Living On $1,262 Social Security

[Daydreamer]

Right now I do live on $800 and put back a little (very little) each month.  But I would much rather have $1262!  Luckily in 5 years, when I retire from the school district, I will have more than that  :)(a

 

I don't have aircon or hot water but they are overrated.  We eat out a couple times a week (Mang Inasal, or Bong's for arroz caldo).  I bought 3 cell phones this month and still came in under budget. (Android for me, regular phone for girlfriend and cousin Rogena)

That's about what I live on and I get considerably more (a little over $2800 a month)going out to eat gets boring and tiresome (not too mention makes me fat as a thanksgiving turkey :hystery: well that's how I feel after going to Jollibee and downing an Aloha burger meal)as for hot water you're right its over rated and unneeded(especially in this heat)and an electric fan does the same thing that aircon does with the door open. Rent way cheaper than what I was paying in Seattle and Oregon(studio apartment)not much for a view but then again this is Zamboanga City. LB wet market and vegetable markets are right across the street as well as Jolliebee, so that leaves a lot for recreational purposes still gotta find a camera shop that has decent ND filters and canned air(that is my only expensive hobby...photography and I still suck at it but have loads of fun :thumbsup: . So that's my two cents on the whole budget thing. :tiphat: :cheersty:

[Curley]

 

Right now I do live on $800 and put back a little (very little) each month.  But I would much rather have $1262!  Luckily in 5 years, when I retire from the school district, I will have more than that  :)(a

 

I don't have aircon or hot water but they are overrated.  We eat out a couple times a week (Mang Inasal, or Bong's for arroz caldo).  I bought 3 cell phones this month and still came in under budget. (Android for me, regular phone for girlfriend and cousin Rogena)

That's about what I live on and I get considerably more (a little over $2800 a month)going out to eat gets boring and tiresome (not too mention makes me fat as a thanksgiving turkey :hystery: well that's how I feel after going to Jollibee and downing an Aloha burger meal)as for hot water you're right its over rated and unneeded(especially in this heat)and an electric fan does the same thing that aircon does with the door open. Rent way cheaper than what I was paying in Seattle and Oregon(studio apartment)not much for a view but then again this is Zamboanga City. LB wet market and vegetable markets are right across the street as well as Jolliebee, so that leaves a lot for recreational purposes still gotta find a camera shop that has decent ND filters and canned air(that is my only expensive hobby...photography and I still suck at it but have loads of fun :thumbsup: . So that's my two cents on the whole budget thing. :tiphat: :cheersty:

 

 

 

 

 

Good to hear that someone else has seen the sense of downsizing although I think I would want a one bed place rather than a studio. I have a 3 bed house with a one bed granny annex but never go into the other bedrooms........... why have them?

[Daydreamer]

Good to hear that someone else has seen the sense of downsizing although I think I would want a one bed place rather than a studio. I have a 3 bed house with a one bed granny annex but never go into the other bedrooms........... why have them?

 

Right now, I'm still single. She has decided to live across town closer to her daughter's school and work, and the studio is temporary until I can find something better. But it does keep down costs quite a bit especially with market right across the street. I'm still thinking about Cebu or Davao though as Zamboanga City can be kind of nerve wracking at the beginning of Ramadan.

[Curley]

 

Good to hear that someone else has seen the sense of downsizing although I think I would want a one bed place rather than a studio. I have a 3 bed house with a one bed granny annex but never go into the other bedrooms........... why have them?

 

Right now, I'm still single. She has decided to live across town closer to her daughter's school and work, and the studio is temporary until I can find something better. But it does keep down costs quite a bit especially with market right across the street. I'm still thinking about Cebu or Davao though as Zamboanga City can be kind of nerve wracking at the beginning of Ramadan.

 

 

 

I visited a girl in Zamboanga for a couple of weeks, can't say I was very impressed, I did prefer Davao over Cebu

[Bruce]

I visited a girl in Zamboanga for a couple of weeks, can't say I was very impressed, I did prefer Davao over Cebu

 

You were not impressed by the girl or the area or both?

[Curley]

 

I visited a girl in Zamboanga for a couple of weeks, can't say I was very impressed, I did prefer Davao over Cebu

 

You were not impressed by the girl or the area or both?

 

 

 

The area but this is how the girl turned out....... http://www.philippines-expats.com/topic/12483-dowry/#entry65864

[Bruce]

 

 

I visited a girl in Zamboanga for a couple of weeks, can't say I was very impressed, I did prefer Davao over Cebu

 

You were not impressed by the girl or the area or both?

 

 

 

The area but this is how the girl turned out....... http://www.philippines-expats.com/topic/12483-dowry/#entry65864

 

 

Well as for that Dowry thread... I liked Sir Tom 'Smooth as Cruise" Reid's answer that the mother should throw in 2 more daughters! :dance:

 

So it has been almost a year now. Has reality set in for the girl and the mother? Foreigners willing to marry are not that common and further, a foreigner who does not live on a small pension and is willing to marry are even harder to find.  

 

It is called the 'sardine effect'. As we all know, sardines are called school fish and we have all seen the under water videos of thousands upon thousands of such school fish swimming en masse turning and twisting all together. They have no defensive ability except for the 'sardine effect' in which each fish tries to hide in with all the other fish and hopes (do fish really hope???) that any predator catches the other sardine and not him (or her).

 

As the sardine effect applies to the Pinay.... it is location location location. A pretty Pinay in a 1st world country can very much pick and choose her suitors. The same Pinay in the Philippines is simply ANOTHER pretty black haired woman. Nothing to stand out about simply one of the sardines swimming in the school of fish.

 

One day that pretty 20 yr old wakes up and she is 40 and no foreigner an little chance of getting one. Huge competition for that foreign husband.

 

So Curly, have you talked with her and he family since they negotiated themselves OUT of the deal?   

[Curley]

Not for a few months, she did find another foreigner, he went to visit her but he too called it off and called her a gold digger (no doubt mother was up to her old trick), she had to ask me what it meant lol. She then asked if I thought she was one and I diplomatically replied "No, but your mother is".

[Thomas]

Foreigners willing to marry are not that common and further, a foreigner who does not live on a small pension and is willing to marry are even harder to find.  

And if the forerigner have no problem to manage to pay such money as that mother demanded, then he isn't probably that stupid to pay... :lol: 

 

Not for a few months, she did find another foreigner, he went to visit her but he too called it off and called her a gold digger (no doubt mother was up to her old trick), she had to ask me what it meant lol. She then asked if I thought she was one and I diplomatically replied "No, but your mother is".

I believe it was both diplomatic and corect  :)

(=I believe she isn't.) But no big difference in EFFECT as long as she follow her mother, and big risk she will go on doing that, so I believe you did corect and left.

[chriseleanor]

US Social Security is intended to be a supplement to other pensions, 401k, annuities, savings, etc. It's only one part of the puzzle. If you are retiring solely on monthly SS income, with little or no savings, you are likely to run into problems somewhere down the line, wherever you are. For every person who says it's no problem living on that amount there are plenty more who couldn't and don't contribute to forums. 

hi mike, sorry im just working this forum out,i was in the philippines last week,manila,alabang,very busy place ,but some how i liked it ,but could not live there,i have a philippino partner of 3 years,but she lives in japan ,me in australia,but we spend a lot of time together,and are thinking just thinking of moving to the philippines to live one day,i have a heart problem and need medication that i get cheep in australia,but when in the philippines dont know just how i will get them yet,we would be on about $2,400 a month,living on an island some where cebu,somw where like that,should be enough do you think,no drink no smoking,