Poll Monthly expenses

What an inane comment. It totally depends on the person and his/her circumstances. I could elaborate but nah, your mind is made up. Perhaps I will see your point when the US$ drops down to 30 to 1 rather than around 52 to 1 where it sits at the moment.

That does seem to be the median point in the poll so far.

 

Perhaps more than "a bit" subjective. From the poll so far, 51.7% of the responses are living on less than US$ 1,500 a month. (That's over half and therefore a significant amount)

The poll is not specific enough to calculate the average; but a significant number are living on very close to $1,000 a month (at least all of the 19.4% and some of those in the 1000 to 1500 bracket). If even a third of those in the 1000 to 1500 part are close to 1000 then there are quite a large number of expats living on close to US$ 1,000 a month. I know many who are quite comfortable with that.

My "bit subjective" opinion is that those who spend a lot of money on entertaining themselves (resorts, dining out, drinking, vacationing) tend to need more money to be comfortable whilst those who are comfortable in their own skins tend to not need as much money, as they are not trying to buy happiness, but it definitely is subjective.

For example, a 2 million peso SUV may fit into one person's comfort zone but it would make me feel uncomfortable. Spending that much on an over sized, under-utilized piece of machinery would make me feel like I was just pissing money out the gas tank.

I am quite comfortable in a used car that I picked up for 2 month's budget (that may be US$2,000 for those on US$1,000 a month). Loads of those kinds of vehicles being driven by expats.

I think I have shown that it is "different strokes for different folks" so I stand by my original comment that it is inane to suggest that "Someone today wanting to live on less then $1k is fairly insane"

Perhaps the one making that post simply misspoke. I could agree with a statement that "Someone today wanting to live on less then $1k is going to have some tough budget decisions to make."

EDIT: Note that I ignored your "trailer park comment" but I just gotta know, do you live in a trailer in Afghanistan? I pictured something like this

 

How much is "living on a budget below $1000"? Someone with $700 will have more issues than someone with $950.

With a good research it is possible to live with $700 or 35k php. But below that, the issues are beginning to start.

Sometime it is still possible to get a rental below 5k PHP. With utilities and internet it will be around 8k to 10k. This will left 25k to 27k for daily expenses. In an eatery someone can eat for 100 to 300 php. But a lot of other activities are not possible with that available money. And the person should stay single.

 

Absolutely, it all depends on a person's lifestyle. Maybe a list of various expenses would provide more meaning to this?

For example, do you need personal Internet or are you ok sponging WIFI at various places?
Are you ok eating at the downtown market or do you need to go to McDonalds all the time or to various restaurants?
Do you cook your own food?
Can you walk for long distances or do you need a trike? Or, are you interested in buying a vehicle?
Do you need medications?
Are you a drinker? Are you ok paying 45-60 pesos for a beer?

A good list and survey could provide some decent meaningful results.

This is the Philippines and most of us fat, ugly and boring foreigners want company. If you are looking for a gf here you need to consider the fact that you could be obligated to offer support to her family! Many people are very poor here. Dirt poor! Many live on a diet of rice, eggs, sardines as such each day. Many only eat rice! Many live in nepa huts and are squatters. Many are lucky to have a piece of foam to sleep on! If you land a pretty Pinay you can expect to be asked to help out her family! Maybe there should be a list on how much can you afford to give your gf here in Phils? I find this an interesting topic and would to see it expanded......

 

Assuming you are retired and have some time on your hands, maybe you could put together a poll along the lines that you express above. I'm not really in the best position, as I'm not retired and don't currently live in Dumaguete. I think it would be interesting to see what what you come up with and what data it generates. If you can improve upon my very simple starting point, that would be great.

 

Maybe its made using logic. Lets see. Add in basic expenses at the very cheapest for a foreigner who isn't wanting to eat rice 3x a day with vegetables and fish soup as a topping.

8,000 rent for a 1 bedroom with crap furniture and little tv. (usually half decent starts off at 10k).
1500 in electric and that means NO aircon and no PC but maybe a laptop and small tv, fan, ref. Most are probably paying 2500 electric a month.
200 water
500 cable tv
1000 internet
500p cell load or plan

Now start figuring in transportation, buy a motorcycle and spend 500p on gas and that's if you don't go out much plus you need the extra money for that motorcycle or you could spend far more on easyrides and trikes.

Figure in food which is going to be a pretty big cost and does this guy drink or smoke as that adds up very fast. Non drinker/smoker though maybe 10k a month only cooking at home but not rice rice rice.

Now we see its adding up fast. How about immigration costs every 2 months? How about saving for your exit trips? What about emergency medical expenses that WILL happen and add up fast. Now are you wanting to be single, lonely, and chaste? Because a GF will add up but also chasing chicks or even cheap prostitutes add up. But also big question... do you really expect the peso to stay where it is and not fluxuate over the next few years? I'm betting we could see a 48p-$1 within 2 years easily and it going lower for brief times is definately a possibility. Those months you just going to starve or be homeless?

The thing is YES you could live here on $1k a month in the good months. The bad months though are going to really really hurt. This leaves one to decide that $1k a month for any longer term just isn't feasible. Those already established have it far different then those who aren't and those who own a house/lot are far different then the new guy coming in with just a pension and not having a nice savings account to purchase house/lot/furnishings.

 

Ahh grasshopper. There is your first mistake. A person on a very low budget must make buying a "starter home" his first priority. Then he has no 8,000 peso rent to make.

EDIT: As you rightly point out, there are many hardships to living on a $1,000 a month budget. I merely pointed out that it is not insane to do so. I do it myself and it is hard in the beginning but the more you do it the easier it gets.

 

It is insane as you'd be setting yourself up for the inevitable failure. Also those living on a $1k budget are highly unlikely to have money around to buy a house and then who's going to own it especially with the whole corporate deal being called a scam now and the RP government cracking down on it. Plus if you have a couple million peso's for a house are you really living on a $1k budget?

 

No mate, I've done it and I'm a success story, but you've given me a great idea for a blog, AND I'll make money writing it. That's another thing we low budget people learn, how to make a few bucks for writing articles for different web sites. Every little bit helps, insane though it sounds