moving to the phils, part 25 i think

[stevewool]

well those who want to make the move to the phils like me, what do you think you need to live out there, cash i mean, try to work it out be realistic, will you pay rent or buy and where abouts, try to think how much you will need, i have been doing this for quite a while now and the figure keeps changing from very little to thats nice and i could go now sort of thing, i am still waiting till i am 60 before we go, so we should have LOADS OF MONEY:icon_lol::icon_lol:, sorry about that, but how much do you real need, do we go sooner and with less money, my biggest worry is not having enough money, but also i have been thinking what if i dont have that long on this plannet, why am i saving for 20/30 years plus, so hard sometimes, plus having a .... week at work dont help, anyway what do others think

[lastlid]

I have mixed views on it Steve. Just like the forum is inclined to have as a whole. Opinions are split.

By the way, Steve, have you maxed out on your personal contributions to your pension plan?

[stevewool]

personal pension plan, well i did, but the ex wife had half of that, a lon

[lastlid]

personal pension plan, well i did, but the ex wife had half of that, a lon

Oh. I see. I managed to hang on to mine, when everything was carved up.

[imagine]

now or later,:Erm: its a gamble since we dont know whats round the corner:D

[stevewool]

thats right what is around the corner, mortgage is paid next june, and i have someone that is intrested in renting the place very long term, at a price i am happy with, but i will not have enough money in the bank to last us a few years, yes £500 a month coming in is a nice figure over in the phils,

[lastlid]

now or later,:Erm: its a gamble since we dont know whats round the corner:D

I think you are right. It is a bit of a gamble.

[DaveW]

I would love to move there, but I have to be realistic as i'm only 35 and would never earn the same money doing the same job.
My wife is trying to get us to leave London and go out to Panggasinan to get involved with the business of her sister. Which is supplying car parts. She claims they are earning a good salary enough for us to live on. I'm tempted but not stupid , but then i think why not try it for a year. It would beat living in Deptford London. I have enough money to last a while, but i dont like wasting it on bullshit ideas. So i will see

[stevewool]

i do not want to work or rely on a income when we move over there, yes i want to keep busy but that will be looking after the lot and growing all we want and just enjoying life and getting back into some sort of living of the land thing,but knowing also we have back up if we need it

[imagine]

thats right what is around the corner, mortgage is paid next june, and i have someone that is intrested in renting the place very long term, at a price i am happy with, but i will not have enough money in the bank to last us a few years, yes £500 a month coming in is a nice figure over in the phils,

whats the earliest you can retire, and still be in good health, energetic enough to still enjoy it,
i know theres pros and cons, and you know what your own are,
for me i would have gone more than 10 year ago, but apart from the news of imelda many shoes, id never heard of philippines,on the other hand the odds are i would have still got the cancer there,would i have been able to afford treatment,would i have had insurance,
you know whats best for you, i would be inclined to say do it now enjoy it, cos it might never come

[DaveW]

I think younger people like myself want everything now. The thought of waiting for retirement seems so far away, so I envy your predicament. Enjoy what ever choice you make and good luck.

[imagine]

i do not want to work or rely on a income when we move over there, yes i want to keep busy but that will be looking after the lot and growing all we want and just enjoying life and getting back into some sort of living of the land thing,but knowing also we have back up if we need it

just live within your means, your means there, not based on your means here

[imagine]

I think younger people like myself want everything now. The thought of waiting for retirement seems so far away, so I envy your predicament. Enjoy what ever choice you make and good luck.

nothing wrong with wanting everything now, retirement will come much sooner than you imagine,and when you retire , will you be fit enough for the things you wanted and waited for

[stevewool]

whats the earliest you can retire, and still be in good health, energetic enough to still enjoy it,
i know theres pros and cons, and you know what your own are,
for me i would have gone more than 10 year ago, but apart from the news of imelda many shoes, id never heard of philippines,on the other hand the odds are i would have still got the cancer there,would i have been able to afford treatment,would i have had insurance,
you know whats best for you, i would be inclined to say do it now enjoy it, cos it might never come
we dont know what will happen Stewart, we have to think thats it i am off, i think i am fit and i intend to be gone to the phils when i am 60, or before, stress and the english weather is 2 things that will improve once i am over there so i think my life will be better, no work no stress, insurance well thats another matter

[imagine]

we dont know what will happen Stewart, we have to think thats it i am off, i think i am fit and i intend to be gone to the phils when i am 60, or before, stress and the english weather is 2 things that will improve once i am over there so i think my life will be better, no work no stress, insurance well thats another matter

at least you have a plan, a goal to reach, no stress better weather = better quality of life:xxgrinning--00xx3:

[andy222]

Wow what a question. It all depends on what living standards you want steve. Me I could live on £500 a month out there but you might have different standards. It all depends on how much you want to live out there.

