Budget

MrshyONE wrote:

I am trying to adjust my monthly budget and I was wondering if anyone who has been living in HCM can advise, currently I'm budgeting 84mil vnd per month for all expenses. Is this amount average , below average or too much,?  Non drinker so that is not part of my budget.. Thank you for any input.

$4160 usd is a very good budget.  I have a friend who lives in Saigon on $700 usd per month. I on the other hand spends about $2000 per month. I live in Da Nang on the beach, have a livein housekeeper/cook that some call my girlfriend but she is on salary. Plus I travel and eat out a lot. Spend most of my money on alcohol and women, the rest I just waste.

ancientpathos wrote:

Spend most of my money on alcohol and women, the rest I just waste.

Good one ... gives me some ideas.

So do u recommend I lower my monthly bank transfer? To say $3000 usd.  I'm nit a drinker, but I would like to enjoy the company of a real GF, not for the night but a serious relationship. But I'm finding it hard to meet ladies here. Maybe cause I don't have an iPhone 

MrshyONE wrote:

So do u recommend I lower my monthly bank transfer? To say $3000 usd.  I'm nit a drinker, but I would like to enjoy the company of a real GF, not for the night but a serious relationship. But I'm finding it hard to meet ladies here. Maybe cause I don't have an iPhone

Be prepared to fork over at least half again your total living expenses to her unappreciative family.  And be prepared for her guilt- and responsibility-ridden devotion to the family to dominate and eventually ruin your relationship.

Depends on your luxury or simplicity you can increase or decrease your budget amount 
We (2 adults) spend a maximum of $600 per month. We live in a 2 BD apt and cook at home. Eat out is very rare. As a Vietnamese wife she never think I am a foreigner so need to spend more money for showing up 
Because of business together we rent 2 BD apt otherwise we just need 1 BD so can reduce budget!
Our shopping is not a lavish one because we depend Co-op mart for most purchases.
I really admire you because you can waste too much money 

I'm not spending it all, saving some , but first months budget was higher because I wanted to furnish my apartment. I most likely will not transfer that much in the future, but I'm single, I do enjoy street food, but I also enjoy the nicer restaurants once a week, I just can't be bored at home alone , I might as well have stayed in California .

It all depends how you choose to live and what type of accommodation you like...

I moved to HCMC in December and I would say that that is a huge budget... especially as you are single as well as a non drinker.

I like to eat, drink and visit bars/clubs and spend no where near that sum of money per month... in fact I think I would struggle to spend that sum of money! Even with a girlfriend (unless you plan to treat her like a Queen everyday!) I would say that is ample money..

My accommodation is a small 1 bedroom, serviced apartment in District 1 with Kitchen...this only costs me $250 a month which includes all utilities, Hi-Speed internet, laundry and cleaning services...

For 84,000,000VND a month you could live like a king!

Even when I was buying books and music with reckless abandon I spent way under $2000/month.

MrshyONE wrote:

I am trying to adjust my monthly budget and I was wondering if anyone who has been living in HCM can advise, currently I'm budgeting 84mil vnd per month for all expenses. Is this amount average , below average or too much,?  Non drinker so that is not part of my budget.. Thank you for any input.

Most people that live in VN would probably say that your monthly budget is more than enough to live very well on. You should calculate your costs of living (not survival) basis on your lifestyle and not of others. Since you stated that you are from California I am assuming that you are probably used to a much higher cost of living. I know this, because I have lived in Cali (L.A., Carmel, Monterey) many years ago and it was very expensive back then.  There is nothing wrong with having money, especially if you legally earned it.  Back on topic, I think for HCMC (not out in the boonies) your budget should stay around $2500 a month. Anything over that in HCMC is probably going to be wasted anyways. Since you don't drink you've pretty much eliminated a large expense that would have consumed a considerable amount of your budget. A (GF) ? I think I'll let you find that one out on your own.    If you have any disposable money after your monthly expenses and savings why don't you consider some travelling around VN for a true cultural experience?

Yes, you could live like a king. Your problem is that you do not know how to manage your budget. Maybe you should hire some one manage for you.

Avakid wrote:

Yes, you could live like a king. Your problem is that you do not know how to manage your budget. Maybe you should hire some one manage for you.

Funny .  I said I was trying to adjust my monthly budget. I stated I started at 84 mil vnd. But that because I wanted to furnish my apartment with different thing, bigger tv decorations for living room, ect. I'm able to save about $1200 usd per month and I'm sure in a few more months that amount will be higher once my remodeling is over .  Thanks everyone. Great advice