Check out Mikes channel here: youtube.com/@mikesphilippineretirement?si=G3tB6WJ4Po2bV0Rs Would love to know your opinion on these topics!

I’ve been watching KZfaqrs about the Philippines for about a year and Mike is standup guy seems to have a good grasp on how things work.

Im a US expat living Philippines now 17 years, your the only volgger I've subscribed to on the first visit. I may know it all, but I still like to hear other expats views with common sense.

I did the same thing with Princess. Her "allowance" was 10,000 a month. 5000 was for her private, single signer savings account, not to be touched. 5000 was for her sisters, i.e. family. I covered everythiong else, including clothes and "make-ups." After awhile she had built up $3000 usd. Then, "poof", they talked her into sneaky blowing every penny on a stupid "multi-cab" for one relative. They have no concept of savings or investment for future.

What gets me is I always hear foreigners say it’s part of their culture. Why isn’t it part of their culture when they’re married to local men?

Good day. I recently married a province girl , I agree with a lot that you gentleman have said in respect to giving your wife and her family money. Helping to support your wife’s family is a given. You can fight it all you want, it will never end well. I give my wife 20,000 peso a month. She can do whatever she wants with it and that includes helping her family. I made it very clear that this is HER budget and I expect her to live within that budget. I know sometimes there are things my wife will want that are “ not in the budget”. We discuss these things when they arise. Some might say that I give my wife more than she needs to live comfortably. , However, in my wife’s 33 years she has worked hard for near nothing, has helped to support her family and is an absolutely wonderful person and wife. I am happy to make her life better as that is exactly what she does for mine.

Money is the relationship. If you cant fathom this, you're lost. Close the bank and see what happens.

My girlfriend worked at the call center in Manila. She was making $11/day and just worked weekdays. My girlfriend did have a 4 year Bachelor's Degree though. One of my buddies dated a province girl Filipina that was 19 with no college education and she was making $6/day working as a Nanny in a house. That is what you should expect to pay them if you want them to quit their job. Hope this helps.

Pragmatic, straightforward, info I can use. More useful than the previous 20 dating Filipinas videos I have seen combined. Thanks

if i was old and ugly id be glad if a pretty filipina had a transactional relationship with me lol

I’ve made this comment on Mike’s channel before; I think that he has done this the right way (despite some of the jerks that disagreed with me). When you come into the Philippines and ‘disrupt’ the life of a young woman that is working and contributing to their family - you have a responsibility to help her replace her income if YOU ‘require’ her to quit working - especially if she has been supporting other family members. However, if your budget doesn’t allow for this - then, you must be clear with her at the outset, and let her make her own decision. It may not be wholly necessary to replace all of her income (since, presumably, you will be covering all of her living expenses as part of the arrangement), but it is simply wrong to cut her off from any access to money (especially when her situation is as outlined above). Thanks Mike for being a good example of what we as American ex-pats should be in the Philippines. Let me also add that you must act with respect to her ability to budget - many Filipinas have never learned to ‘save’ money - especially since they haven’t ever had much of it. Remember that even though we (as Americans) are accustomed to paying our bills as monthly bills - I believe that it is wise to provide her ‘allowance’ by the week, because that is how she is used to managing her money. *and - preemptively, to anyone who chooses to argue about this with me - I won’t engage with self-centered, selfish, unreasonable, bottom-feeding users, which you surely are if you cannot see legitimacy in this decent approach to dealing with a woman in the Philippines.

I agree with the man in blue. Family is next to God for us. We are willing to give up everything even our happiness to see our family happy. An example of that is Filipinos working abroad, if you ask them if is it okay for them to be away from their country and family to work, most of them will say no, but for the opportunity we have in Ph most of the Filipinos need to leave to give their family a better life,. And at the same time, it is part of our culture to honor our family by helping them. For us, how could we enjoy life while our parents are starving? If you cannot accept that culture then think twice.

I’m used to helping my own mom so I feel I’m more like Filipinos when it comes to that. She’s disabled and doesn’t collect much from SS and her pension from state of Indiana from being a state employee. A friend of mine once asked why I help her and it sort of made me hurt for him. I don’t put myself out financially I just have her on my phone plan, I pay her medication copays, and she is on my car insurance. When you love someone you step up for them as she raised me with love and respect and when I first started out on my own she helped me too. I guess every situation is different and you have to access it as such. I have a sister I never offer help or help her if she asks because she makes plenty of money, but her husband refuses to work. I am not doing for her what her husband won’t. 🤷

Hey Chad, great channel! Just discovered you, and I just watched 6-7 of your videos. I like your easy going style. Keep up the great vlogs, and you will be big in no time!

