Living Large? Can't See People Living On $1,500 A Month? Wow

[the dude]

I've been reading the expat section a lot for I'm nearing my retirement age. I plan to be there in a few years as you know. I read comments such as "living on $1500 a month is not living!! Only existing!" I know from doing some research here and there that you can find a decent apartment or condo to rent for $600 a month. Someone once mentioned that he needs at least $2500 dollars a month to live comfortably.My question is where do you spend your money?Yes. If you have an extended family and married to a high maintenance gal...maybe you need that much and more.Do you dine at an expensive restaurant everyday? I don't even do that here in Los Angeles. Maybe a couple of times month at a favorite restaurant and couple of times a year at perhaps at a really nice restaurant when I feel like splurging. Where I spend my money is in bars. But I know where to drink inexpensively.I'm also a chef. I love cooking. Its my passion. I cook at home all the time.The point I'm trying to make is "to each their own"I know I won't be driving a fancy car with an expensive insurance. Probably get a scooter to ride around. I won't be living in an expensive house with a maid either.Most likely I'll have pals over for a get together to show off my cooking skills when I feel like it. I'll be frequenting favorite watering hole and doing my thing as well.I don't live extravagantly because I can't. I choose not to. I like simple life. I'm a simple man...like to keep it that way.p.s. Some of my pals have been busting my balls for years about driving an old Honda Accord. My comeback to this is. I travel each year enough to pay for a brand new inexpensive car. They hear about my travels and they are so envious of me.I ususally travel for between 45 days to 3 months a year the last 14 years. I tell them that I've probably been to every restaurant-bars that Anthony Bourdain from "No reservations" have been to in S.E.A. and their mouth drop to the floor. Where have they been? They choose material goods. Me. experiencing the WORLD!! LIFE. Culture.See you in Phils. take care... Redhorse-the Dude

Edited October 25, 2011 by Redhorse

[Jim Sibbick]

You question where would you spend the money! If I had usd $4000 per month or more to spend, I would find ways to spend it. However, I have confirmed again that usd $1500 per month is enough for me to live happy in Cebu City with either a live in girlfriend or as a single man playing the field. Regards: Jim

[Garpo]

It all depends all the lifestyle you are used and the lifestyle you want to live in the Philippines. Some live and are fine on $1000. per month while others will say you need a $2000. to be comfortable. Location, location, location. Visit and see what location you would like to live and then you get a better idea as to how much you would need to live the type of lifestyle you want to live. Get information from other that live in the area where you want to live. See how much they are spending and what type of lifestyle they are living.

[Art2ro]

To: the dude, Yes, there have been alot of posts good, bad or indifference on this topic on this forum and on other expat forums to draw your own conclusions as to how much one would need to retire on here in the Philippines! It's all about each to their own lifestyles and where one lives! Do your own "boots on the ground" experiences when you finally get here! It's the only way to learn and determine if the Philippines is for you! We on this forum are here to inform and guide you when ever you need it! You may even tells us about your many travels too! I like to read travel stories from expats who has been off the beaten track or where ever! From Arta Fil/Am & U.S. Veteran who's been around the block!

[Dave Hounddriver]

Changed my mind about posting too much info. It gets too personal laying out my monthly budget on the Internet but I can tell you for sure that $1,500 a month is tight for a retirement income here.

Edited October 25, 2011 by Dave Hounddriver

[Mr Lee]

