Is It Really Cheaper To Live In The Phils

[Bill Bernard]

Generally speaking, farmers are poor, in any country. Yes, there are exceptions for those huge conglomerates we see in the west, that farm 1000s of acres. However, are Philippino farmers poor, YES???? Then you would be even poorer if you try it. The promises of palm oil plantations, the numbers look great, but the farmers are still poor. I dont live there, but as a rule of thumb anywhere, if the locals cant make a profit, neither can a foreigner. Bill

well the topic is "is it really cheeper to live in the PI?"so i'll have a stab at it how much farm land can my wife own? (Pinay)also can her mother & farther own some rite next door & my wife have a 99 year lease ??what kind of farms make money in the PI?ok there ya go guys , that should be something to chew on for a whileOh also PS: i'm only 40 so i still have 20 good working years left in my so i'm thinking "what can i do in the PI that will bringin a little cash & also give me something to do , I can only sit around so long & then i want to go put hands on something & get some things done thankspiglett

You took a stab it, but with more questions than answers! You have a wife with land, so what are your plans with it in the next 20 good years of your life you say you have? Here's other questions you may ask people in the know.How much land does your wife own, lease, rent or just rights? How is the land zoned for what use? Do you have easement rights from neighbors to access your own property if isolated? How much is the annual property tax? Even if land just sits there doing nothing, one still has to pay property tax on it every year! How's the water supply and where? Your post doesn't really say if it is cheaper to live in Philippines putting it out of the main topic and should be under a new topic on it's own like, "What to do with our land to turn it into our livelihood and how to make a profit doing what with our land"?

[piglett]

well the topic is "is it really cheeper to live in the PI?"so i'll have a stab at it how much farm land can my wife own? (Pinay)also can her mother & farther own some rite next door & my wife have a 99 year lease ??what kind of farms make money in the PI?ok there ya go guys , that should be something to chew on for a whileOh also PS: i'm only 40 so i still have 20 good working years left in my so i'm thinking "what can i do in the PI that will bringin a little cash & also give me something to do , I can only sit around so long & then i want to go put hands on something & get some things done thankspiglett

You took a stab it, but with more questions than answers! You have a wife with land, so what are your plans with it in the next 20 good years of your life you say you have? Here's other questions you may ask people in the know.How much land does your wife own, lease, rent or just rights? How is the land zoned for what use? Do you have easement rights from neighbors to access your own property if isolated? How much is the annual property tax? Even if land just sits there doing nothing, one still has to pay property tax on it every year! How's the water supply and where? Your post doesn't really say if it is cheaper to live in Philippines putting it out of the main topic and should be under a new topic on it's own like, "What to do with our land to turn it into our livelihood and how to make a profit doing what with our land"?

Rite now my wife doesn't own any land she is from Romblon province but the land doesn't have to be from in that area , but it could be.also i would have to say atleast in my wife's province it is much cheeper to live than the USAHOWEVER i am compairing apple & oranges here , the life you lead in the province is much different than the life in the USA

[piglett]

Generally speaking, farmers are poor, in any country. Yes, there are exceptions for those huge conglomerates we see in the west, that farm 1000s of acres. However, are Philippino farmers poor, YES???? Then you would be even poorer if you try it. The promises of palm oil plantations, the numbers look great, but the farmers are still poor. I dont live there, but as a rule of thumb anywhere, if the locals cant make a profit, neither can a foreigner. Bill

So what your saying is if i buy some kind of farm there it will only be a hobby farm & probably never a "cash cow"ok well that is good to know, so at best the farm mite make enough to pay it's own way.

[Bill Bernard]

Generally speaking, farmers are poor, in any country. Yes, there are exceptions for those huge conglomerates we see in the west, that farm 1000s of acres. However, are Philippino farmers poor, YES???? Then you would be even poorer if you try it. The promises of palm oil plantations, the numbers look great, but the farmers are still poor. I dont live there, but as a rule of thumb anywhere, if the locals cant make a profit, neither can a foreigner. Bill

So what your saying is if i buy some kind of farm there it will only be a hobby farm & probably never a "cash cow"ok well that is good to know, so at best the farm mite make enough to pay it's own way.

I am certainly not qualified to answer that accurately, but it is my observation. Also consider that a farm there requires 24 hour security, by people you can trust, or everything will walk. People have hungry children, so anything goes. There are some neat studies on palm oil, mugunday (misspelled I am sure), and other new markets, but be careful. Frankly, I think farmers are poor everywhere, despite the high risk they take.

[piglett]

Generally speaking, farmers are poor, in any country. Yes, there are exceptions for those huge conglomerates we see in the west, that farm 1000s of acres. However, are Philippino farmers poor, YES???? Then you would be even poorer if you try it. The promises of palm oil plantations, the numbers look great, but the farmers are still poor. I dont live there, but as a rule of thumb anywhere, if the locals cant make a profit, neither can a foreigner. Bill

So what your saying is if i buy some kind of farm there it will only be a hobby farm & probably never a "cash cow"ok well that is good to know, so at best the farm mite make enough to pay it's own way.

