@@peteonretreat2023 I'm gonna park in Hua Hin as my base. Its all I think about anymore. Getting away from these hateful war mongers before China takes over. The US is done and they don't even know it. Good luck man and enjoy that sunshine and wonderful people.
You had me at Trader Joe’s Manager. Love that place but certainly understand how things can change from a work perspective, esp during Covid. Congrats on your journey and discovery and look forward to hearing more about it.
Thanks Pete! Always nice to hear about how others ended up in Thailand. Your story is a lot like mine so I found it very interesting. Thanks again your a good story teller & always enjoyable listening to your videos !
Great vlog Pete and thanks for sharing. I have just moved to Thailand and have been here a month now. This is my 11th and final visit as I hope to also retire here as well. I am currently on the DTV and will use this for a couple of years before i use the retirement visa. My finance is also funded by a a great property investment made in Aust 12 years ago and like you the price of my property nearly trippled during covid. Following a recent relationship separation I have a payout that I can live off for 6 years whilst I wait for what you call your 401K from Australia, along with a Gov pension I will also be eligible for. My gamble as you call it is the same as you and I hope with some smart planning and advice from my advisor in Australia I can make this work. Thanks for your great contribution to my confidence 😂
Another great share Pete! Good on you brother! As you know, I still have a couple more years before I sell everything and move out to Thailand. The only few differences are I will be 60, not have to wait as long to start collecting on 401k/SS and I have used this past 8 or so years coming for a month every year checking out different parts of Thailand. For the past few years, it was always going to be Phuket but after this last trip and seeing the invasion to Phuket and the rise in the cost of living there, I am more leaning towards Jomtien/Pattaya areas. A lot of things you have done and shared over this channel and especially this video amazes me that you went to the unknown and the amazing thing is that it seems like all the stars lined up prefect to pick the correct location to find happiness! Good things happen to good people my friend!
Trust me, I'm pretty amazed it's worked out so well too! lol There's been somewhat of an invasion here too and prices have increased a lot since 2019 and seemed to continue to climb a bit last year (but no where near as much). At some point (If I stay here long enough), I think I'll end up in the mountains to the north or in a newer area somewhere near Hua Hin. I say that without ever being to either area though and I think it's many years away.
I think I’m in sort of the same situation as you are. I just turned 50 this past December and I’ve been planning in my head to possibly move to Thailand someday for retirement. I’ve been to Thailand once last April, and I will be in Thailand again in about a month and a half from now, mid March. Just for three weeks. I can possibly retire at age 57 but I’d have to make some real changes to my retirement fund. By changes I mean, I’d have to up my contributions significantly so I have a better financial outcome by that time. I’m shooting for 57, but it’ll probably be 60. I work full-time right now, but I’m looking for alternative income sources, you know, side hustles, part-time jobs, etc..
@ Wishing you the best of luck. If I were to lose my job today, I would be able to make it work. I figured if I wait until 60, this not only gives me a little more time to add to my funds and investments but this also allows me the next 18 months to start selling off what I have accumulated in 58 years. Like Peteonretreat, I have a ton of music collectibles amongst a ton of other stuff to start getting rid of. I just about own my condo outright but different than Pete, I want to keep it and rent it out for 2 reasons. Having another little bit of income and if for some reason there is a black swan event or issues in Thailand, I own a place to come back to.
I love this so much!!! I too have the worm and made a scouting trip to Koh Samui after Christmas. Coming back to the US was sooo hard. I have to wait until my son graduates to make the move (and out 1.5 years) but I figure it will take that long to get everything sorted out anyway. Thanks for a great video! Always good to hear other people’s experiences!
The brainworm entered my head when I was 27, going in a 3 weeks IATA course in Bangkok (Thai airways building in Don Meuang). I finally retired at 50, after going to Bkk 4 times per year, and renounced an airline director job. I share my time 2/3 Bangkok (and Pattaya) where I own 1+1 condos, and 1/3 in my home country to visit my house, my dog, and my daughter.
Wow Pete. Congratulations on your bravery. Really awesome. I'm in L.A. and go to Trader's often. The pics you showed look like the Woodland Hills branch 😊. My plan is pretty much the same but I'm about 7 years out now. If you think it would be good content, a deeper dive into your early calculations for that 10 year window would be interesting to hear.
Thank you, I am definitely very fortunate to be living like this. I sure miss all the goodies from TJs! It might be the Woodland Hills store. I just grabbed a couple good looking shots of the internet. I’d like to do another video about budgeting and financing so I’ll add it to the list.
Great planning and thought process....really enjoyed your Video! I am heading to Thailand next month for 6 weeks. I'll be staying in the Pattaya area (Wongamat). Would love to meet up for lunch or dinner (on me) and learn a little more about your move and feelings in regards to your move. I am hoping the "worm" in my brain and the time spent there will give me that final push to make the move that I've been contemplating for the past few years.
I’m glad you enjoyed the video and congrats on your upcoming trip! I love meeting viewers so please send me an email when you get here. My address is in the description of every video.
Many thanks! 🙏🏼 I started this channel for my friends and family and then it kind of took off. Just being me has resonated with a lot of cool people so I'm just going to keep doing that.
I’m in the same boat you were in. 49, Austin, not much retirement, equity in a house. Love Thailand, and the worm has been eating my brain for about 2 years now. I have a son in high school, and my parents in their 80’s that have to come first, but at some point I will do what you did. I’ll subscribe and watch some of your content. I’m curious what you think is “enough” in your 401k and what your budget is. I most likely will need to find a part time online position to make it work myself. Thanks for the video, I enjoyed it.
Another Austinite! My 401k “was” on its way to be 7 digits by the time I turned 60 but then we had the pandemic. Years ago, they said a million is a good goal for retirement but now I hear they say 2 million? I think I’ll be fine living in Asia , even if it doesn’t hit that 7 figure mark.
Great insights, Pete. I share a lot of similarities with you. Thinking, house, leaving dad, etc. Literally today, I'm moving to Seattle from a small town to the north (Port Townsend), to take a Temp position with my old nursing job. I'll only be working for 3 or 4 months .. my call (really cool of my old manager) .. then I'm off to Bangkok to take a cooking class I've already been accepted to and partially paid for. So, no backing out now. :) At the end of this month I'll be applying for my DTV and, fingers crossed, see no reason I shouldn't be granted the visa. Steps are falling into place. Maybe not great arrival timing to Bangkok on my part (rain, heat), but that worm has taken ahold of my thinking too. I've been to various parts of Thailand over three separate trips, but never Pattaya. I hope to meet up with you someday. Oh, and one of my first moves when I get to Seattle later today? A run to Trader Joe's of course ha. Not joking! Peace.
