Retirement in Pattaya Thailand🇹🇭 Living on Budget⛱️ Budgeting the Land of Smiles🍺My Opinions 😂😂 

Haha, and I like to explore Thailand

3k..jeez,v Was thinking same,That's a heck of a lot of ice cream!! Lol

My money seems to go fairly quickly throughout the month.

I'll have about $4,000/month passive income when I retire (plus nest egg) ... so knowing you can splurge on $3,000/month is reassuring for my budget. I plan to retire in Pattaya in about 5 to 6 years

Glad it’s helpful. Good luck on your journey.

You are so welcome!

I appreciate your comment. I don’t always use my entire budget. I try to save 25% for rainy day. Sometimes it’s more than that.

@@MargaritasinParadise I guess budgets are very much down to individuals and different for everyone. There is one trend though and that the average seems to be going up and I would say just before covid it was maybe $16-20k a year now its more like $20-25.

@@auwz66as someone who has been to Pattaya many times $3000 is living very good. Yes you could do it cheaper but it really comes down to your “activities”. I am also about to retire from the military with an estimated pension of 2k a month. In the US I would still have to work to support myself. Just my mortgage alone is $1200. I’m also planning to hopefully get an additional 2k a month from the VA. So that would put me at 4k a month. So someone that is 40 years old that’s great living overseas. I would be struggling in the US (according to my current lifestyle). I got a plan to get another government job after I retire. My plan is to work until I’m at least 50 then jump on a plane somewhere. Remember there are other parts of Thailand besides Pattaya and Bangkok. Smaller towns will have your money go a lot further if that’s what your worried about.

​@@auwz66that's because bar girls are more expensive now 😂

I think you’re right.

Glad you enjoyed it!

​@@MargaritasinParadiseyou shake because you see too many beautiful girls there

​@@MargaritasinParadiseyour video are great well done from Scott new Zealand coming over next year for holiday like to meet you shout you a beer

Hope you enjoy it!

@@MargaritasinParadise i will definately try to. thanks

Good luck

And thank you for your service as well.

I definitely appreciate your subscription. If you see anything I can do better, please let me know. Thanks again.

Glad you enjoyed it

The secret here is to use the Thai Military facilities. The golf courses are very challenging. Most of them don’t have an option to use a Caddy and you have a choice of whether you’re using the cart or walking. And of course they are half the price of the public courses and have the same discount like playing later in the day.

Excellent, I hope to meet up sometime

Thank you, you humble with your comments.

Well said

Sadly, not many people plan for retirement. With the cost of living crisis, it's tough to save money, but even $50 a month into a pension is better than nothing. I heard that the US will not be able to meet it's state pension commitments in 7 years. So you can bet your bottom dollar, either your taxes are going up, or retirement age is going up

I’ve heard that philosophy, my entire life. I remember my mother saying “you’ll never see Social Security.” Now I’m only 2 1/2 years away and I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Ha ha ha ha.

Excellent, any more I value my time. That’s the reason why I always try to recommend using an Agent to take care of the details and get it done the right way the first time.

I will tell you, Park Beach Condominium’s was a fantastic place to live. Phenomenal views and usually I was the only one on my floor. I really can’t tell you any bad thing about that building or the staff. Everything was fantastic. I was renting there, and maybe that had something to do with my move but in all honesty, I bought my current condo as an investment opportunity but ended up liking it so much that I just moved in. I hope you figure out what you want to do, I figure that we work so hard to get to our retirement years that we shouldn’t have to struggle to enjoy them.

Totally agree!

You definitely have the right idea.

My pleasure 😊

Best of luck!

You're welcome

I’m happy with my pickup as well. I’m hoping it’ll be the last one I ever own.

Awesome! Thank you!

I use www.tricare-overseas.com/ for most of my care. I have to pay upfront & file online for reimbursement. I also registered for the Foreign Mediacal Program but have never used it.www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE/programs/veterans/fmp/index.asp From what I understand, reimbursements take approximately 3 weeks. I'm under the impression though, If your preregistered with the hospital, the international affairs section will bill the VA directly for anything that falls under any disabilities you may have under your VA rating. I hope this helps some, Thanks for your comment.

Absolutely, I agree

I really appreciate that, I try to keep it real & by just being myself. Thank you.

You’re absolutely on target.

Thanks you

@@MargaritasinParadise your welcome sir ❤️

Thank you

The VA has The foreign medical program. I also fall under Tricare overseas Select. There’s also a group on Facebook page called Tricare in Thailand, you should definitely join that group.

I agree completely

Great perspective. Thanks for your comment.

You’re absolutely right, my friend feels like he’s living like a king.

The meds I take are prescribed. I buy them at a local pharmacy without a prescription. Thailand has different rules when it comes to prescription medication’s in general, you can walk into a pharmacy and receive most meds without a prescription. Now the exception to that rule would be narcotics for instance. They are definitely controlled.

@@MargaritasinParadise Good news. Thanks for the info!!!

You are welcome

I agree, 100%

Absolutely, I tried and had some benefits.

​@@MargaritasinParadisetry some weed will stop your shakes

You are definitely the I’ve been talking about. We should get together and do an interview?

