Poll Monthly expenses

Hmmm...most threads on home ownership in this forum seem to poo poo ownership. Not sure the math of owning makes sense. What is the payback period for a "starter house" versus 8k/month (96k/year)? Maybe I should do a poll on the average price on a starter house. I'm sure the that runs the gamut too.

If you have enough money to buy a starter house and possibly a motorcycle, $1000 a month seems more like a lifestyle choice. There another poll, how many people are actually happy and comfortable where financial limitations drive their behavior.

 

Yes, the question is not "can someone live comfortably on 1000 a month" but "HOW can someone live comfortably on 1000 a month.

As to the math of home ownership, I hate to single anyone out, but there is someone that almost everyone on the forum knows who rents a bit of land in Valencia for peanuts and built a brick and mortar house on it for not a lot of cash. I bet quite a few know who I mean. I am sure he is another one who could live quite comfortably on 1000 a month.

We tend to forget that we do not need to own the land. MANY filipinos do not own the land their house sits on. They just rent it for a few hundred pesos a month. There are MANY foreigners living in low cost housing that they own in one form or another. Too many get hung up on the land ownership thing which is REALLY important if you build a mansion but of negligible importance if you are going to build a little cement block house for 300K on rented land. Sounds cheap, but over time you can add on to it, put air cons in it, put nice furniture in it, and live in amazing comfort. It is small but can be done on a small budget and its comfy.

And the motorcycle. You can buy a brand new Rusi for 33K. Cost to run it is negligible. Someone on 1000 a month could afford that and likely be just as comfortable as the person who needs the 2 million pesos SUV. It comes down to lifestyle. Be happy with what you have and you will be comfortable.

So again, its not insane to want to live comfortably on 1000 a month but you are not going to do it overnight. Its going to take time to build up a comfortable lifestyle on that budget, but in the end . . . I'm as happy as a pig in sh*t on that budget.

 

Sounds like you are the exception to the rule.

 

Possibly, but as I said in the post I just made. I know a lot of others in the same situation and many other forum members know them too. I just don't want to name anyone who may not want to "come out" about their budget.

 

There is logic to that. But you have missed my point. No problem. I'll stay comfy on my budget and you can stay comfy on yours.

My point is, it is AMAZING what you can do when you recognize the situation you are in (only got 1000 a month to live on), analyze the situation (how am I gonna be comfortable on that), learn from other people who are doing it (watch, listen and learn instead of reading posts just to reply with your own opinion), then adapt and overcome.

 

There are possibilities how someone can end up with higher saving and low pension.
In Switzerland you can lose part of your pension just by falling into the social welfare network for a shorter time. If you get then disabled while being in the social welfare network then you can kiss a part of your pension forever good bye. But the saving is still existing. So you can withdraw it for a house or condo on the Philippines. This can results in a living of $1000 to $2000 per month in own condo or house.

There are cheap rentals around. Sometime you can still rent a house for less than 8k. One time I saw a completely equipped bachelor pad with small kitchen and own toilet&bath for just 4k incl. free water near to a decent shopping mall in Toril Davao. It is not big but it will do it for a single person.

 

Try living in the bachelors pad with a gf. You'll find yourself kicked out rather quick as while many may allow visitors having another live there changes things up and they'll boot you out. Seen it plenty of times before.

 

Where do you get this information? It seems like you just make it up.

I along with many other expats here in Dumaguete, have lived in the bachelor pads shown in this pic for about 6K a month, furnished. I (and others) not only had my gf living there but they liked me so much they asked me to sign a lease to stay for a year. I may have done it but I like my air conditioning and the place cost quite a bit to cool.