Thread: A rich life with less stuff

Originally Posted by jamescollister

2008 I think, went back to do my last stint in the prison, 2 weeks later was in my dress uniform for his funeral, 53 years old.
Never made the move, but died with a lot of money.

Mate,

I know Firefighters with 40 years up and punching up around a million K in super.

They are still working at 60

Kids are pissing themselves laughing.

Fooking Idiots huh.

Originally Posted by jamescollister

Originally Posted by Storekeeper

I remember this story coming up when I lived in Thailand:

A life full of riches! The story of a farang man who lives like a rural Thai - Samui Times

Wonder if the fella is still around? Kind sounds like a minimalist existence to me.

There's a few like him around, got one in my area, he wants money, but like a true Issanite only does enough to get by, rice, cassava, chickens etc. He's a Brit as well.
Guess I fall into that type of person, probably a better income, but need little over all, kids and cars biggest bills.
Do as little work as I can, money all comes from here, to the average Issanite, village dweller, we are well off.
To must farangs I'd be a crazy man living in the jungle, better then a 9 to 5 in the west, in my book.

Was going to mention you as an example James but decided not to risk possibly insulting you.

Getting some good points to think about. I didn't rent my place out when I lived there last time. If I move back in 2020 I'll either sell it or rent it. That's a TEFLer paycheck right there.

No way I can live like the guy in the article but he did mention in the video at the bottom of the article that it's only hoped for that 25% of the population in Thailand live that way.

The guy didn't say anything earth shattering but just seeing how he lives made me at least think about cutting some wasteful things out. Something as simple as shutting the A/C off during the day is a step in the right way of thinking I suppose.

Originally Posted by terry57

Originally Posted by jamescollister

2008 I think, went back to do my last stint in the prison, 2 weeks later was in my dress uniform for his funeral, 53 years old.
Never made the move, but died with a lot of money.

Mate,

I know Firefighters with 40 years up and punching up around a million K in super.

They are still working at 60

Kids are pissing themselves laughing.

Fooking Idiots huh.

I got 3 years of retirement basically from 45-48 and then went back to work. In 2020 when I turn 58 I'm going back into retirement.

^

I planned on Retiring at 55 but fell sick. Worked out perfect as in the last year I sorted my health Issues whilst still being paid and planning my upcoming retirement.

I retired officially the day I turned 56 and can tell you this my friend.

The time is fookin flying, I can't quite believe how quick the clock is turning over.

The people that work into later years will be dead before they know it and all that extra money they have earned will not be worth shit to them.

Kids will have a wow of a time though.

^ I swear it was only just yesterday I was 37!

This next retirement it will be just me and the wife. No kids to worry about. And a few smarter decisions.

Have to say, how you live, or what you need, will depend a lot on how you lived in your home country.
If you lived a life of luxury, fine dining, expensive cloths, movies, costly recreational hobbies, large social circles of like minded friends etc.
Life in an Issan village or rural area, will be a living hell, that's why so many turn into raging alcoholics, no friends, no meaning to the days,
just TV and a bottle.

My alcoholic period is about to begin, when the rains come, there is no escape, days, weeks, even months, just sitting watching the rain, no power or net much of the time.
Thais are used to it, they eat and sleep, but you can't sleep 14 or 15 hours a day, a life time of working by the clock means you can't just switch off, and nod off.

It's those times when a stash of cash is good, you can get out, move to a city or holiday area, keep occupied, or in all likelihood Sam Song will be the answer.
That Brit near me, he's lucky, on a main road, high speed net and few power outages, for 2 months he'll watch football, play on line war games.

I tell everyone, try before you buy into the life style, no different from some of you cold weather dwellers, imagine living in an isolated cabin in the mountains,
snowed in at times.

You don't stock up on books ? Or buy a Kindle or other cheap e-reader and download a lot of free books onto it before the rains come ? And power it off a car battery ?

I spent more getting to work this morning than I do in two days in Thailand. The princely sum of £13.50.

Originally Posted by Latindancer

You don't stock up on books ? Or buy a Kindle or other cheap e-reader and download a lot of free books onto it before the rains come ? And power it off a car battery ?

A Kindle, a link to Pirate Bay, this poster hasn't had to spend any of his hard-earned money on books for a long time.

I made a conscious decision not to get bogged down with stuuff when I first came to Thailand. There are several advantages. Cost is the main one.
Eventually I purchased a mountain bike. Cheaper than a gym subscription over time.
The I bought a truck.
Once you start accumulating stuff with a value, that is hard to leave behind, you are screwed. I was definitely happier when I had fock all.
Not being into native practices, I lived a relatively western lifestyle for reasonable costs. I think Bt30k is a bit of a hindrance, when it comes to enjoying a bearable existence. 40 or 50k is much better for peace of mind. Being uncluttered is a huge advantage if bad shit happens with little warning.
In a country not noted for consistent or fair rulings, you need a way out, without incurring too much loss.

Originally Posted by Latindancer

You don't stock up on books ? Or buy a Kindle or other cheap e-reader and download a lot of free books onto it before the rains come ? And power it off a car battery ?

Books when I can get them, few and far between out here, never really got into these e book readers, had some on my lap top. Tried the talking books, that fills in a bit of time, but sitting reading all day, day in day out, isn't really my thing.

By the way, been raining for 2 days now, not heavy yet, but it's coming and I'm just not the type of guy that can sit around, house bound, I'm an outdoor person.

Originally Posted by jamescollister

I'm an outdoor person.

