How Much Could You Live On? One Month.

[sonjack2847]

Talking about Reduced Budgets.

Remember.money.jpg

boulevard SMB.jpg 40 to 60 peso

 

Local Sorry sorry sat on a bench beer sori sori.jpg 20 peso

 

Took time but I g

 

JP :thumbsup:  :tiphat:

And when I visit iti s always cold beer in that store

[sonjack2847]

 

Most of you did not answer

 

I was not going to respond as the topic of how much can I live on has been done to death but I do have one point to add.

 

Stay away from other foreigners who have money.  If my gf and I go for a walk it costs nothing.  If we go for a walk and meet friends who are not on a tight budget there is always pressure to go for drinks, snacks, meals etc and doing that every day kills any budget.  Today we were invited to join friends at a pool party.  We go to that pool all the time for an entrance fee of 40 pesos each but when we go with friends we are expected to chip in for the 'cottage' and food and beer and the cost goes from 80 pesos to 500 pesos in a heart beat.

 

So the easiest way to save money is to have no social life.

 

Very true Dave it can get out of hand when other people get involved.I can take my wife and daughter swimming at a local resort with drinks and small food for 300 with transport but when other people want to come it turns into a 1000 day.

[sonjack2847]

All of the above noted guys.

We all like the good life me included. I have lived it for sure. Currently will pick my spots, but given an opening will go upmarket. Not much available here though.

I did say run a one month experiment on yourself. And I extrapolated to make it 4 months a year if it was a successful way to save some dollars. Every dollar converted to pesos, even with the best intentions is getting spent. So I was thinking of how to save some.

Most of you did not answer. Living rent free, and catering only to yourself, how much could you get it down to over a 30 day month?

i have lived on 18000 a month before now with rent I don`t recommend this to anyone though.

[chris49]

I reckon it can be done solo on 12k. Living at my own house free. Gina has her own budget, she would have to manage. I would not restock anything. But I would pay the electric bill end of the month.

I reckon 400/day and still have some enjoyment. Until she comes up with an emergency on Day 2.

[Richieboy67]

Our rent and utilities should turn out to be under 16,000 a month.. The problem is we end up at the food store as much as 3 times per week.

Now that the wedding is done though my finances are much better. Funding the wedding was not an easy task and we had a very small wedding! Glad that is over!

Edited July 29, 2015 by Richieboy67

[chris49]

Our rent and utilities should turn out to be under 16,000 a month.. The problem is we end up at the food store as much as 3 times per week.

Now that the wedding is done though my finances are much better. Funding the wedding was not an easy task and we had a very small wedding! Glad that is over!

Richie. Go back to your life in USA. Me in USA, Saudi, Australia, Philippines. Any trip to a supermarket is going to be a potential disaster. Three times a week is really pushing into an area where a problem can occur between you and her.

I understand you are a loving husband, yes, read all your posts. Me too. I tell Gina, honey, we get our pensions, we go to the market you buy everything you need for approximately a month. Spend what you want, but if you forget something or start handing out our home supplies to relatives we are not going back. Commonly raided items are cooking oil, condiments like soy sauce, salt, sugar,laundry, products, coffee (coffee I restrict), so buy a bit more of those things. Personal items like soap, toothpaste, shampoo we restrict and even though we are in our own house Gina will hide them. Toilet paper is a luxury to them, so restrict that also.

So after 15 days we have a 2nd visit to the supermarket. Top up supplies, more cooking oil, soap powder etc, but that's it for the month, 2 visits. There's no discussion, Gina can pick up small items from the local market but no additional budget, from her weekly money, her own money.

Richie, the average Filipina has no clue abut how to shop in a supermarket, even moving through the aisles, you have to show them where to start, how to move in a pattern. Since you are from USA, you have to show her.Also some guidance as for the quantity, and as for you. Don't just grab all those USA brand products, those are the local most expensive. Take a look at the local products also.

[Richieboy67]

Our rent and utilities should turn out to be under 16,000 a month.. The problem is we end up at the food store as much as 3 times per week.

