Are there any former expats here ? What made you leave or decide that the Philippins isn't your Place to live ? The resulting discussion might help others to make up their minds or help to avoid mistakes made.
We have three Brian, Guenther obviously being one of them, but none that I know of who are 'Ex'-Expats. Unless of course we consider those who have stayed for a prolonged period but who always intended to come home from the outset (like Keithangel). But you never know we may get more expat members in the future.
I am certainly no ex-pat. Only been to Philippines once and that was for just two weeks, over two years ago. If Theresa May brings in those new income rules some of us may become ex-pats. I am just 4 years from retirement now.
Ain't much, i guess, most stay here. good so. But just to write something in this topic, i write about me, which maybe is informative. I am a half "ex"-expat ( as if things aren't complicated enough ) In 85 i decided to move to Manila, i liked it a lot, so i sold all and moved on. Mainly livin from importing cars (not possible anymore) and exporting handmade fashion accessoires to the US, Canada and Europe of course. That was good as income, but the times where different ad not like today. I wated for example a car to travel around Luzon ( Just the idea to drive a car in Manila today is simply, idiotic for me) But cars were very expensive back then ( hence the profitable import of used merc taxis ) Same my friends back the complained. One wanted a pool, the other a bigger mansion, the next a yacht and so on. So we sat togteher every weekend complaining to each other and the common consens was, that one could simplynot make enough money in the Phil's and one should go back, cash a lot quickly and then return to complete his Life with the added items . beer probably played a big role in this strange philosophy. Well, as it came, i was the only idiot to pack up and actually do it. I sold my few clients to a friend who did the same biz and started over in Germany. All great success and big money, company grew and grew. Only my bank account didnt grew in proportion to the revenues. taxes ! Well, after 8 years i saw the idiocy of trying to get rich enough to stay without worries forever somewhere else ( i also eyed Mexico, Nicaragua or Costa Rica during this period, both places i knew and liked ) and returned hangin head back to the Philippines. And for what ? the same all over again, coz the money dwindled slowly away to a normal level again. Moral of my story- don't listen to friends in those particular decision and if one has a decent life already be patient and enjoy it. Because the friends i left behind ( and which actually congratulated me for my guts back then in 1990) all stayed and got all they wanted as well.The bigger mansion, the pool, the boat and several cars. One needs 2 anyhow in Manila or has a James Bond License Plate which turns. The guy i sold my fashion biz clients too made kazillions ! ( but died on a heart attack ) So i was 'unhappy" because of my "greed". Will not happen again
I have some very limited information based on the stories of a few friends. 1. The family returned to England saying their 3 kids would be better in UK education. Personally I feel there's more to the decision than that but no-one is really sharing. He is now 58 his wife is 38 and the kids are 10,9,5 I can't suggest if it's a good decision or not, but many of us feel that as a family they have lost some of the contentment and happiness thay had in Philippines and also when they first returned to UK. When they first went to Philippines in 2007 they sold up everything here. Now they are renting a very small house and still maintaining a house in Mindanao. They have family living in the house and looking after it. Nothing is going well for them here. 2. A very nice couple. He is 68 she is 52. No kids. His health took a serious turn for the worst and they spent over P3mill in hospitals/doctors/treatments etc Said they could no longer afford to pay for the medication and so decided to return to UK. It has been very troublesome for them here and he has found out that NHS budgets often don't provide for some treatments. They have been talking about moving to Scotland where those treatments can be given for free along with some "home-care" as it seems his wife is not too strong either. Again they sold up lock-stock-and-barrel before moving out to Philippines. Only his UK state pension as an income stream. He certainly looks much older than 68 and is actually quite frail. 3. A much younger guy who just could not make ends meet once the savings had gone. He's been back here for around 6 months and was earning good money in Financial Services. But now made redundant and working in a hospital as some kind of porter. He's living with his parents who are quite well off and own a large house. Sadly, he didn't get the visa application in for his wife and will now need to find ways to increase his income to meet the new Immigration Thresholds. He was another one who sold the house in UK to fund his life in Philippines. He will say that the cost of living out there is just too expensive and that's why his savings just went.. For these cases I personally know of more who have actually left UK for good to live in Philippines. There seems to be a common thread. That selling up all the hard earned assets in UK is not a totally wise move, especially at the outset. That relying savings or "pot of money" to fund living is not a sound long term strategy. That the cost of healthcare in Philippines needs careful consideration, but also that UK healthcare is getting more problematic as the older you become. Not dramatic cases of course, but each is sad in it's own way I'm sure it's too easy to say such things as "don't burn all your bridges", "look before you leap" or "don't put all your eggs in one basket" Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
Very interesting posts so far..Thoroughly enjoyed reading.. Cant reply as I was scammed out of my laptop by one of my tenants and the kids in this internet cafe are driving me nuts!! Another time perhaps.
