Can I Really Live On $1000 A Month In The Philippines

[BrettGC]

I think once you're out of "holiday" mode it's doable.  My first week there is always a bit of a celebration after separation from SAO but after that, and the dust has all settled, we live comfortably but not like kings, and we budget about $1000USD a month, anything above that goes towards the renovations (yep, still going), savings, holiday fund etc.  Living with Momma, SAO's daughter and brother so I just slip into their routine. 

For Jake:  Short Angry One is my personal trainer :nudie:

 

Once all the consumer goods we're used to in the West are purchased and the house is set up, life is less expensive by at least half.  Rent from a local (not through a web site), send her shopping at the wet market without you (so they don't see the ATM stamp on your forehead), eat like they do (if you're in the deepest, darkest provinces you won't have much of a choice - but who doesn't love very cheap seafood??), get used to San Magoo and just chill. 

 

Planning is the key.

Edited May 21, 2014 by BrettGC

[robert k]

Jake it does get expensive with a wife AND a girlfriend, maybe you should pick one or the other?

 

I haven't picked out the place to settle yet and I'm sure I will bleed money until I do but I know one can live a pretty good life if not luxurious on 1,000 a month. I call it the al-a-cart life, you pay for all the things you want and leave the rest. In the west your home could be condemned for human habitation for not having hot water, not so RP. If you want to, or have to, you can squat in a Kubo in the dark drinking water from a 5 gallon jug that you filled at the co-op and eating rice, I like to mix a little jelly with my rice for breakfast. Medical is pay as you go so if you are sickly, don't leave the safety net or accept that you die when it's your time and you will not be cheating death. I have no illusions, I'm 10 years older than my brother was when he had his first heart attack. Since medical is pay as you go in the Philippines or you buy insurance as you would anywhere else, you need savings or budget for the insurance. The local hospital may not be up to standards so you might die anyway, consider this before the time comes. You need savings and you need the ability to not dig into them for frivolous reasons, when your budget is gone for the month, you may be down to rice and water, that should make it alot easier to plan and keep to next months budget, also to resist all those requests for money, tell them no, but they can come sit in the dark with you and share your rice and water. I don't really expect you will be sitting in the dark, unless you sit in the dark wherever you came from. Trips should be paid for out of saving from the budget, not from regular savings. Easier said than done, I know.

 

I suspect that some peoples budget for the RP is to live better than I have ever lived and I think that is great for them. I don't think we need to start class war here, they don't envy me and I don't particularly envy them. I don't have to stay on the hamster wheel to keep up with the Joneses. From ladies I have chatted and compared to an online cost of living site I found that compares Naga Cebu with Ft. Worth Tx. you can live an equivalent standard of living for about 60% of the cost, with the ladies confirming that a good apartment can be rented for between 4-5 thousand pisos, cheaper can be had but not as nice, not as near shops and resteraunts I would think and lower quality overall. I don't know if the average person would be better off with a car or not. I figure for a minimal car with minimal use, it's going to cost $100 a month at minimum out of your budget after sunk costs, motorcycle may be less to operate but there may be hidden medical costs. I can see the benefits of not having the upkeep on a car but I'm an American and addicted to the burning of petrochemicals, it might also be my generator in a brownout [ not to mix threads ]. I have not dropped a motorcycle in the last 40 years and my record is still perfect but I got some road rash on my last trip to the Philippines and treatment cost me 16,000 pisos anyway, pick who you ride behind carefully. :) As to food, my family raised cattle, and I know I will miss a good steak frequently because a good one will be a budget buster and a poor one unsatisfactory. I suggest one get used to Filipino foods, there is alot of it that has much to recommend it and it's a heck of alot cheaper than imported food. I mentioned that I liked the banana heart that we had one time and it made my hosts very happy and they tried to feed me a couple plates full. I was able to take 10 people to Mang Inasal for lunch and I ate about double the amount anyone else did and it still cost less than $30 with everyone having the pork skewers or chicken quarter, rice and cokes all around, 2 meals with cokes for me but I only ate the rice off of one dish. Not fancy but you don't have to destroy the budget when you don't feel like cooking.

 

I have a friend who listened to me talk about my plans then he beat me to it. Lives in the Dumaguete area Negros Oriental, house wife new baby, maid, handyman/driver, on $1200 a month. He works fast! He's never been happier. He went from a comfortable empty existence alone in an apartment to being fully engaged in life in one fell swoop. I almost never hear from him now because he has a life. If he can do it, I can and I believe most people could also. Whether they find it a fulfilling existence will depend on the person. I do know there are beaches and mountains pining for my footsteps and a girl who will be amused by my particular brand of wit and charm and i'm going to find them. :thumbsup:

[BrettGC]

I'd triple like your post if I could Robert K.