[imagine]

Wow what a question. It all depends on what living standards you want steve. Me I could live on £500 a month out there but you might have different standards. It all depends on how much you want to live out there.

you will be living a good life style at that i would think,

where i will be looking at far less than that , infact absolubt minimum, with the exception of med expenses, a simple stress free life will do me just fine:xxgrinning--00xx3:

[andy222]

Exactly Imagine I am so stress free when I go there. But if you can live for less there tell me how to do it. When you think about it it is great place if you have money of coarse. The temperature is great and where I go the people are friendly. What more could you ask for.

[stevewool]

£500 is the minimum amount that we will have per month then upwards to over 3 times that much,if i stay here till i am 60, that way we could have our own place and have enough for emma if anything happened to me, its not knowing how much you will need because you have never lived there before, its not a holiday but real life and i am just trying to be realistic, sorry to keep going on about it but the best advice to get is from people who are there or planning to be in the phils

[stevewool]

Exactly Imagine I am so stress free when I go there. But if you can live for less there tell me how to do it. When you think about it it is great place if you have money of coarse. The temperature is great and where I go the people are friendly. What more could you ask for.
we are all in the same mind, its making that jump, knowing that there is no coming back because there is nothing to come back

[lastlid]

£500 is the minimum amount that we will have per month then upwards to over 3 times that much,if i stay here till i am 60, that way we could have our own place and have enough for emma if anything happened to me, its not knowing how much you will need because you have never lived there before, its not a holiday but real life and i am just trying to be realistic, sorry to keep going on about it but the best advice to get is from people who are there or planning to be in the phils

Steve. What about taking a long holiday there. Say next year or the year after, in rented accomodation with the aim of replicating what you might do when you eventually retire there. A sort of dress rehearsal or dummy run.....try and live on a fixed budget for several weeks.

[andy222]

I was thinking that lastlid but steve might have some commitments. If I was in his shoes I wouldnt think twice I would be gone. I was thinking about taking a career break In the nhs you can have one up to a year and they have to keep your job open for you. I think £7000 would be enough for a year.

[imagine]

Exactly Imagine I am so stress free when I go there. But if you can live for less there tell me how to do it. When you think about it it is great place if you have money of coarse. The temperature is great and where I go the people are friendly. What more could you ask for.

you have to be a tight :action-smiley-081: yorkshire man like me and graham to cunningly live on nowt :icon_lol:

its my intention to go live there all being well , as soon as im able after iv returnede from my xmas visit, im lucky i have no house or property to pay for over there, though i will help to maintain, at the moment lolita works a teacher, her out goings are very little, she has a small source of other income,
i can make small amounts of cash too without killing myself to live, as for luxuries well im happy to live a very basic existance , and i wont strive to live in an expensive area or house,
but i admit , i have yet to try it, but im sure as heck i can live on £100 a month , less if i can

[lastlid]

I was thinking that lastlid but steve might have some commitments. If I was in his shoes I wouldnt think twice I would be gone. I was thinking about taking a career break In the nhs you can have one up to a year and they have to keep your job open for you. I think £7000 would be enough for a year.

Not a bad idea. Would you therefore delay the visa application?

[imagine]

£500 is the minimum amount that we will have per month then upwards to over 3 times that much,if i stay here till i am 60, that way we could have our own place and have enough for emma if anything happened to me, its not knowing how much you will need because you have never lived there before, its not a holiday but real life and i am just trying to be realistic, sorry to keep going on about it but the best advice to get is from people who are there or planning to be in the phils

3 times as much,,,, well thats a big temptation to wait untill your 60

[andy222]

Not a bad idea. Would you therefore delay the visa application?

A lot of things are going through my mind lastlid. It would be a option though. Im waiting to see what my mp says.

[stevewool]

lots of good advice, lads, we are all differant, from day 1 i have always said when i hit 60 i will be gone and i shall have enough to last me a long time, rent first and then buy, the house here will be rented out to my daughter at a discount rate the monthly amount will be put into my bank account and we can always come back here for a holiday, if anything happens to me the money will still be paid for emma and once anything happens to emma the house will be my daughters , thats the plan for here, hopefully with that figure , saving, pension, ennuity, we shall be able to live a modest life, keeping a low living but being able to think lets do this and that when we please, 60 is the cut of date but who knows it could be before, lets hope we all get there one day ,

[stevewool]

I was thinking that lastlid but steve might have some commitments. If I was in his shoes I wouldnt think twice I would be gone. I was thinking about taking a career break In the nhs you can have one up to a year and they have to keep your job open for you. I think £7000 would be enough for a year.
once i give up my work there is no going back, thats why once i say thats it , well thats it

[stevewool]

.try and live on a fixed budget for several weeks.[/QUOTE]

a few years ago i started living on a budget and thats how i live now, since Emma has been here, the budget has gone up a little not much , i live better eat better but still save and live about the same, so i know that living in the phils we could live on very little, i am not into wanting the best or the biggest, just want to be happy