Right on Aaron! If you do the Facebook thing, there's a cool group called "Destination Thailand Visa (DTV)" where everyone shares there experiences getting the visa. The program has been around long enough now that many people are starting to share their experiences with getting it extended. Very positive group (rare for FB). TJ's will be my second stop whenever I visit the states... right after Mexican food!
Hi Pete, I moved to Temple, TX in 1986 to work at Scott & White. I spent a lot a time in Austin and mostly dated girls there. It was the coolest place. Shady Grove, 6th & 4th st, Esther's Follies, Zilker park, riding my bike along the river trails. In 2010 a hospital in Seattle made an offer I didn't turn down. It was also a cool place. I have such great memories about Austin. I would like to hook up as I need to go to Jomtien. I enjoy ur vids very much.
Hi Pete. Thank you so much for sharing. Do you mind if I ask, without giving specifics, what the ballpark was that you thought you needed to comfortably retire? I'm like you. I'm in my 40s and I have squandered my early investment years. I don't have enough to buy a property like you did, and I think that perhaps I'm too late to really plan a retirement before I'm at least 60. I haven't yet found a vlog that really discusses how much capital you will need to retire to Thailand. Any insight you could share, based on your experience, would be really amazing. Thanks!
I sold my house in North Dallas in June 2022. Quit my job and moved to Thailand. Hopefully, I won't run out of money. I have a small IRA that will fund years 59.5 through 67 and then I'll have around $2,500 per month in SS. I own my own place here so I only have an electric bill. Well done on "breaking free".
Favorite part of the video is within the first ten seconds. You said you didn’t manage your money and bought lots of things you don’t need….and right over your shoulder is Darth Vader on a shelf 🤣 Anyways good video and congrats on the retirement, hope to join ya soon 🍻
Yeah… lol That was a business expense because I needed something for the shelf? I’m thankful for having our cat Mango. If it wasn’t for him, I’d likely be buying more cheap building brick sets her.
Thank you 🙏🏼 It really means a lot to hear people are enjoying the content. I’ve been in Pratumnak, south of Pattaya for 2 years and will be here at least 2 more but after that… it might be time to move.
@ looks beautiful. I can’t wait for my day! I have a silly question. All the videos I watch all say the apartments all get infested with weird bugs etc, is that true ? Is it possible to find a nice place that’s bug free ?
Definitely no infestation in this place. We occasionally get a bug that flies in through the open balcony doors though. In 5+ months here we’ve had a 2 wasps, 3-4 moths and a couple more exotic critters. My last place was fine for about a year but when they sprayed in many of the other rooms (a free service I declined) we ended up with roaches. With some traps and some poison, I get rid of them in about a week. The first building I was in had a few roaches but the 4 buildings since have been pretty clean. For a condo, a lot of it is how the building is managed I believe.
So far it’s worth it but I’m not sure for how much longer. Some people burn out after several years out here and that could happen to me. They’re still stuff I’m hesitant to get rid of or bring over here. If I go the house route over here someday, I’ll bring more over. I have thousands of dollars worth of stuff to sell in there still so in theory, it’s going to pay for itself at some point (hopefully).
Great info Pete. I am on plan to make the move to Thailand. Could you share how you went about selling off your belongings other than your house. Thank you!
Ok… most of my household goods (furniture, appliances, tools, clothes, etc) I sold through Facebook marketplace. I looked at it mostly as extra money since my house was my real nest egg so I priced aggressively. I listed most things at 60-80% market value which accomplished a few things for me. First, it sold quickly. I’d list things almost daily and most of it would sell the same day. Secondly, I think it cut down having to deal with bargain hunters and any undesirables. I did donate ally of stuff. Anything not worth the price of listing or taking up my time. I could’ve had one hell of a yard sale in probably meet somewhere $100 but it was worth that money for me just not to deal with it. And also allow me to go through it, slower and get rid of it in batches over the course of a couple months. I had a lot of music equipment, and I sold almost all of it to one of my good friends for about 70% market value. Again, it was just worth my time, not to part it out and deal with a bunch of people. After I sold my house, I moved into a two bedroom apartment and that’s when I focused on selling my collectibles. Unfortunately, I’m a habitual collector and I had a lot of stuff. Once again, I broke it into larger lots and didn’t get the most out of it just so that I could get rid of it easier. I’m sure some of it went to collectors and some of it went to resellers, but since I used eBay I felt like I was getting a pretty good price on everything. I considered using a third-party seller to process it all like an estate seller But selling it this way let me sort through it overtime and shrink everything down. I sold most of my stuff before listing the house and stage the house with my own belongings. Getting it listed was a big motivator for me getting rid of everything. Hope that helps, hit me up with any questions And thanks for commenting.
Hello Pete, I just discovered your channel today and watched a few of your videos (air pollution, breakdown of your living expenses and this one) and I really like the way you made these, they are very informative and interesting, so thank you (i subscribed)...I do have 2 questions: could you tell me the name of your health insurance company, that would be very interesting...I live in Switzerland where health insurance is compulsive and i pay around 600 usd a month. You mentioned that you only pay around 75. I am 66 so I would definitely pay more than you but I'm wondering how much so if I had the name of your company I could further research this. My other question concerns your visa. You are 49 years old but as far as I know, you need to be at least 50 years old to get the retirement visa which needs to be renewed every year, so I'm wondering what kind of visa you are on. I have the same brain worm that you do and I am strongly considering spending the rest of my life in Thailand. I've been to Thailand several times and know more or less what to expect. Thank you and I look forward to watching many other of your interesting videos...
Thanks for the sub and welcome to the channel. 🙏🏼 Let’s get straight to those questions. 1) I’m still on travel insurance and I’ve been saying every month that this is the month I’ll get off of it. I’ll make a video about it when I finally do but you should really check out this video asap. ruclips.net/video/qKbFiOJ7wBI/видео.htmlsi=Pti8z4YYifE5Ox6l Randall makes incredibly valuable content and this is hands down the best video I’ve seen on insurance. Currently, I’m just trying to decide on a broker. 2) I retired at 49 but I’m 51 now and currently on a retirement visa. I first came here on a visa exemption. I tried to get an education visa but I was too old according to immigration. I actually went to school for 6 months and studied Thai (there’s a couple videos about it). Since that didn’t work out, I started going to Laos to get tourist Visas and took a couple other trips (Cambodia and Japan) just to make it look like a was a touristy traveler and not moving here yet. Here’s my Laos Tourist Visa Guide: ruclips.net/video/MQhp0OK6Zd4/видео.htmlsi=JQ5WcfiD94jCTCFM No problems ever from immigration except this one. ruclips.net/video/2XkPWmoy2zc/видео.htmlsi=HOjD6UxtmNC3tuNG If I was doing it now and still 49, I might do the DTV visa instead. If you’re on Facebook, there’s a great Destination Thailand Visa group where they all help each other and share experiences. Again, welcome to the channel and thanks for commenting 🙏🏼
@@peteonretreat2023 Hi Pete and thanks very much for your response. I will be watching many of your other videos in the near future. Have a great day in Thailand. Greetings from cold and rainy Switzerland...
