Comments on: Cheap living?

By: Dave Starr --- ROI Guy

Dave Starr --- ROI Guy — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 01:35:17 +0000

Athena … hi, my street is named after you, you sure get around . Thanks for the cell phone comments … I’ve observed much the same thing.

But to be more specific here .. because this discussion was really about cost of living in the Philippines versus the US or other developed nations … for the readers not in the Philippines, is a cell phone per adult/teen and cable TV part of the basic cost of living in today’s world? yes, of course we can do without, just like we can live in a tent on a camping trip or use candles at night when the power is cut from a storm … but on a day to day basis, what’s afair comparison. This question comes from the fact that Bob mentioned he didn’t think such ‘niceties’ qualified as part of a basic, modest standard of living in the US. I think he’s 8 years behind the times, and going without his/her cell phone would make the average American feel ‘deprived’ rather thna living a modest standard of living. But then again, I surely could be wrong …

By: Bob

Bob — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 08:20:05 +0000

Hi AllenO – Thanks for stopping by my site! December was so busy – our business booms during Christmas – I might not have been able to see you, so no problem! Next time, na lang!

By: AllenO

AllenO — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 06:24:08 +0000

I know the dollar is really bad if my own mother tells me not to bother to leave her any money on my last visit to davao in December. But then again she’s way wealthier than me. I think she needs to start sending me pesos. Might help me pay for my hurricane insurance here in Florida.

BTW, Belated Happy Birthday Bob and its too bad I missed seeing you again on my last visit in December. Might be there again in August.

By: athena

athena — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 05:11:53 +0000

ha ha ha.. yeah.. thats what i meant to say.. its not really necessary but most people make it so important that its like an oxgen to them.. like carrying there life support with them all the time.. the cellphone .. yesterday my purchaser ask me if he can have cash advance saying that his cellphone is broken and he wants to buy a new one.. so i said okey he can buy the cheapest nokia at 1700 pesos.. and he ask again if he can have 4k to buy a nicer model…. ggrrrr they are driving me crazy … they hardly have money for food then wants a nice cellphone… really nuts!…

By: Bob

Bob — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 01:20:44 +0000

Hi Athena – I would argue that a cellphone is not necessary – it is highly desired, but life can still go on without one. I agree about so many people don’t have money for very basic needs, yet they always have plenty of money for load!

By: athena

athena — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 18:31:25 +0000

cellphones are necesary to most people.. imagine almost all my workers owns a cell phone and they are only earning the minimum wage.. and the funny thing is ,many times they come to my office asking for salary advance saying that they dont have money to pay for thr jeepney fare or tricycle fare but then i catch them sometimes texting messages which also cost them a peso per send.. so they dont have money to pay for jeepney fare to go to work but they have money to buy load for there cell phone.. crazy

By: Bob

Bob — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 06:19:06 +0000

Hi Athena – Yeah, I understand!

Hi Dave Starr – Yep, I agree that something like a cellphone is something that we almost all have these days, but if I needed to live on the cheap, it would have to be one of the first things that I’d give up. Cable TV too. All of our standards are different, and I do understand that.

By: Dave Starr --- ROI Guy

Dave Starr --- ROI Guy — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 06:05:27 +0000

Exactly, Bob, that’s what makes any of these comparisons quicksand. The average American reading this column has a cell phone … and if husband and wife have aphone their monthly bill is $100 or so … but is a cell phone a necessary part of a ‘modest standard of living’? It is or it isn’t. The majority of readers here have cable TV too … I’ll bet money on it. They are paying $60 to $120 a month for their service … is cable TV part of the US basic standard of living? yes, no or maybe.

That’s exactly why it gest so difficult to answer the perpetual ‘how much doe sit cost there’ questions, because a ‘modest’ or ‘average’ or ‘comfortable’ lifestyle can mean so many different things

BTW, I’d really enjoy hearing from anyone regualrly reading here whp doesn’t have a cell phone or cable TV … I’d like to know just how far off base I am … if I am …

By: athena

athena — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 05:46:14 +0000

hi… oh sorry bob.. i didnt know that you have 4 kids…for sure 80k is not enough for 4 kids.. i was only thinking of you and feyma .. my mistake

By: Bob

Bob — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 23:02:35 +0000

Hi Graham – No, wages have really not increased here. Feyma and I often say that we wonder how the common people here can make it! And, you are right, there is a lot of complaining about the strong Peso, particularly by the families of OFW’s. Some OFW’s are trying to send home a larger remittance, others are having to make do with fewer Pesos for the Dollars sent home. It’s a tough situation.

Hi Peachy – Not trying to cause sleepless nights! I would say that you should hurry and finish your house. I think that the worst days are yet to come, the dollar will continue to fall further. I believe it will be years before we see a dollar stronger than where it is today.