Thought I Would Share My Situation

[wingmanPI]

Will try and make this short and to the point.  After 7 years of visiting PI and the last 3 years going

twice a year for 6 weeks each time,  I am finally ready to make the jump.  I am only 39 and sadly,

I did not create Facebook so it's gonna be a situation that is FAR from a perfect scenario when 

moving abroad.  I will be working and will NEED to work to pay the bills.  Therefore I am doing 3

budgets.  

 

$1,000 per month (can do it if I have to)

 

$1,500 per month (comfortable but gotta be careful)

 

$2,000 per month (all things considered fairly comfortable with a little bit of flex room to spare)

 

I have read through all the info here and on other forums and it can be done it just depends how

aware you are and obviously staying out of the bars and drinking every day.  I will need to be

working 5 days a week so will have a few beers on the weekend but bars etc. will not be on the

list for me.  I pretty much have the "vacation mentality" worked out of me after spending so much

time there over the last few years.  

 

Bottom line for me is I am making a lifestyle decision.  All I am doing in the US is "existing".  About

20 times a week EVERY week for the last 4 years I have had this voice in my head saying "I don't

belong here"  I am not a miserable person but living in the US for me pretty much sucks.  I am at a

point in my life where i am no longer interested in chasing the dream of being a millionaire.  I am

fine with living a fairly simple but comfortable life.  Anyway it should be a great adventure,  hopefully

I will meet some of you along the way.  cheers!

[Lou49]

I could not live here on 1000 or 1500 per month, I would be too uncomfortable. For me, 2000 per month is comfortable but gotta be careful but I usually spend 2500 to 3000. Your mileage will vary. My most important criteria are safety, comfort, good food and amusing myself. Did I mention safety? Forget about finding a job here.

[wingmanPI]

I could not live here on 1000 or 1500 per month, I would be too uncomfortable. For me, 2000 per month is comfortable but gotta be careful but I usually spend 2500 to 3000. Your mileage will vary. My most important criteria are safety, comfort, good food and amusing myself. Did I mention safety? Forget about finding a job here.

 

I work online so finding a job is not an issue for me.

[Lou49]

I could not live here on 1000 or 1500 per month, I would be too uncomfortable. For me, 2000 per month is comfortable but gotta be careful but I usually spend 2500 to 3000. Your mileage will vary. My most important criteria are safety, comfort, good food and amusing myself. Did I mention safety? Forget about finding a job here.

 

I work online so finding a job is not an issue for me.

Good to hear u work online......keep in mind that it can be tough to find reliable and fast internet here. You really have to do your homework on that since your livelihood depends on it......Just sayin'...

[wingmanPI]

 

 

I could not live here on 1000 or 1500 per month, I would be too uncomfortable. For me, 2000 per month is comfortable but gotta be careful but I usually spend 2500 to 3000. Your mileage will vary. My most important criteria are safety, comfort, good food and amusing myself. Did I mention safety? Forget about finding a job here.

 

I work online so finding a job is not an issue for me.

Good to hear u work online......keep in mind that it can be tough to find reliable and fast internet here. You really have to do your homework on that since your livelihood depends on it......Just sayin'...

 

 

yes you are right.  thankfully over the last 2 years I have had a chance to do trial runs for 6 weeks at a time under varying

conditions.  I have any internet issues covered and have a back up to the back up.  with that being said I am not a stock

trader etc. so a 0.5-2mbps connection is fine for what I need to do and it doesn't create a huge problem for me if the net is down

for a the better part of a day.

[Dave Hounddriver]

Lots have tried what you are about to do, wingman.  Many have succeeded.  Best of luck to you.  The best advice given to me when I came is what I will pass along to you now:

 

Were you a happy person where you are from?  If so you will be a happy person here.  If not then you won't.

[Tukaram (Tim)]

I know it can be done as I am living on $800 a month (USD).  But as I have said many times - although I enjoy it I would not recommend it ha ha!    But I have afforded 3 vacations in 8 months, so I am not doing too bad.

 

The $1,500 would be quite nice, I think.  If you have been here and done some short trial runs then you should have a good idea what is right for you.  We have all discussed budgets enough to know that no one can answer the "how much money" question for anyone else.

 

And Dave, you are right about being happy.  Your misery will follow you!  But luckily I was a happy person in a so-so situation... now I am a happy person in a good situation  (I was just tired of working and living alone)    :tiphat:

[wingmanPI]

Thanks for the thoughts and yes I am a happy person.  I just find the quality of life in the US fairly low.  I dont mean

monetarily.  I mean I do not enjoy the people and general environment here.  I have a girlfriend in PI going on 3

years now and many friends there.  When I am in PI I enjoy walking down to the sari sari store in the morning and

getting a coke, maybe even talk to the people at the sari sari for a few minutes or an hour lol!!  That doesn't happen

in the US.  Between my girl, friends in PI and the overall higher quality environment (more pleasant) it makes a huge

difference on a day to day basis.

 

I don't take this move lightly.  I am walking away from a pretty good deal in the states as I work from home and have

a fair amount of security that my lights will stay on every month.  PI is just a much better fit for me on a happiness level.

By the way I anticipate my income will most likely be closer to the $2,000 per month mark but I am preparing myself

going in for $1,000.  prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

[OnMyWay]

Will try and make this short and to the point.  After 7 years of visiting PI and the last 3 years going

twice a year for 6 weeks each time,  I am finally ready to make the jump.  I am only 39 and sadly,

I did not create Facebook so it's gonna be a situation that is FAR from a perfect scenario when 

moving abroad.  I will be working and will NEED to work to pay the bills.  Therefore I am doing 3

budgets.  

 

$1,000 per month (can do it if I have to)

 

$1,500 per month (comfortable but gotta be careful)

 

$2,000 per month (all things considered fairly comfortable with a little bit of flex room to spare)

 

I have read through all the info here and on other forums and it can be done it just depends how

aware you are and obviously staying out of the bars and drinking every day.  I will need to be

working 5 days a week so will have a few beers on the weekend but bars etc. will not be on the

list for me.  I pretty much have the "vacation mentality" worked out of me after spending so much

time there over the last few years.  

 

Bottom line for me is I am making a lifestyle decision.  All I am doing in the US is "existing".  About

20 times a week EVERY week for the last 4 years I have had this voice in my head saying "I don't

belong here"  I am not a miserable person but living in the US for me pretty much sucks.  I am at a

point in my life where i am no longer interested in chasing the dream of being a millionaire.  I am

fine with living a fairly simple but comfortable life.  Anyway it should be a great adventure,  hopefully

I will meet some of you along the way.  cheers!

 

Similar to my motivations except I am 57 and trying early retirement.  It takes more guts to do it at 39!  I can't believe I have been here one year now.

 

After my company moved me to Kentucky I was really unhappy with living there.  I have a house in Florida but honestly I did not enjoy Florida all that much when I lived there.  I love my home state of California but I could never afford to retire there.

[wingmanPI]

when you sleep better with some noise from trikes and you feel more at home eating lechon manok with your

hands than eating at a 4 star restaurant,  its time to move.... :)