I’m guessing you’re new to the channel. Getting bored was my number one concern… I wish I had more time. Between the girlfriend, exercise, the charity foundation, RUclips, Dungeons and Dragons and being just a little bit social, most of my days are filled. I’ll be doing a day in the life and a week in the life video at some point this year.
@ thanks for the sub 🙏🏼 I stoped playing D&D shortly after high school but then got back into it around 2018. Since then, it’s become a big part of my social life and gives me an avenue to be creative.
What’s a 401k Pete ? Is it similar to a superannuation fund we have in Australia? We have free health care here so it’s a hard decision moving to Thailand but I suppose health care is cheap there too.
A 401k is a retirement savings plan that allows employees to contribute a portion of their paycheck to an account. Sometimes employers contribute as well (as in my case) The money in the account can grow tax-free over time, and employees can choose how to invest it
Gives me somethings to think about. I am looking at all aspects of going to Thailand. One thing I can't figure out is how to you deal with 2 party verifications when you have a Thai phone or do you keep two?
Not keeping a US number for 2 party verification is hands down my biggest regret in my planning. I have to call my bank from here too many times because I did INT. Many people port a US phone number over to Google voice. Others use services like Tello. Some use digital sims of dual sim phones.
I see some overlapping undertones in the our stories as to the "why"... we must be looking for something more than what we had. My sister was not very supportive of this idea of mine. She was the only one. But one thing that drove me to my decision was my Nieghbor telling me, "You should do it, Matt...you haven't been happy for years." If she could see that...I must've looked like it. I don't look like that now.
Thanks for this updated version of this. I'm on a similar track, and hope i can catch up to your journey some. Maybe i can earn an invite to some D&D 😜
@@peteonretreat2023 easy math for people who are asking .. 36k a year for 12 years . Had approx $400- 450k in cash with house sale and savings. At 60ish can withdraw from 401k (earlier with a ira ladder if needed) at 62 pull SSI. That will cover his 3k etc until death . Maybe 1500 from SSI and 1500 a month from investment accounts. Easy math people.. people will always say what about tax: right now you can pull 48k from cap gains tax free will go up over the next decade so Pete can live tax free as long as income he pulls/earns doesn't exceed 48k (then adjusted for inflation).
Awesome, can you do a video breaking down your investment strategy? Was it all real estate and 401k? Will you exhaust your money before you hit social security age? How does the new social security changes affect your plan?
Great questions. My investment strategy is horrible. Too worried about making the wrong move so I do nothing… which is the wrong move. Oh the irony. I definitely won’t exhaust it all before my SS kicks in but I’ll be on the lighter side. There’s a chance I might move back to the states for a couple more years of working and saving just to build up a bigger nest egg.
The better part of a year. I sold the big stuff to get my house show ready. Then sold a bit more during the escrow phase. Moved in to a 2 bedroom apartment after that and sold all the collectables.
Apologies for feeding your worm lol I’d think it’s doable. Like I said though, I’m not good with my money but I feel like someone who is shouldn’t be be able to make enough off of that to make the move.
You really should roll over your 401K into an IRA. There are many better investment options and less expenses in an IRA. I also live in Pratamnak. Have lived in Cosy but now live off of Pratamnak Soi 4.
I thought about this but I've been good at calling the recessions and market down turns over the last 17 years so I know inflation will avarage 10% per year for the next 5 years and it won't stop there as the government's around the world have no solution for the debt they have so its higher taxes and inflation. I estimated I had enough cash for 26 years and could possibly get it to 30 years plus a house and state pension in the future but the inflation is the one thing that stops me from making the leap. That and the fact that there may be a bank bail in to look forward to so I could loose it all anyway. I did a practice run end of 2022 and was so board for 4 months abroad felt like I was wasting my life. But then I'm not happy working either
That’s a pretty grim forecast and I hope it won’t be true. I don’t think inflation can run at that rate for the next four years but I’m definitely no expert. Boredom was my main concern when I retired but my experience has been the opposite. I wish I had more time.
I retired in 2021, and it was the best decision I ever made. The work world in the US changed greatly. People not working, staff shortages, WOKE and DEI. I am so glad I got out before this all hit big time. I followed you from your first video arriving in Thailand. I am considering moving to southern Italy.
I am so glad I got out when I did. I just talked to someone this week who's interested in moving to Europe after discovering Costa Rica isn't so safe anymore.
I worked in South Bay stores mostly. Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Torrance, Rancho Palos Verdes, Long Beach and Huntington Beach. I’ve been waiting for someone to notice the shirt! 😻
You were lucky you didn't fall into the trap I did, which was to get married and have a large family. I'm 55 now, with huge debts, already lost the house we live in, which will at best clear the debts we have and about to divorce, with the future of having to paying a huge amount of child support and worry about having enough of my salary left to pay rent on the smallest condo I can find. Marriage to someone who will not financially contribute is the worst decision anyone can make. Life frankly sucks, good for you to get away from this shit and find happiness, I've not been happy for years.
Man, I’m very sorry to hear about that. There’s been very few points in my life where I would’ve even considered getting married and I doubt it would’ve ended well. I’ve walked out of a relationship before because she didn’t contribute. It’s not easy to see clear choices when emotions are involved. Stay strong.
I know it is private so you probably won’t disclose what kind of money you had in the equity in your house and your 401(k) to give us an idea of what you need to make a move like that. So the video is entertaining and I am very happy for you, but it is not very helpful as far as giving somebody an understanding of whether they have the financial wherewithal to make that move.
I hear ya but this video was just about my story. I’ve touched on my finances in other videos. Basically, I got enough out of my house for 10 years at $2,500 a month with a very good sized safety nest. My 401k was on its way to 7 figures before the pandemic… now I don’t look at it 😬
@ thanks for sharing. It gives me some perspective and helps me to more accurately gauge when I can realistically make the move. You are awesome. Keep up the good work!
@@JRL101 you’re welcome. The future is a huge unknown, even for me. I really don’t know what my retirement account will look like in 9 years or if it will be enough but I knew I had to make a change.
@ The change was a great one and I’m happy for you. I hope to see you there sometime soon. In the meantime, your videos keep me focused on that goal. Thank you!
