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Is This the Death Knell for the Cheap Charlies in Thailand?

ExpatOK

By ExpatOK
in ASEAN NOW Community Pub

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marqus12 Explorer Member

marqus12

Posted
Posted
59 minutes ago, giddyup said:

You notice more and more leaving Thailand. How exactly. Are you doing a survey at the airport?

The problem is that there are not enough foreigners at the airports,
neither in arrivals nor departures to conduct a reliable survey .

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Number 6 Silver Member

Number 6

Posted
Posted

I'm a cheap Charlie but I'm still here. I don't try really just live like a Thai.

 

I used to be totally skint that's how I retired at 43. But I've developed such aversion to spending frivolously over the years I no longer budget spending about 22.5k pm excluding big ticket stuff.

 

Ive got the best electronics, nice clothes to work, good shoes, great snorkel and camping gear, quality luggage, we go out to eat on Saturdays. Take nice international trip 1x a year, islands 2-3 weeks a year (we work). Have 3 insurance plans from jobs. I don't want for anything.

 

Out to pub 3-4x a month but just a few beers. 3-4 bottles of decent scotch brought in duty free per month.

 

I don't spend 60% of my monthly salary. Money at home. Savings here. Extra acct for marriage extension set aside.

 

I do cheap out on the flat, but it's very convenient for us. We pay double for same elsewhere. Will upgrade or move to US in five years.

 

I'm not cheap but I insist on value. No issues eating Thai food. It's been years since I've had a pizza.

 

Wife has her own money. I pay the household expenses.

 

The job helps. Nice fat incoming salary in THB.

 

My uncle who has a ton of money always told me...rich people don't waste money. That's how they got rich ????

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kingdong Platinum Member

kingdong

Posted
Posted

End of the cheap charlie?don,t you believe it,out Jan for 3months will be taking my large hip flask ( only used to use it when you could,my get a drink before due to elections etc,and no more lady drinks,anyone know where I can get a singha vest cheap? i,'ll be firing on all cylinders.

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Skallywag Gold Member

Skallywag

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, ExpatOK said:

I notice more and more Cheap Charlies leaving Thailand.  No longer do our tales of woe convince the Thais to give us discounts on meals consisting of only pork and rice. No more phony Embassy letters for retirement visas.  And now there is talk of requiring the expensive Thai health insurance

As long as your ATM card will get you a few thousand baht - no need to leave

 

download-1-1.jpg

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Jeremia Juxtaposed Explorer Member

Jeremia Juxtaposed

Posted
Posted
9 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Most guys came to Thailand because it was cheap although many guys on here pretend otherwise. They also came for the women but again many guys on here pretend they don't pay for it

Everybody I know came here to work. I arrived in '96 from Jakarta as a PM in Bangkok ...You need to widen your circle of friends if most of the people you know only came here because it was cheap and only came for the women. Unless of course you are talking about people that you have never met or spoken to.

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BestB Gold Member

BestB

Posted
Posted

There is a difference between not having the money and having the money but being a tight ass.

 

Thailand is not cheap and has not been for a while.

 

As i have said a few times already on many other threads, Thailand is not a poor country either and thus no longer wants or needs pensioners living from month to month.

 

Personally, i do not consider anyone being cheap charlie if they seek out a cheap meal, what i do consider being a cheap charlie is when they seek out cheap meal and then expect and demand to have the full size portion for a third of the price what full size would cost.

 

Someone getting 500 baht room and complaining service is not good or included breakfast either too small or bad because its not a buffet.

 

99 baht breakfast with coffee and oj, not having enough beans or double bacon or whatever.

 

Yes, if one living month to month, Thailand may not be ideal destination any longer, that is not to say things may not change in the near future the way Thai economy and governing is heading.

 

They say history always repeats itself, can always look at Spain and how it all worked out to predict what awaits here, can also look back 30 years ago and you may have an idea of what possible to come

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jastheace Silver Member

jastheace

Posted
Posted
8 minutes ago, Jeremia Juxtaposed said:

Everybody I know came here to work. I arrived in '96 from Jakarta as a PM in Bangkok ...You need to widen your circle of friends if most of the people you know only came here because it was cheap and only came for the women. Unless of course you are talking about people that you have never met or spoken to.

I hear the UK has a vacancy for a PM, if you fancy a job for a couple of months.

don't think it would last for more than a few months though going on current trends.

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DaRoadrunner Gold Member

DaRoadrunner

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Jeremia Juxtaposed said:

I have greater fun spotting a bargain in Big C than seeing a naked girl in an agogo but that is just me.

How to know when you have been here too long.

 

I measure the cost of living by the cost of pu$$y. The price of gogo girls is now beyond the reach of cheap charlies.

