Warning To Us Disabled Veterans

[JJReyes]

There have been many posts about daily living expenses and budgets. What would interest me are examples of how you would spend a typical day or week. Are there hobby groups in your community that you can join. This would be activities like hiking group, photography club, glee club, jazz band, motorcycle gang, or whatever. By the way, I don't consider going to the mall as an activity.

[TexasRangersFan]

Last even with the VA problem I still love living here. GOOD LUCK> SEMPER FI

 

Just in case no one has said this yet. Welcome to the Forum.

 

I contacted the VA office not too long after arriving myself and found out the same info.

It sucks that they do that.

Thanks for posting it. As time goes on and posts get old its good to refresh some topics so new members can see the information without having to search for it.

 

As far as the budget thing goes.

I think your last statement says it all.

 

It really doesn't matter how much or how little a person claims they can live on its really about weather they are happy here or not. It sounds like you are. Cost of living here depends on the individual and their wants and needs.

 

Semper Fi

[Flason456]

Thank Texas SEMPER FI back to ya

 

    I do love it here. The people are great my wifes family have real gone out of there way to make me at home.

 JJ as far as what there is to do well right now I am trying to pay off some land I bought up in the mountians where I would like to build my home. the price of land here is like any here else loctation loctation. My land is up in a little town, where my wife is from, up in the mountain but still close to the main highway and about 35min to cebu. 1500 sqm cost me 300p a sqm only because I bought from family, most land around mine goes for 400p to 500p per sqm.  I tried fishing here being from florida I love fishing and when I came here I had all these hopes BUT the Philippines is a poor country and the people here have over fish the warters all around this island at less in the southern part, you have to have a boat and get off shore to fish. What I like to do is travel and me and my wife have gone to Thailand and this year was planing a trip to china but god has different ideas BV's (my wife nick name - Baby Verna) is going to bless us with our first child so looks like we doing that this year. I see every once in awhile and motorcycle  group rideing around (all foreingners) You can find thing to do here I just have not tried. right now I spend alot of my days with family. You got to understand the Philippine family is very very close to each other so we go up to the mountian to visit mom and dad on our dirt bikes or go over one of my wife other family's home. there are 32 brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, in my wifes family and they are very close.

 

  After I finish my home I will buy a boat and do some fishing. There was alot more to do when I lived in florida but what I lost there I have gained 1000 times more from the love of my beautiful wife. I love my life now, I am not so lost, I have learned from her to slow down and appreciate things that just use to run by me. we spend alot of time together and this is truly the best time of my life.

 

 WHY I started this blog was to share my expereance here I read this site and many others before I came. If you can aford it this is truly paradice for the older guy. You just got to be real with yourself bugget wise. MY advice don't try this unless you have 70,000p amonth of income.

[Mike S]

Well I think the statement that you can't live here for under $2000 per month is a bit to much ..... and no I don't eat leaves or wipe my but with them or live on the side of a mountain ..... my rent is the same as yours for a brand new 2 bedroom townhouse and we have been living here in the Philippines for over 5 years on a budget of p44000 per month .... but no you are right I don't support the extended family (they all work or have jobs) and we definitely don't have a maid (my asawa won't hear of it) ..... so please don't be telling everyone you can't live here on $1000 per month ..... you can't live here on $1000 per month would be a much better way to put it ..... IMHO ...... :cheersty:

[Jake]

Last even with the VA problem I still love living here. GOOD LUCK> SEMPER FI

 

Just in case no one has said this yet. Welcome to the Forum.

 

I contacted the VA office not too long after arriving myself and found out the same info.

It sucks that they do that.

Thanks for posting it. As time goes on and posts get old its good to refresh some topics so new members can see the information without having to search for it.

 

As far as the budget thing goes.

I think your last statement says it all.

 

It really doesn't matter how much or how little a person claims they can live on its really about weather they are happy here or not. It sounds like you are. Cost of living here depends on the individual and their wants and needs.