Another Philippines KZfaqer!! There are so many they have to interview each other! It’s funny how the veterans are so confident and cocky!! HAHAHA!!

Great advice….don’t try to impress her or her family at the beginning and give them more than they ever had at one moment….if you do, they’ll become spoiled and take advantage of you

Mike has only been here a very few years he seems grounded but not proven

2 in general rules. Borrowing doesn't exist no matter what it is and never gives more than you can afford to lose. You have a budget that is all-inclusive, and whatever is left over is for incidental items . I agree that if there are siblings , any expenses should be divided equally unless the sibling is incapacitated .

Paying a girl to like you is just as satisfying as paying her to laugh at your jokes.

He sounds like an ATM machine

You may as well just pay for sex. No family drama and with a huge age gap you're merely an ATM anyway!🤔

In america(i mean north, central, south and the Caribbean) if you ask your girlfriend/fiance/wife to stop working, you will have to pickup the tab too, no surprise on that

Good practical advice. It is something that puts me off , supporting the whole family. But this makes good sense

The happiness of every Filipino culture is in the family and they sacrifice everything to maintain that family ties together

Excellent interview, I love Mike and Janet, they're a great example for us all

In helping the family, it isn't your "fair share." I promise you, women who has an foreigner as a bf, especially foreigners who are legally married (not shacking up with a girl), your wife is expected to provide more than their "fair share." Slice and dice it anyway you want but that are the facts.

Great video Chad ! Mike and Janet are some of my favorite KZfaqrs in the Philippines, Mike is a great guy But Janet is still the brains of the outfit 😊

Once married your family becomes my family. This is true wherever you are. Once married the social and financials change. That doesn't mean you hand out money, but concider the situation differently. There is a big difference if my girlfriend's sister's roof leaks, or if my (now) sisters roof leaks. You might just need to climb up and hammer a few nails, put some coating on, all the way to replace the entire thing. It is up to you (now both of you) to decide what ahould be handeled by you. Maybe nothing, maybe everything.

I need an orphan. Heard too many horror stories about the extended family.

Let me make it easy for you. Think of it as tip to a waiter. The range is 10% for acceptable service 20% for great service, up to 25% for exceptional service. It is the percentage of your total monthly budget. You spend $2000/months, you have your dream girl you give her 450$/mo. She is just acceptable, you give $200/month. She is terrible, give her zero. Thank me later.

Hi Chad, I just wanted to reach out and let you know how much I appreciate your KZfaq videos. I've been watching all of them, and they've been a huge source of encouragement for me. Your content has inspired me to make the leap and travel to the Philippines. Thanks for sharing your experiences and insights - they've made a real impact on my plans and excitement! If you can make it out of the the Berg so can I! hey sorry about the $2 lol. I thought it said $ 20 :)

I think I will just buy some coochie once in a while and stay single and free to travel and enjoy my retirement ! 🤣 great interview Mike

Why would he admit to paying a girl to be with him?

It is NOT your responsibility to support her family. I would not even support my family so why would I support hers? If you do that you might as well pay a prostitute and then you get variety to play with

Hey Chad, like your videos. Straight to the point. Why on earth would any man want to be with a Filipina. Stick with your own kind if you ask me. I'm an American women. I'm worth millions of dollars in real estate, Timber, and Bitcoin, cash. Completely self made, and no family to answer to, or having to pay off. Plus real honest excellent intellectal conversation. We are out there. Just need to be found.

Great video ! This is the best advice I have seen yet in 3 years of learning about the Philippines and foreigner dating a Filipina. I am a 73 year old American in Hawaii on SS and want to come visit Cebu some time. Salamat for the video ❤

I was giving P10k a month. The family kept borrowing. By the beginning of the last week of the mth there was zero. After a couple mths of that l gave p1500 wk for food and paid the bills myself. My brother inlaw borrowed P5k in sept. He has not made any attempt at paying me back. I stopped paying the electric. Somehow the family has found away to pay that ... hahaha.

Hey Chad! Great information and the camera quality looks great! Did you get a new one? If so what kind?

Great advice as usual . Thank you for sharing

How much I have or don't have is NOBODY'S business. Their financial problems are NONE of my business.

