What are you doing right now..? (Threads Merged)

[Glasseye]

Compound interest.... it adds up big over 30-40 years.

 

A $4,000/month check becomes a $9,827/month check after 30 

years of 3% annual increases.

 

40 years = $13,260/month

 

If you factor the increases along with living below your affordable "standard of living" plus relocate to a place with much lower average housing costs,, and ditch the car..... you can live a pretty decent life.

Trying to compete with the Jones' back in the U.S. with swimming pool$, three cars, kids braces and college tuition.... you are doomed for the trash heap.

Back in the day when my parents did it (I'm still not sure how they pieced it all together) it was possible. Now.... ? You can forget about it.

 

 

 

[biggles]

Wouldn't inflation lower the purchasing power of your 2053 dollar tho? At only 2.5% p.a inflation rate $9,827 a month would only be equal to $4,700 a month by then. 

[Krapow]

On plane at Gatwick, about to take off.

[KhunDon]

12 hours ago, galenkia said:

Got sacked.

Don’t bother me actually as it gives me more time with Jan. Will miss my mates there though. Financially I’m fine with the money Jan gave me and my savings and pensions.

I’ll probably look for something in the new year as I like a structured day and sense of purpose. Need time to deal with Jan’s death and grieve for her.

Sounds like you’re keeping positive and making plans despite the outcome of the HR decision.
Well done. 👍🤗

[KhunDon]

4 hours ago, Glasseye said:

Compound interest.... it adds up big over 30-40 years.

 

A $4,000/month check becomes a $9,827/month check after 30 

years of 3% annual increases.

 

40 years = $13,260/month

 

If you factor the increases along with living below your affordable "standard of living" plus relocate to a place with much lower average housing costs,, and ditch the car..... you can live a pretty decent life.

Trying to compete with the Jones' back in the U.S. with swimming pool$, three cars, kids braces and college tuition.... you are doomed for the trash heap.

Back in the day when my parents did it (I'm still not sure how they pieced it all together) it was possible. Now.... ? You can forget about it.

 

 

 

Compound interest is what made Warren Buffet one of the richest guys in the world, he swore by it. 🥇

My dad always instilled in us that don’t buy anything if you can’t afford it. Back then there were no such things as Credit Cards, or if there was we’d never heard of them. 
I’ve stuck to his advice over the years and after selling my first house which I bought for £7,100 in very early 70’s, I’ve never had a mortgage since and always paid cash.

If I needed something, then I’d save for it, things like double glazing, new kitchen etc.

My company paid for my cars and hotels etc, which also helped me to save as I lived off of expenses most years, which enabled me to squirrel more money away for my future. 

I didn’t have a credit card (except one that my employer gave me for expenses etc and which they paid off every month) until 2 years ago which is always paid off by Direct Debit every month and used as extra guarantees for expensive stuff if it goes wrong or doesn’t get delivered. 

I’ve never owed money to anyone, ever and despite going without many times, the feeling of not being in debt has helped me over the years, as I saw friends going to the wall with huge debts because they bought shit to keep up with the Jones’s. 

I can’t understand people who live way beyond their means, then when their lives turn to shit they blame the government for high interest rate’s pushing up their CC interest payments. 

 

[boydeste]

1 hour ago, Krapow said:

On plane at Gatwick, about to take off.

Safe travels.

[boydeste]

14 hours ago, galenkia said:

Got sacked.

Don’t bother me actually as it gives me more time with Jan. Will miss my mates there though. Financially I’m fine with the money Jan gave me and my savings and pensions.

I’ll probably look for something in the new year as I like a structured day and sense of purpose. Need time to deal with Jan’s death and grieve for her.

Sorry to hear that mate, but in a strange way it may of done you a favour.

You can give Jan all the time she needs.

Later on down the line you will feel pretty good about yourself that you were able to do that and it will help you get through the difficult mourning period after.

Edited October 17, 2023 by boydeste

[boydeste]

Just drinking my first cup of tea for the day whilst watching Tim Newton, I quite enjoy his style of reporting.

