Most Ex-Pats Go Home Eventually. True or False?

[MrPlum]

Here's the Algarve Expat two-step. How different is Thailand?

A.
Step 1. Sell house in UK for 250,000 UKP. Go to the Algarve/Spanish Costas. Have a whale of a time with the 'gin and tonic' set for 10 years until the money runs out.

Step 2. Go home.

B.
Step 1. Take the wife with you, sit in cafes, with the guys, drinking red wine until you're a died in the wool alky. Wife leaves you.

Step 2. Go home.

C
Step 1. Retire to the Sun. Get sick and don't trust the Portuguese Health Service or can't afford the medical bills.

Step 2. Go home.

D
Step 1. Retire to the sun. Find you are not only bored stupid with village life but also missing the grandchildren/family.

Step 2. Go home.

E
Step 1. Head for the sun, discover, now you spend 24x7 together, you and your husband haven't really got anything in common. He has a fling. Or maybe you do.

Step 2. Go home.

[niggle]

Probably

[Spitfire]

In many cases this may well be true, but people should ask and answer some serious questions before doing this kind of stuff.

Better plan would be to sell the house and invest it in the UK, get the 6-10% and then live off the monthly income payments, leave a bit in to fight off inflation and live within your means. If you sold a house for 250,000 sterling, then at 6% you would get 18,000 sterling a year, then divide it by 12 and you're on 1500 sterling a month, minus a bit of tax.

Also get insurance with repatriation expenses if it goes south.

Others would know more about this than me and this might sound simplistic, but could work.

The real piont I'm getting at there is that I don't think many people really think it through properly before making the move.

Others, as said, will have a better perspective on this than me and probably better solutions, just throwing my 10 bahts wort in.

[sargeant]

Me and Lomu are still here and berny and a few others but 10/11 years ago there just werent that many it only grew in numbers 6/7 years ago so its a bit early to say yet IMHO

[migrant]

I guess what postpones our move to Thailand is similar.

I want to have enough so that if we do come back, we aren't scraping.

Even the wife who's been here 14 years, wants to move, but has her hesitations too!

[malcolminthemiddle]

I think much depends on how long you have been an expat (if at all) before retirement.

Either way, lets hope you have enough eggs without putting them all in the same basket.

[Sabai Jai]

Difficult one to call. Stats in UK show almost as many people emmigrating as immigrating in recent years - so there is a considerable movement.

I agree with alot of the above comments - most people don't think it through properly.

Quite a few of the more 'Succesful' ex-pats have been working overseas for years and then chosen Thailand, for example, to retire to as oposed to many UK residents who have very little experience of living overseas who sell up and move on an ideal rather than carefuly researched appraisal.

[big jimmy]

I have lived in Asia for over 25 years..my wife and I could not go back to the Uk to live..we have nothing in common with the people there now although we share the same culture.... our life experiences are so different from Uk people we would die there ...Moving to Thailand is easy for us..we feel comfortable and at home..however..I know there are many on our estate who have moved to Thailand late in life and have regretted it..infact several have put their homes on the market because they have not thought it through and have........ A. not budgeted properly, came on holiday, thought it was cheap and not realised we all need little extras....and B. not realised how much a culture shock it is when you are in late middle age.......all in all..Thailand is not for everyone...and for a single man..its paradise..if you are married..it is a whole different ball game...

[Vital Spark]

Parhandy and I have no intentions of ever moving back to the UK (we've been living here for almost 11 yrs).

The lifestyle we have here is infinitely better than what we had in the UK. We don't own any property in the 'motherland' and have no kids or grandchildren to worry about. We're quite happy renting a house and working here, and when we decide to retire we've got enough put away to finance a bit of travelling, and have a pretty good lifestyle.

BJ hit the nail on the head. Some people decide to live out here on impulse, and, perhaps, haven't quite thought it through. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. It worked for us.

Not everyone is suited to living outside their own culture. You've got to be willing to adapt, and compromise.