@@MargaritasinParadise thank you very much for the kind offer. Would prefer anonymous interview preferably.

I understand

@@MargaritasinParadise I would be very happy to share my experience but I love my low profile life not connected with social media like FB or Insta. I will not be able to reply to many queries or follow ups hence the need for anonymity. However will happily share all my experiences.

I appreciate your frankness, and would love to hear more about your experiences. If you ever thought about putting anything pen to paper, you could always send your thoughts to me at margaritasinparadise@gmail.com. I could then relay your adventure & advice from that point.

I’m registered under the foreign medical program through the VA. I’m not familiar with the 24-month rule? Regardless, I normally return to the USA once a year or so.

⁠@@MargaritasinParadiseassuming I didn’t move until age 65, I’d enroll in and pay for Medicare part B each month and travel home to US, or maybe even Guam, if I had any major medical issues that didn’t require immediate hospitalization.

Great points

Thank you for your comment. My personal feelings about Jomtien is that it’s overdeveloped. I have a feeling when I’m there it’s more of a big city with massive Condominium Projects and Resort these type of buildings. Try to keep you on their facility for your entire stay by giving you everything you need right in one spot, another thing I don’t like about the area is there’s no stores like malls or large supermarket. You need to travel to Sukhumvit or central Pattaya to get these items.

@@MargaritasinParadise Many thanks for that information, much appreciated. How far are you located from pattaya?.

I live in North Pattaya, five minutes from terminal 21.

@MargaritasinParadisThank you. It would be helpful to talk about visas for retirement. Do I get one before or after I arrive? How long does it take, and I'm in England, so does that make a difference to where you are from?. Maybe you can do a video about visas, costs, duration, one-way ticket without a visa, with the aim to get one there?, and information about the process vis an agent, please. That would definitely be of interest to many viewers. Thank you very much, and I really enjoy your honesty and truthful videos.

Thank you so much for your compliment and a great idea. I’ve already taken several notes from your message and have moved up this idea to the front of the line for potential videos. It’s going to take me a little bit of research to verify the facts but I’m gonna get it done. Thanks again.

Thanks, you should check out the Facebook page Tricare in Thailand. Also the website www.tricare-overseas.com/ Lots of great information. Good luck

@@MargaritasinParadise Thanks Tom.

I use Wise app for the last several years. The app is awesome and probably saved me a lot of money. Here's a link to them, if you use this link you'll get your first transfer free up to I think 500 euro. wise.com/invite/ata/thomasc2034

😂 i first went to Pattaya in 2009 and the high speed train/monorail was imminent’ back then! It’s Thai time 😜

Absolutely, everybody can’t wait for that.

Yeah, I remember them talking about it then as well.

I’ve been told many times that the fact that I can afford an airplane ticket to come to Thailand means that I’m rich. I guess we all look at things differently. I personally don’t live a life style that I would consider to be in excess.

The wealthy investors blow their money on drugs and hookers and in turn these people uses the money to buy food and stuff for their families so in a way it goes back to reducing the wage gap.

True, it’s the big circle of life here in Pattaya.

I appreciate your comments and ideas. As far as the Tricare Overseas program, I fall under the TRICARE select and submit claims online. You should join the Tricare in Thailand Facebook page. It would give you better information than I could ever explain to you. I even believe there’s a guy on that page that has written a good book on the subject that everybody says is kind of like the Bible for the Tricare system Overseas. Also, you should check out the Tricare Overseas webpage itself for cost information. Again concerning the VA, I would refer you to their page as well. One of the things to keep in mind about all claims is, there’s going to be a deductible/cost share portion of each claim until you reach your individual threshold for that particular year I completed my C&P just prior to be retiring from the service. I requested a counselor that walk me through the process and help me go through my medical records to submit the claim. I only had one appointment at the VA and the claim took approximately six months for my rating to come through. I have two Thai bank accounts and normally transfer money from my USA account using Wise app. One key piece of advice, is to try to keep a US-based mailing address available. This will make verifying identity for USA accounts so much easier. As far as visas are concerned, I suggested you talk to a visa agent call online. They have all kinds of options, available and depending on your age and status you could qualify for a retirement visa. I use www.1stclassvisaruns.com/ I’ve mentioned this agent many times on my channel, and I want you as well as everyone else to know I don’t receive anything from them for recommending their services. I just think they’ve taken great care of me in the past and I would definitely recommend them. As far as which visas you should go with, I would recommend coming here on a Taurus visa and then if you’re going for a retirement visa, you can go for a non-O which illuminates the need for healthcare insurance for instance. But definitely talk to an agent so they can give you all the correct information.

​@@MargaritasinParadisedo you get bored living in Thailand is there plenty social clubs to join from Scott new Zealand

Sorry for not replying sooner. I just saw your message. I'm constantly busy. I sort of live on a schedule and fill in my life with short notice events & travel. 555

My condo is approximately 48 m². I’ve seen units posted on the bulletin board for rent as low as ฿7500 I think in general in this area you can find a place as low as ฿5000+. It’s all going to depend on the size of the unit and probably what side of the street you’re on.