[andy222]

There are lots of ways to look at it steve. Now your healthy you could stay at work until your 65 and god forbid you might come down with something. In my opinion the temperature in the phils suits us from here. I have arthritis in 1 knee but when I am there I dont notice it. No one knows what is round the corner. What I say is if you can afford it do it.:xxgrinning--00xx3:

[stevewool]

naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, not 65, 60 is topps,and if i live till 80, thats 240 months:icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol:, dont sound much does it

[lastlid]

There are lots of ways to look at it steve. Now your healthy you could stay at work until your 65 and god forbid you might come down with something. In my opinion the temperature in the phils suits us from here. I have arthritis in 1 knee but when I am there I dont notice it. No one knows what is round the corner. What I say is if you can afford it do it.:xxgrinning--00xx3:

My ex wifes mother was like that. She used to go off to spain for weeks on end in the winter and it was the same, arthritis just dissapeared while she was there.

[andy222]

The temperature is amazing out there over.:xxgrinning--00xx3:.

[andy222]

240 months? you better hurry up and get over there.:xxgrinning--00xx3:

[irishman12]

hi steve-sent a message on your fb

[stevewool]

hi steve-sent a message on your fb

i am not keen on sadbook, ups facebook:icon_lol:

[Manila_Paul]

thats right what is around the corner, mortgage is paid next june, and i have someone that is intrested in renting the place very long term, at a price i am happy with, but i will not have enough money in the bank to last us a few years, yes £500 a month coming in is a nice figure over in the phils,

I'm quite lucky in that my place will be paid off in a few years. Could probably get 600 a month for it, at the current (crazy) rental rates. But I don't really fancy the 'simple living' thing just yet. I want to be in Manila or ideally Tagaytay. And I want to be working or running a business. At least it would then be a shot to nothing, to an extent. I've always still got my place here if things don't go as planned.

[Rory]

I keep thinking that at 55 i want to be there. Young enough to have a good time and enjoy life there. As a few people have said, there seems to be a feeling of zero stress there and that appeals to everyone along with the weather.
Get yourself out there as soon as you can, you will be back here when things start to go wrong with your body as you get older. As long as you have an address in the UK for mail, electoral roll and you keep paying your Stamp (national insurance) minimum amount, then i would go now.

[fred]

Once we decided to leave there was no hanging around..No second thoughts or worries about anything..Only problem I had was where to aim the champagne cork in the car on the way to Heathrow.
I was really gutted that I had to wait till I was 44 before I could leave purgatory but there ya go.. Thats life I guess.:NoNo:
35k a month is very doable if you have your house and lot here all paid for.. It would also be nice to have at least 10k sterling put aside for emergencies etc.:xxgrinning--00xx3:
What you waiting for? Get your .... over here man!!

[stevewool]

thanks Fred, with you living and breathing there what you say does have meaning to what we want to do and how quick we can do it, thanks to all for there imput,

[stevewool]

As long as you have an address in the UK for mail, electoral roll and you keep paying your Stamp (national insurance) minimum amount, then i would go now.[/QUOTE]

we will keep our house here for sure, its a income, but why pay your national insurance

[andy222]

As long as you have an address in the UK for mail, electoral roll and you keep paying your Stamp (national insurance) minimum amount, then i would go now.

we will keep our house here for sure, its a income, but why pay your national insurance[/QUOTE]

There are ways round that Steve without keeping your house.:xxgrinning--00xx3:

[Koala]

Steve if you are going to move here before you reach the tender age of 60 and your spending money is about 500 pounds per month that will be a tight budget. Specially in the big cities. Panglao would be a little cheaper but you would have to have your own transport to go back and forth to Tagbilaran for supplies.

If you wait until June next yr and you had 3 times that monthly budget you could live quite well.

Me and my defacto wife live on about 35,000p month but we don't pay rent.....we own our house. The biggest cost here is electricity which is the 4th highest in the world......Yes and we are in a 3rd world country.

Most of the expats who live here and are retired and don't own their properties on average their expenses are about 50,000p per month and about 10,000p of that goes on rent.

You can live here on the cheap in very cramped hot sticky 2 bedroom apartments with no aircon just a fan......but you exist....I wouldn't call it a good relaxed living.

Just wait until next year and leave all the worries behide and you and your wife will love it......at 5 oclock in the afternoon walking along the beach as the sun is going down nice cool breeze with know problems.



YET:yikes:

Koala

[Michael Parnham]

Hi Steve, you seem very excited at the prospect of living in the Philipinnes and I wish you all the best regards to your future in Bohol. When we lived in Dumaguete, our apartment was two bedroom and brand new and it only cost us p8000 (£130) per month. We lived very comfortably on a total of p55000 (approx £810) per month, in fact our standard of living was high on this amount and some months we managed to save up to £400 per month. So I dont think you will have anything to worry about on the figures you are talking about.

