How To Survive Until The Next Trip To LOS

[azza33]

I have decided 3-4 shorter 10 day trips is enough to ease the blues.
Just time the trips around holiday periods to make your leave go further.
For example I just booked December 25 to Jan 3 and only have to use 3 days annual leave - the rest is weekends and public holidays.

By the way,anyone from Melbourne- emirates has very reasonable peak season flights to kl during this period- I booked directly on their website. And malaysian also has some specials- so it's possible to pay $1000 return in peak season - not that unreasonable.

[Foggy]

(deepthroat @ Feb. 23 2010,23:59) I'm only 49 and in my prime earning years. I don't want to walk away from the great cushy job I've got just to be able to spend more time in paradise. But I don't want to wait until I'm too old to enjoy it to spend more time there!

Hi DT,
This thread is close to my heart as I felt the LOS blues so badly after all my trips ( 20 years worth now ) and could only remember sitting in the departure lounge waiting to go back to the UK.

The rest was a blur as I had had such a good time and thank budda for camers as Im sure I could have been convinced I never went.....

My point is Im 49 too and have just sold every thing and will be moving to Thailand permanently in 3 weeks time...

I too had a good busines, lovely house and so many material possesions and could have earnt a lot more in the coming years...... but I wasnt happy giving away any more of my life to the Uk...

Friends and family can visit or be reached by the internet, or you can pop back to your home country at any time...

Im not rich by any stretch but posibly have enough for 25 odd years living 4 times cheaper in paradise doing every thing, every day that I choose..... and I would rather burn bright for a short time than suffer for a long time...


One thing I will never have again................... The LOS blues....


Its your life enjoy it.....

[manarak]

My point is Im 49 too and have just sold every thing and will be moving to Thailand permanently in 3 weeks time...
...
One thing I will never have again................... The LOS blues....

[Steff]

Damn kewl Foggy!!! Impressive. Where will you be based in LOS? For some reason I thought I was going to meet you next week in Pattaya but it sounds like you are back in the UK. If you are around either BBK or Patty please let me know. I would enjoy meeting you.

Steff

[Guest]

Hi guys,im enjoying the thread.I'm trying to rent my house out at the moment so I can move to LOS before I get too old.As long as the interest rates stayed low,I could live ok.
.I have read your dilemna DT,and it would take a brave man to throw away a good job on a whim-I dont think I could do it. You said you worked in "outdoor industrial sales"-whatever they are...maybe you could persuade your boss to send you to the far-east to source cheaper producers/or sell in the asian markets.I'm sure if youre a salesman of any sort you could sell a line like that to your boss.
Failing some way to hold on to your job,and get more time in LOS,I dont see a solution to your problem.I'm not brave enough to sell everything ,burn my bridges and move lock stock and barrel to Los,but BRAVO to anyone who is.

[azza33]

Best of luck Foggy!!! -- One envious aussie here.... i got a decade of los blues ahead of me

[Foggy]

Thanks for the good wishes guys its well appreciated ....

 I posted that story to possibly encourage DT and any others who were thinking of taking the plunge....  only one life....  

 Best of luck DT for the future, I hope u can make it happen some day....

[El_hefe]

It's true that's we have only one go round, but that should be balanced, in my mind anyway, with family obligations & insuring that you won't be broke overseas at 68 years of age. It's not an easy call for most of us that aren't single, childless, rich or have elderly parents. You have to figure your obligations along with your dreams.... and look at how many guys do make the break & within a couple of years just head back because they didn't count on the culture shock of always being an outsider, or not having easy access to some things they love, or just the unrelenting heat....

There are a lot of things that can turn the dream sour too, best to maintain a "cool heart" & plan ahead I feel. I think now that I'm leaning more to spending part of the year there & part back home, but that requires I make substantially more $$ than I currently have saved.
So I will return to work again tomorrow.....

[azza33]

it's ahuge step to head across without the intention of ever working again.
I've. Put in place a 10 year plan that I hope will see me finish in Los- but that's a long road no doubt with many unexpected surprises.

[deepthroat]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the feedback, especially Pacman's comments.

