How Can You
Retire in the Philippines Like a King on US$1,000 per
month?
What is Living Like A King to me?
What a king is to one man is like a pauper to another. I feel like I am living like a king here in the
Philippines and have been since I came here because of
the kindness of the people. And my small income seem
like a kingly fortune too. In the States at fifty years
old I was treated like an old man and I guess I was. I
felt like one. No one smiled at me, not many cared. Nor
did I smile nor did I care about them. Compared to the
Philippines, the States and most western countries and
even some Asian countries, there is little empathy,
concern for others.
I was not an unhappy lonely guy. I was just a regular
guy. And I felt reasonably content, felt that my life
was pretty good. I was faring a lot better than some of
my fellows who felt put out to pasture and had illness
most illnesses stress related or induced. I still had
some future before me, not much to brag about, just a
better job and more money to waste or tuck away for the
future I knew would never come.
Here at 68, I am a young man, treated like a king
because I am a person, perceived as wise and kind and
helpful. I was not always that way. The beautiful people
here and their culture change me from materialistic wage
slave and struggling business owner into a tao, a
person. It was a radical change. I never know exactly
what a person was. The Filipinos have taught me the
value of a person. And they have taught me the value of
each and every one of them. I leaned in all in my
religious and spiritual upbringing, but the
materialistic culture of the States, where the dollar is
king, did not reinforce it to the point it became a part
of my being. I am not saying there is not a healthy
respect for money and material things by Filipinos and
in the Philippines. But there is more of an appreciation
of others and interpersonal relationships, certainly
kinships in the immediate and extended families of the
Philippines and in the family of Filipinos a family that
spreads all over the world.
And including the respect I now have for others and
myself, I have many amenities only a king could afford
in a western country, not that I must have them. They
are a lot of very nice to have, but not "must haves." I
have all the things I need here, but I had those in the
States too. As I initially said, the culture here is my
greatest blessing. And it is true the Filipino culture
is not impressive until you understand it. You can be
here for years and not even be aware it. You can see it
as just a flawed western culture. And many of you will
not care to understand it, just plod on the same way
with the same attitude. I assure you if you don’t have
some understanding and appreciation of the culture, you
will miss out on something more valuable than
Yamashita’s gold.* But since that can come later and you
want to hear about “traditional,” kingly living, here is
how that works for me.
Now For Just Of A Few of the Material
Goodies You Can Have:
First I will give you a short run down on the unhealthy stuff many of you feel you may need. Beer, San
Miguel is US 60 cents per liter, a quality beer. There
are others legions of other brands too. Rum is $1.20 per
liter, gin and Vodka a little mere. There are all kind
of inexpensive local liquor some made under license from
the US. So you can get drunk as a lord on a dollar on
two dollars as drunk as a king, if that is your intent.
Some more sin stuff? Okay, cigarettes are 60 US cents a
pack many brand available many made under license from
US and other manufactures. There are no closing hours
for bars, though most close by three in the morning.
There are no drunken driving tickets and running red
lights is the norm. But if you are smart you look both
ways. The streets are for defensive driving and
accidents are few. Drivers are inexpensive, live in.
That is a good way to go.
Since it is hard to get rid of you money at the bars and
paying traffic fines, (liability insurance for you car
is required and about $14 per year) since the prices are
so there are Casinos ever where, for the more
adventurous, cockfights, and other way so indulge your
gambling fancies. The shopping malls have large bingo
parlors seven days a week. There are lotteries legal and
illegal, the legal one give the best odds.
Nightlife is fantastic and cheap and abundant. I guess
the Philippines is known for that, more than anything
else. The Filipinas are fantastic, there beauty, loyally
and kindness world famous. Filipinas are an at least an
article or a book in themselves. But there is so much
more.
I don't do so much nightlife; I do some, because I
married one of these Filipina beauties three years ago.
She is certainly the best thing that has happened in my
life, except maybe moving here. As you can see from her
pictures on the front page of the website she is
gorgeous. But you cannot see her inner beauty. She does
not do night life at all never has and never will, a non
smoking, non drinking true Filipina bride and wife. I
you want a Filipina wife to bar hop with you, they will
oblige, but a true Filipina will leave the drinking and
"outside activities" to the man.
Gambling, nightlife, booze, wine, women and song all
okay, but forget illegal drugs. One leaf of marijuana or
one grain of crack will cost you 12 years in a
Philippine prison not country clubs like some in the US
but places to make you remember not to come back.
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