cheap food offings.
The MRT Purple Line is also easily accessed.

 

[worgeordie]

you could not live off 40K now, after 10-13 years inflation

you are going to need,50-60K, did the Oz  pension increase

that much over that time frame.if it did he would be OK,

it's all about budgeting your income.

regard worgeordie

[giddyup]

5 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

you could not live off 40K now, after 10-13 years inflation

you are going to need,50-60K, did the Oz  pension increase

that much over that time frame.if it did he would be OK,

it's all about budgeting your income.

regard worgeordie

Already said that the Aussie single pension is around 30,000 baht a month.

[giddyup]

46 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

When converted to Thai baht I meant .its still around the 30-35K per month mark

He couldn't have got that 10 years ago, that's the current amount.

[Joe Mcseismic]

This thread is going to be like a red rag to a bull for all the ultra cheap Charlies.........

[worgeordie]

6 minutes ago, giddyup said:

Already said that the Aussie single pension is around 30,000 baht a month.

So its gone down,as the OP said the guy was getting 30-40 Thb a month.THEN.

regards Worgeordie

[Jingthing]

You could easily live on 35 to 40 as long as your rent is cheap. So the real question is whether you'd feel comfortable with such accommodations.

 

The question would be more interesting if it was 20k including rent.

 

Next...

 

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[giddyup]

Just now, worgeordie said:

So its gone down,as the OP said the guy was getting 30-40 Thb a month.THEN.

regards Worgeordie

Yes, you're correct. When I first came 9 years ago I was getting over 30 baht to the dollar, so the pension has devalued by a third.

[giddyup]

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

You could easily live on 35 to 40 with as long as your rent is cheap. So the real question is whether you'd feel comfortable with such accommodations.

The question would be more interesting if it was 20k including rent.

Next...

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Wouldn't leave much for an emergency, like a bike accident, illness etc.

[BritManToo]

Just now, Jingthing said:

The question would be more interesting if it was 20k including rent.

Easily if I dumped the gf and kids.

Almost all my spending (40k) goes on them.

[Jingthing]

Wouldn't leave much for an emergency, like a bike accident, illness etc.

It wouldn't. But that wasn't the question. For regular monthly expenses it wouldn't be difficult at all at 35 to 40. But of course that wouldn't cover running a car, being a monger, or very much higher end dining. But none of those are mandatory.

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[smutcakes]

You could easily subsist on it, but it would not be much fun.

[giddyup]

9 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

It wouldn't. But that wasn't the question. For regular monthly expenses it wouldn't be difficult at all at 35 to 40. But of course that wouldn't cover running a car, being a monger, or very much higher end dining. But none of those are mandatory.

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The pension is around 28,000 baht per month, not 35-40K. I'm sure it could be done, after all, people have to live on that in Australia.

[White Christmas13]

1 hour ago, giddyup said:

The Aussie pension is not the same as it was 10 years ago, it's adjusted every year in keeping with the CPI (consumer price index). The single pension is currently around $700 per fortnight, or 14,625 baht.

well i get 1060 per fortnight but it includes rent assistant

[giddyup]

Just now, White Christmas13 said:

well i get 1060 per fortnight but it includes rent assistant

You aren't going to get that in Thailand and that's what we're talking about. Only the bare bones pension.

[Mitkof Island]

Easy have been for years on far less   for many years with my partner. And no i do not live in a broken down wood shack with no power and running water. I have enough money set aside for any serious problems.

[White Christmas13]

9 minutes ago, giddyup said:

You aren't going to get that in Thailand and that's what we're talking about. Only the bare bones pension.

yes I know that

[giddyup]

1 minute ago, White Christmas13 said:

yes I know that

Then why mention rent assistance?

[Jingthing]

The pension is around 28,000 baht per month, not 35-40K. I'm sure it could be done, after all, people have to live on that in Australia.

That would definitely be much harder. Possible I guess but spartan.

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[worgeordie]

There was an old guy found laying in soi,cut in half by his belt,

might have been him,expect more to follow.

regards Worgeordie

[timendres]

Lived quite well on 40k per month in Bangkok just 4 years back.

Nice apartment on Ratchada Soi 3.

49 sqm, with living room and bedroom, two balconies, two bathrooms no kitchen.

Walking distance to Central Plaza Rama 9, Fortune, Tesco, Esplanade and MRT Rama 9.

Maid service twice a week, A/C day and night, ate well, went out once a week (2k baht).

The key to this formula is affordable rent. Most foreigners here overpay by a mile.

[timendres]

50 minutes ago, giddyup said:

The pension is around 28,000 baht per month, not 35-40K. I'm sure it could be done, after all, people have to live on that in Australia.

Agreed. 28k is doable, even in BKK. But, in BKK it will require serious discipline.

[ratcatcher]

Most of the posts here are discussing the ability of people to live on 35K-40K per month, with many of them living in places like Pattaya, Udon Thani & Chiang Mai. I am sure there are a great number of foreigners here who can manage OK on that sum providing they don't have rent and entertainment expenses. Many farangs married to Thais don't spend time bar-hopping or playing golf. Thai food is not too expensive especially when it is cooked at home by wives who are capable cooks. 

If you have all the necessities in the home, your actual monthly expenses come down to food, electric bill, internet, water, car fuel etc.  It may not be the excitement of Pattaya or Bangkok, but it is certainly feasible.

[EVENKEEL]

Having a wife and kid only seriously increases spending. Alone I could have a comfy, quiet existence on 30K/mo. For 5500bht/mo I can have a room in a nice complex, park in front, have a little place in back patio for gas cooking, 2 km to beach. Leaves about 800bht a day for eating and essentials. Quite doable.

[BritManToo]

36 minutes ago, ratcatcher said:

Many farangs married to Thais don't spend time bar-hopping or playing golf.

Thai wife/gf still expects to be paid though.

My gf charges me 10k/month (that includes the house electricity and my 8yos food).

 

OK, I know, I'm the only one that has to pay a woman to live with him, yours are all different.

[EVENKEEL]

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

Thai wife still expects to be paid though.

My gf charges 10k/month.

You got a blue light special there, me....I don't do the math, it's to depressing.