Guest Posted August 2, 2004 Report Share Posted August 2, 2004 Hi All, I just need some advice I am going to make a leap in a few months and move to Thailand. I am hoping to have around 40K US and was wondering would this be enough for me to live and stay in Thailand. How much have you guys put aside when you first moved ?? Ofcourse I will find work and earn a modest salary (I hope). I will be doing the TEFL course before I come so I should be able to find something to keep me busy. Any advice would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance, Jayjay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soongmak Posted August 2, 2004 Report Share Posted August 2, 2004 Hi JayJay, 40 k US is not nearly enough for a permanent retirement. If you're going to thailand this is best regarded as pocket money - because it ain't gonna last. Working as an english teacher will earn you a pittance, most people need at least double the money an english teacher makes, and then they still have to watch out they don't spend too much. If you want to take 40 k to thailand, you can have a barrel of fun, but just don't expect it to last. Better have a back up plan for going back to the UK as well. Most english teachers don't last any longer than a couple of years. Cheers, soongmak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samak Posted August 2, 2004 Report Share Posted August 2, 2004 everything depends on expected lifestyle and spending habits! second it depends, what kind of job you can find! beware of bad surprises as usual the salary level is much much lower than in western countries; you should carefully consider, what you would like to work and what skills you have to offer; for many jobs only thais are employed. 40k is not so much and can pretty easy dry up in a couple of months when you enjoy life and have no income there are many threads about similar questions in the career, finance forum; do a search Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 2, 2004 Report Share Posted August 2, 2004 Its enough to get a start but no means to live off of without working some sort of permanent career. You can definitely live with just a job teaching English. What I recommend is go to LOS with that 40k, get a job as an English teacher (or IT if you have those skills etc.) and party your ass of for one month spending maybe 3k of that 40k. Then, PUT IT AWAY IN A LONG TERM INVESTMENT and act like you never had it. Let it grow for the next 10 to 20 years. In the meanwhile survive off the teaching gig (that is all you will be doing for the first few years at least is surviving unless you are lucky) and settle into the "local" lifestyle. I assume your move comes with a few trips under your belt preferably with a stint of at least 1 month to 1 year. If you have not done that yet then I think you may want to reevaluate your plans. The reason I say party for the first month is because you have sort of a luxury with your stash. You are younger than you will be 10 to 20 years from now and hey, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Have fun with the knowledge that the next 9 and 11/12 years will be quite a learning experience for you. Tread lightly, good luck. Oneye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Straycat Posted August 2, 2004 Report Share Posted August 2, 2004 I reckon it should last for about three years of severe whoring & boozing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brink15 Posted August 2, 2004 Report Share Posted August 2, 2004 You're about ten years too late. If you had arrived before the crash you might have been able to get high enough interest rates to survive on the interest from 40K in savings. But all you would have been doing is survive. No partying, no MPs, no BGs, no restaurant meals, etc. The guy who showed me the ropes when I first moved to Thailand in '94 did just that. Except he made the move in '86. Lived in a nice clean bungalow - no A/C - just a fan, a bathroom, and a bedroom - no kitchen, no livingroom. Hung out on a beach every day. Ate all his meals at food stalls. Lived pretty much like a monk. If that sounds like the life you want to live, make the move and plan on working full time as a teacher. "Cause 40K ain't gonna do squat today. Sorry to burst your bubble, but if you had visions of moving to Thailand with a few grand and living like a king, you're going to have to look in a much poorer section of the third world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinsin2 Posted August 2, 2004 Report Share Posted August 2, 2004 13,000,000b and thats for Issan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torrenova Posted August 2, 2004 Report Share Posted August 2, 2004 No its not enough but its not enough in the west either. If you're retired and have a pension then its OK. Rent then maybe buy a condo and live on your pension. From your post I suspect that you are much younger and thus don't have a pension. Even if you live here for years on your income, what are you going to live on when you are too old to work ? Buy some property where you live now, earn some more money and do the TEFL course. Then maybe try LOS, renting your property out to cover costs. Not easy to get by on teaching money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidel Posted August 2, 2004 Report Share Posted August 2, 2004 I believe it's possible to move here with USD$40K and live for a long time as long as you work.... and don't spend too much... but, You have to think about the future... when you're too old to work. Thailand is quite an ageist society and the older you get the more difficult it will be to find teaching work. Regardless of what some people say about scraping by on a teacher's salary... I've been doing it for 3 years. I've taken trips home every year, I've taken lots of holidays here in LOS, I've stayed in comfortable acommodation and I've never really wanted for anything... and I've managed to save. Lately I've been able to save about 25,000 - 30,000 baht per month... and I don't even work very hard. I would suggest that, if you can handle the uncertainty.. go ahaead and do it... but do one of two things: A) Invest all but the minimum you need to get started and forget you had it. Or Invest it in property at home and then rent the property out. I have a friend who lives soley on the difference between what his tenants in the UK pay him and his monthly mortgage repayments. He's not working though, and he scrapes by... bt he''s been doing it for 5 years now and when his mortgage is paid off he'll be on easy street. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thalenoi Posted August 2, 2004 Report Share Posted August 2, 2004 Well, it's better to have a life than not have one... I would go for Fidel's advice: invest in property in your home country, spend the rent in LOs and complement with a job you enjoy. If you don't enjoy teaching you will be in for a hell of a life. Teaching in LOS is no fun for most of us. I got a 63 years old english speaking guy staying at my place for one month and he was proposed a teachers job the first week (he did have the required diplomas and experience though) He refused the job, he had enough money to live here for 9 months and would work for 3 months in his home country and come back for an other 9 months. Not a stupid idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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