I semi retired at 41 and fully retired at 50 in 2021 and moved to pattaya. I was earning around 110k baht a month from my 3 properties and had no mortgage. However as expected, the Ausjailian government have increased their drive for the elites communist new world order and currently only earn 85k a month thanks to the government theft and insurance rip off. I've been subsidising my lost income with savings but have been told by my accountant the 33% increases will continue which will mean by 2027 my income will be only around 60k baht a month. So unfortunately I have to sell and invest my money elsewhere. My properties will net me sufficient funds until my 80s and by then I won't care. But it's pretty disgusting what the government are doing to property investors in order to destroy people making money from property. It was always going to be their first target as the communist new world order is about owning nothing yet still being happy. In my opinion I believe this is why covid was quite rightfully labelled a Scamdemic as it was a major drive towards communism in the west
Sir no offense. You had it EZ in life. Eeeeeeeezzzzzzzz. I never heard you mentioned anything about children. That’s the biggest expense and the most responsibility a parent can have. And you have stated you were not happy in your job at Trader Joe’s? I can’t say what was involved and I guess they were not going to pay you for doing nothing but you were not working outside in the heat or cold and you didn’t do a physical job. You traveled more than 99% of others could only dream of and I hope you are not here asking for sympathy.
I never asked anyone for sympathy did I? You must be new here because I constantly state how lucky I am to be here. That said, I made it happen by hard work, personal drive, making good decisions, and taking opportunities. I never complained, I merely shared my story. No, I didn’t work in the heat or cold outside all day, but I’ve permanently damaged my back from breaking down pallets of food everyday for 25 years. I get to look forward to throwing out my back 2-3 times every year for the rest of my life… and I’m still not complaining. Just stating an ignorable fact of my life. Nope, I never had kids and I never complained about my expenses. I decided early in life to forgo what many consider the greatest gift and most rewarding experience in life. Instead I worked 55-60 hours a week, breaking my back, dealing with abusive entitled customers, while trying to help 100+ employees deal with the stress and thoughts that simply selling groceries might kill them. I worked 10+ hours a day, starting as early as 3am, working as late as midnight in the same week, living off 5-6 hours of sleep and yet, I’m still not complaining. Many people have had it much easier than me and many people have worked harder than me. We all make decisions in life that we have to deal with. That was one of the points of this video. I took opportunities when they were presented. That’s just my life. I’m definitely not looking for sympathy, just answering one of the most common questions I get asked.
@ I think I have you beat. 60-72 hours a week for 40 years in the postal service as a carrier. Outside in heat up to 110+ degrees. Cold -15 degrees in snow hip high walking as if in a maze of snow. Constant rain where you would think I have jumped in a swimming pool. And all this not for myself but for my daughter. She comes first under any circumstances. The point of my former comment was there is a big difference in being responsibility only to one’s self and being completely responsible for yourself and another person most notably one’s child. Everyone has a story and it is interesting to know what road took you to Thailand. Still, I have to stand by my former statement you have retired in most cases 15 years before most US expats and as such you had it easy regardless of your working conditions. No need to get offended. If you are going to put the details of your life on RUclips for the whole world to see others will reply in kind.
@ I’m not offended. My reply was just trying to make two points. 1) I’m not asking for sympathy and 2) we all live with the choices we make. You decided to work as a postal carrier and to have a child. That’s great but it seems like you’re trying to turn that decision into a pissing test because I had it easier than you in your opinion, while knowing very little about my life outside of my career and retirement. Again, I regularly say on this channel how lucky and blessed I am to live this life, even with the medical issues that I currently have. I am truly fortunate, without a doubt. I’ve sacrificed many things to get to this point and have had struggles but I am incredibly lucky too. Sure, I put my story out there just as you put your comment out there for the whole world to see. I took no offense to your comment, I merely replied honestly to it. Yes, having a child is a bigger responsibility than only being responsible to myself (although regular viewers of my channel know about how I took care of my mother for over a decade and through her fight with cancer, moving her into my home but whatever, this shouldn’t be a pissing contest). Anyway, I thank you for taking the time to comment and apologize if I came off rudely or dismissive.
I’m not sure how I’m sacrificing life later. I can afford to rent and later in life I can probably afford to buy again but I likely won’t. The freedom of not owning a home is amazing!
Yeeessssss! Great job! I did the same and I don't regret it!
Yes Good vid, I'M on the count down 1yr 5 months. Daughter last year of school. Can't wait.
I’m hearing lots of those “waiting for them to graduate” stories lately. Your time will come before you know if.
2 years and he graduates. I hope I can stay that long but the US is taking a swift shit right now.
@@jeffleighliter5297 so glad I was able to leave when I did
@@peteonretreat2023 I'm gonna park in Hua Hin as my base. Its all I think about anymore. Getting away from these hateful war mongers before China takes over. The US is done and they don't even know it. Good luck man and enjoy that sunshine and wonderful people.
You had me at Trader Joe’s Manager. Love that place but certainly understand how things can change from a work perspective, esp during Covid. Congrats on your journey and discovery and look forward to hearing more about it.
Thank you 🙏🏼
I still love TJs and am likely to work there IF I ever need to work again but I’m definitely done with management.
Thanks Pete! Always nice to hear about how others ended up in Thailand. Your story is a lot like mine so I found it very interesting. Thanks again your a good story teller & always enjoyable listening to your videos !
Wow, thank you Mike. I really appreciate your kind words. 🙏🏼
That's a wonderful well told story. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you 🙏🏼
great video! I'm going to move to Thailand.
@@scottjohnson921 awesome! 🎉
I love your videos man thank you so much for sharing your story.
Thank you 🙏🏼
That really means a lot to hear. Thank you for being kind.
Hi, great video. Your uncle is clearly a smart guy and good luck to you. You are living the dream and long may it last.
Yes, he is and thank you 🙏🏼
I’m very lucky to be doing this.
Great vlog Pete and thanks for sharing. I have just moved to Thailand and have been here a month now. This is my 11th and final visit as I hope to also retire here as well. I am currently on the DTV and will use this for a couple of years before i use the retirement visa. My finance is also funded by a a great property investment made in Aust 12 years ago and like you the price of my property nearly trippled during covid. Following a recent relationship separation I have a payout that I can live off for 6 years whilst I wait for what you call your 401K from Australia, along with a Gov pension I will also be eligible for. My gamble as you call it is the same as you and I hope with some smart planning and advice from my advisor in Australia I can make this work. Thanks for your great contribution to my confidence 😂
You sound like you’re in good shape and are going to be smarter about your investments than I am 😆
Another great share Pete! Good on you brother! As you know, I still have a couple more years before I sell everything and move out to Thailand. The only few differences are I will be 60, not have to wait as long to start collecting on 401k/SS and I have used this past 8 or so years coming for a month every year checking out different parts of Thailand. For the past few years, it was always going to be Phuket but after this last trip and seeing the invasion to Phuket and the rise in the cost of living there, I am more leaning towards Jomtien/Pattaya areas. A lot of things you have done and shared over this channel and especially this video amazes me that you went to the unknown and the amazing thing is that it seems like all the stars lined up prefect to pick the correct location to find happiness! Good things happen to good people my friend!
Trust me, I'm pretty amazed it's worked out so well too! lol
There's been somewhat of an invasion here too and prices have increased a lot since 2019 and seemed to continue to climb a bit last year (but no where near as much).
