# The Big Move/ USA to Pampanga



## jporter617 (May 11, 2015)

Hello, this is my first post. my names Shane im 30years old. im from NC usa. single no children..

the past 7 years i have been working as a general contractor. due to recent events in my life, i have decided to make a change for the better. im moving to the Philippines. pampanga area. As for work, i have no plans for the first year of working. maybe in the future ill invest or open a small business... i have saved quite a bit, and my property i rent out here in the states allows me around 1,300.00usd a month as income here in PH.

ive talked to a few other older expats and they have stated 1,300 is plenty if i live within my means. some that have retired dont get that amount and do just fine.

my 2bedroom town home is 8,000ph a month plus utility.and wifi.

i figure 13,500.00ph a month is my housing costs. give or take... not including food and other needs. (tooth paste, TP, hygiene needs ect etc) ive set aside $1200.00 usd. for a 110cc scooter or motorcycle. my town home is within walking distance of food and any stores, however i want a means of transportation. will my international drivers license work? any help with that would be great. 

im hoping to meet some of you on here and become friends. :fingerscrossed:im starting a video blog...and youtube channel to record my daily life and adventures in PH.

my first place of interest and travel is to BOHOL choc. hills and panglao. any advice on places to check out my first few weeks after i touch down? also advice on where to buy furniture lol.. my place doesnt come with much. 

thanks everyone for your time lane:


SHANE


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

jporter617 said:


> Hello, this is my first post. my names Shane im 30years old. im from NC usa. single no children..
> 
> the past 7 years i have been working as a general contractor. due to recent events in my life, i have decided to make a change for the better. im moving to the Philippines. pampanga area. As for work, i have no plans for the first year of working. maybe in the future ill invest or open a small business... i have saved quite a bit, and my property i rent out here in the states allows me around 1,300.00usd a month as income here in PH.
> 
> ...


Hi Shane, sounds like you got things planed well for your return. Don't bother getting an International license, It'll get you in trouble here, you have within 90 days of landing to get your Philippine drivers license, you bring your passport plane ticket and US drivers license to the LTO, it's real simple.

Careful with your nest egg, business options here are the pits, people don't have money for your cool business idea's, I'd take it slow and start with small investments with any business plans, also make sure the customers don't see you.


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## jporter617 (May 11, 2015)

QUOTE=mcalleyboy;7332329]Hi Shane, sounds like you got things planed well for your return. Don't bother getting an International license, It'll get you in trouble here, you have within 90 days of landing to get your Philippine drivers license, you bring your passport plane ticket and US drivers license to the LTO, it's real simple.

Careful with your nest egg, business options here are the pits, people don't have money for your cool business idea's, I'd take it slow and start with small investments with any business plans, also make sure the customers don't see you.[/QUOTE]


Thanks for the info on the license, it will be awhile before i decide to invest in anything. most small Food places inside the malls stay busy. maybe something like that in the future. i plan on doing as little work as possible.. i wouldnt mind putting people on payroll  for now i need to get all my ducks in a row, become legal and have all the paper work in order here. ive done as much planning and research as i know how at the moment! sometimes you think you have it all figured out then you end up missing something! haha Thanks!


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Business*

Spot in the malls sounds great, if you want to relax you'll be in for a surprise because if you're not watching the money, food and drinks you'll be broke. Only business option that worked for me and I still had issues was billiards because they can't eat the balls but they sure can switch em out, damage sticks and tables, so in order for this business to work for me I had to learn how to repair everything but still getting them to pay 5 peso's per game was challenge every single time, you'd be surprised on how much were overcharged for everything here but you won't see a Philippine citizen paying the same rates we do and you'll never find out what the local price is, till you try to sell it yourself. Example from last week: Woman was charging us 20 pesos per kilo for green mangos, she was busy a couple of days later when I came by and she left a sign by her basket of Mangos, 12 peso's per kilo, hey I've been here for 5 years we still find that we get overcharged.


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

jporter617 said:


> QUOTE=mcalleyboy;7332329]Hi Shane, sounds like you got things planed well for your return. Don't bother getting an International license, It'll get you in trouble here, you have within 90 days of landing to get your Philippine drivers license, you bring your passport plane ticket and US drivers license to the LTO, it's real simple.
> 
> Careful with your nest egg, business options here are the pits, people don't have money for your cool business idea's, I'd take it slow and start with small investments with any business plans, also make sure the customers don't see you.


