Request For Those Still Living In Canada Or Us

[GregZ]

Fuel $300

I used to really enjoy rving with my ex wife and wanted to do this with Dona but the cost of fuel was more like $100 to $300 every time I moved the RV so I am surprised to see your number. Add that to the difficulty of getting a visa for Dona to visit the US and I threw out the idea of RVing in the US for 6 months a year. Would have been fun.

I only moved 2 times a month... so about $150 per move + - OR spend $70 to stay one week close to the base campground and go back in... Staying in the area I could still use the sporting facilities during the day. I also am just using a 1/2 ton pickup to bumper pull a 24 foot travel trailer @ 12 mpg. SIZE does MATTER. :541:

[Thomas]

If you chose to bring a filipina bride to Canada or US

I have nothing to add concerning the costs there, because I don't live there,

but think of the extra risks:

-other mensioned with leaving if she start earning much herself

-she leave because she miss her relatives to much (Such happened to one of my friends after many years of marriage)

-and if she see/get more used to western standard, she can want more expensive living than now, if you move back to the Philippines again. This last make I don't even want mine to visit my home country EVER, which I suppose can be hard to avoid. An ex of mine is scared of flying, so it was much easier to avoid her to go her :hystery:

[Tukaram (Tim)]

Texas has a pretty low cost of living. Central TX and north TX have, I think, the best weather (for TX anyway .... it is still too freaking hot!). I am living on $2500 a month and don't bother with a budget, I could easily make it on $1500. I raised 2 kids on $2500 a month - and that was with private school and an annual Disneyworld trip.

2 bedroom house, about 1,000 square feet, cost about $70,000 in my neighborhood now (16 years ago I paid $50,000). Simple blue collar labor, family, neighborhood.

[Dave Hounddriver]

2 bedroom house, about 1,000 square feet, cost about $70,000 in my neighborhood now (16 years ago I paid $50,000).

Now thats what I am talking about. I bet you will find that 70,000 dollars does not buy as much house and lot in Phils as it does where you are now.

[Dave Hounddriver]

but think of the extra risks: -other mensioned with leaving if she start earning much herself -she leave because she miss her relatives to much (Such happened to one of my friends after many years of marriage) -and if she see/get more used to western standard, she can want more expensive living than now, if you move back to the Philippines again. This last make I don't even want mine to visit my home country EVER

Yeah, I hear that from other people too. But I figure that my woman can stay or go any time she wants, I don't want a prisoner here or in the west. The biggest problem with that line of thinking in the west was that a woman gets to take just about everything you got . . but I got nothing left worth taking after the last divorce and retirement so your concerns are not really on my list of biggest worries.

[Dr. Cockroach]

Dave, that's exactly how I look at it.

You are free to choose me or not but don't complain if you decide not to! :cheersty:

[i am bob]

Ok, I was not available for the last couple days so I missed the start of this...

Here in Southern Ontario, Canada, I am scraping by on my own with my pension for $1200 a month. That includes some of the cheapest housing I could find in all of Ontario (amazingly not a slum though) and with all utilities included. I am in the process of selling my car because the insurance every year is worth more than the car - and it's as low as I could get. Food costs are rising every month noticeably as the winter approaches so that I can't even reliably make a budget to cover it. I will admit that I am getting very good at finding cheaper prices - Farmer's Markets, discount grocers, etc... When was the last time you saw a loaf of bread for 99 cents? I found a store that sells off the over-production of bread from a local commercial bakery - this bread normally retails in the chain grocers for $2.69 a loaf. And, luckily, I have really like peanut butter sandwiches so this really helps the budget. Since it is just me, I can pretty well just buy what's on special. Anyway, at the end of the month I usually am scraping by for the last week out of cash. If I don't get out and find a couple day's worth of work each month, well... Anything extra I want? It just ain't gonna happen until I get back to work full time!

[Dave Hounddriver]

Here in Southern Ontario, Canada, I am scraping by on my own with my pension for $1200 a month. That includes some of the cheapest housing I could find in all of Ontario (amazingly not a slum though) and with all utilities included. I am in the process of selling my car because the insurance every year is worth more than the car - and it's as low as I could get. Food costs are rising every month noticeably as the winter approaches so that I can't even reliably make a budget to cover it. I will admit that I am getting very good at finding cheaper prices - Farmer's Markets, discount grocers, etc... When was the last time you saw a loaf of bread for 99 cents? I found a store that sells off the over-production of bread from a local commercial bakery - this bread normally retails in the chain grocers for $2.69 a loaf. And, luckily, I have really like peanut butter sandwiches so this really helps the budget. Since it is just me, I can pretty well just buy what's on special. Anyway, at the end of the month I usually am scraping by for the last week out of cash. If I don't get out and find a couple day's worth of work each month, well... Anything extra I want? It just ain't gonna happen until I get back to work full time!

Save this post, Bob. If you think about it then get back to us after you have been living in Philipiines for a year on that same budget. My guess is you will be saying similar things with the HUGE difference that you can support a budget minded live in partner (or wife) with that same money.

So the question is: Could you live on that budget where you are now if your filipina partner moved back to Canada with you?

[OnMyWay]

WOW ..... just my own experience while living in Florida with no A/C to pay to speak of and very little heat in the winter I could not have lived on my SS of around $1300 per month and my house was paid for .... with just the various insurances alone ... car ... house and medical it would eat up a bunch .... and all it would take is one law-suit and you would be going back to work for sure ..... till you dropped ....

Sorry Dave not trying to discourage you as I know you have a lot of expenses living here that I don't so I guess I'm not the best example but if I couldn't live there then ....... I sure can't now ..... IMHO

I agree with Mike. I read all the threads and medical costs are barely mentioned. That was one of the keys for me. After I left my job I continued my health insurance under the US "COBRA" plan (you get to continue with your company group plan for 18 months if you want to) and my monthly premium is about $350. In Florida there is no state income tax but they kill you on property taxes. Those are around $250 a month on my rental house there. The medical costs will continue to spiral out of control because nobody is proposing anything to fix the root causes.

Edited October 24, 2012 by OnMyWay

[GregZ]

In Florida there is no sales taxes but they kill you on property taxes.

I'm guessing you meant NO INCOME TAXes? DEFinitely sales tax in Florida; have to get the money from the tourists with it!! :tiphat: