Some of of us foreigners here are retired. How do you feel about it. Were you ready? Planned for it? Layed off? Bankrupt? Made your big money? Medical? Looking for love? Online on your own? Happy? Sad? Don't wish to share? My apologies. I wanted to retire when I decided, not getting the "he's old time to go". Actually, I was in the process of getting a divorce (US 2nd wife living with me in Makati). So the almighty ongoing Alimony would was a major consideration vs. 50/50 split. I label it the costly price of freedom. Today, priceless.
My plan was take an early retirement package and set up home in Philippines that was over 20 years ago. Three months after we married in 2004 a bout of pneumonia for the second time left me thinking the humidity and A/C living wasn't for me. I still love to visit different places each time we come over, but tend to choose the cooler time of year Nov- Feb. Having seen many places already, there's still places I would like to spend time visiting, like El Nido although I have visited Palawan I never got to go there. Now in my old age I still yearn for a warm climate and my bones are telling that the damp and cold winter climate of UK has it's setbacks also! Do I envy those who made it work for them, you bet your life I do, long may you enjoy it.
I did not plan on retiring but as my job involved a fair bit of travel the dreaded covid meant i had to for a couple of years and by the time travelling got easier i had lost the will to go back to it, the only thing i miss is the money.
Retired, Fortunate, Great Wife, no Alimony nor debt, good health for us both so far, and plenty of hard assets (Eggs not in one basket) We have no health insurance last 5 years at all since we left the West. If we need fixing we will fix it ourselves. Last 28 years together we planned a future where as we did not have to Rely on any Government or benefits. Yes I alone get a Pension but when the Government takes it, stops it, or plain outlaws it, I will be LMFA anyways. If we were Billionaires, we would not live anywhere else than the Philippines as our extended Family here by the most part are very well off and we are great as a family unit. We Travel consistently to other Countries enjoy friends and family events and all the food that comes with it and embrace the Filipino family values and habits. Our plan from here is have fun, kick back and have some more fun. Discuss our next venture and not get involved with others failures. We use to be charitable, but no more! We can lend our time and advice but our money is our money. Cheers!
"For I don't have a Wooden Heart" E.P.........Life's a lottery But I do believe that contentment is the key to a happy and healthy life, so well done.
Yep, having a steady income that more than exceeded expences added security I miss. But, then I would have spent covid locked in a cubical or my 10x10 home office on a laptop (basicly a prison cell) Instead I was on the beach for 3 years. Even with the restrictions on travel, I was good. Given the options, I'll take the beach and trust the Lord to take care of the rest. Also agree with Charlie, I'll help people with ideas, labor, and just encouragement- but we have stopped "sponsoring" events. We live a quiet life, just the wife, dogs, and me. Listen to the backyard lullaby and thankfully we are far enough away from people that the song DO NOT include radio and karaoke - bullfrogs, birds, my dogs, breeze, maybe some rain on the tin roof sounding like meat grilling, and the chirpy little lizards- its FANTASTIC
Sometimes the words jump right out from the pages to me...Word for Today Sunday 23/07/23 United Christian Broadcasters | Christian Media Charity
Currently there are no plans to retire to the Philippines. But the currently unhealthy development of the prices in Europe can force us to retire to the Philippines in 4 to 5 years. If the Swiss National Bank makes something wrong, the prices of apartment rentals would explode up to +150%. An apartment which was CHF 1000.- before would be 2500.- after the highest scenario price hike.
The axe can fall one of two ways, If people can't afford their mortgages due to inflation the price of housing will drop. Then the demand for rental properties will increase the cost of renting, because the buy to rent owners due to increased interest rates,will need to increase their charges. Hence the rich get richer the poor get poorer. BTW have you taken notice of property prices in Philippines recently, I think many have missed the boat.
I retired to the Philippines in 2016, after testing the waters a year earlier. Sold/donated everything I owned except for what would fit in three large balikbayan boxes, and never looked back. My decision to move here was mostly inspired by three things: love, the much better social acceptance of a fair sized age gap here, and the existence of a favourable tax treaty between my home country and the Philippines. That last part enabled us to buy a nice house and live a good life here. Happily together for 7 and a half years now. View attachment upload_2023-7-25_9-31-46.jpeg Obviously, life here has its ups and downs like everywhere, but our little oasis of quiet within a short distance of everything we need helps. As for "many having missed the boat" as far as property prices go, yes prices have gone up quite a bit over the past 5 years or so, but there's still a considerable price gap with most places in Europe. At around 5 to 6 million peso one can still find/build a fairly nice house here, less than that as you look further away from Dumaguete. If looking for a rental rather than buying a place, 20-30k a month is the going rate for a reasonably attractive 2-3 bed rental with aircon within Dumaguete.