At some point (If I stay here long enough), I think I'll end up in the mountains to the north or in a newer area somewhere near Hua Hin. I say that without ever being to either area though and I think it's many years away.
I think I’m in sort of the same situation as you are. I just turned 50 this past December and I’ve been planning in my head to possibly move to Thailand someday for retirement. I’ve been to Thailand once last April, and I will be in Thailand again in about a month and a half from now, mid March. Just for three weeks. I can possibly retire at age 57 but I’d have to make some real changes to my retirement fund. By changes I mean, I’d have to up my contributions significantly so I have a better financial outcome by that time. I’m shooting for 57, but it’ll probably be 60. I work full-time right now, but I’m looking for alternative income sources, you know, side hustles, part-time jobs, etc..
@ Wishing you the best of luck. If I were to lose my job today, I would be able to make it work. I figured if I wait until 60, this not only gives me a little more time to add to my funds and investments but this also allows me the next 18 months to start selling off what I have accumulated in 58 years. Like Peteonretreat, I have a ton of music collectibles amongst a ton of other stuff to start getting rid of. I just about own my condo outright but different than Pete, I want to keep it and rent it out for 2 reasons. Having another little bit of income and if for some reason there is a black swan event or issues in Thailand, I own a place to come back to.
I love this so much!!! I too have the worm and made a scouting trip to Koh Samui after Christmas. Coming back to the US was sooo hard. I have to wait until my son graduates to make the move (and out 1.5 years) but I figure it will take that long to get everything sorted out anyway. Thanks for a great video! Always good to hear other people’s experiences!
Wow, I’m glad you enjoyed this video so much. It took me about a year to sell everything.
The brainworm entered my head when I was 27, going in a 3 weeks IATA course in Bangkok (Thai airways building in Don Meuang). I finally retired at 50, after going to Bkk 4 times per year, and renounced an airline director job. I share my time 2/3 Bangkok (and Pattaya) where I own 1+1 condos, and 1/3 in my home country to visit my house, my dog, and my daughter.
Sounds like a good life 👍🏼
Great video, and thought provoking.
Thank you 🙏🏼
Wow Pete. Congratulations on your bravery. Really awesome. I'm in L.A. and go to Trader's often. The pics you showed look like the Woodland Hills branch 😊. My plan is pretty much the same but I'm about 7 years out now. If you think it would be good content, a deeper dive into your early calculations for that 10 year window would be interesting to hear.
Thank you, I am definitely very fortunate to be living like this. I sure miss all the goodies from TJs! It might be the Woodland Hills store. I just grabbed a couple good looking shots of the internet.
I’d like to do another video about budgeting and financing so I’ll add it to the list.
Great planning and thought process....really enjoyed your Video! I am heading to Thailand next month for 6 weeks. I'll be staying in the Pattaya area (Wongamat). Would love to meet up for lunch or dinner (on me) and learn a little more about your move and feelings in regards to your move. I am hoping the "worm" in my brain and the time spent there will give me that final push to make the move that I've been contemplating for the past few years.
I’m glad you enjoyed the video and congrats on your upcoming trip! I love meeting viewers so please send me an email when you get here. My address is in the description of every video.
Very nice video, how open you are, very cool, all the best Pete 👍🏻☀️🙂
Many thanks! 🙏🏼
I started this channel for my friends and family and then it kind of took off. Just being me has resonated with a lot of cool people so I'm just going to keep doing that.
I’m in the same boat you were in. 49, Austin, not much retirement, equity in a house. Love Thailand, and the worm has been eating my brain for about 2 years now. I have a son in high school, and my parents in their 80’s that have to come first, but at some point I will do what you did. I’ll subscribe and watch some of your content. I’m curious what you think is “enough” in your 401k and what your budget is. I most likely will need to find a part time online position to make it work myself. Thanks for the video, I enjoyed it.
Another Austinite! My 401k “was” on its way to be 7 digits by the time I turned 60 but then we had the pandemic. Years ago, they said a million is a good goal for retirement but now I hear they say 2 million? I think I’ll be fine living in Asia , even if it doesn’t hit that 7 figure mark.
Love this video! Proud of you, Pete!
Thank you Dan. Let me know when you’re going come visit!
Great insights, Pete. I share a lot of similarities with you. Thinking, house, leaving dad, etc. Literally today, I'm moving to Seattle from a small town to the north (Port Townsend), to take a Temp position with my old nursing job. I'll only be working for 3 or 4 months .. my call (really cool of my old manager) .. then I'm off to Bangkok to take a cooking class I've already been accepted to and partially paid for. So, no backing out now. :) At the end of this month I'll be applying for my DTV and, fingers crossed, see no reason I shouldn't be granted the visa. Steps are falling into place. Maybe not great arrival timing to Bangkok on my part (rain, heat), but that worm has taken ahold of my thinking too. I've been to various parts of Thailand over three separate trips, but never Pattaya. I hope to meet up with you someday. Oh, and one of my first moves when I get to Seattle later today? A run to Trader Joe's of course ha. Not joking! Peace.
Right on Aaron! If you do the Facebook thing, there's a cool group called "Destination Thailand Visa (DTV)" where everyone shares there experiences getting the visa. The program has been around long enough now that many people are starting to share their experiences with getting it extended. Very positive group (rare for FB).
TJ's will be my second stop whenever I visit the states... right after Mexican food!
Thanks Pete. Enjoyed this 👍
My pleasure 🙏🏼
I’m glad you enjoyed it
Hi Pete, I moved to Temple, TX in 1986 to work at Scott & White. I spent a lot a time in Austin and mostly dated girls there. It was the coolest place. Shady Grove, 6th & 4th st, Esther's Follies, Zilker park, riding my bike along the river trails. In 2010 a hospital in Seattle made an offer I didn't turn down. It was also a cool place. I have such great memories about Austin. I would like to hook up as I need to go to Jomtien. I enjoy ur vids very much.
Yeah, Austin is amazing. So much to offer and I definitely miss it.
Im happy to meet up sometime. My email is in the description of every video.
Coming with cat and camper..🐈🤘
Love it!
@peteonretreat2023 Driving from italy btw..🤣I've would like to stay first some time in Russiaa!..🤘
Coming slowly anyway..
@@NickCenterRock driving from Italy???? I really hope you're documenting this on RUclips! It sounds like an AMAZING journey!
@@peteonretreat2023 not very social active but I'll do something..eventually when I'll reach Thai I'll get in touch..☝️🙆♂️
Great overview of your thought process at the time of critical decision making.
Thank you 🙏🏼
It’s fun going through the whole thing in my head again. One of the things I love about doing RUclips is having videos to look back upon
I have my tickets for May. Goal is basically retired at 41 but will still probably do some part time remote work
RUclips has become part time work but the pay is horrible lol.
