The realities of VERY low income living here

[manofthecoldland]

For what it's worth..... For me.... the normally recognized budget items aren't the major problem with trying to live here on a fixed income. And for most of us it IS a fixed income since the laws prohibit foreigners from many types of employment and ownership situations that would be available to you in your home country if you wanted or needed to increase your income, either short or long term. There are income earning niches that some of our site members have found, but for most of us, we are limited while here to spending and living off of our offshore income. 

   If your Filipina/o wife, husband, significant other is a lawyer, doctor, govt. worker, etc..... it surely helps with the budget, but in most cases what the partner can earn doesn't add all that much to your outside source money.... and when the wife or GF has a long hour or low paying local wage job, then the few local expats I know of here in this situation,  complain how she is neglecting their relationship for the pittance she earns (neglecting the fact that it is both a social outlet and meaningful self-identity thing for her). 

   Most budget items you can control and vary to some degree by finding substitutes, alternatives, eliminations at a cost to comfort and convenience, etc.  That is why I originally posted this thread topic, with the <gapminder.org>  'money street' illustrations re this country - The Philippines .  

   Its usually the 'off budget' things that crop up that pose problems. The emergencies that occur, come your way and land in your lap...  that take money to solve. They occur with seemingly great regularity due to the nature of this local culture, society and economic system.  In advanced economic countries we have third party social safety webs for many of the budget basics.... medicare, medicaid, unemployment benefits, nutritional aide, disability insurance, educational assistance, credit availability, generous charity orgs., etc.  But here there isn't much in the way of third party or public assistance when things go wrong.... as they usually do sooner or later. So the solution source pyramid is family, friends, acquaintances, pawn shops, 5/6 lenders for those with collateral.  The wealthier or more politically connected, the better the likelihood of success. Your survival often depends upon your ability to activate your social network or web on your behalf.  Rugged individualism, pride in going it alone, being economically self-sufficient and independent,  "Neither borrower nor lender be." are ideas that don't fly well here. 

   So..... what blows holes in my budget is usually not due to my personal economic life-style choices, but rather the amount of social responsibility I'm willing to take on to alleviate the financial 'emergencies' of others.  I guess I'd do much better with my budgeting if I lived alone, was anti-social, hated women or took a vow of celibacy, and was a bitterly misanthropic miser. I'd venture to say that most Westerners that come to live here are ill-prepared, emotionally or intellectually, to deal with this very different economic culture. I'm often peeved when I review where my monthly income went.... but then I realize that these unforeseen expenses made a huge difference in the lives of those close to me and I don't really regret it.  Living here presents a whole new level of moral and ethical challenges that you don't have to deal with in a First World Economy because medical and crucial survival emergencies can only be solved by personal interventions. You might have to build a 'personal emergency charity' category into your budget if you have any human relationships here with people who aren't totally self-sufficient financially.  Of course I could have my wife disown all of her family and friends that don't meet minimal income levels........hmmmmm.......

Naaaahhh.   

[Arizona Kid]

21 hours ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

Not if your paying 20k rent its not

I must have missed the part that said he was paying 20k per month for rent. Must be time to get my eyes checked again.

[jimeve]

Can't see any medical care cover on your budgets, unless I need to visit the opticians and get my peepers checked too. 

[GeoffH]

I agree, the cost for regular medication can add up and that’s without emergency care.

And electricity can get high too if you like to run an AC a bit, ours varies between about 4000 and 9000 depending upon how much we use the AC units.  The big screen TV and high wattage videok system chews a chunk as well.

My budget when I’m here is 10k a week but the house is owned and there is income from SWMBO as well (but that is balanced by the fact that there are more family here).

I think it’s doable but rent will be the killer.

 

[hk blues]

3 minutes ago, GeoffH said:

I agree, the cost for regular medication can add up and that’s without emergency care.

And electricity can get high too if you like to run an AC a bit, ours varies between about 4000 and 9000 depending upon how much we use the AC units.  The big screen TV and high wattage videok system chews a chunk as well.

My budget when I’m here is 10k a week but the house is owned and there is income from SWMBO as well (but that is balanced by the fact that there are more family here).

I think it’s doable but rent will be the killer.

 

I manage well enough on 10K a week - wife, me and our 6-year old.  That said, we own the house so no rent to pay and that 40k is for regular expenses only - things like School Fees/Christmas/Holidays/Medical/Repairs/Insurances/Clothes etc etc etc etc come out of the savings.  I'd probably need 15K a week to cover the "regular" irregular items and the regular expenses.  I don't budget for emergencies because how can we?  A buffer is essential for anyone living here as support is pretty much nil.