Living On $1,262 Social Security

[Bruce]

 Some good ideas in this thread.

 

  This is my first post on this forum. My name is Mike and I live in Indonesia; I have been an Intl School teacher for the last ten years over here. I am not a teacher by trade; I came from the business world. But at the age of 45, I was looking for a paradigm shift and something that would be a challenge. 

 

  in 1990 there was an article in a sailing magazine that dealt with people sailing boats out on the ocean i.e. 'cruisers', for the long term; and why some of them had to come back early; that is, why did they run out of money.

 

  at that point, i started keeping a daily accounting of every penny i spent the money.

 

  I had used a Daytimer for years (I now use a cheap notebook that fits in a shirt pocket) and so it was readily available to record the amts in.

 

  once in a while, i will miss a month out of sure laziness, and a couple of times i have gone three months. but it is interesting how that one simple strategy affected my life. i know exactly how much money i spend; and never think of saving money - only about spending it; the savings are merely a by-product of the strategy.  

 

  I still maintain this strategy e.g. the latest recording in my notebook took place about six hours ago, and it is no more effort than brushing my teeth i.e. it is a habit.

 

  I started that habit over twenty years ago as i had a sailboat and my plans were to sail around the world. in the south pacific, i had an epiphany, actually two, and decided i very much enjoyed working and that a sailboat in a distant land was like a child, it had to be watched 24 hrs a day.

 

  the result of the epiphany was the boat was put up for sale and sold.

 

  starting out working at an Intl School in a third world country, i still lived frugally. and why not? there are so many things to do that give one a lot of pleasure. basically, the less i spent, the happier i was. I lived on 750 dollars a month ten years ago.

 

  i have lived in two houses; but generally prefer an apartment for the convenience and at about 14x28 feet for a studio, it is more than enough room for a girlfriend and myself. 

 

  i havent driven a car in a very long time and have no desire to. six years ago, an expat had an up market bike. he had worked around the world and thought the bike one of his better investments. not jumping into new ideas, i pondered the purchase of a bike and after a year, bought one. not cheap; but one of the best things i ever did. i only wish i would have done it earlier; and wished i had also bought a good collapsible bike for travel purposes.

 

  I tried three times to get rid of the TV and the third time was maybe the charm. I have been TV free for  over five years now.

 

  two years ago, i thought about 'retiring' and looked at a place in Indo that i liked a lot. it was remote, buccolic, but beautiful and had a number of special aspects to it. in the neighborhood, as i had visited the place several times, i had gotten to know a swiss lady who had moved there twenty years earlier and had a small but successful business. she wouldnt live any place else; not even back in swiss. no matter how much money she had.

 

  one day i asked her much one 'needs'....   Her reply was $300/mo was just fine; but noted that 400 gave one a little comfort. 

 

  being overseas and talking with expats, one comes to realize that many people can look at the exact same thing, but have a very different view. Nice to have freedoms. for me, the simpler life gets, the higher the happiness quotient; 1300 dollars to live on in a third world? other than emergencies, i would love 1300 as it would mean i could use half of it on investments in the stock market. could i spend 1300, absolutely; but it wouldnt make my life any better.  five years ago I lived on 1200 a month, but it didnt give me any more pleasure in life. 

 

  A year ago, I decided to see just how low could i go.

 

 I arbitrarily set the bar at 600 dollar/mo i.e. with the exchange rate, it actually works out to 572. I have made it a year, struggled at times, but it is doable.  (*knock on wood - i havent had any emergencies and that budget is for in country daily requirements living in a large city, and would not include plane tickets home, surgery, etc.) .

 

  Air-con. Have never had it. Back home a filipino friend offered some advice that has worked out: AC is like a drug, once you have it, you get addicted to it and have to have it.  If i lived in a place where i absolutely had to have AC, i just wouldnt live there. otherwise, i pretty much acclimate and the heat doesnt bother me. Another thought that also has worked, "Two fans equal one air conditioner."

 

  Perhaps the Phils is on my radar for the future.

 

 

God bless all.

 

P.S. for living simply, ideas from people like Proenneke or Nearing might be of interest.

 

Mike

 

I have a few questions revolving around your mention of being a teacher at an international school. Perhaps you can give us some insight.

 

I hear a lot about an expats Plan B is to be come an English teacher at a school or to set up their own tutoring service. OK, just how easy it is for a foreigner to actually get a teaching job IF he was not a teacher by trade? What is the expected salary, converted to USD? Is being a teacher 'really' a viable back up plan if one runs low on money? Are there jobs available?