Almost perfect timing for selling that Austin real estate before it started to go down in price
Yeah, I went past the peak by just a few months but I definitely got out in time. I’d likely still be there if I didn’t.
Excellent Videos! I am a Native of Oakland California! I love Bangkok! I think Pattaya is where I would live!
Thank you 🙏🏼
I have a funny story about Oakland…
Hi Pete. Thank you so much for sharing. Do you mind if I ask, without giving specifics, what the ballpark was that you thought you needed to comfortably retire? I'm like you. I'm in my 40s and I have squandered my early investment years. I don't have enough to buy a property like you did, and I think that perhaps I'm too late to really plan a retirement before I'm at least 60. I haven't yet found a vlog that really discusses how much capital you will need to retire to Thailand. Any insight you could share, based on your experience, would be really amazing. Thanks!
Same, would love to know financial details.
I sold my house in North Dallas in June 2022. Quit my job and moved to Thailand.
Hopefully, I won't run out of money. I have a small IRA that will fund years 59.5 through 67 and then I'll have around $2,500 per month in SS.
I own my own place here so I only have an electric bill.
Well done on "breaking free".
Well done to you to 🍻
What part of Thailand did you settle in??
2 years near Pattaya with at least 2 more to go. Then, we’ll see.
Have a nice day 😊🎉❤
Thank you krab 🙏🏼
Favorite part of the video is within the first ten seconds. You said you didn’t manage your money and bought lots of things you don’t need….and right over your shoulder is Darth Vader on a shelf 🤣
Anyways good video and congrats on the retirement, hope to join ya soon 🍻
Yeah… lol
That was a business expense because I needed something for the shelf?
I’m thankful for having our cat Mango. If it wasn’t for him, I’d likely be buying more cheap building brick sets her.
Really enjoy your videos Pete.
Thanks for sharing.
Which town in Thailand have you ultimately called “home”?
Thank you 🙏🏼
It really means a lot to hear people are enjoying the content. I’ve been in Pratumnak, south of Pattaya for 2 years and will be here at least 2 more but after that… it might be time to move.
@ looks beautiful. I can’t wait for my day! I have a silly question.
All the videos I watch all say the apartments all get infested with weird bugs etc, is that true ? Is it possible to find a nice place that’s bug free ?
Definitely no infestation in this place. We occasionally get a bug that flies in through the open balcony doors though. In 5+ months here we’ve had a 2 wasps, 3-4 moths and a couple more exotic critters.
My last place was fine for about a year but when they sprayed in many of the other rooms (a free service I declined) we ended up with roaches. With some traps and some poison, I get rid of them in about a week.
The first building I was in had a few roaches but the 4 buildings since have been pretty clean. For a condo, a lot of it is how the building is managed I believe.
Great video. I think you have mentioned that you have a storage unit back home. Knowing what you know now, do you think it is worth it?
So far it’s worth it but I’m not sure for how much longer. Some people burn out after several years out here and that could happen to me. They’re still stuff I’m hesitant to get rid of or bring over here. If I go the house route over here someday, I’ll bring more over. I have thousands of dollars worth of stuff to sell in there still so in theory, it’s going to pay for itself at some point (hopefully).
Inspirational
Wow, thank you 🙏🏼
That means a lot to me and it's that kind of feedback that has kept me doing this.
Great info Pete. I am on plan to make the move to Thailand. Could you share how you went about selling off your belongings other than your house. Thank you!
Ok… most of my household goods (furniture, appliances, tools, clothes, etc) I sold through Facebook marketplace. I looked at it mostly as extra money since my house was my real nest egg so I priced aggressively. I listed most things at 60-80% market value which accomplished a few things for me. First, it sold quickly. I’d list things almost daily and most of it would sell the same day. Secondly, I think it cut down having to deal with bargain hunters and any undesirables.
I did donate ally of stuff. Anything not worth the price of listing or taking up my time. I could’ve had one hell of a yard sale in probably meet somewhere $100 but it was worth that money for me just not to deal with it. And also allow me to go through it, slower and get rid of it in batches over the course of a couple months.
I had a lot of music equipment, and I sold almost all of it to one of my good friends for about 70% market value. Again, it was just worth my time, not to part it out and deal with a bunch of people.
After I sold my house, I moved into a two bedroom apartment and that’s when I focused on selling my collectibles. Unfortunately, I’m a habitual collector and I had a lot of stuff. Once again, I broke it into larger lots and didn’t get the most out of it just so that I could get rid of it easier. I’m sure some of it went to collectors and some of it went to resellers, but since I used eBay I felt like I was getting a pretty good price on everything.
I considered using a third-party seller to process it all like an estate seller But selling it this way let me sort through it overtime and shrink everything down.
I sold most of my stuff before listing the house and stage the house with my own belongings. Getting it listed was a big motivator for me getting rid of everything. Hope that helps, hit me up with any questions And thanks for commenting.
thanks Pete, great info, very helpful, thanks for sharing what is possible!
@@peteonretreat2023
Good info
Hello Pete, I just discovered your channel today and watched a few of your videos (air pollution, breakdown of your living expenses and this one) and I really like the way you made these, they are very informative and interesting, so thank you (i subscribed)...I do have 2 questions: could you tell me the name of your health insurance company, that would be very interesting...I live in Switzerland where health insurance is compulsive and i pay around 600 usd a month. You mentioned that you only pay around 75. I am 66 so I would definitely pay more than you but I'm wondering how much so if I had the name of your company I could further research this. My other question concerns your visa. You are 49 years old but as far as I know, you need to be at least 50 years old to get the retirement visa which needs to be renewed every year, so I'm wondering what kind of visa you are on. I have the same brain worm that you do and I am strongly considering spending the rest of my life in Thailand. I've been to Thailand several times and know more or less what to expect. Thank you and I look forward to watching many other of your interesting videos...
Thanks for the sub and welcome to the channel. 🙏🏼 Let’s get straight to those questions.
1) I’m still on travel insurance and I’ve been saying every month that this is the month I’ll get off of it. I’ll make a video about it when I finally do but you should really check out this video asap. ruclips.net/video/qKbFiOJ7wBI/видео.htmlsi=Pti8z4YYifE5Ox6l
Randall makes incredibly valuable content and this is hands down the best video I’ve seen on insurance. Currently, I’m just trying to decide on a broker.
2) I retired at 49 but I’m 51 now and currently on a retirement visa. I first came here on a visa exemption. I tried to get an education visa but I was too old according to immigration. I actually went to school for 6 months and studied Thai (there’s a couple videos about it). Since that didn’t work out, I started going to Laos to get tourist Visas and took a couple other trips (Cambodia and Japan) just to make it look like a was a touristy traveler and not moving here yet. Here’s my Laos Tourist Visa Guide: ruclips.net/video/MQhp0OK6Zd4/видео.htmlsi=JQ5WcfiD94jCTCFM
No problems ever from immigration except this one. ruclips.net/video/2XkPWmoy2zc/видео.htmlsi=HOjD6UxtmNC3tuNG
If I was doing it now and still 49, I might do the DTV visa instead. If you’re on Facebook, there’s a great Destination Thailand Visa group where they all help each other and share experiences.