This is my experience just from talking to friends and the normal bar room chatter. Most people living on a budget don’t have much in the bank. (Meaning less than say $200,000.) They likely have a pension, or are receiving some form of Social Security. People that do not live on a budget most likely have significant savings besides living on generous pensions, or even social security.

Exactly my situation..3,000 a month but like 50 -75 in savings..Very interested though.And,have a dog..

I love dogs. Thanks for your comment and reply.

That has worked for me for several years

I did search this “will medicare reimburse for overseas medical care” On this page www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/11037-Medicare-Coverage-Outside-United-States.pdf it states that basically medical coverage is limited outside the United States. If you dive into the plant a little bit further, there is a section G that has some additional coverage for outside the United States but it’s limited to only the first 60 days you are outside the United States. I’m not an expert on this, I found all this information with Google searches. Good luck and I hope this helps

I don’t think he’s intentionally saving money. I’m sorry if I gave you the impression that he was scraping bye, I can assure you that Gerry has everything that he wants. The impression, I got was, that he didn’t have anything to spend the money on. He stays in his condo because he likes it there and I think he feels like he has everything he needs. He’s just a super happy man.

@@MargaritasinParadise of course, each to their own. I would never attempt to tell anyone how to live their life. If Gerry is happy doing what he's doing, he's in an enviable position. Great video.

Thanks so much

Thanks for the sub!

That’s an idea, I will check with an owner and see if it’s doable.

My view starts my day. In looking for a condo, it's my number one item that cannot be changed.

You can send me an email margaritasinparadise@gmail.com

I see that a lot here, especially with the women.

Wow, you have a lot of energy. Good on you

I’m 59 years old and I moved here in January 2020. I’ve been coming to Thailand since 1987. Made my 1st trip to Pattaya in 2006.

I’m sorry you feel that way. I try to make the video with the idea that no matter what your budget is you can survive here. I have so many acquaintances that live here on US$5000 a month or more that I feel like sometimes I’m just getting by. Don’t get me wrong, I do feel fortunate as I have friends on the other end of the spectrum that live on quite a bit less. My whole point is you need to maintain a strict budget to retire here.

Don't listen to him. Most American pensions are more than 3000. Great video, and thank you for your service. There is always going to people who complain. You're doing great brother.

Thank you for your encouragement

Tell me where you can live on 3k without sacrificing western style quality of living?

There's always going to be things that you're going to miss from the place you come from. Thailand has definitely met my expectations.

I think there are 2. We have a good mix of Thai, German, UK, Belgium, Swiss, Italian & Americans. We have 29 floors with eight condos on each floor. The 32nd floor has two penthouses.

​@@MargaritasinParadiseNice. What are the ranges of ages? 50s and 60s?

I guesstimate 50 plus. I would say the majority fall in the 60-year-old to 80 year old category.

I drink bottled water. But I do shower, wash my dishes, and cook with tap water.

@@MargaritasinParadise Does it cause any itch or rash?

I've never had that problem from the tap water here, so I would say no. Matter of fact there's lots of people who actually drink the water.

That's a great point. You have to put yourself number one and try to live the best life possible.

There’s a lot of miss information about the requirements for visas. I always recommend talking to an agent. I use 1st Class Visa Runs on Soi 6. www.1stclassvisaruns.com/ There’s many options when it comes to money requirements in Thailand.

@@MargaritasinParadise thanks so much have a great day :)

You as well, have a wonderful day

Yes, there is a reason why they put it there as requirement. It's not much compared to other countries.

Still with an agent, there’s always an option.

Good question! It’s amazing to me, but more so than not, I end up running short by the end of the month. Probably too much going out in the evening.

@@MargaritasinParadise retirements for living good on ya

To good

Haha

Exactly, this is the norm.

Hahaha

Its amazing, sometimes I have extra at the end of the month, sometimes I don’t. I think, I spent too much on golf. Hahaha

@@MargaritasinParadise Soi 6 also haha.

Well, yeah!

Haha, been there, done that

@@MargaritasinParadise someone told me Lima Bravos are better have you tried one of them?

​@@VICSWEB1 Not everyone's cup of tea.

Lima bravos are very tempting here. Everyone who lives here says that eventually you will cross that street.

Exactly

That’s a good point, entertainment is probably another video. And entertainment can be expensive.

Lady drinks are normally ฿100 or $3 more than a standard drink. I’m not sure about the ladies. I would definitely ask them.

@@MargaritasinParadise what about boom boom? Is it still 1000?

OK I miss read your question on the drink question and yes, I believe lady drinks are basically the same parameters no matter who gets them. Now, I’m talking just in general and I’m sure there’s different bars or establishments that may charge different prices for lady drinks.

That’s a tough question as well to answer, I just don’t know.

@@hansumman As with anything, you pay for quality. Low quality $50 high quality $100 and anything in between.

That's the nice thing about Pattaya and Thailand in general, you can be yourself. Cheers.

I've heard the same thing before. I hear about people getting insurance then later when they try to use it, the claim is denied. People with prior health conditions are really limited and need to save serious money for future health-care. Thanks for the comment.