You just couldn’t live like a minimalist anymore

[georgegeorgia]

2 hours ago, bkkcanuck8 said:

I don't think you need to be that frugal, currently just outside of Bangkok I live in a 3 floor townhouse (14,000 baht), my electricity ranges from (4,000 to 6,000 most months), Internet (1,100 baht), probably food and liquids (maybe 6,000 to 9,000; I could easily keep it at 6,000), phone (100 or so baht).... probably average around 28,000 baht.  (this year has been more expensive because I wanted to replace all my computer equipment/servers etc... but then I had not done that in about 8 years... 150,000 baht over the year ... but that will last me a good 7 years at least...

 

So basically 28,000 baht / month without feeling I am being too frugal (I have much more money a month to spend, but I don't feel there is much I want to spend it on)...

 

I am moving next month to Khon Kaen, 10,000 baht a month house [gated community] (smaller, I like smaller... I grew up in a house that is easily 5 times the size of the 3 floor townhouse I am in now), probably electricity will be less since it is a few degrees cooler at night... so even that will drop. 

 

It would of course be more if you constantly craved western food, wanted the temporary company at night etc.  but for regular living... easily doable.

Did u say electricity was 4,000 to 6,000 average per mnth??

[georgegeorgia]

I wonder how the foreign teachers live on 40k a month?

[ratcatcher]

4 hours ago, BritManToo said:

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.

Is the gf the mother of your child or are you supporting her and her own lad? I ask this because most guys I know regard their Thai wife as a partner and not a liability like a car that needs maintenance and can be traded in anytime for a newer model. 

Some relationships involve a small detail called love or mutual respect and dependency. In my case, I  pay the bills and my wife and sister look after me 24/7/365. They do the housework, maintain the property, my wife does most of the shopping. This relationship has only been going on for the last 19 years, so there's still a chance of a problem.  Boredom doesn't even enter my mind, there's always something to do. Fortunately, like many, I live in rural Thailand where the people are mostly friendly and accepting. Rural life is not for everyone and that's how it should be IMO.

[georgegeorgia]

I was just thinking of Pattaya and the Nirun apartments i think there around 4k a month?

cant believe the price of electricity!!

 

now a minimalist wont have air conditioning!????

 

and because the Australian dollar is so low,maybe Phillipines 

[Kwasaki]

8 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

Can you still live on that amount now?

 

Obviously not in Pattaya,impossible!

 

But what about in say Chiang mai or Udon Thani ?

I can live like you describe the way he does on 15,000 bht a month easily enough but as you say not in Pattaya but not so sure about that if you have a wife.

[tabarin]

12 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

I was just thinking of Pattaya and the Nirun apartments i think there around 4k a month?

cant believe the price of electricity!!

 

now a minimalist wont have air conditioning!????

 

and because the Australian dollar is so low,maybe Phillipines 

I think you don't know what a minimalist is, it got nothing to do with luxury neither AC or Fan, neither prices. Perhaps watch the documentary, it's nice.
It is mainly about living a simple and efficient life, having limited personal belongings. Nothing else, could live in a nearly empty palace or even own a yacht
(i had a 4BR house with swimming pool while being alone with 1 backpack).

Otherwise you are most likely talking about Cheap Charlies hehe, they have things in common but it is not the same.

[georgegeorgia]

$860 a fortnight Australia aged pension, $1720 per month currently @ 20.90 thai baht

 

is ....35954,so about 36,000 baht 

[ratcatcher]

14 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

I wonder how the foreign teachers live on 40k a month?

carefully

[Matzzon]

Another topic that has all the figures wrong. If this man the OP is mentioning had 35K baht in pension more than 10 years ago, he was in the elite class of pensions. Thoose that are that today can still live like same.
 

Get back to the desk and create a topic that has some kind of foundation in reality.

[tabarin]

21 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

I wonder how the foreign teachers live on 40k a month?