[lastlid]

Hi Steve, you seem very excited at the prospect of living in the Philipinnes and I wish you all the best regards to your future in Bohol. When we lived in Dumaguete, our apartment was two bedroom and brand new and it only cost us p8000 (£130) per month. We lived very comfortably on a total of p55000 (approx £810) per month, in fact our standard of living was high on this amount and some months we managed to save up to £400 per month. So I dont think you will have anything to worry about on the figures you are talking about.

Michael. I read your post with interest. Is there a specific reason why you opted to move back to the UK?

[BoholoX]

I pretty much agree with most of the posts, I'm just back from 6 years in Bohol and towards the end when there were 3 of us and a dog we were going through P50-60k a month (P9k rent, P3.5k elecy, P2k mobile/internet, P1k satellite, P2k petrol) Weekly groceries were about £5k in Tagb I suppose plus eating out/entertainment. It is possible to do it cheaper as mentioned but I tried and failed. Imported food is a killer (meat/cheese etc)

What you do have to allow for is the big ticket items, fridge/freezer, TV, laptops, multicab/SUV and also flights back to the UK for whatever reason. Electrical goods dont like the heat and humidity. I'm probably in the same boat, looking to work and save for the next 20 years and retire out there without the hassle of working which was a pain. Just lying in the sun sipping icecold SMBs. I would have to have an absolute bullet proof Health Insurance plan in place as a number 1 priority.

Good luck

[lastlid]

What you do have to allow for is the big ticket items, fridge/freezer, TV, laptops, multicab/SUV and also flights back to the UK for whatever reason. Electrical goods dont like the heat and humidity.

Yes, I guess these are no different in price to their counterparts outside of the Philippines. Ones Samsung Galaxy lll or whatever, is going to cost the same there as anywhere else.

[BoholoX]

An iPhone is about £550 anywhere in the world. Although many electrical goods are either manufactured or assembled in Subic the cost is no different. Secondhand cars also hold theirr value to a ridiculous degree, 20 year old ex-taxi Toyota Corollas that you couldnt give away here and they are still fetching £2000.

[andy222]

Thats what I mean it depends on the standard of living you expect. For me I wouldnt need a iphone a cheap nokia will do me. As for transport I could have a brand new rev and rip for £800. Transport iis cheap there.

[Michael Parnham]

Hello Lastlid, lots of reasons really as I find it too hot 365 days ayear, also lots of noise 24 hours a day, pollution, no health & safety measures in place, and if you have a serious road accident just remember there is no way you can get to a hospital quickly. Also there are lot's of catastrophes, earthquakes, floods ect. Lastlid, I have peace of mind living in the UK and sleep well at night. Don't mean to put steve or anyone else off, but what I will say is do plenty of research before you make your mind up about living in Philippines. I'm looking forward to taking Maritess for a months holiday after she has done her ILR.

[Manila_Paul]

35k a month is very doable if you have your house and lot here all paid for..

Yep, I was spending about 40k a month in the 18 months I lived in Manila. So obviously a lot less is possible if you are living in the province. Even then, I really could have gone much lower if I'd known what I know now. The main thing that I saved on were not using taxis and eating Pinoy food.

The most disappointing aspect was paying through the nose to use facilities than you could find at your local leisure centre in the UK. The masses are really poorly treated on that front. No wonder the Philippines hasn't won any medals at the olympics in years and years.

[gWaPito]

Hello Lastlid, lots of reasons really as I find it too hot 365 days ayear, also lots of noise 24 hours a day, pollution, no health & safety measures in place, and if you have a serious road accident just remember there is no way you can get to a hospital quickly. Also there are lot's of catastrophes, earthquakes, floods ect. Lastlid, I have peace of mind living in the UK and sleep well at night. Don't mean to put steve or anyone else off, but what I will say is do plenty of research before you make your mind up about living in Philippines. I'm looking forward to taking Maritess for a months holiday after she has done her ILR.

Excellent post Michael...you've thrown off the rose tinted glasses.

This is the reality.....yes, we all de stress while on holiday but what about months even years later...the security we all take for granted living in the UK all but goes out the window there.

Unless you are well minted and able to live a better life around in the Philippines than here and im meaning nice new cars big safe houses, be able to travel to UK as and when you please and of course shop without counting your pesos just like most of us do here then, for sure, me and my family personally wouldn't entertain going there.

Believe me after a while you will start making comparisons..things will start to get under your skin...if your not a fan of incompetence, you wont like it, I guarantee.

Like Michael said...make the investment and spend a length of time there..a year maybe...basing one's future on two fortnight holidays is not my idea of good preparation.

You gotta experience it yourself not hearsay..its a life time gamble...if it goes pear shaped you wanna be in a position to only put the blame on yourself.