Taking my mate to hospital at 10 for an X-ray on his hip. He is suffering a lot of pain and trying to get something done. So far the pain killers are not doing much and his last injection has worn off.

[Glasseye]

1 hour ago, KhunDon said:

Compound interest is what made Warren Buffet one of the richest guys in the world, he swore by it. 🥇

My dad always instilled in us that don’t buy anything if you can’t afford it. Back then there were no such things as Credit Cards, or if there was we’d never heard of them. 
I’ve stuck to his advice over the years and after selling my first house which I bought for £7,100 in very early 70’s, I’ve never had a mortgage since and always paid cash.

If I needed something, then I’d save for it, things like double glazing, new kitchen etc.

My company paid for my cars and hotels etc, which also helped me to save as I lived off of expenses most years, which enabled me to squirrel more money away for my future. 

I didn’t have a credit card (except one that my employer gave me for expenses etc and which they paid off every month) until 2 years ago which is always paid off by Direct Debit every month and used as extra guarantees for expensive stuff if it goes wrong or doesn’t get delivered. 

I’ve never owed money to anyone, ever and despite going without many times, the feeling of not being in debt has helped me over the years, as I saw friends going to the wall with huge debts because they bought shit to keep up with the Jones’s. 

I can’t understand people who live way beyond their means, then when their lives turn to shit they blame the government for high interest rate’s pushing up their CC interest payments. 

 

 

I wish I could say the same. I have to admit I've made some mistakes, some of them huge. But, I have always had my base to support me.

Rebuilding now...it'll take a couple more years to be back where I want to be. The base income will get me there (or a stroke will put me six feet under - for now the odds are in my favor).

 

 

[Glasseye]

29 minutes ago, boydeste said:

Just drinking my first cup of tea for the day whilst watching Tim Newton, I quite enjoy his style of reporting.

Taking my mate to hospital at 10 for an X-ray on his hip. He is suffering a lot of pain and trying to get something done. So far the pain killers are not doing much and his last injection has worn off.

 

Sorry to hear that. I watch him often. 

 

That kind of pain is agonizing. I wish him the best.

 

*** One thing to hope for as we age is that science will come up with better and safer methods for treating pain, both acute and chronic.

[Derek Dangleberries]

 A post by @Trip regarding The Hogs Breath has got my thoughts meandering back to International Schools in Thailand. Particularly a major, well known one.

Perhaps @KhunDon @Krapow @Horizondave would be interested to hear... and have their decisions confirmed!!

Hogs Breath moved to Pattaya on Soi 46/3 Suk. A short walk from where I now live. It was nothing special. In fact I would call it weird, but that isn't the point. The daughter of the owner attended the school on Arunothai with my daughter. She achieved Head Student and led the whole year into the final day award ceremony in front of the whole school. She stood tall, proud and full of confidence. An athlete, an academic and a wonderful girl!

Anyways I never saw her again until I was sitting in The Hogs Breath. I had no idea that is where she lived until she came in from upstairs. She looked totally transformed ... and not it a good way! Chatting to the owner, he said that they sent her to The International School and that it had completely destroyed her ! Big fish small pond to small fish big pond syndrome for sure but she looked a nervous wreck and was refusing to go to school. Apparently the school concentrated on nurturing high potential (high earners?) and sod the rest.

I've never been back and it has since closed down but my heart went out to that poor girl..!!

[Trip]

2 hours ago, KhunDon said:

Compound interest is what made Warren Buffet one of the richest guys in the world, he swore by it. 🥇

My dad always instilled in us that don’t buy anything if you can’t afford it. Back then there were no such things as Credit Cards, or if there was we’d never heard of them. 
I’ve stuck to his advice over the years and after selling my first house which I bought for £7,100 in very early 70’s, I’ve never had a mortgage since and always paid cash.

If I needed something, then I’d save for it, things like double glazing, new kitchen etc.

