Supporting A Family

[chris49]

RBM "My GF is quite successful with raising pigs, she buys them very young and has somebody raise them and sells around 60KG. She has been doing this many years and makes a nice amount each month as has many. She handles all stock purchase, and all money matters, runs a tight ship. According to her any weight over 60KG ones profit decreases due to high cost of feeds. She always has many ready to harvest to coincide with the local fiesta"

 

That sounds ok, but the profits are a bit marginal, because a young piglet here goes 3k.  Or 2k the very small ones.

 

I agree it's like putting money in the bank if managed properly. Our extended family would have everything on credit, then spend the capital before reinvesting.

 

In our case we are raising for the Baptisimal so over 100 kg is the target.

 

Multiple quote boxes not allowed, so I quoted you directly.

Edited March 1, 2015 by chris49

[scott h]

Can you see my Frustration on this issue.

 

I sure can my friend. But it is one of those things we have NO control (or comprehension lolol) over... Like why open up a sari sari 20 feet from one that's been there for years????

[Jack Peterson]

Like why open up a sari sari 20 feet from one that's been there for years????

 

 

:hystery: and like one we had recently, opened  by a Brother of the other one.  :rolleyes:

 

JP :tiphat:  :unsure:

[mogo51]

 

I got my priorities right years ago which is why We have cash. Don't you think it is time to look at your priorities.

 

There are other earning Kids but this i have no argument about, they are still learning some life.

 

If these two sentences would come together, sometime in the future, the Filipinos would be less dependent on outside money and be able to take care of themselves but it is lack of planning that keeps them poor generation after generation.

 

 

 

I think it is more complex than 'planning' although I agree with your post.  The single largest problem IMO is over population.  Where a Filipino (or indeed many other countries) is living c a very poor existence, the arrival of another child only compounds the problem.

From thee we go to the imbalance between the rich and poor, you find in the poorer countries this gap is way too much.  The old saying 'the rich get rich or the poor get poorer'.  But these are huge social problems and will not be solved in the short term.

[Gerald Glatt]

I think it is more complex than 'planning' although I agree with your post.  The single largest problem IMO is over population.  Where a Filipino (or indeed many other countries) is living c a very poor existence, the arrival of anothom houser child only compounds the problem. From thee we go to the imbalance between the rich and poor, you find in the poorer countries this gap is way too much.  The old saying 'the rich get rich or the poor get poorer'.  But these are huge social problems and will not be solved in the short term.

 

I read once that the UN was trying to do family planing in India.  They put posters of a large family in a small 2 room house, then of a family w/2 children in a large home showing a dining room with a large spread on the table.

 

They quit that campaign when the comments came back.  "Look at the poor family.....only two children." 

[Jack Peterson]

They quit that campaign when the comments came back.  "Look at the poor family.....only two children." 

 

 But plenty of room to park a cow, No Doubt  :rolleyes:  :mocking:

 

JP  :tiphat:

[Thomas]

 

 

It's too late for you Hesalright but the key is a set budget for support (or not) before marriage. The wife and family must clearly understand and agree. No two families or couples are the same some forum members refuse to aid Filipino family members others do as needed or a set amount. We have spent for school for some family and now are sending three or four thousand in order for Mamma and Pappa to have a house helper. 

(Concerning people in "working age") I say do the THIRD option ="Help-to-self-help".

=Give them start capital and/or equipment to a small business including knowledge how to earn money THEMSELVES.  Including telling them they are NOT allowed to use up the business capital, only the profit.  But best if they use (part of) the profit to EXBAND   :)

 

E g grow piglets to slaughter pigs, including food.  (That's around 5000p per piglet including food, but excluding some simple building, but it can be made of "scrap wood" so almost no cost. The Filipino pigs are much smaller and less strong than the "western" pigs, so it isn't hard to build a cheap strong enough shelter to start with..) Selling price depend of location, but e g 8500 p in province.

A city living family better get something needing less space, and being less smelly  :lol:

 

Thomas. Your numbers are way off on local prices which are actually set by the Gov't and would not vary province to province.

 

We do raise a few hogs.  And the extended family has had a few tries at the same venture.  A decent pig would go 100kg=12,000-14,000. The common "trick" is to sell them at the break even point...around 50 kg and pocket the money for an "emergency". Like paying off credits or gambling debt.

 

We are raising 3 for a Baptisimal of our 2 kids. It's hold your breath all the way.

Here, in Negros, we get a pig cooked and delivered for 6,000p. The cook even stays to cut it up and serve it by the plate.