Just my opinion Steve...Good Luck :)

[lastlid]

Hello Lastlid, lots of reasons really as I find it too hot 365 days ayear, also lots of noise 24 hours a day, pollution, no health & safety measures in place, and if you have a serious road accident just remember there is no way you can get to a hospital quickly. Also there are lot's of catastrophes, earthquakes, floods ect. Lastlid, I have peace of mind living in the UK and sleep well at night. Don't mean to put steve or anyone else off, but what I will say is do plenty of research before you make your mind up about living in Philippines. I'm looking forward to taking Maritess for a months holiday after she has done her ILR.

My thinking is more in line with your own. I have spent a lot of time in hot countries in general and one can have too much of it.

Interesting that you mention pollution. I dug this article up. I had forgotten about pollution.


"Metro Manila residents are experiencing the worst effects of pollution ever, with the nearly-feverish heat of the summer exacerbating pulmonary illnesses among Filipinos. Pollution levels are now a thousand times higher than normal, with 80 percent of the bad air quality blamed on emissions from vehicles. The situation has become so alarming that doctors belonging to the Philippine Medical Association are preparing to file a P1-billion class action suit against the DOTC and Secretary Mar Roxas for the alleged failure in enforcing the Clean Air Act, with smoke belching buses, trucks, jeepneys and other vehicles freely traversing the streets despite emission tests being mandatory prior to vehicle registration.

Health experts say almost 50 percent of medicines being bought by Metro Manila residents are indicated for respiratory infections, cardiovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) and other lung-related illnesses – all of which are linked to dangerously high levels of air pollution. Every year, over a billion pesos are lost in terms of health costs and lost productivity due to respiratory illnesses – making the simple act of breathing itself deadly."

Though I imagine it is less of an issue in the provinces.

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=796091&publicationSubCategoryId=66

However, I continue to keep an open mind on this topic.

Good to hear your viewpoint. Thanks.

[stevewool]

Thats what I mean it depends on the standard of living you expect. For me I wouldnt need a iphone a cheap nokia will do me. As for transport I could have a brand new rev and rip for £800. Transport iis cheap there.
a phone is a phone, and like you andy rev and go, we all have to remember you live to your means i am very kuriput as i am told, yes i like to spend once i know we could afford it, my aim is to live there the best i can with what i have

[stevewool]

Hello Lastlid, lots of reasons really as I find it too hot 365 days ayear, also lots of noise 24 hours a day, pollution, no health & safety measures in place, and if you have a serious road accident just remember there is no way you can get to a hospital quickly. Also there are lot's of catastrophes, earthquakes, floods ect. Lastlid, I have peace of mind living in the UK and sleep well at night. Don't mean to put steve or anyone else off, but what I will say is do plenty of research before you make your mind up about living in Philippines. I'm looking forward to taking Maritess for a months holiday after she has done her ILR.
all this advice is very good for my future , its planning and more planning before we even buy our place, but bohol/ panglao is a beautiful place i think not to crowded like a big city , there could be better places out there , who knows but we will wait till we are in bohol and rent for so long before we make our minds up, the only thing guaranted is i will not be coming back to england unless i have too

[stevewool]

Excellent post Michael...you've thrown off the rose tinted glasses.

This is the reality.....yes, we all de stress while on holiday but what about months even years later...the security we all take for granted living in the UK all but goes out the window there.

Unless you are well minted and able to live a better life around in the Philippines than here and im meaning nice new cars big safe houses, be able to travel to UK as and when you please and of course shop without counting your pesos just like most of us do here then, for sure, me and my family personally wouldn't entertain going there.

Believe me after a while you will start making comparisons..things will start to get under your skin...if your not a fan of incompetence, you wont like it, I guarantee.

Like Michael said...make the investment and spend a length of time there..a year maybe...basing one's future on two fortnight holidays is not my idea of good preparation.

You gotta experience it yourself not hearsay..its a life time gamble...if it goes pear shaped you wanna be in a position to only put the blame on yourself.

Just my opinion Steve...Good Luck :)

thanks, but you could get killed here crossing the road, mugged in the street, i am sure life there will be hard that is why i am naking sure i will have the resources to make our lives very good over there, i am no millionair but i am no poor person either, we are all differant we make our own choices whether they are right or wrong but you have to learn from them,

[andy222]

Life is a risk steve go for it mate.:xxgrinning--00xx3:.

[Manila_Paul]

This is the reality.....yes, we all de stress while on holiday but what about months even years later...the security we all take for granted living in the UK all but goes out the window there.

Unless you are well minted and able to live a better life around in the Philippines than here and im meaning nice new cars big safe houses, be able to travel to UK as and when you please and of course shop without counting your pesos just like most of us do here then, for sure, me and my family personally wouldn't entertain going there.