How could you not? Basic costs can easily be under 15K, visa and wp are taking care of, often cheap good food at schools, motorbike one time 15K purchase.
Leaves one with a really nice budget to even go mongering a few times a week.

In comparison: the average Spaniard, Italian etc. lives on less than that in Europe.

[giddyup]

2 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

Another topic that has all the figures wrong. If this man the OP is mentioning had 35K baht in pension more than 10 years ago, he was in the elite class of pensions. Thoose that are that today can still live like same.
 

Get back to the desk and create a topic that has some kind of foundation in reality.

I thought the same, but if you factor in the exchange rate at the time, the A$ getting more than 30 baht, the figures sound about right.

[totally thaied up]

4 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

860 a fortnight Australia aged pension, $1720 per month currently @ 20.90 thai baht

Not everyone gets this much. If I got that much, I would be saving money now. 

[owenm]

6 hours ago, White Christmas13 said:

well i get 1060 per fortnight but it includes rent assistant

But rent assist only applies when renting back in Oz. I believe when you leave Australia it cuts out after 6 wks.. Otherwise heaps of back pay to the govt on your return.. 

[totally thaied up]

Just now, owenm said:

But rent assist only applies when renting back in Oz. I believe when you leave Australia it cuts out after 6 wks.. Otherwise heaps of back pay to the govt on your return.. 

Your passport is linked at Immigration. Cut off is now automatically done to Centerlink. No need to report.

[sanemax]

7 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Easily if I dumped the gf and kids.

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

Has your girlfriend moved back in with you , or do you mean the mother in law ?

[giddyup]

12 minutes ago, totally thaied up said:

Not everyone gets this much. If I got that much, I would be saving money now. 

Neither do I as I have a government super pension, so I only get around $820 per month.

[gearbox]

14 minutes ago, totally thaied up said:

Not everyone gets this much. If I got that much, I would be saving money now. 

Look on the bright side. OAP is means tested and I'll get zero when the time comes, unless start splashing soon on expensive hookers and booze ????

[Kenny202]

42 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

I wonder how the foreign teachers live on 40k a month?

Quite easily. Had a friend paying off a home and vehicle here. Small family. They weren't living the high life saving any money but were happy. Even managed a weeks holiday on Koh Chang once a year. You just have to set a budget. In some ways it's easier with a Mrs and kids as you aren't out grogging it up and blowing your money on wicked women every night ????

[totally thaied up]

13 minutes ago, gearbox said:

Look on the bright side. OAP is means tested and I'll get zero when the time comes, unless start splashing soon on expensive hookers and booze ????

Yes you are correct. I better live it up now and believe me, I have almost everything I want at home. About the only real big thing is I miss the beach and I wish we had one in Chiang Mai LOL .... As long as I got the wife, food, a big screen TV, my computer, a swimming pool, Netflix and a torrent, I have almost everything I want at my finger tips.

 

Life is pretty good. I really do not need much. 

[owenm]

1 hour ago, georgegeorgia said:

$860 a fortnight Australia aged pension, $1720 per month currently @ 20.90 thai baht

 

is ....35954,so about 36,000 baht 

Actually a month isn't 28 days, but usually 30-31 days. So the AUD 860 per fortnight x 26 fortnight's ÷ 12 mths x 20.90 Bht to AUD1 equals 38,943 Bht per month as apposed to just under 36k Thb..

 

But if relying solely on this pension amount, well under the 65k monthly for retirement, and a shade under the 40k for marriage visa.. 

I'm sure those on Pound, Euro and USD pensions maybe in a similar or worse situation if relying solely on the aged pension.. No 400k or 800k lump sum and many of us are stuffed.. 

[CNXexpat]

8 hours 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

A 7/11 staff makes 10k per month. If he has 30k he is not poor. Far away from that.  

[ThePioneer]

8 hours ago, Jingthing said:

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...

 

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

 

 

 

The OP says his rent is 3K, so if his pension is on the lower end of the estimate in the OP, that still leaves 27K after rent.