Now that the wedding is done though my finances are much better. Funding the wedding was not an easy task and we had a very small wedding! Glad that is over!

Richie. Go back to your life in USA. Me in USA, Saudi, Australia, Philippines. Any trip to a supermarket is going to be a potential disaster. Three times a week is really pushing into an area where a problem can occur between you and her.

I understand you are a loving husband, yes, read all your posts. Me too. I tell Gina, honey, we get our pensions, we go to the market you buy everything you need for approximately a month. Spend what you want, but if you forget something or start handing out our home supplies to relatives we are not going back. Commonly raided items are cooking oil, condiments like soy sauce, salt, sugar,laundry, products, coffee (coffee I restrict), so buy a bit more of those things. Personal items like soap, toothpaste, shampoo we restrict and even though we are in our own house Gina will hide them. Toilet paper is a luxury to them, so restrict that also.

So after 15 days we have a 2nd visit to the supermarket. Top up supplies, more cooking oil, soap powder etc, but that's it for the month, 2 visits. There's no discussion, Gina can pick up small items from the local market but no additional budget, from her weekly money, her own money.

Richie, the average Filipina has no clue abut how to shop in a supermarket, even moving through the aisles, you have to show them where to start, how to move in a pattern. Since you are from USA, you have to show her.Also some guidance as for the quantity, and as for you. Don't just grab all those USA brand products, those are the local most expensive. Take a look at the local products also.

Thanks! You are so right about everything in that post and yes, I've been working on cutting down our shopping trips.

I was laughing so hard about what you said about how Filipinos shop! That is my wife exactly! As an American I usually start at aisle one and go through each one in order. My wife will start at aisle 6, go diagonally to aisle 2, etc and then realize she missed something on aisle 6 so she'll go back. I've been teaching her though and she is getting a little better.

BTW I just watched her pour condensed milk and chicken bones in chicken soup. she also boiled eggs in the soup.[emoji15]

[chris49]

Mate, you will definitely catch up, and this is excellent orientation in case you decide to live here later.I forgot btw, where you are living?

You have a long way to go, but you will get there quickly.

Gina got the message about moving around the grocery shop. If ever you want to find them you can easily estimate where they are. One thing that also helps them find you, if you have a look at another woman they will appear immediately.

[Jack Peterson]

One thing that also helps them find you, if you have a look at another woman they will appear immediately.

 

:hystery: 

 

JP

[chris49]

Most of you did not answer

 

I was not going to respond as the topic of how much can I live on has been done to death but I do have one point to add.

 

Stay away from other foreigners who have money.  If my gf and I go for a walk it costs nothing.  If we go for a walk and meet friends who are not on a tight budget there is always pressure to go for drinks, snacks, meals etc and doing that every day kills any budget.  Today we were invited to join friends at a pool party.  We go to that pool all the time for an entrance fee of 40 pesos each but when we go with friends we are expected to chip in for the 'cottage' and food and beer and the cost goes from 80 pesos to 500 pesos in a heart beat.

 

So the easiest way to save money is to have no social life.

Dave, late reply on you first point. COL, Cost of Living has been a frequent topic especially as a question from newcomers, perhaps guys who have not yet arrived. And it can be a bit irritating, because most of this you pick up after living here for a time.

The spirit of the question however is slightly different. What I am saying is, in the face of family pressures and doubly, triply broken budgets, if you had to shut down for a month, how far down could you take it down over 30 days without going down to poverty level.

I thought 12k. Now after a few days experimenting, but did not cut anything at home. I reckon 10k pesos, about 330/day with no serious problems. I found another lugaw in the market this morning, aroz caldo with chicken, and bits of ginger, you know the usual. 15 pesos and could pull through a whole day on that, 3 bowls, until the evening meal. The more you look the more you find. I got 20 Sabah bananas for 50 pesos and will eat them for breakfast/AM. That's the kind of thing I mean.

August is a long month and we already have our commitments. Sept will give it a try and maybe report back. Gina will have her own allowance and will generally not have to include me, so we might save money both sides.

Edited July 30, 2015 by chris49