  So is my numbers to low or to high  ?   :)

I suppouse we ALL are corect depending of size of the pig. (And location, because otherwize wouldn't anyone buy pigs in province and transport them to Manila as an other topic talked about as business, because otherwice traders would LOSE.)

The pigs I got values for are to a specific occation (=exam), and that will happen when the pigs have been grown 4 months.  They are sold and paid allready and will be delivered to the occation soon.

[Dave Hounddriver]

depending of size of the pig.

 

I thought it was funny last time I went with my gf and her family to buy a pig.  We brought our own scales and the pig owner also had a set of scales.  They did not match up on the weight so someone went to borrow a 'friend's' scales and the best 2 out of three was decided on as the weight.

 

Size of pig?  Buyers like to get it closer to 50kg for tastier lechon and sellers want it closer to 60kg for more money.  Your mileage will vary.

[Thomas]

Reading some of these postings is very enlightening. I am currently immune from this as we both live in Thailand. GF sends money back to son each month for education, a little goes occasionally to mother and father for medication.  I never get involved or ask..

but she does  not get any money from me, other than I supply all living costs.

The situation when we go to Phils may be different but not as far as I am concerned, she knows and accepts that (at this stage))

But I will never change my position, as far as I am concerned, it has nothing to do with me.

These are the sort of issues that confront men (certainly mature age) when they hook up with younger women (there is not a great age

gap between gf and myself 14 years (my parents had 12 year gap).  So I am hoping not to be confronted with it. 

I have an excellent partner and dont  want to change but I  would if it became an issue.

Well.  According to Philippine law it's some risk you will have to be concerned.  The law say relatives HAVE TO support elder after they reach retirement age, wife, kids. Even the sibbilings IF they are in need AND have done their best to solve their own problems.

Been watching the topic with interest. One thing that seems to be over looked is the financial standing of the family that the expat joins. (hind sight being 20/20). If the family is large, not well educated, from the province and the extended clan does not own a business of some sort, the family culture will me more communal and hand to mouth with only a few family members providing the bulk of the support. (our maids family is like that, 2 women members work as maids and care givers, the men just work when it comes about or stay at home with the kids) Time and time again we hear of examples of under employed family members (male mostly) just hanging around all day while women work as maids, nurses, caregivers or in the sari sari store. If a female family member happens to be married to a expat, well the others just look at it as another source of income. Be it right or wrong in our view it is just the way it is. The stories are just to numerous for this situation to be a rarity but rather a cultural norm.

Well. That would be natural, BUT not necesary the reality   :mocking:   I don't know enough Filipinos to see my experince as Statistics, but my experience is there are MORE GREED among them with MORE money.  Some MIDDLE class Filipinos have asked me for THINGS, while I know several POOR families, who have NEVER asked me for assistance, and I believe some of them would even be OFFENDED if I would offer them assistance, them being PROUD they can MANAGE THEMSELVES somehow...  :thumbsup:

 

 

One thing that seems to be over looked is the financial standing of the family

 

 

 Ah Scott, if only I could say on this I understand but This issue sticks in my throat with the family.They are an upper middle class family and are to me affluent. The Figures I will quote are true as My Wife is the family CPA and does all the tax returns, the Amounts are Gross as none ever admit what the net is after the loans and deductions required and the Credit on major things, So here is the Breakdown of this family. Job and Income (Gross)

 

1.  Male. Senior Civil Engineer with Noreco II  44.000 per Month

2.  Female. Dep Ed Elementary  Teacher  18.000 per month.

3. Female. Senior Research assistant. DAR.  23.000 per month

4  Male,  Police officer 2.    15.000 per month 

5. Female. Articulated Clerk (1 below a Qualified Lawyer, ( Halls of Justice.) 24.000 per month

6. Male, Registered and Employed Nurse.  SUMC  16.000 per month

7. Female. Hotel Deputy Manger.  22.000 per month.

8.  Male, Electrical Engineer, Noreco II  18.000 per month

 

There are other earing Kids but this i have no argument about, they are still learning some life.

 

 

 Can you see my Frustration on this issue. the family DO have money and all these  people live Free of Charge on Mama's Large Lot. All they Do is pay their own Water and Electric, the rest is just Gone, No Budget.  :1 (103):

Yes, very frustrating when SOME in family REALY need assistance and the family members, who HAVE assets don't contribute, even moosh at the POOR...   :bash:

But kind of GOOD if WHOLE family is BAD, because then it's much easier to ignore them   :dance:

The hard part is when the bad ones can snatch from contributions to the good ones    :unsure:  

[robert k]

Thomas made an excellent point. No matter what you think you are supporting, no matter how worthy, there is an excellent chance that the money will be diverted in part or all. :no: