Best Posts in Thread: Cost of living in dumaguete? ($860 VA disability pension enough?)

There is certainly a group of them like that any country you go to, but that is not all there is. I meet with a dozen expats a week that for the most part don't drink at all.

 

After a year off, you wouldn't be able to drag me back to work.

 

Rank has nothing to do with VA Disability Compensation. Here is the new (Dec 2017) schedule for single with no dependents:
10% $136.24
20% $269.30
30% $417.15
40% $600.90
50% $855.41
60% $1,083.52
70% $1,365.48
80% $1,587.25
90% $1,783.68
100% $2,973.86
or see the full schedule at
Veterans Compensation Benefits Rate Tables - Effective 12/1/17 - Compensation

 

Brian exemplifies the fact that it is not what we HAVE in life which matters the most - it is how much we can accept it and be happy. It is a version of 'It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.' (Epictetus).

 

Pfft. Don't count that, unless you are a minority. Many years ago, I had a severe accident, causing me to be hospitalized for a month. After beginning to recuperate at home, and after having filed for any / all assistance we could, I received something like $111 USD emergency welfare, for three months. I received sweet f**k all, in food stamps, and was turned down twice for SSDI. Had it not been for the best mom on this planet, my mom, I wouldn't have made it. So, don't count on the US government for any assistance. Oh, I was unable to even walk, for months after. It took more medical to get that sorted.

To the O/P, or other newbie who has served: Unless you are current active duty military, do not even count on the US Embassy to look out for you, if you have any problems. A much better option is to have one true friend, in country. Both of you can have each other's backs.

 

Some of the best advice ever, to be offered to newbies.

 

Philippinos lives with much less money per month. That means surviving is possible with even much less money than 43000 php per month. With that amount a basic living is possible if searching well for a house or apartment costing not more than 8000 php per month. If water, internet and some other utilities (most time electricity is not included) are included in the rental it can go up to 10000 php. Keep it simple anyway. If you want a health insurance for yourself on the Philippines you will have to raise your income by several hundreds US$. If you are entitled for the US VA system you will have to go to Metro Manila to access that system. Then it would be better to get a living in Metro Manila. Yeah you can even get a home for 4k php/month upward in that area. Check OLX for available houses or apartments.

 

I guess the above post covers a lot but the original question asked is; can he do well here on $860=p40,000,
In my experience here; that is a definite NO! you can only survive if you are prepared to give up Wine, women and song. most men of any age could not resist the women here they are just so available and can be as young as you want them to be, a man of 26yrs would go crazy trying abstain from the ladies here.
Something I never see mentioned here and on most other Ex-pat sites is; it takes time to acclimatise here, in my case I was ill or had some form of health problems 4 or 5 times in the first 6 months here.
There is one other option to live here on a limited income and that would be to find a single woman to have a relationship with, that has a business or employment and is already self sufficient, but I guess she would be difficult to find at an age of less than 26yrs, if you would be happy with an older lady I would say it is doable and there are quite a few in that category, expect their income to be less P15,000 a month, but they know just how to live on such a low income and could do a lot for you both with an added P40,000.

 

I think he is in the USA. With all the social assistance money and safety nets available, plus the opportunity to find employment as a disabled citizen where he could build a retirement as Wrye said he really better off to stay there in terms of economics. But his question really was, could he survive here. My opinion is, yes he could live on bananas and coconuts and street food, rent a cheap non-air con room, mostly abstain from beer but drink the cheap 50p poisonous Tanduay, probably have no GF due to lack of $ and live in a place less boring than the USA but very much in trouble if a medical emergency, which is likely.


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Not my real family of course lol but as poor as they are, living in a trailer park, they are quite well to do by Philippine standards. The probably even have a car. My point is that one would be much better off living in the USA on $860.00 per month disability than here in the Philippines. Here, if you cannot afford food, you don’t eat. If no money or insurance for the hospital you can die. $860.00 is not enough here but probably enough in the USA with cheap to free housing, free food, free medical courtesy the taxpayers.


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