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wgdanson Silver Member

wgdanson

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I suppose I could be called a Cheap Charlie. My GF cuts my hair for me, and buys secondhand clothes for me. I don't squander money on expensive meals. Just once in a while, as a treat. If I'm buying a big ticket item, I look for the best value, or buy used if it is only a couple of months old.

I don't feel any need to impress friends or neighbors with my possessions. As the last time I was in debt was 1974, my philosophy is working for me.

I regard educating my Thai GF it is better to be a saver than a debtor as a triumph. She gets it now. My father taught me, and I'm passing it on.

Couldn't agree more, even down to the Dad teaching. I call myself, and so does my GF a CAREFUL Charlie. One of our favourite sayings is 'When it's gone (the money), it's gone'. 

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EVENKEEL Diamond Member

EVENKEEL

Posted
Posted

You know I could live a good life here being a cheap Charlie. Take my beers to the beach, A decent room with air con and free internet can be had here for 4500bht/mo about 3km from a nice beach and it has a small outdoor space where a gas burner is permitted for cooking. Quiet and laid back here. A nice soapie now and then, this isn't how I live but see nothing wrong with it.

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Jeremia Juxtaposed Explorer Member

Jeremia Juxtaposed

Posted
Posted
22 minutes ago, BestB said:

There is a difference between not having the money and having the money but being a tight ass.

 

Thailand is not cheap and has not been for a while.

 

As i have said a few times already on many other threads, Thailand is not a poor country either and thus no longer wants or needs pensioners living from month to month.

 

Personally, i do not consider anyone being cheap charlie if they seek out a cheap meal, what i do consider being a cheap charlie is when they seek out cheap meal and then expect and demand to have the full size portion for a third of the price what full size would cost.

 

Someone getting 500 baht room and complaining service is not good or included breakfast either too small or bad because its not a buffet.

 

99 baht breakfast with coffee and oj, not having enough beans or double bacon or whatever.

 

Yes, if one living month to month, Thailand may not be ideal destination any longer, that is not to say things may not change in the near future the way Thai economy and governing is heading.

 

They say history always repeats itself, can always look at Spain and how it all worked out to predict what awaits here, can also look back 30 years ago and you may have an idea of what possible to come

Totally agree. I ENJOY my life here. Whenever I fancy Thai food I will eat it where Motorcy taxis etc eat. I don't give a toss what farang think of me. I do,however, enjoy interacting with Isaan Thais whilst ordering the food and just generally having a smile on my face and having a laugh at myself when I get mixed up with words. My most common mistake is asking for Mau Hok rather than Hau Mok .... (just waiting for a linguistic spanking now but buckit!). It is so bloody easy to live cheaply here and still be happy! Too many miserable <snip>around that would complain at a balloon party at the quality of the food!!

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BestB Gold Member

BestB

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, Jeremia Juxtaposed said:

Totally agree. I ENJOY my life here. Whenever I fancy Thai food I will eat it where Motorcy taxis etc eat. I don't give a toss what farang think of me. I do,however, enjoy interacting with Isaan Thais whilst ordering the food and just generally having a smile on my face and having a laugh at myself when I get mixed up with words. My most common mistake is asking for Mau Hok rather than Hau Mok .... (just waiting for a linguistic spanking now but buckit!). It is so bloody easy to live cheaply here and still be happy! Too many miserable bastards around that would complain at a balloon party at the quality of the food!!

Do not worry, i struggle with English sometimes. The other week jumped in the pool and screamed out" F....k this deep is so pool." Naturally got a few stares and a few laughs

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CharlieH Star Member

CharlieH

Posted
Posted
6 minutes ago, Jeremia Juxtaposed said:

Totally agree. I ENJOY my life here. Whenever I fancy Thai food I will eat it where Motorcy taxis etc eat. I don't give a toss what farang think of me. I do,however, enjoy interacting with Isaan Thais whilst ordering the food and just generally having a smile on my face and having a laugh at myself when I get mixed up with words. My most common mistake is asking for Mau Hok rather than Hau Mok .... (just waiting for a linguistic spanking now but buckit!). It is so bloody easy to live cheaply here and still be happy! Too many miserable <snip>around that would complain at a balloon party at the quality of the food!!

When its good its good ! I was walking in the village market recently, spied some nice looking bbq skewers with peppers onions and chunks of pork, 10b each !! had a couple of those(4), pk of sticky rice 5 baht and was well happy, tasty , thoroughly enjoyed it. Mrs was happy as no cooking when we got home..5555

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BestB Gold Member

BestB

Posted
Posted
Just now, Jeremia Juxtaposed said:

The membership card only gives you free refills on the coffee/tea .....daily specials are all 99 baht....even if they are 99 baht ...if you see what I mean..

In that case Charlie might have to give it a miss ????

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