Can you share some tips or ideas to save in your daily life

Well, I am a big movie goer. Always watch movies in the cinema on Wednesday. On that day you can save up to 50% of original ticket price.

This is one way to save on your entertainment expenses.

Cook food at home than dining out. I am sure you will be saving a few bahts there as well. Make smoothies at home than buy one glass of smoothier from outside. 20 bath for locals and 30 baht for tourists.

Probably ride a bus/boat instead of a taxi/sky train , if there no time constraints.

Buy clothes from open cheap markets than shopping malls.

This is the basic stuff that most people follow even in their own country.

Based on this subject, it's very subjective because are you looking at savings and don't care about Quality??

For example, one can subscribe an English newspaper and pay 1 year in advance instead of buying daily at the news stand. Yes! There is savings but at times you don't get your newspaper.

You had to call the newspaper company and tell them. Their answer to you is, "Sorry, we will extend your expire date by 1 more day because you didn't get newspaper today."

This does not happen only once but few times and your expiry date keeps extended. Besides telephone charges to the newspaper company has not be factor into your cost. Not forgetting your time on the phone and wait for them to connect you to the right person to talk.

Besides it's a Thai tradition for many companies who don't respond to complaints etc. Thus don't bother to write email to them.

Now, a mobile company cannot provide good 3 G signal to the area of my home since last year. Call and written to them more than the number of your fingers & toes but can't solve the problem.

When you walk into your home more than 1 meter, signal drop. You might not be able to make any calls out or receive calls.

At times your voice break when talking to people. What happen if you pay 1 year in advance if you get this problem.

Having ADSL Internet connection in your home but the speed is slow. You call the company and their technician came to check. You are given 2 stories, increase the speed by upgrading your current package thus pay more. Next is another excuse, your anti virus slows down the Internet speed. So what happen if you pay in advance for 1 year?

Buy a pirate DVD and the whole family and friend's watch at home as cheaper than going to cinema as 1 ticket for 1 person can buy 1 DVD.

Plant your own rice and vegetables especially those in the province. Make your own dipping sauce (Kapi or belachan). 1 hard boil egg can be shared by 4 people. Do you want to live this lifestyle???

Thailand has many kinds of membership - movies; restaurants; hotels; some stores which gives discount. Standard is 10%

I speak for myself, if I'm going to pay between 600 - 1,000 baht for a meal, I'm not interested in 10% discount because 60 - 100 baht can't make me rich.

My mind has decided to dine in the restaurant and pay that price. If I'm thinking of saving, then do go in and eat at cheaper place.

For example, hotels and restaurant charge higher price during the festive season. During Christmas, western food will cost more if you dine in the restaurant. I make the switch, I dine in Chinese restaurant during Christmas thus prices are lower.

Chinese New Year comes, I dine in western restaurant as price is cheaper.

I'm still dining in the same hotel but different outlets.

There is no law that says Christmas must eat western food. If you want to save, cook it yourself and roast your own turkey.

Personally, I believe as I have 1 life, I enjoy my life based on my budget and not going to save but loose quality or add additional problems or waste my time.

Work smart and play hard. When one dies, money and material things cannot follow you.

Give and bless the unfortunate is the best, for the joy on the person's face is something memorable.

Rejoice, good advice for the people on a budget. We don't eat in downtown Bangkok only once a year, when our friends come to visit, that's a good way to save money. We never worry about saving money when we eat out, in Nonthaburi the restaurants are so cheap for us. But what has become more important is how the food is prepared, most of the time they like to deep fry with palm oil which is very unhealthy, they also use a lot of msg. salt, sugar, so I have started cooking at home, buy from the local vegetable market & meat markets, you must be careful and wash your vegetables very well before cooking & you must read or ask the butcher if they have put any kind of chemicals on the meat to make it last longer. But now we are eating healthier & cheaper, saving money for our move back to the US in a few years.

Thanks, very valuable information.

Thanks everybody, very valuable information.

My gf buys fish from the local market in Nakhon Sawan, but I have no idea where it has been fished.

Probably close to Bangkok, hello heavy metals.