Mike will pay whatever janet demands

Great video, have already talked to my filipina about giving her some support money for her family when we retire in the Philippines. Thank you Chad, new subscriber here, will check out some of your videos....Jim

Face reality, a young beautiful Filipina isn’t dreaming about growing up and becoming the wife of a disabled old retired foreigner and becoming his caregiver in her 30’s. That young Filipina is poor and comes from a poor family. When she’s old enough to realize that she has very little opportunity to have a stable high paying career or doing anything more than her poor aunts and uncles who live a very minimal lifestyle and probably have never left the Philippines. So this young girl see’s or knows other girls that found a retired foreigner that was willing to support her. She will expect this foreigner to help her family because she is always appreciative of how poor her parents are and how they still managed to provide her with a home and food. That foreigner should wake up and know that it’s expected for him to help out his young poor gf’s family. If he doesn’t want to or can’t afford to do this then I guess he should go find a young college age Filipina that is from a rich or upper class family and has a career or in a prestigious school. Good luck with that, especially if you are old and retired.

Fantastic interview, Fantastic honesty. Thank you

Why do all these conversations revolve around money, while denying these relationships are transactional - Rather simply ask… How much will it cost a 68 yo man to lure a young girl and her child out of poverty in the provinces to become a wife and personal support worker in my failing health. Mike basically retired (bought) his girlfriend for $90.00 USD per month with $36.00 going to the family.

Philippines do not have social security, but the families are very devoted to caring and supporting each other.

Overall great video thank you 🙏. The question was about how guys don’t want it to feel like a transaction….it never got answered. Blew right past it 😢.

Very Good Interview - Mike is a real man

No money no Honey is so apropo.

Completely disagree with this mentality. When you guys were dating woman in the US did you build your girlfriends houses? Did you give your girlfriends allowances? Did you support these woman’s parents? Did you support all her sisters and brothers? No you didn’t because you could barely support yourselves. These woman and her family are not entitled to your assets. Don’t kid yourselves. You are stating you are not throwing money at these woman and her family but in truth you are. And if you didn’t some other expat will. I think your guest is selfish. What did he say in the beginning of this interview? I want a woman who doesn’t work. I want a woman who will be around all day. I want a full time girlfriend. Me me me me me. What about her? What about her future? You should send these woman to college so when you are gone they can be self sufficient. Or support them in their jobs so they might move up and have a career. If all you are doing is replacing their salary then they are not getting ahead they are merely treading water.

Great conversation.

I still don't understand this foreigner/prospective partner giving money to the family of the Filipino girl they date. Is that what it is nowadays? When my husband and I dated we didn't have that issue at all even though my family is poor. The only thing I ask of him was money for our wedding as in the Philippines it's the groom who will foot the bill for the wedding. Of course this was 36 years ago, a lot has changed since then.

6:40. 😂😂😂😂 I loved that "Nahhhhh"

* WOW * - - - I see Mike has a good life and a well thought out plan for a budget. -- As a single guy who is alone & used to frugal and/or thrifty living already retired in the US - it looks very doable on the $1500 he suggests. > In reality I expect my simple studio rent to be $100/mo. and full time AC another $100/mo. A food bill of maybe $400 includes eating out some. Transportation = buy a used Honda Click 125. All else for another $300 = $900/mo in recurring expenses. > All within my $1500 SS income alone w/o touching savings most months. (( ? )) Never been there yet but numerous budget videos seems to indicate my planned budget might be very close to my 'anticipated' budget - having - ''never been there'' ?!? 🤔 To me it appears all about how '''extravagant''' you get with the rent over there ? + Cook @ home 'some' at least ? 🤗

Thank you. Great vid

it’s going to cost you a lot more if you break up back home 🤔

Thanks for this great site.Great info .Looking forward to visiting there in 2024

thanks for being a great uncle

I been married to a filipina now for 30yrs...we send money every now and then, not monthly. But we do take care of Bdays and Holidays so they eat very well. Not sure how everybody else is that marries a filipina.

It’s a source of guilt for me. I’ve been a financial overachiever my entire life. My Filipina would think she died and went to heaven if she knew my net worth. She has three younger siblings, a deceased father, and a mother that doesn’t work. Her BPO job pays $300 a month. Karma.

The solution is find a girl without a family.

My fiancé was making 21k per month at her job. I had her quit her job. We have a house together and I will replace part of her salary minus her rent and bills (different town). Each children pays 500 pesos to her mom I helped two brothers who don’t do as well by paying 300 each to her mom. The mom gave me a big hug after I prepaid the amount for 8 months.

Hey good to meet ya in person yesterday

I agree with most of what your saying but some families truly believe its the expat husbands responsibilty to pay for everything for the family. If your the average retired expat you cannot do for everyone all the time or soon you will be broke.

Very Helpful Information, Thank You Kindly Janet, Mike, Chad,

Great info very accurate and informative

Janet is a winner. I bet Mike gets the “Can I meet her sister?” Question a lot. Lol

How much did you have to pay for your motorbike? Do you think that a 110cc Honda is big enough, or do you think a 125cc is a better option?

