@Vibration101
What Can I buy With 1700 PHP? (Freewrite)
Call me a stupid American. Call me an ignorant 'guapo'. I have to ask this question because I really don't know....What can I buy with $35 U.S. dollars, or 1,700 PHP? I've noticed a large majority of the community here on read.cash is Phillipino (or is it **Filipino**? Please correct me!). I mean no disrespect in any way shape or form, I just want to understand. Let me give you a little backstory. https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1AWFC_enUS797US808&nfpr=1&sxsrf=ALeKk03JQZTLdHO7RAEyjeGRAep0p6YBGQ:1628053054205&q=filipino&spell=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjZ_OGfypbyAhXNup4KHVW2CBsQBSgAegQIARAw&biw=1920&bih=881 My Last Girlfriend Was Born In The Philippines We dated for 8 years, and recently broke up this year....(I don't want to talk about it!) She was born in the Philippines, but moved here at an early age. One of my favorite things about the relationship was getting to visit her mom, who fed me as much as I can eat (which is A LOT!). She always mentioned how great it would be for a tall white guy like me to visit the P.I. and how much I would get to eat there. Unfortunately the relationship broke off before I was able to take a trip over there with her, but I've been curious ever since. Could I Survive In The Philippines? In my mind I can survive anything. Antarctica, the north pole, the Sahara desert, Siberia, bring it on! In reality though....would I fit in and adapt in the Philippines? For a tall, dumb white guy, I've tried Balut and loved it. I love everything about the food, culture, and mannerisms. I'm just curious to know if I would be accepted or shunned coming over there? Obviously I would need to learn tagalog so I can interact with people I meet, and show respect to elders. Would I work? Do I just wander around aimlessly expecting others to take care of me? What would I do to show appreciation to the people who show kindness to me? All of these questions run through my mind? How Much Do I Need To Survive? Obviously 1700 php won't cut it, and I have other sources of income that would translate to quite a bit more. I just wonder though.....how much would allow me to live comfortably among people who are accepting, loving, and kind? What if I earned enough to live, and support the community around me? How much does it take to go to the Philippines and be someone who makes a difference? I know this little 'rant' is a little strange, and I apologize. I've always wondered though. Thank you for putting up with me if you've read this far!
23 comments
Why not? You can survive here for sure but the heat is so hard to beat. Literally the heat from the sun 🤣
I have no problem with heat, I tolerate it just fine lol. I really don't complain about much in general actually xD
Oh that's nice to know, sir. I hope this pandemic will be over so you can come anytime soon. But yeah 1,700 php would make you survive for a day in fact that amount is big already. In my food consumption, I think 1,700 lasts for 1 week.
1700 php daily is more than enough for basic needs. I think you will survive here. Just be ready during summer coz our summer is like 5.0 version in the US for sure. Lol. Don't worry about the language, some can communicate even without proper education. But yeah, you need to make an effort to learn the language first.
I actually love the heat, but the humidity might be a little rough lol! I love the way you described it as 5.0 xD I recently experienced 103 degree weather here a few days ago, and I managed OK!
Then you're good to go! Hehe.
Don't worry about the language because almost all of the people can understand English and 1,700 PHP is huge money I think that is my allowance for a month but that was before haha
Oh that makes me feel a little better. I don't want to be a 'king', I just want to live and help whoever I come in contact with! I think it would serve me well.
But yeah heat is the real enemy here your electricity will pump every summer😂
Here in my place for 1700 PHP you could buy: ~30 kg of good quality rice ~27 liters of gasoline ~4 kilograms of pork meat ~5 1/2 whole roasted chicken or pay your internet bill for a month (~mine is around 1600) I think you could definitely survive in the Philippines. Filipinos are open minded so there's no worry of being shunned. Another good thing is that most of the population can understand English. Even if you don't learn Tagalog or Bisaya communication won't be that much of a problem. :)
So a tall handsome white guy can survive there? lol xD I am seriously thinking about it!
P1700 is a month and a half budget of a single person here on our island. People here are too friendly and would gladly give you fish fresh or veggies, if you want one😀😀and yeah, language barrier is not a problem. Locals here are used to talking to a foreigner, since majority of tourists visiting here are from foreign country
You're telling me.....I could live.....on P1700 a month??? I would be giving money away left and right if I were able to live that way!!!
You surely can! People here in the island live for a month with less than 1700 as budget😀😀
I don't know about Philippines but here in Pakistan people can easily manage $35 for a month.
I need to get over there! Your article inspired me, and I'm excited to visit!
I think you can survive if you live in the province. But trust me when I say that your 1700php is not enough if you choose to live in the city. Guess that 1700php can last a week, provided that you don't need to pay rent to stay and with free use of electricity and water. Language is not a problem, money is hahaha
It's crazy to me that if I earned 10x that amount I could live like a king, which here in the U.S. still is barely enough to survive for a week. I can't wait to visit the Philippines with $$$ saved and just give most of it away. This comment will age well when I finally come over. Thank you for taking time respond.....I appreciate you :D
I guess considering if you'll stay in a place with a reasonable rent fee, and you use utilities wisely, eat normal three meals a day, and reserves travel funds for everyday transpo, emergency funds of course.. hmm.. what more should be considered... oh, savings or investing some percentage if you want.. and some more for leisure (e.g. some beach getaway from time to time, or trips to tourist spots in the country).. I think i mentioned a lot but I feel that I am missing some things.. Haha! Anyway, thinking of all the stuff I mentioned, Php 1700 is enough for a week (if the expenses are lower) or for half a week (if some expenditures unexpectedly increase).
That is so exciting! I only used 1700php as a starting point because it's what I had as my read.cash balance and it got me thinking. I can't wait to travel and affordably experience new cultures and people!
Hey, hope you don't mind me commenting again. This is relevant, as well! What caught my attention was when you said, "Do I just wander around aimlessly expecting others to take care of me?" Just my two cents. Of course, a definite no. I believe you are aware of this. Filipinos are known for being hospitable. We'd open our door for you, try to share what's left inside, and make you feel at home. (This is just my vantage point.) But, you do know, this is not evident to all. The world is a vast ocean, and we've got different fishes out there. We are not certain what runs inside someone's head. So, at the end of the day, better to be vigilant. And most of all, you, you take care of yourself. As for the Php 1,700.00, you'll survive. Depends on your tactics. But reality check, if you're in a foreign land, with the usual "me, myself, and I", then you'll need a job/source of income to sustain your needs. 'Cause that amount will not allow you to feed yourself for a month. ... I'm talking too much, I'll end it here for now. :)
WOW! Thank you for taking the time to write such an insightful and informative comment! I suppose when I said "expecting others to take care of me", I was referring to meeting strangers, buying drinks and food, and sharing a new experience with kind people. I know this isn't specific just to the Philippines, I do this same thing in the U.S. here as well. You're right though, I've been burned a few times putting trust in strangers, but 90% of the time people are hospitable, kind, and welcoming. I look forward to visiting the Philippines soon, and sharing the wealth with those I come in contact with. I'll have much more than 1,700 Php when I visit....that's for sure! "Sana All" :D
There, there. Got it. Thanks for the exemplification! Btw, I forgot to tell you, of course, you are welcome in the PH. Plus, the right people will take care of you. That's for sure. And oh! You've learned about 'Sana all'! Here's a bonus for you. Take 'petmalu'. That's very Filipino which means extremely interesting/cool. Say for example, you have a friend who's fascinating, you say - Wow friend, you are so petmalu! Just like that. Or call your friend 'bes' like "Bes, you are petmalu"! So yeah, sana all! :)