This is my only concern. For the rest, we buy fruits at local market or from relatives, and eggs from a farm.

thailand4me wrote:

Rejoice, good advice for the people on a budget. We don't eat in downtown Bangkok only once a year, when our friends come to visit, that's a good way to save money. We never worry about saving money when we eat out, in Nonthaburi the restaurants are so cheap for us. But what has become more important is how the food is prepared, most of the time they like to deep fry with palm oil which is very unhealthy, they also use a lot of
msg. salt, sugar, so I have started
cooking at home, buy from the local
vegetable market & meat markets,
you must be careful and wash your
vegetables very well before cooking
& you must read or ask the butcher
if they have put any kind of chemicals
on the meat to make it last longer. But
now we are eating healthier &
cheaper, saving money for our move
back to the US in a few years.

Hi there,
You are welcome and would be pleased to share with you if you need any.
I used to live in Nontaburi near The Mall and Panthip Plaza. There's a big pharmacy that sells medicine at a low price as they are wholesale and retail. Formerly with Sirirat hospital. I know the so call restaurants in your area. Gambling dens are famous in your area and there's a road where is famous for wooden furniture like teak. Many carpenters there too plus a big hardware store as well.
1 end of the road is Changeattana and the other end is Tesco lotus which leads to Rama 5 road - Dusit Zoo and Chitlada Palace. I used to stat in that area too.
As to Thai food, it's very common for them adding MSG and natural vitamin A to Z. You are lucky if palm oil as some of them buy cheap oil for deep fry. Some of these oil are smuggle in at Ranong down south by boats from Myanmar.
I'm a person who enjoy all kinda of food across the world. I don't save on food and go for fresh quality food. I don't buy salmon from Tesco lotus or big c but in gourmet market or villa or home fresh mart.

I go for HK and Japanese soy sauce and imported sauce when cook. I use Canola oil for cooking as I read the advantages of different cooking oils. Olive oil is for my salad or eating dry noodles.

I get my supplies of imported spices
from overseas friend's which one can't
get in Thailand.

I make sure to have fine dining in hotels and posh restaurants as I pamper myself after working hard and smart.

I have 1 life so I want to be happy with no strict restrictions on food; entertainment; relaxation and hobbies.

I can't take money or material things with me when I die.

Live healthy with good food; be happy with life and keep love to share.

Rejoice, interesting information on Nonthaburi, couple of places I didn't know about, we knew about the Pharmacy as my wife was a ICU Nurse, now she just look after her family, giving advice. We live behind the Mall, right next door to Home Pro, in the LPN Condo's, good location but noisy. Maybe we can meet one day, before I return to the US. Think we might do 6 months here & 6 months in the US. But this won't be for another 2 years, after I get my Social security. Patrick

Thanks all for your replies, I can see from some answers that it is more the top of the middle class expat who have replied but many expats are not that wealthy and with cost of living increasing past 20 years in Thailand, they don't have money to pamper themselves or eat in 5 stars hotel, or even eat western food unfortunately.

Maybe 100s baht is nothing for some expats, but what I have read today about the government new plan to support newborn baby, it will be 400 THB monthly, foreigners will find it ridiculously low as equivalent to around a third of euro per day, but for Thai people is still more than 1 day working at minimum wage,

I have been working most of my life as cost killer, cost reduction in automotive ( this affect design, sourcing, process, low cost country, labor, warranty, etc...), and in the world in which we live whichever high end model car you buy all these ideas to reduce cost will affect the quality somewhere, but for people they will just see the brand ( like german brand or well known sport car or luxury brand ), but they will not even know in which country the vehicle they bought in Europe has been manufactured and the changes implemented in a face lift model, just by reading the news you can see the number of cars recall everywhere in the world...

Yes I agree about poor customer service in Thailand and sometimes nowhere to complaint like for internet provider, but this is Thailand, we can not expect to have higher level of quality here than in our respective country when the infrastructure and investment are not there, just look at all cables ( electricity, phone, internet... ) on the post in the street... no comments

they don't have money to pamper themselves or eat in 5 stars hotel, or even eat western food unfortunately.
The term wealth is very subjective as different people see it differently.

Most important is having peace; joy and love in one's heart. You have wealth but can't spent or enjoy is terrible. You have wealth but lots of enemies. You have wealth but keep looking at the back of shoulder with fear. Is that life?

Food is the basic of one's daily life and it's the fruit of your labor. You are working and can't enjoy food then
something needs to change.

Food is the fruit of our labor. I can understand one can't have fine dining often. But at least one can do it once a month or 2 months or 3 months.

Very sad if one is retired yet can't enjoy life with the food they love.

We all have 1 life and life is short. We don't know the future as we can be 6 feet underground in a box.

There is a saying, "Work smart and not
work hard."  Putting in lots of hours in
work and not making much means you
need to change yourself to be better so
as to earn more.