Again, welcome to the channel and thanks for commenting 🙏🏼
@@peteonretreat2023 Hi Pete and thanks very much for your response. I will be watching many of your other videos in the near future. Have a great day in Thailand. Greetings from cold and rainy Switzerland...
Very good video. 42 a traveler welder no kids never married. Im planning on moving to Thailand in 2 years. Im saving $ and putting $ in my 401 k.
No kids and never married here too. That freedom definitely helped me lol
I just wonder what your typical day is like as retired. My personal worry is getting bored, not doing much of anything.
I’m guessing you’re new to the channel. Getting bored was my number one concern… I wish I had more time. Between the girlfriend, exercise, the charity foundation, RUclips, Dungeons and Dragons and being just a little bit social, most of my days are filled.
I’ll be doing a day in the life and a week in the life video at some point this year.
@@peteonretreat2023 Thank you for your reply. Dungeons and Dragons -- have not played that since high school. #Subscribed
@ thanks for the sub 🙏🏼
I stoped playing D&D shortly after high school but then got back into it around 2018. Since then, it’s become a big part of my social life and gives me an avenue to be creative.
What’s a 401k Pete ? Is it similar to a superannuation fund we have in Australia? We have free health care here so it’s a hard decision moving to Thailand but I suppose health care is cheap there too.
A 401k is a retirement savings plan that allows employees to contribute a portion of their paycheck to an account. Sometimes employers contribute as well (as in my case) The money in the account can grow tax-free over time, and employees can choose how to invest it
Gives me somethings to think about. I am looking at all aspects of going to Thailand. One thing I can't figure out is how to you deal with 2 party verifications when you have a Thai phone or do you keep two?
Not keeping a US number for 2 party verification is hands down my biggest regret in my planning.
I have to call my bank from here too many times because I did INT.
Many people port a US phone number over to Google voice. Others use services like Tello. Some use digital sims of dual sim phones.
@@peteonretreat2023 Thanks gives me something to check out.
You’re welcome. Whenever I finally visit the states, I’ll be looking into getting a U.S. number again.
I see some overlapping undertones in the our stories as to the "why"... we must be looking for something more than what we had. My sister was not very supportive of this idea of mine. She was the only one. But one thing that drove me to my decision was my Nieghbor telling me, "You should do it, Matt...you haven't been happy for years." If she could see that...I must've looked like it. I don't look like that now.
I bet you got a whole new pep in your step for sure. I get the naysayers, it is crazy but so is working my ads off to be unhappy.
Thanks for this updated version of this.
I'm on a similar track, and hope i can catch up to your journey some.
Maybe i can earn an invite to some D&D 😜
Another D&D player? Sweet!
How much money did you move there with ? Considering the same I have a house an business maybe selling
Enough to at least cover $3k a month until my retirement kicks in at 60.
@@peteonretreat2023 easy math for people who are asking .. 36k a year for 12 years . Had approx $400- 450k in cash with house sale and savings. At 60ish can withdraw from 401k (earlier with a ira ladder if needed) at 62 pull SSI. That will cover his 3k etc until death . Maybe 1500 from SSI and 1500 a month from investment accounts. Easy math people.. people will always say what about tax: right now you can pull 48k from cap gains tax free will go up over the next decade so Pete can live tax free as long as income he pulls/earns doesn't exceed 48k (then adjusted for inflation).
Seem like a great guy. I hope you find a kind wife out there.
I’m definitely not looking for a wife here but I might’ve found a good one anyway.
That was good
Aw, thanks. Glad you liked it. I wanted to film outside but the air this week was pretty bad.
Awesome, can you do a video breaking down your investment strategy? Was it all real estate and 401k? Will you exhaust your money before you hit social security age? How does the new social security changes affect your plan?
Great questions. My investment strategy is horrible. Too worried about making the wrong move so I do nothing… which is the wrong move. Oh the irony.
I definitely won’t exhaust it all before my SS kicks in but I’ll be on the lighter side. There’s a chance I might move back to the states for a couple more years of working and saving just to build up a bigger nest egg.
I have a similar plan. Fall back to work and additional 2 years if I deplete then portfolio to fast.
How long did it take for you to sell off everything?
I'm about to do the same thing and move to SE Asia...
The better part of a year. I sold the big stuff to get my house show ready. Then sold a bit more during the escrow phase. Moved in to a 2 bedroom apartment after that and sold all the collectables.
Savage Stud Muffin Handsome Man
Maybe sometimes… on a good day
My worm is alive!!! I have no idea what the dollar amount would be to get out there. Would 200k do it? So I can figure out some passive incomes etc?
Apologies for feeding your worm lol
I’d think it’s doable. Like I said though, I’m not good with my money but I feel like someone who is shouldn’t be be able to make enough off of that to make the move.
You really should roll over your 401K into an IRA. There are many better investment options and less expenses in an IRA. I also live in Pratamnak. Have lived in Cosy but now live off of Pratamnak Soi 4.
My uncle, the one who’s good with money, has been saying the same thing for 2 years lol
This year, this year…
@@peteonretreat2023You can do it! Lemme know if you need help/motivation.
@@peteonretreat2023 I've looked at it a bit. Vanguard and Fidelity seem to be the best places for an IRA.
@@peteonretreat2023 that’s a smart uncle! 😉
Thank you 🙏🏼
I thought about this but I've been good at calling the recessions and market down turns over the last 17 years so I know inflation will avarage 10% per year for the next 5 years and it won't stop there as the government's around the world have no solution for the debt they have so its higher taxes and inflation. I estimated I had enough cash for 26 years and could possibly get it to 30 years plus a house and state pension in the future but the inflation is the one thing that stops me from making the leap. That and the fact that there may be a bank bail in to look forward to so I could loose it all anyway. I did a practice run end of 2022 and was so board for 4 months abroad felt like I was wasting my life. But then I'm not happy working either
That’s a pretty grim forecast and I hope it won’t be true. I don’t think inflation can run at that rate for the next four years but I’m definitely no expert.
Boredom was my main concern when I retired but my experience has been the opposite. I wish I had more time.
I retired in 2021, and it was the best decision I ever made. The work world in the US changed greatly. People not working, staff shortages, WOKE and DEI. I am so glad I got out before this all hit big time. I followed you from your first video arriving in Thailand. I am considering moving to southern Italy.
I am so glad I got out when I did. I just talked to someone this week who's interested in moving to Europe after discovering Costa Rica isn't so safe anymore.
Which Trader Joe’s in LA did you work at? And nice kitty cat shirt, by the way.