Edited May 21, 2014 by BrettGC

[Jack Peterson]

If you were starving, you would, eat dog,

 

if you only have $1000 per month, you Would have, to live on it

 

There are millions in the PI that Live on far less and each, has a smile to kill for.( well the ladies anyway)

 

 

I said it before, WE are our own worst Enemies. We want to live here for whatever reason but we don't want to adapt.

 

 

:tiphat:

[jon1]

I agree with Jack. We keep wanting certain comfort foods, conveniences, etc. and that raises our budgets. It is a matter of priorities. Once you have your household established, things should taper down and be fairly steady.

 

For me, I eat more of the local foods and less of the Western supplies (Steaks, Sausages, etc.). I do have them once a month but not always.  I also eat in smaller serving sizes than before. I actually feel like crap if I ever pig out.

 

By elminating all the junk food that I used to (chips, etc.) eat also helps me with the way I feel.

 

One thing that I won't sacrifice is the beer though. I am already tired of the SanMig family of beers and and have moved onto the Home brew. I am able to brew it for a little more than the local cost of beer but I don't drink as much as it is fuller bodied with the same or higher alcohol content. I also get a variety of choices that you don't get here. Since I started home brewing, the cost of SanMig plus all of my junk food habits is still more than what I spend on the Home brew. :)  :cheersty:

[the_whipster]

you must be a very good home brewer, indeed, to consistently achieve a 5% plus alcohol content. Quite a few home brewers I have come across have said how difficult it is to get an ABV as high as that. I would not want to serve any of the home brewed beer i have ever tasted to English soccer fans at the soccer World Cup in Brazil next month. You'd have a riot on your hands. It's too weak.

[OnMyWay]

One thing that I won't sacrifice is the beer though. I am already tired of the SanMig family of beers and and have moved onto the Home brew. I am able to brew it for a little more than the local cost of beer but I don't drink as much as it is fuller bodied with the same or higher alcohol content. I also get a variety of choices that you don't get here. Since I started home brewing, the cost of SanMig plus all of my junk food habits is still more than what I spend on the Home brew.  

 

A wise man once said, it always best to share your home brew!   :rolleyes:

[jon1]

you must be a very good home brewer, indeed, to consistently achieve a 5% plus alcohol content. Quite a few home brewers I have come across have said how difficult it is to get an ABV as high as that. I would not want to serve any of the home brewed beer i have ever tasted to English soccer fans at the soccer World Cup in Brazil next month. You'd have a riot on your hands. It's too weak.

It's actually not that hard and I am by far only a novice. I have been primarily using DME kits with grain bags. On average the kits that I have been using have an OG of around 1.06+. They usually end up with an FG of 1.01ish. I also add an additional pound of sugar to keep the alcohol content up along with high attenuation yeast (80%). One of my Brit friends actually was surprised at how stiff I had made the Stout (5.5-6.0ish vs 4.8 for Guiness). It had the warmth  in your throat on it's way down. One of my American friends liked it but said it was much stronger than the 6.0ish I was advertising. I am not into exact as long as it is above 5.0 which it will be with the amount of MaltExtract and Sugar that I am using (7lbs plus per 5 gallons).

[BrettGC]

I like using raw sugar for dark beers and stouts.  Just my 2.5PHP worth ;)

[Thomas]

Since medical is pay as you go in the Philippines or you buy insurance as you would anywhere else, you need savings or budget for the insurance.

I like what you wrote. One corection though: Some countries as e g Sweden have almost whole hospital costs covered through taxes, so both rich and poor get same hospital treatment* for a small fee. Some West European countries have "copied" the Swedish system and have even PASSED Sweden concerning social security. That low cost** health care and cowberry jam  :)  are among the few things I believe I can get hard to replace in Phils.

But we Swedes can get back in the cheap health care system pretty fast, if just "move back" for a short period. (I don't remember how short.)

 

*It's possible to get a "speed lane" by an extra insurance to get treatment faster in cases where it isn't urgent so everyone get it fast anyway. It's very uncommon to bother to have such insurance, but some companies pay such for people in key positions.

 

**Some different costs in different counties, but around 20 USD to meet a general "house doctor" and 40 USD to meet a specialist. The huge difference is for biger surgeries. Depending of how long time needed to recover in hospital, but the personal cost is just a few houndred USD for a biger surgery, which realy cost 20 000 USD... 

 

I will sure have PhilHealth, but will need to check which health insurance I will have to cover any HUGE health cost, which is to urgent to go to Sweden to do.  I hope I can find one with no limit, but with rather big part to pay myself if something happen, to keep the insurance fee lower.