Budget Stay, Great Location
I see City Lodge on the corner of Sukhumvit Soi 9 at BTS Nana and above The Game sports bar and restaurant is displaying multiple banners for "Rooms, 8,000 Baht Per Month."
I have never seen their rooms except for photos on their website, know they don't have a pool, probably no fitness center to speak of and I imagine noise could be a problem if you choose a room overlooking Sukhumvit or the floor directly above The Game. But it seems to me 8,000 baht per month for a decent hotel room at that location is a pretty good deal for anyone lucky enough to be in Bangkok and looking for a budget stay.
There are at least two hotels with pools within a 5 minute walk from that corner that allow visitors to use their pool, usually if you buy anything as minimal at their coffee shop as a bottle of water; Stable Lodge on Soi 8 and Four Points by Sheraton on Soi 15. The latter doesn't require a purchase of anything. Just ride the elevator up to the rooftop pool area and enjoy.
Appreciate the discussions on monthly budgets!
[QUOTE=Tomasb;2496075]I stay in a small apartment building with a one bedroom apartment in lower Suk. 4 minute walk to the Nana Station and very central. It's been my go to place for the last several years during the winter months. The lady who owns the building speaks good English and is friendly though does not live on site. Very private with a key card to enter. The rent, plus a-see and cable, is at 27 k bt per month. I generally spend an additional 55-60 k bt Per month for the rest of my expenses, which includes mongering activities. The key for me to keep my budget in line is avoiding the go go bars. I don't like this scene, the loud and bad music, smoky air, largely insincere girls, bar fines, short time prices, etc. And the general hustle and rip offs prevalent. Instead I stick to small bars, sometimes hit the street scene, and on occasion certain discos and night clubs. I used to enjoy the now defunct Bangkok Beat and though no place similar has replaced it, I do like Hilary2 on Soi 4. No barfine, you get to chat with the ladies a bit more to sift through the posers, and most girls there are highly motivated to negotiate and performance overall is pretty good, though stay away from the Vietnamese girls. Some of the news bars on Soi 7 have potential but alas Covid has got in the way to see how that area will turn out.
Some years during the winter months, I have joined the Marriot athletic club on Soi 2. They offer 3 month membership and have a nice pool one would expect from a four star hotel. This past winter, I stumbled across a small hotel on Lai Nert, which had an inexpensive lunch and you could use their pool for free too. Generally, I was the only one at the pool and having lunch unless I brought company.
I usually get a two month visa in my home country for 1200 bt, and then either extend for an additional 30 days at immigration or leave the country for several days before returning for the remainder of my stay. By doing the latter, you save 1800 bt as when you return, if by air, Thailand has a free entry. There are inexpensive flights on Air Asia to Vietnam and Laos, Cambodia So you can easily check out the scene and scenery in another neighboring Country and though drastically different from Bangkok always has interesting aspects to break up my visit.
Having returned four times over the last six years, it makes it easier to find good deals for food and restaurants. Margaritaville in Soi 13 and Suk has good and inexpensive breakfast. Kiwis used to be good too but they have closed. But, there are a multitude of choices and easy to keep food costs under control. I also don't take dates to dinner or lunch. Just find it a waste of time and money. Most girls I meet don't speak English well enough so it's tough to have any kind of meaningful conversation with them in the end.
Anyway, I am retired so you guys who are still working or enjoy fat pensions may be able to spend more freely but for me, it's def cheaper, warmer, and more fun than spending my winters in a cold and inhospitable climate (in more ways than one). But with Covid potentially rearing it's ugly head for many more years, my lifestyle has grounded to an abrupt halt.[/QUOTE]I've recently been planning my retirement and these discussions definitely help.
I don't think I'll need to bone every single day when I retire in a few years (ETA 4 years). So with some self restraint, I can probably retire with about $3500-$4000/ mo (117 k-133 k baht). That's about 27 k on rent, 33 k on food and 56 k-73 k on entertainment. I think I can get about 2 LT per week plus a one or two nuru / FS massages per week. And regular massage every day.
That retirement income is before social security, 401 k, and pension. So the older I get, the more income. The alternative is to push back retirement 5-10 more years and live like Natty. But I believe in enjoying life and women as early as possible. I still might be able to enjoy life like Natty in 10 years when pension kicks in, and more in another 10 when SS /401 k kick in.
It does kind of suck having to exercise self restraint during retirement in a country like Thailand. But I think I'd prefer that to working 5-10 more years.