I worked in South Bay stores mostly. Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Torrance, Rancho Palos Verdes, Long Beach and Huntington Beach.
I’ve been waiting for someone to notice the shirt! 😻
@ you know me, always cat crazy!
Just make sure you keep a tight grip of your money in Pattaya😅
Not hard for me 😅
You were lucky you didn't fall into the trap I did, which was to get married and have a large family. I'm 55 now, with huge debts, already lost the house we live in, which will at best clear the debts we have and about to divorce, with the future of having to paying a huge amount of child support and worry about having enough of my salary left to pay rent on the smallest condo I can find. Marriage to someone who will not financially contribute is the worst decision anyone can make. Life frankly sucks, good for you to get away from this shit and find happiness, I've not been happy for years.
Man, I’m very sorry to hear about that. There’s been very few points in my life where I would’ve even considered getting married and I doubt it would’ve ended well.
I’ve walked out of a relationship before because she didn’t contribute. It’s not easy to see clear choices when emotions are involved. Stay strong.
trader joes rocks 2 buck chuck is the best value on the planet other than lao kao
I do miss TJs wine 🍷
Crazy real estate prices will fall closer to their utility value, and their store of value component will partly go into bitcoin.
If the pandemic taught me anything, it’s that you never know what’s going to happen.
you should pay attention to your 401 k...Just be safe
That I should, I definitely should
I know it is private so you probably won’t disclose what kind of money you had in the equity in your house and your 401(k) to give us an idea of what you need to make a move like that. So the video is entertaining and I am very happy for you, but it is not very helpful as far as giving somebody an understanding of whether they have the financial wherewithal to make that move.
I hear ya but this video was just about my story. I’ve touched on my finances in other videos. Basically, I got enough out of my house for 10 years at $2,500 a month with a very good sized safety nest. My 401k was on its way to 7 figures before the pandemic… now I don’t look at it 😬
@ thanks for sharing. It gives me some perspective and helps me to more accurately gauge when I can realistically make the move. You are awesome. Keep up the good work!
@@JRL101 you’re welcome. The future is a huge unknown, even for me. I really don’t know what my retirement account will look like in 9 years or if it will be enough but I knew I had to make a change.
@ The change was a great one and I’m happy for you. I hope to see you there sometime soon. In the meantime, your videos keep me focused on that goal. Thank you!
Geo Arbitrage all the way, I did same
Wow, I had to look that term up 👍🏼
I semi retired at 41 and fully retired at 50 in 2021 and moved to pattaya. I was earning around 110k baht a month from my 3 properties and had no mortgage. However as expected, the Ausjailian government have increased their drive for the elites communist new world order and currently only earn 85k a month thanks to the government theft and insurance rip off.
I've been subsidising my lost income with savings but have been told by my accountant the 33% increases will continue which will mean by 2027 my income will be only around 60k baht a month. So unfortunately I have to sell and invest my money elsewhere.
My properties will net me sufficient funds until my 80s and by then I won't care.
But it's pretty disgusting what the government are doing to property investors in order to destroy people making money from property. It was always going to be their first target as the communist new world order is about owning nothing yet still being happy. In my opinion I believe this is why covid was quite rightfully labelled a Scamdemic as it was a major drive towards communism in the west
That sounds like a horrible situation andi hope you find a good way out. Seems like you’re already working on it.
Sir no offense. You had it EZ in life. Eeeeeeeezzzzzzzz. I never heard you mentioned anything about children. That’s the biggest expense and the most responsibility a parent can have. And you have stated you were not happy in your job at Trader Joe’s? I can’t say what was involved and I guess they were not going to pay you for doing nothing but you were not working outside in the heat or cold and you didn’t do a physical job. You traveled more than 99% of others could only dream of and I hope you are not here asking for sympathy.
I never asked anyone for sympathy did I? You must be new here because I constantly state how lucky I am to be here. That said, I made it happen by hard work, personal drive, making good decisions, and taking opportunities.
I never complained, I merely shared my story. No, I didn’t work in the heat or cold outside all day, but I’ve permanently damaged my back from breaking down pallets of food everyday for 25 years. I get to look forward to throwing out my back 2-3 times every year for the rest of my life… and I’m still not complaining. Just stating an ignorable fact of my life.
Nope, I never had kids and I never complained about my expenses. I decided early in life to forgo what many consider the greatest gift and most rewarding experience in life. Instead I worked 55-60 hours a week, breaking my back, dealing with abusive entitled customers, while trying to help 100+ employees deal with the stress and thoughts that simply selling groceries might kill them. I worked 10+ hours a day, starting as early as 3am, working as late as midnight in the same week, living off 5-6 hours of sleep and yet, I’m still not complaining.
Many people have had it much easier than me and many people have worked harder than me. We all make decisions in life that we have to deal with. That was one of the points of this video. I took opportunities when they were presented.
That’s just my life. I’m definitely not looking for sympathy, just answering one of the most common questions I get asked.
@ I think I have you beat. 60-72 hours a week for 40 years in the postal service as a carrier. Outside in heat up to 110+ degrees. Cold -15 degrees in snow hip high walking as if in a maze of snow. Constant rain where you would think I have jumped in a swimming pool. And all this not for myself but for my daughter. She comes first under any circumstances.
The point of my former comment was there is a big difference in being responsibility only to one’s self and being completely responsible for yourself and another person most notably one’s child. Everyone has a story and it is interesting to know what road took you to Thailand. Still, I have to stand by my former statement you have retired in most cases 15 years before most US expats and as such you had it easy regardless of your working conditions. No need to get offended. If you are going to put the details of your life on RUclips for the whole world to see others will reply in kind.
@ I’m not offended. My reply was just trying to make two points. 1) I’m not asking for sympathy and 2) we all live with the choices we make. You decided to work as a postal carrier and to have a child. That’s great but it seems like you’re trying to turn that decision into a pissing test because I had it easier than you in your opinion, while knowing very little about my life outside of my career and retirement.
Again, I regularly say on this channel how lucky and blessed I am to live this life, even with the medical issues that I currently have. I am truly fortunate, without a doubt. I’ve sacrificed many things to get to this point and have had struggles but I am incredibly lucky too.
Sure, I put my story out there just as you put your comment out there for the whole world to see. I took no offense to your comment, I merely replied honestly to it. Yes, having a child is a bigger responsibility than only being responsible to myself (although regular viewers of my channel know about how I took care of my mother for over a decade and through her fight with cancer, moving her into my home but whatever, this shouldn’t be a pissing contest). Anyway, I thank you for taking the time to comment and apologize if I came off rudely or dismissive.
You're plan is flawed Pete.
Going into old age without owning a home is not a good plan.
Happy life now
But sacrificing life later 😢
I’m not sure how I’m sacrificing life later. I can afford to rent and later in life I can probably afford to buy again but I likely won’t. The freedom of not owning a home is amazing!