Believe me after a while you will start making comparisons..things will start to get under your skin...if your not a fan of incompetence, you wont like it, I guarantee

I can't say much of this was my experience. I never felt particularly threatened or menaced during my time in Manila. And I rode Jeepneys, the MRT and walked the streets around my area without any bother. Although this was an ordinary working class area, no squatter or slum area. The only thing was... getting sick. That meant a trip to the Medical City in Ortigas and a P4,000 bill. We certainly don't have to worry about that sort of thing here..... yet. As for incompetence, I can't say it was any more evident than in Britain. It is just how slow some processes are. Like Philpost. They've never lost anything of mine but why does it take so long?


Like Michael said...make the investment and spend a length of time there..a year maybe...basing one's future on two fortnight holidays is not my idea of good preparation

Agree with this.

What ended up getting to me about living in Manila was something I couldn't have envisaged before I went. And that was just being seen as *such* an outsider. In my view, a lot of Filipinos can be quite immature when it comes to foreigners. The 'Hey Joe' shouts might be amusing for a couple of weeks on holiday but, let me tell you, they really start to grate after months and months. Especially when you start to notice that the shouts are often coming from behind you, when you've walked by. Then there is the giggling when you go into stores and a staff member has to speak English. Invariably the 'nosebleed' jokes start to come out. Then there is the standard staring. What is this weird system whereby Filipinos can stare at me constantly but if I stare back I'm rude? :icon_lol: All this makes it hard work to make friends with Filipinos. I mean, it is all very adolescent at times (look at the comedy they like, ffs, Mr.Bean?) and for quite a serious guy like me, it is not an aspect I like.

It is why if I went back it'd probably have to be Makati, and not just anywhere in Manila (as before), as all the issues I had seem to be lesser there. Naturally, perhaps, because people there are dealing with more foreigners on a daily basis than anywhere else in the country. And it is certainly has the lowest quota of 'hey joe' shouters anywhere in the city! :icon_lol:

[lastlid]

And it is certainly has the lowest quota of 'hey joe' shouters anywhere in the city! :icon_lol:

Interesting post, Joe. :D


Invariably the 'nosebleed' jokes start to come out.

Whats that all about?

[gWaPito]

Like in I said :rolleyes: things eventually get under your skin. ...

[gWaPito]

Please!...use your trusty search engine to spare us:rolleyes:

My actual initial post was based on being a home owner, living and working there.

Although my views aren't consistent with a few they are with many...like I said, I agree with Michael's take. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

My idea of incompetence is how slow things moves along there...much the same we dont get here in UK.

[andy222]

First of all I dont think you can compare Manila with Bohol. Its like saying London is the same as a small villiage here. Obviously you guys have spent more time in the phils than I have but where I go I have no problems. I get on with the locals and I dont feel threatened.

[Manila_Paul]

Whats that all about?

Usually it is said (or someone pulls out an invisible handkerchief for the person in question!) when they're struggling to express something in English. In a broader context, it used for anything difficult.

[Manila_Paul]

First of all I dont think you can compare Manila with Bohol. Its like saying London is the same as a small villiage here. Obviously you guys have spent more time in the phils than I have but where I go I have no problems. I get on with the locals and I dont feel threatened.

Yep, I can't really comment much on the province. I found the stare factor went up about x10 where I went in Aklan though. :icon_lol:

[lastlid]

First of all I dont think you can compare Manila with Bohol. Its like saying London is the same as a small villiage here. Obviously you guys have spent more time in the phils than I have but where I go I have no problems. I get on with the locals and I dont feel threatened.

Yep, like saying London is the same as the Isle of Man, for example. Huge difference.

Point understood, Andy. And presumably no pollution in the provinces, I am guessing......

[andy222]

Yep, like saying London is the same as the Isle of Man, for example. Huge difference.

Point understood, Andy. And presumably no pollution in the provinces, I am guessing......

Well where my wife lives it is a growing city there is pollution there like everywhere else but not to the extent of manila. Cebu city I wasnt keen on but I liked Bohol. Aklan well I have been only to boracay twice. And it is a tourist haven I think they all stare at each other there but I never felt threatened. Oh and camiguin was nice too,

[lastlid]

Well where my wife lives it is a growing city there is pollution there like everywhere else but not to the extent of manila. Cebu city I wasnt keen on but I liked Bohol. Aklan well I have been onlly to boracay twice. And it is a tourist haven I think they all stare at each other there but I never felt threatened.

I only spent two trips in the Philippines, but I never felt that I drew stares. And I am unmissable at 6ft 1" and with skin. :icon_lol:

What got under my skin was the "in yer face" street vendors" at the resorts.

[andy222]

I will say one thing the filipinos that I have met are the proudest people of their country unfortunately not like here. Just my opinion.

