Seniors Retire for 1200 a Month Live in the Philippines

Living in the Philippines for 1200 a month? No, it isn't crazy talk. There are thousands of United States retirees living there quite comfortably. Whether you want to live in a bustling city or live in quiet surroundings, the Philippines could be for you. We all know that living in the United States on a $1200 a month pension is tough for a retired Senior Citizen. The cost of medicine and medical care keeps going up and up faster than the cost of living. You read about seniors eating poorly or going without other vital services to pay for their monthly medicine bills. It's tough to live comfortably on such a small amount in your homeland. Well, the good news is that you can live quite well in the Philippine Islands on that kind of money.

Consider retiring to the Philippine Islands. The people of the Philippines are warm and friendly. They have a great value system that is missing in today's fast-paced United States. The Filipinos have more of a family oriented culture than we do in the states. They also show respect for older people. Sure, there is some crime here but it is not as bad as in larger US cities and towns. It is safe to walk at night without fear. Just take normal precautions as you would anywhere and you'll be fine. There are some remote areas that have terrorists, but that is about all. Treat people well and you will get the same in return.

Living in the Philippines is quite cheap. Most of the people there, make $200 a month or less. So for $1200 a month you can live rather well. You can have live in maids for $50 a month or less. They live in a separate part of the house. You pay for their food. It is quite a good deal for you. Maids do the cooking and cleaning and even your shopping. They become more like family than servants. Your maid does lots of valuable chores and interacts with the local populace much better then you could. Good maids make life a lot more pleasant in the Philippines. Your maid will probably save you money through careful shopping. A good maid will make your life easier.

As far as owning or renting a place to live goes, there are various prices for each area. Manila is the most expensive place to live in the Philippines. There are also smaller cities on other islands where the living is cheaper. If you need to live in a fancy high-rise or a gated community you will pay more. Figure on paying $300 a month for a two bedroom apartment. Add in food, electricity, cable and other expenses you would pay a thousand a month or less. There are places for all budgets that aren't dumps. For $2200 a month you could have a five-bedroom house with a live-in maid and a live-in driver. All this depends on how much luxury you want. It would be prudent to have two or 3000 in the bank for any emergencies. You do have to pay some deposits for all these services that you set up.

Medical and dental services are good in the large cities of the Philippines. You don't have to worry about getting decent care if you decide to relocate there. Compared to the United States, medical care is cheaper. Drug costs are a little less than the states. You can choose to order drugs from Canada for extra savings. Some of the doctors were trained in the states and choose to live in their homeland.

As far as recreation goes there are many things to do. Of course, a large city will have more cultural events. Movie rentals are cheap. You could probably play a round of golf for 10 bucks during the week that some of the courses. Maybe even less if you shop around. There are places that have beautiful beaches for swimming and snorkeling. They have Internet, telephones, and cable TV. There are things to keep you occupied.

Retiring to the Philippines is not a big thing. The Filipinos are a warm, friendly and happy people. They have a very strong family oriented culture. The weather is semitropical. You can fly round-trip from the West Coast of the United States for $900 more or less. The cost of living there is quite good for the retiree on a fixed budget. Your dollar will stretch much farther in the Philippines. There are many guides available to get further information about living here. There are also some groups on Yahoo that are devoted to the Philippines that you can join for more information.