I am certainly not qualified to answer that accurately, but it is my observation. Also consider that a farm there requires 24 hour security, by people you can trust, or everything will walk. People have hungry children, so anything goes. There are some neat studies on palm oil, mugunday (misspelled I am sure), and other new markets, but be careful. Frankly, I think farmers are poor everywhere, despite the high risk they take.

well i guess it may not be best for me to try to run a farm in the PI.however maybe i could rent most of the farm land out & my wife & i could sit around & collect the moneyi am almost sure that she would enjoy counting the money :) :) :)piglett

[Art2ro]

How about a beach resort? You can still lounge around and collect the money while your family do all the work!

[piglett]

How about a beach resort? You can still lounge around and collect the money while your family do all the work!

That mite be a good idea Art, i like the way your thinking :lol:

[Travis]

NOT actually cheaper & you actually get what you pay for on things that arehere is a house for $400 a month walking distance to shopping in Arkansas then you decide. better roads- better food- a real kitchen- no pollution- tap water to drink- real programs on tv- people who stop for stop signs & obey laws & turn their headlights on at night- nobody peeing on walls- trees & green grass- safe buses- less expensive home food- products I grew up with & know- earning dollars & spending dollars- real work rules & laws- great medical care- street lights- traffic lights that work- clean streets- no broken sidewalks- no giant pot holes- so to me the only thing the Philippines has going for it is the women & even that can be a can of worms with their familieswhen I get back it will be only long enough to get to know a good woman & then bring her back here where sanity & the rule of law prevails

[Travis]

NOT actually cheaper & you actually get what you pay for on things that arehere is a house for $400 a month walking distance to shopping in Arkansas then you decide. better roads- better food- a real kitchen- no pollution- tap water to drink- real programs on tv- people who stop for stop signs & obey laws & turn their headlights on at night- nobody peeing on walls- trees & green grass- safe buses- less expensive home food- products I grew up with & know- earning dollars & spending dollars- real work rules & laws- great medical care- street lights- traffic lights that work- clean streets- no broken sidewalks- no giant pot holes- so to me the only thing the Philippines has going for it is the women & even that can be a can of worms with their familieswhen I get back it will be only long enough to get to know a good woman & then bring her back here where sanity & the rule of law prevails

Its really nice to see you posting again. There were alot of members worried about you.Doug

thanks Doug. I will be going back to work soon so on only when I have time & my interests in the Philippines have sort of slowed down because it is honestly less expensive here to live. I do not need a car & I share the house & all the expenses so I am now paying only $200 a month for rent & share the water electric cable phone & dsl so all costs me much less in total then I was spending in Cebu & I get to live in a real concrete house with a large back yard. I read about the cereal debate & I think cereal is important & a direct indicator of food costs so I will say that fruits veggies meats chicken soap fish turkey bleach & on & on cost me less here & even my prepaid cell phone cost me $100 a year for 1000 minutes thanks to Lee for the advice & that seems to do me. cable does cost more but split two ways cost about the same & water cost more but I can drink from the tap & a home phone with dsl is a little more but then split in half actually comes out to be less so even if it did cost me more here then it would be worth it for the things I mentioned but it doesnt. a lot of Americans might be better off looking within their own country for a real paradise & it does not cost so much to get to & not as many hours on a plane either thanks again to all who were concerned about me

[roy2cebu]

NOT actually cheaper & you actually get what you pay for on things that arehere is a house for $400 a month walking distance to shopping in Arkansas then you decide. better roads- better food- a real kitchen- no pollution- tap water to drink- real programs on tv- people who stop for stop signs & obey laws & turn their headlights on at night- nobody peeing on walls- trees & green grass- safe buses- less expensive home food- products I grew up with & know- earning dollars & spending dollars- real work rules & laws- great medical care- street lights- traffic lights that work- clean streets- no broken sidewalks- no giant pot holes- so to me the only thing the Philippines has going for it is the women & even that can be a can of worms with their familieswhen I get back it will be only long enough to get to know a good woman & then bring her back here where sanity & the rule of law prevails

Its really nice to see you posting again. There were alot of members worried about you.Doug

thanks Doug. I will be going back to work soon so on only when I have time & my interests in the Philippines have sort of slowed down because it is honestly less expensive here to live. I do not need a car & I share the house & all the expenses so I am now paying only $200 a month for rent & share the water electric cable phone & dsl so all costs me much less in total then I was spending in Cebu & I get to live in a real concrete house with a large back yard. I read about the cereal debate & I think cereal is important & a direct indicator of food costs so I will say that fruits veggies meats chicken soap fish turkey bleach & on & on cost me less here & even my prepaid cell phone cost me $100 a year for 1000 minutes thanks to Lee for the advice & that seems to do me. cable does cost more but split two ways cost about the same & water cost more but I can drink from the tap & a home phone with dsl is a little more but then split in half actually comes out to be less so even if it did cost me more here then it would be worth it for the things I mentioned but it doesnt. a lot of Americans might be better off looking within their own countr y for a real paradise & it does not cost so much to get to & not as many hours on a plane eitherthanks again to all who were concerned about me

May be great and cheap for now but you are sharing.......how about standing on your own 2 feet and seeing how cheap it is there. Of course, that's your life decision....Personally....it's way, way cheaper here to live.....and no rat race to contend with, working to pay excessive taxes on whatever the government decides to impose...ie..Australia now trying to impose a carbon tax, before there was a promise no tax on fuel...there was...