[jonnijon]

Steve. I live in Phills just on a state pension and I can assure you we live very well. Admitted we have our house already. We eat out every day, BBQ nearly every night and the gin is only 2 quid a bottle.:Cuckoo:

[stevewool]

just like moving anywhere, a few years back we had a place in france, you had to learn hard there , its called getting on with your neigbours,you cant expect to walk into any other country thinking i am english and thats it, i dont intend to be in manila, i dont intend to be with a expat village,i dont intend to be sharing my thoughts and dreams over a drink talking about what i miss from my homeland,a long time ago when food and money was hard to come by here when i was a nipper, everything was grown in your back garden, thats my intensions, to go back and live of the land and sea, but knowing i have thousands in the bank for that saying JUST IN CASE, i know everyone means well, and i will take all the advice i can,even my EM thinks me mad about my container living, but we all have to start somewhere, like i have said i dont think i am a fool, i am not into buying a business, investing over there or anything, my investments are all here in england,i want to finnish my life in warmth and just being happy touring the phils and further,plus making sure Ems has enough when i am gone, or as she says she will be gone before me with all the fatty food she eats:)

[stevewool]

First of all I dont think you can compare Manila with Bohol. Its like saying London is the same as a small villiage here. Obviously you guys have spent more time in the phils than I have but where I go I have no problems. I get on with the locals and I dont feel threatened.

thank god someone has said this, its my thought too, Manila is just to fast, dont get me wrong i have only been to bohol, panglao the once but its a feeling of calm and home

[stevewool]

Steve. I live in Phills just on a state pension and I can assure you we live very well. Admitted we have our house already. We eat out every day, BBQ nearly every night and the gin is only 2 quid a bottle.:Cuckoo:

thanks jonnijon, its our intension to have a house as soon as we find the right one,

[stevewool]

I will say one thing the filipinos that I have met are the proudest people of their country unfortunately not like here. Just my opinion.

:xxgrinning--00xx3: good and bad everywhere

[stevewool]

Usually it is said (or someone pulls out an invisible handkerchief for the person in question!) when they're struggling to express something in English. In a broader context, it used for anything difficult.

never heard that before, but to tell the truth , some of the locals speak better english then many of us, plus its nice to here lots of thankyou and hello and may i help you, i must have been going to differant shops,dont get me wrong first time you walk into a shop and you cannot find what you are looking for then you have to try to explain in the way you talk to a 4 year old, before realizing they talk better then yourself

[Michael Parnham]

I will say one thing Steve, you have chosen to live on one of the nicest Islands in the Philipinnes, I sincerley wish you all the best in the future. Would love to meet you sometime.

[stevewool]

thanks Michael, i think so too,you are only a spit up the road from where we are i think, is it cresswell near clowne

[Michael Parnham]

Correct Steve!

[fred]

The 'Hey Joe' shouts might be amusing for a couple of weeks on holiday but, let me tell you, they really start to grate after months and months. Especially when you start to notice that the shouts are often coming from behind youI can quite honestly say that in the last 5 years I have not had a "hey Joe" once here in Bohol.. Out here in the province it really is very peaceful and feels very very safe to me.
I lived in Manila for 3 years in the 80`s and got that stuff ('Hey Joe') all the time.. I just used to smile at them and replied "Hi" !! I made a lot of Filipino friends that way.
No big deal... I can think of far worse scenarios just walking home from a British boozer..

[jake]

Steve,
There is no definite answer to your question as it really depends on how/where you live in the Philippines. You could live on 500 a month here but if your used to a comfortable lifestyle 1,000 plus would be a better number.

[jake]

Dave,
I moved here when i was 30 years old. Ive now been here 14 years and dont regret my decision. It is possible to make money here if you play your cards right. Started our business with the mighty some of 2,000 quid! You never know until you try.
I would love to move there, but I have to be realistic as i'm only 35 and would never earn the same money doing the same job.
My wife is trying to get us to leave London and go out to Panggasinan to get involved with the business of her sister. Which is supplying car parts. She claims they are earning a good salary enough for us to live on. I'm tempted but not stupid , but then i think why not try it for a year. It would beat living in Deptford London. I have enough money to last a while, but i dont like wasting it on bullshit ideas. So i will see

[Ako Si Jamie]

Dave,
I moved here when i was 30 years old. Ive now been here 14 years and dont regret my decision. It is possible to make money here if you play your cards right. Started our business with the mighty some of 2,000 quid! You never know until you try.£2k is nothing for starting up a business. You couldn't do it in the U.K for that amount nowadays. That's the route I'm looking to go down - starting off a biz in the Phils.

[fred]

£2k is nothing for starting up a business. You couldn't do it in the U.K for that amount nowadays. That's the route I'm looking to go down - starting off a biz in the Phils.