 

Semper Fi

Thanks for posting it. As time goes on and posts get old its good to refresh some topics so new members

can see the information without having to search for it.

 

Excellent point TexasRangersFan!  We seem to have a steady flow of new members and bringing up some

old topics that can relate to present time, is always helpful for the new expat.  Besides that, as you mentioned

most of the older posts are locked and cannot be opened up for further discussion.  Anyway, we do have an

internal search function (upper right hand corner) to quickly find your interest or topic.  Just type in a word,

hit forums for search area and you should see a list of topics.

 

By the way, the military section of this forum has nearly 60 topics.  My favorite one is What did you do in the

Military?  One of my all time favorite comments came from a smart ass Marine (Mike S):  

http://www.philippines-expats.com/topic/11870-what-did-you-work-on-while-in-the-military/?p=60612#entry60612

 

He busted my rib cage from laughing so hard.....he, he.

[Flason456]

Mike .

    Maybe where I am spending more is my wifes and her family, but don't you think to be able to save enough money to buy a house or return home once in awhile you would need more income. I just can't realize how you can make it on that. I go to the Carcar food mall twice and buy 7000p worth of cabinit food each time that's 14,000p amont. we get our food from the San Fernando open markit also twice amonth each time I spend for meat and veg 3000p (6000p amonth) thats together is 20,000 my rent is 7000p ele is 7000p (we have one horse power AC unit and a electric stove). If I used you bugget I have 10,000p left for gas bikes carstuff, internet, cell phone just can't see it,

 

  But good luck. I my opinion I stand by my statment that it best to have 70,000p of income

[Flason456]

Ya I have read alot of post on this site and it has helped me alot before i came here. I used to post under a different name but I made the mistake of posting my income and that wasn't a good idea. I am just trying to share with others my opinion after living here ayear. I need to read back now and look at what group funtion there are for expats and does any one know where to go for good fishing so I will stop posting for awhile and do some reading.

[Mike S]

I just can't realize how you can make it on that.

 

I've done detailed budgets by the month more than once on the board which I believe itemized my monthly spending ..... besides not spending much on the family we don't use aircon so our electric bill is around p1500 now ... used to be p2300 and by the way I'm from Florida too so I can take the heat ..... always could .... I have no intentions of ever having  to fly back to the US and I am also on a 13a so no trips to the BI ..... and we have no desire of ever building a house .... just to many complications and problems but then you are a lot younger than I am .....  :mocking:  ........ there are lots of ways to save money if you really want to ..... we only eat out maybe twice a week but prefer cooking and eating at home .... plus we don't drink or smoke or entertain ..... which saves us a bundle ..... just the way we do it .... but I like your thinking ..... keep telling everyone it takes p70,000 to live here each month and it will keep the other foreigners at bay ......  :hystery:  :hystery:  :hystery: 

[i am bob]

Mike .

    Maybe where I am spending more is my wifes and her family, but don't you think to be able to save enough money to buy a house or return home once in awhile you would need more income. I just can't realize how you can make it on that. I go to the Carcar food mall twice and buy 7000p worth of cabinit food each time that's 14,000p amont. we get our food from the San Fernando open markit also twice amonth each time I spend for meat and veg 3000p (6000p amonth) thats together is 20,000 my rent is 7000p ele is 7000p (we have one horse power AC unit and a electric stove). If I used you bugget I have 10,000p left for gas bikes carstuff, internet, cell phone just can't see it,

 

  But good luck. I my opinion I stand by my statment that it best to have 70,000p of income

 

Please don't get me wrong - I'm not trying to put you or your statements down.  But I be very appreciative if you would clarify one thing....  Why?  You say you can't live on less than P70k a month yet there are members here who do it on a lot less and are just as happy...  And I do know of some who say P70,000 a month isn't even close to enough...

 

So....

 

Would you not consider rephrasing your statement to reflect that, in your opinion and to have the life style you enjoy, P70,000 / month would be the minimum you would consider as adequate?

 

And, yes, I don't know if I did in a different location on here or not so...  Welcome to the Forum!