My company paid for my cars and hotels etc, which also helped me to save as I lived off of expenses most years, which enabled me to squirrel more money away for my future. 

I didn’t have a credit card (except one that my employer gave me for expenses etc and which they paid off every month) until 2 years ago which is always paid off by Direct Debit every month and used as extra guarantees for expensive stuff if it goes wrong or doesn’t get delivered. 

I’ve never owed money to anyone, ever and despite going without many times, the feeling of not being in debt has helped me over the years, as I saw friends going to the wall with huge debts because they bought shit to keep up with the Jones’s. 

I can’t understand people who live way beyond their means, then when their lives turn to shit they blame the government for high interest rate’s pushing up their CC interest payments. 

 

One of my favorite quotes from Albert E;

Albert Einstein said, “The most powerful force in the Universe is compound interest.” He referred to it as one of the greatest “miracles” known to man.

[CalEden]

7 hours ago, Glasseye said:

Compound interest.... it adds up big over 30-40 years.

 

A $4,000/month check becomes a $9,827/month check after 30 

years of 3% annual increases.

 

40 years = $13,260/month

 

If you factor the increases along with living below your affordable "standard of living" plus relocate to a place with much lower average housing costs,, and ditch the car..... you can live a pretty decent life.

Trying to compete with the Jones' back in the U.S. with swimming pool$, three cars, kids braces and college tuition.... you are doomed for the trash heap.

Back in the day when my parents did it (I'm still not sure how they pieced it all together) it was possible. Now.... ? You can forget about it.

 

 

 

I understand compounding and appreciate your point. But we were talking the 3.2 percent SS cola raise, so anybody getting that raise is at least 62 years old now and most will be long gone in 30 years and the ones around won't be able to spend it. I make well over 100k a year in retirement income and make nowhere near 4k a month in SS. As FBY said, the SS COLA is just beer money.

[Glasseye]

24 minutes ago, Derek Dangleberries said:

 A post by @Trip regarding The Hogs Breath has got my thoughts meandering back to International Schools in Thailand. Particularly a major, well known one.

Perhaps @KhunDon @Krapow @Horizondave would be interested to hear... and have their decisions confirmed!!

Hogs Breath moved to Pattaya on Soi 46/3 Suk. A short walk from where I now live. It was nothing special. In fact I would call it weird, but that isn't the point. The daughter of the owner attended the school on Arunothai with my daughter. She achieved Head Student and led the whole year into the final day award ceremony in front of the whole school. She stood tall, proud and full of confidence. An athlete, an academic and a wonderful girl!

Anyways I never saw her again until I was sitting in The Hogs Breath. I had no idea that is where she lived until she came in from upstairs. She looked totally transformed ... and not it a good way! Chatting to the owner, he said that they sent her to The International School and that it had completely destroyed her ! Big fish small pond to small fish big pond syndrome for sure but she looked a nervous wreck and was refusing to go to school. Apparently the school concentrated on nurturing high potential (high earners?) and sod the rest.

I've never been back and it has since closed down but my heart went out to that poor girl..!!

 

Shame really.

 

Reminds me of Don Jr. bragging about going to Wharton while in the same breath claiming that he didn't know what GAP (General Accounting Principles) was.

Silver spoon in the mouth, stick up the ass. Rotate.

[Glasseye]

5 minutes ago, CalEden said:

I understand compounding and appreciate your point. But we were talking the 3.2 percent SS cola raise, so anybody getting that raise is at least 62 years old now and most will be long gone in 30 years and the ones around won't be able to spend it. I make well over 100k a year in retirement income and make nowhere near 4k a month in SS. As FBY said, the SS COLA is just beer money.

 

I understand what you are saying. But my penision is with a state system, SS is a small supplement to that.  

The 3% compounding is a huge benefit for me.

I also began at age 51.

Edited October 17, 2023 by Glasseye

[Derek Dangleberries]

I'm knackered.. 15 minutes of dancing mau lam with 2 and 3 year old girls and I'm back on my pit out of breath !!