One need to ask yourself, what quality
of life do you need or want?

Cost of living increase is not just
Thailand but the whole world.

Westerners get US$ or Euro$ and to dine in fine restaurant is cheap in Thailand compare to western countries.

Don't you feel pity for yourself after working for so many years and now you are in a country where you can dine good food in a fine restaurant and cheap price.

Does that means you are still working like a mule and can't enjoy your life?

Sorry if my words are direct but please ask yourself, how to improve your lifestyle.

I'm not saying spend on jewelry or hi tech equipment or fancy cars or branded clothes; shoes and watches.

Just food that you love and sit in a nice place whereby you are served.

Minimum wage is 300 baht per day and the hand out is 400 baht per month. It's vast difference.

In reality, before you get settle down, put on the thinking cap and financial planning. Don't just shoot your gun and if you really need it - wear a rubber.

Be responsible for the kid you bring out to this world as it's your flesh and blood.

One need to improve yourself to earn more to feed the mouths in your family. Don't blame anyone or the society as they never ask you to shoot your gun. It's you and your partner's responsibility.

If you are earning 300baht and want more, improve your skills or take a 2nd job etc.

Take a good look around, one can improve themselves always.

For example, most drivers just drive the car for their boss and wash the car. While waiting for the boss they will sleep in the car or sit in a drivers room to watch TV.

If you be different among all drivers by offering services such as carry your boss shopping bags; body guard for the boss wife or daughter; step out of the box and do different.

Many are like frog in the well and think that is the whole world. Then complain about low salary and hard life.

Time will not stop; neither will the globe stop spinning or the sun rise from the west.

Sad there are many who waits for people to throw them a fish to eat but they can only eat for a day.

They refuse to learn how to fish as that can feed them a life time.

If cost is lower too much means quality drops as no one will do a loosing business.

So if one is offering a product or services then one need to know the market by going in at what market level.

How can the poor pay for something out of their budget which means the product or services target at the wrong group.

They love and want it but can't pay it. So it's either you sell to those who are willingly to pay or let them pay by monthly instalment.

I had seen many buy iPhone and iPad on loan. If sell by cash, many of them can't afford to buy.

Many of them owns an iPhone or iPad but eat a packet of instant noodle which is 6 baht. After getting their salary they pay room rent; utilities, loan etc

Some of them are sharing a small room with 3 people.

On the outside is having an iPhone but can't call you much because need to pay outgoing calls. They just call you and hang up so you have miss call then call them back. They don't pay for the call but you pay.

They dont want to improve themselves but sigh of no money; hard life etc. They can easily but a cheap phone from the phone company but no.

If that is the lifestyle then I have nothing to say.

All I can say is live on credit but DIE by paying Interest.

I always believe in consumer rights. I pay for what the company advertise or agreed. If they dont, I will sure complaint and take it to the top management.

I'm not asking for extra but just follow what was agreed when I made the purchase.

Thailand gives a lot of chances to all people and it's up to you to offer what others can't do. That is your niche and market. Money chase you and not you chase money.

I cannot agree fully there is no infrastructure and investment but attitude.

A person can "grow" is after finishing the job, they can stare at it and say, "I done a good job."

Many people can have slant pipes, wiring not straight, tiles cement not level, 1 side is higher than the othe end etc

To them I finish my job even there are 2 screws extra after fixing the cover. Before opening is 10 screws but after fixing, they use 8 screws so throw the 2 extra screws.

Be happy and proud of your work as you can show to everyone. With this attitude, you improve so as the money in your pocket.

Have a good sunday, stay healthy and happy.

Taste is different i know.

I don´t like the food a X star place, i think it taste "bad" / at best okay.
I feel i pay for eat a nice place, and for me that total stupid and a waste of my money.
But we do it because my Thai wife like to eat this place 1-2 time a month.

I love the street food, i love the food at what i call Thai restaurant where the working class go and eat.
The taste and flavor this place are so much better (for me) then any fancy X star place.

Friday my wife want a day of from cooking, Sure no problem.
I go down to our street, buy 4 kind of food for us = 135 baht.
We cook the rice our self, but if not 2 bag 15-20 baht
We have food noon and evening and enough leftover for us to make a plate for the guard at our place.
And i love this food.


About saving money.

If one need medicine every day like i do.
For my arthritis, high blood pressure, hearth and before my back pain.
Then change the brand from what i buy back home (made in Europa) to a brand made in Asia / Thailand.
For me i save around 60%-75%.
And never buy the medicine at a hospital.
Yes i know some medicine one can only buy at hospital.