Thanks for the info on the license, it will be awhile before i decide to invest in anything. most small Food places inside the malls stay busy. maybe something like that in the future. i plan on doing as little work as possible.. i wouldnt mind putting people on payroll  for now i need to get all my ducks in a row, become legal and have all the paper work in order here. ive done as much planning and research as i know how at the moment! sometimes you think you have it all figured out then you end up missing something! haha Thanks![/QUOTE]

Good luck.....


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## jporter617 (May 11, 2015)

mcalleyboy said:


> Spot in the malls sounds great, if you want to relax you'll be in for a surprise because if you're not watching the money, food and drinks you'll be broke. Only business option that worked for me and I still had issues was billiards because they can't eat the balls but they sure can switch em out, damage sticks and tables, so in order for this business to work for me I had to learn how to repair everything but still getting them to pay 5 peso's per game was challenge every single time, you'd be surprised on how much were overcharged for everything here but you won't see a Philippine citizen paying the same rates we do and you'll never find out what the local price is, till you try to sell it yourself. Example from last week: Woman was charging us 20 pesos per kilo for green mangos, she was busy a couple of days later when I came by and she left a sign by her basket of Mangos, 12 peso's per kilo, hey I've been here for 5 years we still find that we get overcharged.



yea i have noticed the overcharges, i need to work on my tan and catch up on my tagalog! lol jk :spit: yea i have plenty of time to figure out what i want to do as far as making any extra money. for now my budget is pretty decent. ive been reading about americans moving over and buying condos and renting them out as and investment also. thats something that needs ALOT of thinking and planning but sounds legit. i would invest near tourists places with lots of travel.


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## jporter617 (May 11, 2015)

lefties43332 said:


> Thanks for the info on the license, it will be awhile before i decide to invest in anything. most small Food places inside the malls stay busy. maybe something like that in the future. i plan on doing as little work as possible.. i wouldnt mind putting people on payroll  for now i need to get all my ducks in a row, become legal and have all the paper work in order here. ive done as much planning and research as i know how at the moment! sometimes you think you have it all figured out then you end up missing something! haha Thanks!


Good luck.....[/QUOTE]


Thank You! i appreciate that!:fingerscrossed:


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## EuroBob (Feb 23, 2015)

mcalleyboy said:


> Spot in the malls sounds great, if you want to relax you'll be in for a surprise because if you're not watching the money, food and drinks you'll be broke. Only business option that worked for me and I still had issues was billiards because they can't eat the balls but they sure can switch em out, damage sticks and tables, so in order for this business to work for me I had to learn how to repair everything but still getting them to pay 5 peso's per game was challenge every single time, you'd be surprised on how much were overcharged for everything here but you won't see a Philippine citizen paying the same rates we do and you'll never find out what the local price is, till you try to sell it yourself. Example from last week: Woman was charging us 20 pesos per kilo for green mangos, she was busy a couple of days later when I came by and she left a sign by her basket of Mangos, 12 peso's per kilo, hey I've been here for 5 years we still find that we get overcharged.


There must be some other unknown variables at work here. My Filipina wife is charged 24 pesos/kilo for the small green "India Mangos" at the market in Guagua, Pampanga. So maybe your 20 pesos/kilo is a good price and the 12 pesos/kilo was half price.
(This does not change you main point that one, especially a foreigner, may never know the proper local price for something, I just mention this side note because your price of 20 Pesos/kilo seems uncharacteristically good.)
;-)


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

EuroBob said:


> There must be some other unknown variables at work here. My Filipina wife is charged 24 pesos/kilo for the small green "India Mangos" at the market in Guagua, Pampanga. So maybe your 20 pesos/kilo is a good price and the 12 pesos/kilo was half price.
> (This does not change you main point that one, especially a foreigner, may never know the proper local price for something, I just mention this side note because your price of 20 Pesos/kilo seems uncharacteristically good.)
> ;-)


Always hsve ur wife do the shopping unless in a grocery store with set prices


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## jporter617 (May 11, 2015)

ill use good judgment on prices... most of the time if its a woman i can negotiate prices with her (smooth talk ) her out of a kilo of mangos! lol thanks fellas. BTW. can anybody reccomend a place to buy a bike or scooter? should i just go to a honda dealership? i really want one new and dont want to buy used...


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

jporter617 said:


> ill use good judgment on prices... most of the time if its a woman i can negotiate prices with her (smooth talk ) her out of a kilo of mangos! lol thanks fellas. BTW. can anybody reccomend a place to buy a bike or scooter? should i just go to a honda dealership? i really want one new and dont want to buy used...


U can smooth talk a filipina? Oh brother.....


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## jporter617 (May 11, 2015)

lefties43332 said:


> U can smooth talk a filipina? Oh brother.....



who knows? gotta try!:eyebrows:


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