VS

[lomuamart]

Loads of good stuff on this thread.
I came here at 40 years old and am now a decade older and listening to Dark Side of the Moon. I'm just an old git.

Spitfire said it all regarding property.
big jimmy that was spot on.

[margaretcarnes]

Agreed Lomu - you ARE 10 years older! Happy 50th duck. Sarge makes a good point though about the increase in HH expats. Certainly 9 years plus ago there didn't seem to be many. Then Buksi arrived of course and changed the face of HH forever!

[Lily]

I totally agree with some of the comments on here, sometimes people view living in LOS through rose tinted spectacles after a fortnights holiday.We lived in Spain, like many others, before moving here a year ago so were not new to living abroad. There is no comparism between living here and the couple of holidays in a hotel with nothing to think about apart from what to do in the day and which restaurant to eat in. Also, when people say "that wouldn't happen in UK"- well hello,you are not in the UK !
Happily though, most of the people we meet are like minded who are just grateful to be here enjoying a great living in a lovely country.

[sargeant]

Lily may i be so bold and say that it is the"quote""that wouldn't happen in UK"- people that probably dont make the distance
For which i am truly thankfull

[pfotoguy369]

I'm 62 years old. I moved here 3 years ago. It was well thought out.
I'm one of the lucky ones to have been pretty well world traveled before I made the move. I go back to the States now and can't wait to get bak home.Home is here in Thailand. I have no strong gfamily ties to keep me there. I have a very good lifestyle that I could not afford to have in the US.

as for:
The real piont I'm getting at there is that I don't think many people really think it through properly before making the move.

Life happens, and things change, things we sometimes have no control over. Then we just have to roll with the punches.

I started a Birthday letter a couple of years ago, It more or less sumes up my life and feelings here.

July 22, 2007
2008

Well I woke up this morning and turned 61 years old. now 62
I decided there were some things to be thankful for.

1. I am 61 and still able to wake up
At 62 I was still waking up and takeing in air and walking around

2. I'm retired
sometimes I wish I had a job just so I could fooking quit.

3. I have enough money to live comfortably. (as long as I don't try to live like I'm on holiday)
Ah, I just got my Social Secrity started... More money for me...

4. I live in Thailand, I have a very nice 1 BR condo with a great view.
Movin on up... I now have a 3 bedroom house with a pool in Hua Hin... sad news is I lost the view.

5. I'm in reasonably good health. (good enough to get health insurance)
They renewd my insurance so that was a good sign. and I renewd my VA eligability here in the States

6. I live with a woman that takes good care of me. She's not unattractive, in fact looks really good for someone about to turn 40 in a few days. And she caters to my every whim.
15 months and still with the same woman...what can I say..It seems to be working for both of us..

7. I have a few good friends and no one is out to harm me.
Still have friends and no one has sent death threats

8. I really have no regrets about how I've lived or am living my life.
Still no regrets. as far as I'm concerned it was the best move I ever made. Moving to Thailand

9. The sun is out, there's a nice breeze blowing thru the condo and I don't have to use the AC
well it's overcast, I'm in the States on business but I return to the LOS very soon.

10. I'm happy.
I'm no longer just happy... I'm friging estatic

So far today I went and saw Buddha and got blessings for good health, good luck, and a good life in general.
No Buddah but I'm wearing 7 strings from before I left so still feeling lucky and heathy

Then it was off to Pig & whistle for some Brekkie.
Had to settel for a Ruben sandwich, It was good and hit the spot

Next was a nice relaxing foot massage.
not today at $60. an hour

And I'm headed out to get a ** from a pro. ( my second one today)
Not today on that either...But I will be well taken care of when I get home

Life has been berry berry good to me.
You know what? Life has still beeen berry berry good to me

[buksida]

Since this thread is only covering retirees I'll stay out of it adding only that some of us work here and don't fall into any of these categories!

Additionally I don't see myself as an expat, I haven't been 'expatriated' by any company or persons, more of an immigrant I guess ... or 'alien' as the Thai government aptly puts it.