As everyone says it is up to how one wants to live. For my wife and I, we own our own condo, so no rent to pay but we do have condo monthly dues and we do have to pay property taxes, so during our stays we have found that it costs us about $1500 a month (not counting the property taxes) to eat dinner out about 4 days a week and do just about whatever we want to do including taking some in our family out for dinner at times, so I would say that with putting rent into the equation, and leaving out eating out as much as we do, then a person should be able to live comfortably on $1500, but and it is a big but, once family comes into the picture and then my medicines (which we bring with us because I have a med plan here in the states and get them at a big discount when compared to what they would cost me in the Philippines), and if a person uses their aircon all day and night as we do, and if a person puts aside a reserve for health issues and other unforeseen issues, and if a person wishes to live the same basic lifestyle they had back in the US, then IMO $1500 a month will not cut it. We must all be sure to have a reserve and an escape plan should all go to hell. The family issue is not about a high maintenance women because most Filipinas are not high maintenance, it is about us being seen as rich (we are when compared to the average person there), so all her family issues can be put on our ladies shoulders, thus it could cost a lot of money the older our extended family gets. Also the older we get and the older our wife/gf gets, the more medical issues we may have. So when people say they cannot live on $1500 a month, they are probably taking into account many things beyond monthly expenses, such as health insurance and unforeseen circumstances that will happen, and they are probably talking about continuing to eat the same since I have found that eating western foods cost us more there than in the US. Also for The dude, foods and supplies for western cooking are most often very expensive in the supermarkets compared to what we pay back in the US. Member Frank just got back from Cebu and we went shopping in Costco with him and he showed me his S&R Warehouse card that he had joined up, and he told me things there were much more expensive there than here, so since he also likes to cook at home, he was shocked at how much more it costs him to buy things there.

[joeatmanila]

A single guy with his steady live in partner, should be able to make an ok living depends where he lives.Going down town Makati, renting a condo...1500 is NOT ENOUGH for living since the 500-700 are already gone to rental and utility bills of the appartment.Going in a suburb to a low or medium income subdivision renting a house of approx 50-70m2 together with the utilities will go to 300$ a modest price.Food...you better be cooking, eating out daily is not a good option, gets to be expensive on a budget of 1500-300=1200Entertainment, such as cinemas, drinks with buddies (NOT IN THE GIRLIE BARS NEITHER THE EXPENSIVE BARS), comedy bars etc can be afforded easily on this budget once or maybe twice a week. I love drinking vodka, take a bottle and do the half of it at least for my self. I only do it home, if i do it in a bar this can be an easy 4-5000p plus other hassles etc etc which can boost the bill to wherever, better home with a my firends, pay 800p for the liquor, 300p for food, 10p for hangover pills hehehehe and my bed just besides me.Driving a car...insurance you said? forget about it. Buying a large available and in circulation modest car is the rule. Will find spare parts for maintenance easier and less expensive, mechanics to fix it easier, they are usually proven to be strong enough. a toyota corolla, vios, honda city-civic, Revo, adventure, etc. Gas is cheap but buy a small car 1300cc or so, you can find nice accords and camries for 200-250.000p but the what you pay on gas (due to their big and powerful engines) does not worth it, you can't use the power of it since you'll hardly ever go above 70-80km/h in the city roads. Unless you want to start paying for accidents....food is not so expensive if you cook, not much of western variety of foods around and if you find them...expensive. Eating out you will see that you pay for an italian dinner ridicoulously expensive and is not even close to italian (or any other cuisine), simple the faking of the ambience a bit and the faking of the name and taste...For the amount you pay for 2 people dinner, you can buy groceries and cook italian for 3-4 days :)So 1500$ with a sensible spending can provide you a good living even if you rent a house/appartment.

[the dude]

Hi guys. I know where to spend a large sum of money. It is just like that saying "I wouldn't know where to spend it..if I were to win millions in a lottery ...thats all. good luck the dude

[the dude]

Hi. If our Social security is still there when I turn 62-65 . I'm looking real pretty..For me that is. Should be a little over $2500 a month.I only wrote this because I was taken aback by a statement..."not living...only exisisting" :no: :tiphat: :) :cheersty: :cheersty: good luck Redhorse

[Genius]

Thing is for me, whenever I travel, I live a totally different lifestyle when I m back in Europe. so for me, I never find overseas cheap. I do however recognise that if I was going to live rather than galivant that still phils is considerably cheaper than the uk for the same lifestyle, but then it should be London, is one of the worlds more expensive cities. I have noticed both the currency moving against me and the internal inflation in the phils in a very appreciable manner though. I think the phils may be out pricing itself as a retirement destination. Malaysia seems to be making more sense as a retirement spot on a solely financial consideration more lately. I guess these things ebb and flow.