This has gotten me thinking a lot. I've already been thinking a lot, ever since last year, but this last trip and the discussions have really made me start digging deeper, trying to find out what I want to do with my life.

Pacman's comments really went straight to the heart of the matter, and crystalized everything I've been thinking about for the past year or more.

I give a big round of applause to anyone that's willing and able to take the plunge, take the RISK, and move lock stock and barrel to LOS. But that's not my idea of fun.

From everything I've read, being able to live year round in LOS is only for a few very sturdy souls, or those who close the escape hatches and leave themselves no other options.

For myself, that would be more stressful than continuing to live in denial. For those that can do it, and are already fully prepared for the year-round life of an expat, good on you.

I had a conversation with my sister last night where I shared a lot of this stuff (no, not the "girls with dicks" stuff, but the angst about what to do with my life) and she gave me some encouragement that I think will lead me to my personal breakthrough.

What I want is to live 4-6 months a year in LOS (or anywhere warm with beaches for that matter) and live the other 6-8 months here in Seattle. That's actually harder financially to pull off then living in LOS permanently, hence the major hesitation I've been having.

I have called a financial planner and will meet with him in a week or two, and I have an appointment with a real estate agent in 2 weeks. My plan is to work with these two professionals to get professional assistance in assessing my financial health and help me to put together a plan to retire within 5 years. I will probably want to buy a 2nd home that has a Mother In Law unit so I can get rental income from it; live in half of it myself; and rent the condominium I already own.

That way I have a rent-free place to live in Seattle during our spring and summer, and rental income that pays the mortgage and provides a bit of income whether I'm here or in LOS. A management agent will typically charge about 8% of the monthly rental fees plus 1 months rent when they find a new tenant, but if I were to chose the right agent, it would allow me a lot of freedom while still providing a positive income stream.

The financial planner is to look over my existing finances and tell me whether I can actually pull this off, and what moves to make in the next 3-5 years to ensure it can happen.

I think with the help of some professionals I can make this goal a reality, AND I can re-energize myself to buckle down and work hard for the next few years in anticipation of the end goal - a life of enjoyment without the daily grind of my current job.

I'm really excited. I'll let you know how things progress.

[robbo]

hmm how to get over the blues... well, wank 10 times a day drink large amounts of alcohol take 2 prozac a day and sleep 25 hours a day.otherwise avoiding the LOS blues........it aint gonna happen.

[azza33]

warped sense of humour - i like it

[deepthroat]

One other question for you old hands...

How to deal with my 2 cats? They're great pets, so I don't want to give them away, but it would be pretty tough to find a "cat sitter" for 4 or 5 months at a time every year. They're indoor cats only so I think they'd survive in LOS with me but is it even possible to transport them to and from every time without having to purchase a seat for them? That's not happening.

Any ideas?

[PigDogg]

(deepthroat @ Feb. 26 2010,22:22) The financial planner is to look over my existing finances and tell me whether I can actually pull this off, and what moves to make in the next 3-5 years to ensure it can happen.

Financial planning isn't rocket science. Maybe it just comes naturally to me but it's a fairly straightforward process.

Quick rule of thumb is that a safe withdrawal rate is about 4% of your assets per year. While that's happening you'll be earning interest and your other investments should be appreciating if handled correctly.

Financial planners come in many flavors. Some are fee only, some are commision based.

If he suggests buying an annuity, run for the hills! Seems that when i talk to my buddies that use "planners" that they are not in a fiduciary relationship with the client. Caveat emptor.

Good that you live in Washington cause there's no state income tax. This helps.

[deepthroat]

Thanks PD, I've never used a "professional asset manager" because I don't trust 'em for the very reasons you're getting at above. But it's time to get someone else to look over my portfolio, as I'm so overly cautious I need a little perspective.

Yes, I know most of the pitfalls to look for. And suggesting an annuity is just about the top of the list of things to watch out for.

The biggest reason I've avoided this is that I won't allow some dickwad to make recommendations that result in him earning commissions on the purchases, thus negating the value in whatever his recommendations are. For that reason I'm looking for a fee-based advisor, someone who has no commission on the recommendations he makes. That way I have more reason to trust the recommendations, but it's still very much a caveat emptor process.