 

Easily to live on that as a single guy, especially as it seems he doesn't have a car or motorbike.

 

You don't even have to be frugal for that, but of course no walking street agogo's every night either

[gearbox]

47 minutes ago, owenm said:

Actually a month isn't 28 days, but usually 30-31 days. So the AUD 860 per fortnight x 26 fortnight's ÷ 12 mths x 20.90 Bht to AUD1 equals 38,943 Bht per month as apposed to just under 36k Thb..

 

But if relying solely on this pension amount, well under the 65k monthly for retirement, and a shade under the 40k for marriage visa.. 

I'm sure those on Pound, Euro and USD pensions maybe in a similar or worse situation if relying solely on the aged pension.. No 400k or 800k lump sum and many of us are stuffed.. 

If you ignore the boom boom part, until recent times you could live in Oz OK with $860 per fortnight without having much of other assets. Just buy a caravan and park it in a place like Dingo Beach (north of Airlie beach), get an esky, box of Tooheys New and a fishing rod...life is good! Good weather, clean beaches, no worries about health insurance. However the councils are getting greedy and the cheap caravan places are disappearing.

[emptypockets]

1 hour ago, gearbox said:

If you ignore the boom boom part, until recent times you could live in Oz OK with $860 per fortnight without having much of other assets. Just buy a caravan and park it in a place like Dingo Beach (north of Airlie beach), get an esky, box of Tooheys New and a fishing rod...life is good! Good weather, clean beaches, no worries about health insurance. However the councils are getting greedy and the cheap caravan places are disappearing.

I agreed with everything you said until you mentioned Tooheys New. 

Obviously a Cockroach and not a Cane Toad.

[olfu]

ok, no matter how you live the main question is--whats the purpose of living.

[White Christmas13]

3 hours ago, owenm said:

But rent assist only applies when renting back in Oz. I believe when you leave Australia it cuts out after 6 wks.. Otherwise heaps of back pay to the govt on your return.. 

I do know that I only mentioned it

[gearbox]

1 hour ago, emptypockets said:

I agreed with everything you said until you mentioned Tooheys New. 

Obviously a Cockroach and not a Cane Toad.

Guessed right ????

[madmen]

6 hours ago, Kenny202 said:

I am lucky my girl isn't needy and greedy

How is that lucky? That's how the world turns. Only an idiot throws endless Cash at their partner

[Nyezhov]

One of my deals with the capitalist powers that be is that I dont dip into the capital kitty. One of my deals with me and the lawyers is that I dont dip into the stash unless necessary, which doesnt include excessive stupidity (trusts are a pain in the ass). So, last winter I used right at $1500 USD a month, including airfare, camera gear, shopping, rent, food, in thailand travel, Russian chicks at Mixx, Hotel buffets and the like. That was inclusive of a condo in Thonburi.

 

I should do the same this year. Since Im not going to buy camera equipment, and my photos generate cash, I might indulge in a fancier condo or more expensive Russian girls. Then again, to keep my budget if I keep hitting the buffets, I may be lurking on Soi 4 and living across from the Klong Toei Market. Foi gras is bae.

[The Theory]

I’ve recently moved from smoky Chiang Mai to a small oceanside town. I rented a clean AC beach front room in a 2 room only building. My rent is even less than my room in smoky Chiang Mai even though it is a beach front. My living cost is 17k to 20k. I don’t drink beer every night, but sometimes, no smoke. No farang food since it is overpriced, unhealthy or old stuff.  I eat mostly vegetables, chicken and some fish. I do jugging over 5km every other day. My gf pays for herself, but I do pay for her occasionally. She owns a car, not me. I’m on 800,000 and some fund back home in US. My hobby is electronics and my bike. Life is good without throwing money away or waste. No luxurious life, but I dress nice and clean cut even look better than those who claim over 40k or 50k per month.

Call me a “Cheap Charlie”, I don’t mind. As a matter of fact, I love it.