I would suggest NEVER change brand before talking to a Doctor.
When i change brand i talk to a Doctor here in Thailand, and my Danish Doctor back home first, to be sure it was okay.

Never done that.
If you are happy with the place you have your food then I'm happy for you.

As for me, I love different varieties of food - northern and southern Indian food; indonesian food; Malaysian food; Japanese food; Mexican food; German food; British food etc

For me it's not a waste of money as I enjoy eating and tasting different kinda of food

I consider a waste of money if I'm not eating the original taste of food. For example the food is change by removing certain spices or ingredients.

If you observe carefully, many of the thai food do not have separation like
different food for different place like street or restaurant or hotels.

For example; Japanese; Chinese; British etc does have separation.

You can get certain dishes from home cooking, certain dishes from restaurants
and certain dishes from hotels.

For thai food, there is only 1 type of noodles - Phad thai as other types of noodles are Chinese and they modify the taste.

How many cooking style of vegetables are thai? 1 type and that is raw. The other cooking methods are Chinese.

How many different types of thai soup? Only 1 - Tom yam as Thais have many curries - Kaeng.

For me I don't eat in S & P or Seefah or Bua or any Thai restaurant unless I need to entertain foreign visitors.

I just eat normal thai food like the Thais because it's not worth to pay so much money for thai food in restaurant or hotel.

But when comes to sushi, I don't eat the 5 baht sushi sold at the street. 1 piece of that may just fill the gap of my teeth.

Besides I don't take chances eating raw food that is expose to flying vitamin A - Z.

Neither will I eat Japanese food I'm Fuji or Oishi or Zen. As I was taught by Japanese here, I go for authentic Japanese restaurant.

The price is nearly the same but food taste great. A bowl of noodles in a Japanese restaurant in Taniya road is so much and price is same as Fuji or Oishi or Zen.

Likewise I don't eat suki in MK or Hot Pot as soup is blend and normal. Besides it's very expensive.

I cook it myself and make better soup and it's not sold in any place because home cook Chinese soup.

I can have a feast with different types of food for suki and cheaper price. Thais called suki which is wrong name. The true name is steam boat or hot pot.

In winter time, you see lots of people in China and Hong kong eating it. Thais modify the food and taste.

If I'm busy to cook I do the same as you by buying from the market. I try to avoid because too much oil; MSG and fish sauce.

I do understand they need profit so they go for cheap fish sauce. If you feel thirsty after eating means too much MSG. For those who are allergic to MSG, you may have headaches just like my sister in law.

Fish sauce has too much salt and you can try it. Pour on a small saucer and let it dry naturally. You will see lots of salt.

But try with Soy sauce from Japan or HK and you see the difference. Of course price is higher than fish sauce.

Next time, keep a packet of food instead of eating and put into the fridge. In the morning, remove it out and you see how much oil is in it and it's like solid wax.

Loom at how much oil used when thai fry an omelette. They don't use non stick pan or quality oil.

I try to eat healthy by home cooking or select the food such as avoid deep fried.

Sorry for your sickness and medical fees can be costly.

That is why I try to eat healthy.

I don't buy salad from the salad bar like in Mall Home Fresh Mart or Gourmet Market. You pick the different types of veggies and dressings.

Most of the dressings are having high sugar content. I go for simple home made dressing.

Neither do I take 3 in 1 Milo or Ovaltine here as it's very sweet compare to those sold overseas even of the same brand.

Saving money is 1, sacrificing health is another.

I care for what goes into my belly and the quality.

For example, Thais love Gyoza, I rather eat it steam or boil as no oil. Besides there are vegetarian types.

I made my own mince pork by selecting the pork without fats instead of buying minced pork with fat (you see the white spots mix with the pork)

Live happy and stay healthy.

We went to a national park, several times, some years back. It was during my rookie season. It meant a great deal to my Thai family that I go and enjoy. I saw the two prices (the person taking care of us was going to charge me Thai price, he saw how many Thais were on my nickel.) However , there were other workers there and they did what was right and charged me guest of Thailand price. It took me less than one minute to assimilate it and it was okay. After being awarded rookie of the year honors. Have gone on to consecutive veteran of the year and come back player, on and on.
When we choose not to think of it it tends to avoid us. What would be the attraction? None. We can choose not to atrack what we don't care to have in our life. HUuuuuu focus. Its a Mantra.

Good health, good read.