 

And, recently in the news there have been a few foreign teachers arrested for child sex issues. When there is such a case, do all eyes in the room turn to looking at you and other foreign teachers. Are you under any more scrutiny than a local teacher might be? Is your job at risk if a local teacher is willing to work for less to do the same job?     

[taz13]

Bruce,

 

i am not an English teacher.

 

have i encountered any major issues being a foreigner?  

 

not at all. Indonesians have been both great and gracious.  I do saturday morning parent educ workshops to help parents better understand educ and be more involved with their kids schooling.  the reception from parents is almost always respectful and some are even friends.

[CebuAndy]

$ 1.262 a month -  Php 53.000 month.

My present rent Php 32.000 month in Cebu city.

Previous cheapest rent here in Cebu was Php 16.000 +electricity in Cebu suburbs.

Visa Extensions aprox Php 40.000 year : 12 months = 3.333 month average.

Medical Insurance aprox Php 35.000 year : 12 months = 2.916 month average.

This alone Php 38.249 That leaves Php 14.751 left for all other expences, or Php 491 per day!

 

Add food - transportation - sigarettes - load cell phone - clothes - shoes - dating - a LIFE. Not for Php 491 per day

As a single man eating out in Malls 2 times a day, a few beers now and then, and some company now and then (not often),

I need $ 2000 month, or more. Php 85.000 a month -- on saving mode, that is.

 

As always we have those who manage or 800 $ a month - Respect to them - I wouldn't be here if I had 800$ or 1200$ budget.

[brock]

My present rent Php 32.000 month in Cebu city.

 

You could find a lot cheaper if you wanted too..

 

Visa Extensions aprox Php 40.000 year : 12 months = 3.333 month average.

 

A month ?...

Medical Insurance aprox Php 35.000 year : 12 months = 2.916 month average

 

Seems to be a bit expensive...

 

 

I used to live on a lot less than that, And I lived pretty well, I know a few others that live on a lot less than that too, And they have a pretty decent lifestyle.

[CebuAndy]

You don't READ what I write.

 

Visa Extensions aprox Php 40.000 year : 12 months = 3.333 month average. <<<

 

Medical Insurance aprox Php 35.000 year : 12 months = 2.916 month average. <<<

 

Well I included ;

As always we have those who manage or 800 $ a month - Respect to them - I wouldn't be here if I had 800$ or 1200$ budget.

 

Find me a new modern fully furnished place for Php15.000 a month - without 2-3 months deposit or any advanced, other than the rent for 1st month - and I buy you a dinner at TGI Friday's!

[CebuAndy]

I presents facts, rather than fiction. Medical insurance here in Philippines can cost up to $ 4.780 or Php 200.000 year.

My example is far from the most expensive.

 

http://www.bluecross.com.ph/index.php?id=medical

 

Choose a medical plan - click on PREMIUMS

[CebuAndy]

I used to live on a lot less than that, And I lived pretty well, I know a few others that live on a lot less than that too, And they have a pretty decent lifestyle.

 

And I know a few who live on $ 3500 or more a month, and some who hardly spend $500 while begging in the malls here. What one man consider 'pretty well', other might consider below survival mode.

I would love to live on $ 1200 a month here in Cebu if I could, but I can't.  And I'm looking for cheap but good apartment weekly.

People will never agree on living costs - government - religion - best food - best car etc, so it's useless to disagree.

I'm counting 14 years living full time in South East Asia, and I never lived below $ 2.000 month - that's just a fact.

[Jake]

I presents facts, rather than fiction. Medical insurance here in Philippines can cost up to $ 4.780 or Php 200.000 year.

My example is far from the most expensive.

 

http://www.bluecross.com.ph/index.php?id=medical

 

Choose a medical plan - click on PREMIUMS

OK.....I get your drift CebuAndy.  Are you implying that Brock is presenting fiction??  This topic of monthly

budget will vary from one member to another.  It's like wiping one's ass.....which hand to use.  To each his

own, in other words.  

 

Let's try to keep this thread civil and friendly, shall we......

 

Respectfully -- Jake

[CebuAndy]

Did I lie about Medical insurance Jake ? Do I?

 

When someone say "Seems to be a bit expensive" when facts is that medical can cost 5 times more than I used in my situation, am I wrong? Am I wrong?

 

I am friendly, but lately I seen a negative trend on the forum, and I hate people who questioning my integrity or honesty or facts.

 

I reply with proven facts, not "Seems to be a bit expensive", when the contrary is the facts about medical insurance.

 

I present FACTS and I proove it with my link.

 

I rest my case.

[Tukaram (Tim)]

I was a single dad and raised 2 kids on $2,000 a month in Texas.  There is no way I would spend that here.