Great interview

And he's paying for someone else's son too? I'd like to know his dating history.

this is a good interview

Chad is a goodman.i wish u can find a good woman..U respect the cultures and values👍

Mike said Janet has children…I believe she has one child, a boy. I don’t care much for this dude.

Sometimes people live like a rat and die like a king and some live like a king and die like a rat

It's amazing the contortions that these foreign fools will go through to convince themselves that it's all about love. Remember: IT'S NEVER ENOUGH.

A pragmatic approach to living with a Filipina and her family.

Old 70 year old Mike is as round as he's square He's 5' tall, with a 60" waist line😢

Well I supported mine while the visa process until she was here in the USA with her green card Now her 1st job she with a high school diploma she made over $50k USD (what a great country) she sets aside 50k php for budget and construction projects for family in the Philippines Saves/invests 50%(for land and our "vacation home")and covers all the food and supplies at our house in the USA No complaints here fellas bring them here let them work teach them to budget and plan for a future that US citizenship we all take for granted is Priceless 😮

I have respect for Mike. He is such a hard worker. He worked until he was like 67. America has become so kushy, that Americans seem to view work as the enemy, rather than appreciate that if you work hard enough and save every penny, your dreams can come true. Too many people with the victim mentality out there.

I totally agree, Mike. Who wants their GF working 5-6 days a week and likely for very little money. It would be much more difficult if she worked at a call center to ask her to quit her job. What you did is already what I plan on doing when I get there.

It's a triple system. I have the same situation in Swaziland.

I’m experiencing that now. My girl is still at home so I’m expected,and do send some support for her family now. When we get married I’m expected to buy land and build a home . That’s jyst how it is in the phillipienes. Foreigners are all rich 😂😂😂in their eyes

Brigitte L Jones. When a man finds a woman that seems compatabile, where they seem to share genuine feelings of liking and respect for each other, he needs to check if the woman is ammenable to the kind of relationship he is willing to offer. A man must have worked out what he can provide for a wife, as well as covering her past financial family obligations and be clear in his expectations of his wife as a partner. Assuming the Filipina views his prospective offer as being fair and likes him, they are off to a very promising marriage. These were the relationships that I saw work out well amongst friends.

My Filipina was pulling in 30k a month with bonuses, and on the side tech help, so when I asked her to quit her job, I had to take over the 10k a month that she would give to her mother!

The real deal is for Western men to have a shared life and not having to go self endulgment or getting personal pleasure. Note partners ideally need patrners of almost of same age for a more heslthy relationships. Ifvyou are a senior citizen that is a disadvantage to your partners. Think also of building her life and not just feeding her to feed you.

hahaha,,,,yeah right,,,,i have many filipina friends who are married or live in bf,,,,None of them make their husbands or bfs give money to family each month,,,,,,,Filipinos do not do that,,,,only foreigners

Here's a slight twist... Been with my province girl for 6 years... The last year we have been living in Australia and now she works to look after her family. I supported her and her family for 5 years, but more she does... Never been happier... I am retired btw. Had dinner moments along the way where I questioned out relationship but wouldn't change any of it now...

❤❤❤❤ wow good job.know how to handle money..good idea

The smartest men who worked (average working joe) are the men who live within their means. I personally know of a bunch of people here in the U.S. are PAID! Lots of money in retirement but they spend well within their means EVEN with traveling and enjoying certain "amenities" every once in a while. Now, admittedly the people I am talking about are Union members and they put in 30 plus years of work PLUS they get S.S. but still don't go all willy nilly with spending money. If one lives their lives like they just have enough to get some living in, most likely they will live well.

Why in the world with a young college student be with an old man if it was not for money let's face it you're not Brad Pitt

thanks for good advice

That's ok for trying to help the family but then the thousands of cousins etc come knocking...i would hate the interruptions

No safety net programs. In Philippines, the foreigner is the safety net, lol

There is no retirement income. for most filipinos. The children are the retirement plan, daughters more than sons. You also should be aware where your wife falls in the genealogy. First children are expected to help the most.

Surely guys his age have $5,000 per month as a real budget

Hallo guys if you marry pinay you chioce a rich pinay ,you only picked up a poor pinay later on you have Problem your money. Most of them are poor, that's filipino helped family tradistion .hope guys you don't have Depression.

No money = no honey Doesn’t matter the country.

Of course he pays , he is old and dry . Im sure he pays more than he admits

How much is your us retirement per month. Can I make it comfortably on $4100 per month on my retirement. I have no children and I am 50 years old.

Thanks!