Put on a raincoat and go to the local mom and pop shop. Get drunk and stagger home.
Worked for Slap. Sometimes he didn't even bother with the going home bit,

Jamescollister...I've read quite a lot of your posts over the couple of years that I've been a member.
You are an enigma...I never know if, you love it here, or hate?

I'm pretty sure, if you had the cash you would lead a totally different lifestyle.

Originally Posted by chassamui

Once you start accumulating stuff with a value, that is hard to leave behind, you are screwed. I was definitely happier when I had fock all

I now have fuck all by choice. Much happier than when I had it all and the pain of worrying about all my stuff. Took me a long time to figure out life isn't about how much stuff you have.

Buy what you need not necessarily what you want. Regardless of the money it usually works out.

Oh and philosophically? You don't own stuff, the stuff owns you.

Living without stuff is the luxury of the childless, as long as you've kids to look after stuff will happen regardless.

Originally Posted by charleyboy

Jamescollister...I've read quite a lot of your posts over the couple of years that I've been a member.
You are an enigma...I never know if, you love it here, or hate?

I'm pretty sure, if you had the cash you would lead a totally different lifestyle.

If I had real money I'd be a long way from here, probably not even in SEA, lots of wonderful places in this world to live, or live part time, some of the year in snow, some of the year in sun. Paris in the spring, England in the summer, the Mediterranean, NY, big world.
All costs big money, my choice, prison screw, shift work, mortgage, bills, debts, and work till death.
Thailand gave me, a fairly adventurous new life, within my means, have no complaints about making the move.
In away, turned the clock back and started again, sure Terry will tell you, as a young fireman it was a big buzz, me cop then screw, same same.
Here, after 11, 12 years, it's become a 9 to 5, without the 9 to 5, kids go to school, you go shopping, watch TV, etc.
My friends who visit see it as some exotic life, but it's just a normal life here, not a lot different then their's.
If we got a big load of cash, we'd be off, not likely to happen.
Life style choice, kids live a magical life, village where everyone is related, play in the street, if you can call dirt tracks and a bit of concrete a street, go to a good school, 27 km away. Have a 24/7 dad and mum, in house grandparents [though I hope grandfather is going away soon] it's my best option.

I'm 58 now, not ready to retire, given the money, there's river and mountains to be explored, roads to ride, places to see, so I have a love hate relationship.
Same as all no matter which country you live.

I've lived in 5 different countries in the last 20 years.

The first move was very painful. I had been living on acreage just on the outskirts of Brisbane. Every time we ran out room to store shit, I just put up another shed.

When I arrived in Singapore 8 years ago I had one suitcase and a laptop bag. That was it.
Latest move to Manila was just 1 box more, containing my iMac.

Of course it's much easier without wife and kids now.

Current girlfriend uses less space in the wardrobe than I do..... So she might be a keeper

Originally Posted by TizMe

Current girlfriend uses less space in the wardrobe than I do..... So she might be a keeper

I am not envious. Much.

10k is enough if you do not have to pay a rent !

George Carlin Talks About "Stuff"

Originally Posted by boloa

About 6 years ago I had to make a choice,go back to the UK and work or cash in a small private pension at 50 and live on 10K Baht a month .After talking it over with the wife we decided we could live on 10k a month.
So I cashed in my pension and took a lump sum of about 1 Million Baht and had the 10k a month paid into my UK Bank account.
I then brought over 520k ,400k I need in my Bank for my yearly Visa and 120k to live on for the year. The 2nd year I didn't need to bring over any money as I used some on the 400k I had in the bank to live on and then topped it up 2 months before my visa was due.
If I had gone back to the UK and started working again all my wages would had gone on rent,bill,taxes and just day to day living expenses .Here in Thailand the House was paid for and the only monthly bills I had was Electric and Internet.
I stopped smoking ,drinking ( not that I drunk much anyway ) and sold the car ( I still have the Honda Wave though )
The wife works about 6 month a year as she has a daughter and family....even though the family are not that demanding she still likes to help them out.
So I've been living on 10k a month for 6 years now and have even saved money to buy a new flat screen TV and a Desktop computer as my old tap top was on its last legs.
If I was to go back 6 years would I still make the same choice........................you bet, leaving the rat race behind was the best thing I ever did.I have everything I need to be happy,I have no debt and I take not notice of what others say on my minimalist monetary life style.

Good on you to mate !! a superb story

Nice to read of someone on here happy with relatively very little ,, nothing to prove to anyone else , no need ,, your happy and content and thats all that matters

Originally Posted by Storekeeper

Came across this video last night and couldn't help but think of Thailand and the many discussions about cost of living in Thailand...

This discussion is very relevant to anyone who spent more than 10 years chasing your own tail in search of "the dream" and ended up with SFA...I do admire the guy who works the land for a living but could never even dream of taking it that far myself. I had moved five times in five years with an insane amount of stuff - and of course never used any of it. When i lost my job and was forced to quit NY i sold what i could and gave the rest away.

There's a short film on Youtube, a piss-taking (tongue-in-cheek) satirical about a farang who decides to go 100% thai and drive a rickshaw for a living. It's quite funny.

Originally Posted by VocalNeal

You don't own stuff, the stuff owns you.

and then you become your own stuff.

Yes travel light and taste the freedom.

Originally Posted by billy the kid

Originally Posted by VocalNeal

You don't own stuff, the stuff owns you.

and then you become your own stuff.

Yes travel light and taste the freedom.

That's right - less is more