[Glasseye]

Just now, Derek Dangleberries said:

I'm knackered.. 15 minutes of dancing mau lam with 2 and 3 year old girls and I'm back on my pit out of breath !!

 

That would put me six feet under. Kids have endless energy. That's why the get away with eating so much candy.

 

I never have quite figured it out. They are like nuclear reactors.

[Horizondave]

2 hours ago, Derek Dangleberries said:

 A post by @Trip regarding The Hogs Breath has got my thoughts meandering back to International Schools in Thailand. Particularly a major, well known one.

Perhaps @KhunDon @Krapow @Horizondave would be interested to hear... and have their decisions confirmed!!

Hogs Breath moved to Pattaya on Soi 46/3 Suk. A short walk from where I now live. It was nothing special. In fact I would call it weird, but that isn't the point. The daughter of the owner attended the school on Arunothai with my daughter. She achieved Head Student and led the whole year into the final day award ceremony in front of the whole school. She stood tall, proud and full of confidence. An athlete, an academic and a wonderful girl!

Anyways I never saw her again until I was sitting in The Hogs Breath. I had no idea that is where she lived until she came in from upstairs. She looked totally transformed ... and not it a good way! Chatting to the owner, he said that they sent her to The International School and that it had completely destroyed her ! Big fish small pond to small fish big pond syndrome for sure but she looked a nervous wreck and was refusing to go to school. Apparently the school concentrated on nurturing high potential (high earners?) and sod the rest.

I've never been back and it has since closed down but my heart went out to that poor girl..!!

Bit like my old grammar school. I was deputy head of my primary school, head of the green group at the school and captain of the football team. I was full of confidence, used to take assembly and was expected to develop well.

Off to grammar school where I did not progress the way I was expected to. I realised I was among the elite academics and I was just beginning to enjoy the look of girls and the music scene. My dad also came back to my mum after a 11 year afternoon walk when I was 3 and that knocked me completely, listening to them arguing knocked my confidence and I became a nervous wreck. I didn't feel comfortable, was made to feel inferior to others and my confidence sank.

I just wish I had gone to a secondary school where I might have felt more comfortable. I may have done well with my life but it could have been better had I felt comfortable in my school surroundings. I realise now also that my confidence was born of my mother's influence but was knocked for six when my dad came back to the house, he never agreed with a thing I did or ever made me feel proud of the things I did.

I still would wish my daughter to have a decent education if we ever did go back to Thailand, but that is probably not possible without entertaining an International school. The Thai system is so poor compared to their neighbours in Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore etc.  I am aware of a semi international school in Hua Hin and I will look at that should we go back.

The thing is today, what is education becoming in the western world, what are our kids learning today that will really benefit them in the future. Above all I want my daughter to be happy and feel relevant to her surroundings and views. Lots to think about,

Edited October 17, 2023 by Horizondave

[KhunDon]

2 hours ago, Glasseye said:

 

Shame really.

 

Reminds me of Don Jr. bragging about going to Wharton while in the same breath claiming that he didn't know what GAP (General Accounting Principles) was.

Silver spoon in the mouth, stick up the ass. Rotate.

My wife’s parents insisted that their only daughter would only go to university if it wasn’t in Thailand, so they sent her to Oxford where she studied for both her degrees. 
Happily for me they did, as that’s how I met her aged 19. 🤗

Having said that, she’s never used either degree, as during her studies for her second degree she met me and hasn’t worked since her time at Oxford. I don’t count her time running our business in Hua Hin, as that wasn’t really work. 😉

[Pumpuynarak]

14 hours ago, boydeste said:

Just drinking my first cup of tea for the day whilst watching Tim Newton, I quite enjoy his style of reporting.