yes its interesting to see just what other have done , as i will prob be moveing to phil when i retire, but reading this i wont sell every thing , but see how things go thank foe letting every one know this , very good of you many thanks
I would very much agree with micawber's comments. Although not having moved permanently but being there for 3 months at a time I can certainly tell you how expensive it can be to live there especially if you want a certain standard of living. Having discussed this with others who have done it and to some considerable extent with my wife, family and friends the general consensus seems to be that to live in the phils you must have a very good and reliable source of income and certainly when it comes to healthcare, it helps you appreciate the services we enjoy in the UK. Recently, one of my relatives had a heart attack. His family were told he required an operation and to prepare £14k straight away just for the operation, not including the cost of aftercare. So , if you are getting on in years or suffer from poor health the cost of healthcare must be a huge consideration. I have one american friend who lived very happily with his filipino wife overlooking Boracay. Fortunately, he was a multi-millionaire and restricted their budget to $1000 a month. For him it was fine but not for his wife. She wanted the guarantee of his american pension after he died. So they had to move back to the USA. They now live in a tiny condo and he has to work as an advisor in a call centre. Last time we were in contact he was worried about being made redundant. He "burnt his bridges" and was happy but if plans change as in the case of my friend and you have to come back, chances are your financial situation will be significantly different to what it was when you moved to the Phils.
Since its been mentioned so often in other forums consisting mainly of expats living in the philippines the factor 'health" is very important. Specially for European residents, which from cradle to grave are covered by natioal health care and never really had to worry about it. Well, the coverage ends when one leaves Europe. So choices are only very expensive private insurances or "being optimistic'. certainly the third world is't a place for the cronically ill or health impared, even when this sounds harsh now. A realitevely simple Diabetes can be a huge financial constraint. So i'd reallt thik its not a good advise to go "uncovered" into retirement to the Philippines. on the other hand, just to add something "positive": As i have seen on many elder folks coming and living here, all of the sudden their symptons of age related deseases have disappeared in short time, but those live a good and active life here. The ones ailing in their houses (i am afraid), i have not seen much because they seldom leave the house. But its very important to take this matter into a very close scrutiny and then take precautions. Simpleton says: Those which have never or seldom been to a Doctor in their whole life may have a good chance not to see any in the Philippines either. And vice versa.
Left to pursue a better job offer in China, then came back to UK for the children's education. Suspect may have been wrong decision...
As someone who elected to to stay in Manchester for my children's education, as opposed to moving to the suburbs etc, I can completely see why someone might want to remain in or return to the UK for the sake of their children's education.
Kind of you to say so. One huge difference between "then" and "now" so far as life in the Philippines for an expat is concerned the Internet and cable TV.
Re-assuring to know that the only objectives to leaving UK and moving over permanently to Cebu is our young kids education. Interesting to know that others are thinking of their kids before the thought of leaving for an early retirement. Can't see it would be fair on our kids to pull them out of a really good school here and then expect them to try to settle into another where the basic language is not English. Supose I now just have to realise that I may have to wait until their schooling is over before I can settle in our house over there... (pity ) Jonny
So glad I've stumbled across this thread since this is exactly what I've been thinking about all weekend (long weekend, 4-days here in PH). Well, I'm still in my 20's but nearing 30 so I guess this is my quarter-life crisis! Moved here to PH around 4-5 years ago after spending all of my life back in London. Decided to come over because I fancied a bit of a change in scenary and always thought positively of how life would be over here. I'd been on vacation to PH on a yearly basis since I was a late teen. I guess I only based my experiences on how life was over here based on my vacations in the past, I was 'warned' multiple times that life is much different living in the PH as opposed to taking vacations to the PH - and they were right. For me personally it's great living here as long as you're able to take the rough with the smooth and enjoy all the smooths. I live here in Manila. I'm a city boy and wouldn't cope well in provincial places. I rarely take beach vacations. So I guess my gripe about living here is you'll never fit in. Period. As much as you try to blend in with the crowd and follow the ways of life in the PH it will always feel like you're an outsider. Aswell as that, financially I can't seem to get anywhere. I live independently and have held a few jobs here but no matter how tight pocketed I try to live my life here I can't save. Currently holding down a pretty decent job which pays reasonably well, I guess, but defintely not enough to afford to finance a car or a house/condo. Oh I should have also mentioned I'm a new dad (3 months) so I guess there's alot playing on my mind and priorities are shifting! Just thinking about childrens school/college/university tuition prices in the PH is enough to make me want to pack it all in here and try to get a decent stable job in another country and simply provide for them (ala OFW) but not so much like an OFW. The easy option would be to go back to the UK but I heard the job market is still in a bad state over there? I'm a Business Management grad and have considered trying in another Asian country but I'm not sure. All my options are open as of now! Thanks for listening PS. Any Arsenal fans out there?
Thanks for a very good post, Wolverine! As someone who has spent most of my working life as an expatriate, the sense of "not fitting in" applies everywhere. It is at its most severe in Japan and Korea, and at its lowest in Hong Kong and Singapore, but you will never get away from it. The fact is, we have pale skins and big noses and we do stick out! As you have already discovered for sure, one remedy for "not fitting in" is to spend a few hours socialising with other expats from time to time, but this can be an expensive pastime and it is likely to lead to excessive beer consumption! Certainly the jobs situation in the UK is fairly grim, whilst the Philippines economy is doing OK, which is an argument for staying put. If you are covering your costs, as you are, and managing to pay your bills but not to save, then you are in the same position that most of us are in the UK, but if you and your wife and child were in the UK you would be away from your extended family, etc.. I think you are on the right track in looking for something that you can do part time which will top up your income a little... try to save that. You have some time to go before schools become an issue, and by asking around you may be able to find a good answer.