Jamie..
To start a business with a capital start up here with only 140,000 PHP would be very very tough proposition even if you are an extremely business minded and industrious person with a ton of experience in competing with local businessmen..
Certainly,if you are young enough,give it a go as a bit of fun and to gain some experience..
Just get ready for lots of frustration and headaches..
Its a good way to learn though and its what I did for a year or two.
Now if you are serious and have lets say 10 Million PHP,I can show you a way to make an easy 75,000 PHP per month.:grosyeux:

[jake]

Fred/Jamie,
Was a very small amount we started with with and i wont say it was easy. We lived on a very small amount every month for the first couple of years and our lifestyle was similar to a average Filipino's.
I don't have a fancy degree in business which could actually be a hindrance in the Philippines as things don't work the same as they do in other countries. The headaches and frustrations we experienced at the start are almost non existent nowadays as we learned to always have a back up plan for these days.
Another important factor is don't pee the local offs as everything you do will be become twice as hard.
Any time you guys are in the south of laguna your a welcome to drop by and see our store and manufacturing operation. Its not high tech but we can still produce up to 10,000 pairs of sandals per month.
Would want more than 75k for my 10 million :wink:

[jonnijon]

The old saying about the Philippines, "how to make a small fortune in the Philippines, go there with a very large one" :icon_lol:

[jake]

The old saying about the Philippines, "how to make a small fortune in the Philippines, go there with a very large one" :icon_lol:
:smile: think i must have got that one the wrong way round :biggrin:

[fred]

Would want more than 75k for my 10 million :wink:

Jake... I said easy money.
Ive had my trials here and have lost lots of cash in the R.P experimenting over a 15 year period.. I was bankrupt here aged 20yrs old and spent the next 3 years here with nothing... Absolutely NO regrets as I learned a lot back then and had soooo much fun in that process.
These days our business is enough..More than enough to support a large family with such things as private schools etc to pay for ,a home to run etc without external support..
Im really glad to hear that you are doing well and you have my up most respect for that...I mean that sincerely.. I will visit your operation when Im in town next although not sure when that might be.. Cheers,
Fred.

Nice looking sandals/shoes BTW !!

[Tawi2]

and if you have a serious road accident just remember there is no way you can get to a hospital quickly.
Theres a swiss guy on siquijor,Rolfe I dont know if you know him michael,used to fish over your side of the island often,he had a motorbike accident,broke his jaw,leg etc,the kid who hit him did a runner,left the island as he didnt have a licence nor insurance(surprise,surprise)and it took Rolfe a while before a jeepney took him to siquijor hospital at pangi.
Pinas isnt paradise,or if it is its got its fair quota of thorns,its rough and ready and isnt everyones idea of heaven,nice place for an extended holiday but after a while the cracks start to show,small things like "Hey joe" always amuse me,I just answer "Yeah Phil?" which puzzles them :icon_lol:
Bohol is a beautiful place,hope you enjoy it :smile: But never burn your bridges here,just in case :wink:

[Ako Si Jamie]

Now if you are serious and have lets say 10 Million PHP,I can show you a way to make an easy 75,000 PHP per month.:grosyeux::biggrin: If it was 750,000p I might be tempted to part with the stash under my bed :xxgrinning--00xx3: I get what you're saying though Fred.


Fred/Jamie,
Was a very small amount we started with with and i wont say it was easy. We lived on a very small amount every month for the first couple of years and our lifestyle was similar to a average Filipino's.
I don't have a fancy degree in business which could actually be a hindrance in the Philippines as things don't work the same as they do in other countries. The headaches and frustrations we experienced at the start are almost non existent nowadays as we learned to always have a back up plan for these days.
Another important factor is don't pee the local offs as everything you do will be become twice as hard.
Any time you guys are in the south of laguna your a welcome to drop by and see our store and manufacturing operation. Its not high tech but we can still produce up to 10,000 pairs of sandals per month.
Would want more than 75k for my 10 million :wink:Sounds very similar to how Henry Sy began :wink: and yes if I'm ever in Laguna, I'll pop in :xxgrinning--00xx3:


The old saying about the Philippines, "how to make a small fortune in the Philippines, go there with a very large one" :icon_lol:I've heard that one but there is always an exception to the rule. :biggrin:

[Tawi2]

I found the stare factor went up about x10 where I went in Aklan though.
I have a pic somewhere,I took it when I sat in a ramshackle turo-turo in Sulu,the doorway entrance has maybe 10 or 12 kids staring in at me,that was years ago,I think nowadays people dont stare as much or maybe I no longer notice it :smile:

[jake]

[QUOTE=fred;408799]Jake... I said easy money.
Was only joking. Couldn't manage that much as the 500php allowance the wife gives me doesn't go far:cwm25:
Nice to hear you have no regrets about the time you spent here in your early 20's and the fact you managed to survive for 3 years tells me that you understand how things work. Must have been fun as you have come back for more!
I had holiday here in 86 at the age of 18. My cousin was working/advising on a fish farm and came over for a 3 week holiday. Ever since then for some odd reason i have been hooked on the place and spent many a vacation here before we decided to move permanently.
Like Tawi said its not paradise but i wouldn't want to be anywhere else as i enjoy the craziness of it all.

[grahamw48]

as i enjoy the craziness of it all.

That's what does it for me. :biggrin::xxgrinning--00xx3:

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