Me too 👍

[Zambo]

13 hours ago, CalEden said:

is at least 62 years old now and most will be long gone in 30 years and the ones around won't be able to spend it

I don't agree with this assumption. If anyone asks for my retirement advice (practically nobody does) then i will advise to plan based on living to 100 years old. Life expectancy now is around 85, depending on your location, so i expect that to rise to 90 over the next couple of decades. Aiming for 100 is just about right, a possible overshoot of your funds by 10 years, but for many it will be correct. In any event death and its lead up can be a bit pricey.

[forcebwithu]

11 hours ago, Horizondave said:

Bit like my old grammar school. I was deputy head of my primary school, head of the green group at the school and captain of the football team. I was full of confidence, used to take assembly and was expected to develop well.

Off to grammar school where I did not progress the way I was expected to. I realised I was among the elite academics and I was just beginning to enjoy the look of girls and the music scene. My dad also came back to my mum after a 11 year afternoon walk when I was 3 and that knocked me completely, listening to them arguing knocked my confidence and I became a nervous wreck. I didn't feel comfortable, was made to feel inferior to others and my confidence sank.

I just wish I had gone to a secondary school where I might have felt more comfortable. I may have done well with my life but it could have been better had I felt comfortable in my school surroundings. I realise now also that my confidence was born of my mother's influence but was knocked for six when my dad came back to the house, he never agreed with a thing I did or ever made me feel proud of the things I did.

I still would wish my daughter to have a decent education if we ever did go back to Thailand, but that is probably not possible without entertaining an International school. The Thai system is so poor compared to their neighbours in Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore etc.  I am aware of a semi international school in Hua Hin and I will look at that should we go back.

The thing is today, what is education becoming in the western world, what are our kids learning today that will really benefit them in the future. Above all I want my daughter to be happy and feel relevant to her surroundings and views. Lots to think about,

Sounds like you're breaking the cycle of bad parenting. Good on you for that.

I grew up in much the same environment as you described; an old man that always criticized and never encouraged. Add to the mix a healthy dose of being a control freak and the result was not unsurprising a dysfunctional family.

What I saw in my father were echoes of how his father treated him and their immediate family. Thus the bad parenting skills were passed down to another generation.

As with your family, I believe the cycle was broken with my two children. I made sure to always encourage them to seek their own path in life. Education wise they were fortunate to have been born in a country with a decent education system so that wasn't a concern. The result is they both have successful careers and seem to be happy with their lot in life.

I hope you have the same good fortune with your family.

[Derek Dangleberries]

I've been sitting under my tree drinking my morning coffee... I was joined by my 2 year old buddy from next door to sing a few chants of "Engaland Engaland Engalaaaand"

[Zambo]

Just checking out this list. I have confirmed that i have not stumbled into any of these bars.

World’s best bars for 2023
1. Sips, Barcelona

2. Double Chicken Please, New York

3. Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City

4. Paradiso, Barcelona

5. Connaught Bar, London

6. Little Red Door, Paris

7. Licorería Limantour, Mexico City

8. Tayēr + Elementary, London

9. Alquímico, Cartagena

10. Himkok, Oslo

11. Tres Monos, Buenos Aires

12. Line, Athens

13. BKK Social Club, Bangkok

14. Jigger & Pony, Singapore

15. Maybe Sammy, Sydney

16. Salmon Guru, Madrid

17. Overstory, New York

18. Zest, Seoul

19. Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar, Bangkok

20. Coa, Hong Kong

21. Drink Kong, Rome

22. Hanky Panky, Mexico City

23. Caretaker’s Cottage, Melbourne

24. Café La Trova, Miami

25. Baba au Rum, Athens

For the full list of the top 50, visit the World’s 50 Best Bars site.

[maipenrai]

Had a good day in the yard today - it was supposed to rain but turned out lovely instead until the early evening so I finally had a chance to pick up the rest of the leaves that mattered to me and took a full load to the local dump,  washed some windows, put a couple of machines away and did other odds and ends; I am on a diet for the next week in preparation for a medical test so I've decided to forgo the pubs as well for this period of time - weather forecast is promising some snow and -15C for Saturday so this may be the last week of autumn for us.