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How I Accidentally Lost Five Pounds In One Month By Moving To Thailand

October 30, 2017 by Jason Fieber 41 Comments

That’s me on the left enjoying the “Three Cs”: #coffee, #cheesecake, and #chiangmai.

I thought it’d be a bit funny and ironic to start a post on weight loss with a picture of me consuming coffee and cheesecake, but the truth is that I doubt I’ll eat even one more piece of cheesecake for the rest of the year. It’s just one of those rare moments of unadulterated bliss, even though I actually only had two small bites (I was splitting it with someone). Plus, it’s a great close-up picture to show what I look like in real-time (as of the end of October 2017).

The title of the article already spoiled the surprise.

But I’ve lost five pounds in a month since relocating to Chiang Mai, Thailand as a dividend expat.

And it (pleasantly) happened without any extra effort on my part (relative to my weight-management efforts in the States).

Now, it’s not like I was in terrible shape before I left America. I actually weighed myself just before leaving, if only because I was curious as to how the move was going to affect my weight and health.

I, like most everyone else, keep a pretty close eye on my weight. Obesity runs in my family. And so that is something that’s provided some partial motivation for me to exercise my butt off – I find myself in the gym 5-6 days per week, every single week. Of course, I also happen to really enjoy exercising. It makes me look and feel better, increasing happiness and energy while decreasing stress.

In addition, I’ve been managing my food portions for some time. American portions are really out of control. But by minimizing my portions, I’ve been able keep my wallet thick and my waistline thin.

Weighing myself the day before leaving America showed that I came in at 177 pounds. That’s right about where I’ve been treading for some time now, which is great. My take on it is that if I can maintain a good weight for years on end (I weighed about 177 pounds 10 years ago), I’m a happy camper. I’m still wearing the same jean size I did in high school.

177 pounds on my frame looks like this:

Last #beastmode workout on American Soil. #dividendexpat #chiangmai pic.twitter.com/Ab10lkRl1N

— Jason Fieber (@JasonFieber) September 26, 2017

Not too bad for a jobless 35-year-old guy!

So I wasn’t in bad shape before I left. But I still felt like I had a few extra pounds of adipose tissue that could be eliminated. But as much as I hit the cardio, it was really tough for me to get below 175 pounds.

Well, I guess I missed the memo that revealed that moving to Thailand was the answer, because I’ve lost five pounds in the first month I’ve lived here – and I haven’t changed my exercise habits one bit, nor have I been dieting.

I weighed myself two days ago. I used two scales, because I couldn’t believe the first result. However, both showed the same weight: 172 pounds.

Say what?

I’ve spent the last day or so trying to figure out how this happened.

I certainly haven’t gone out of my way to lose weight. And the funny thing is that I feel like I’m eating better than I ever have, as my social media posts will show. I can say for sure that I’m eating out for every single meal. That’s totally new.

I’m still hitting the gym 5-6 days/week. My routine hasn’t changed. The aerobic/anerobic mix is the same. My strength hasn’t decreased at all, nor do I feel like my muscle mass is any less than it ever was before. Indeed, I’m actually lifting slightly more weight and/or performing more reps.

However, I’m definitely more “cut” than I was before I left. Said another way, I’ve lost about five pounds of excess adipose tissue (or body fat). Perhaps some water, too. And it’s not just a normal daily fluctuation, as I weighed myself at the same time (and under the same circumstances) both before and after the move. Plus, like I just mentioned, there’s a definitive difference in how I look and feel.

And I believe there are three reasons for this. 

Less Stress

As I recently noted, there’s a tangible air of happiness here in Thailand. It’s almost impossible to describe. But it’s so different from America, it’s not even funny.

The reasons for this are plentiful. And I’ve gone over many of them.

But the wonderful thing about it for me is that it’s infectious. I feel like I’ve caught a virus – one which adds by way of subtraction, reducing stress in my life and thus making me happier.

I was already financially independent in America. But as I’ve openly expressed, it was just barely so. It was really tough for me to live on ~$1,200 per month in the US. And it required a constant vigilance (in terms of managing expenses) that I just don’t want to deal with any longer.

Meanwhile, living on $1,200 per month over here not only comes without any effort, stress, or vigilance, but that amount of spending actually represents a lifestyle that was completely off-limits in the US.

I can live in a fantastic and fully furnished apartment that’s in a very dense, walkable, and urban area of a city that’s already very dense, walkable, and urban as a whole. I can play active bachelor. I can play tourist. I can play social entrepreneur. I can be anything I want to be. This lifestyle would easily cost three times more in the States, but I just don’t have to worry about or even manage spending any longer.

So it’s not about buying stuff or spending frivolously. It’s instead about aligning my passions with how I spend my money and time.

My big financial goal all along was never to have the most money. Building an ever-larger portfolio just for the sake of having more money, stocks, and passive income was never a thought that crossed my mind. All I’ve ever wanted is to be free. Free of anything and everything that weighs me down and negatively affects my quality of life. Money is simply a means to an end.

Unfortunately, even financial independence itself itself can sometimes chain me. Being chained to the constant managing of expenses might be very worthwhile, but it’s nonetheless a chain. I’m totally free of that now.

Achieving financial independence has been wonderful. But I’ve felt all along like it’s one chapter of what should otherwise be a fantastic book. Likewise, aiming to maximize financial independence once it’s achieved is a very interesting concept to me.

My life was once very stressful. And it’s incrementally become less stressful over time, with the achievement of financial independence being one of the main triggers for that. But I feel like this move overseas has probably reduced stress just as much as achieving financial independence in the States did.

We know that increased stress can cause weight gain. Stress can cause a rise in cortisol, which can cause all kinds of issues with the managing of weight – not to mention all kinds of general health problems.

While I had stress managed fairly well in the States (especially relative to what it used to be like when I still had a job), it’s even better over here in Thailand.

The Type Of Food I’m Eating

Ahh. The food in Chiang Mai.

How do I describe?

Plentiful. Delicious. Cheap. Healthy.

I could go on. But maybe a picture will do it better justice.

Just another #dividendexpat lunch here in #chiangmai… pic.twitter.com/lMFl3Nk5Vy

— Jason Fieber (@JasonFieber) October 28, 2017

I can say, though, what a lot of food in Chiang Mai isn’t. Or maybe I could say what’s missing over here: a lot of bread, milk, cheese, etc. I’m no longer regularly consuming a lot of foods I would commonly consume in America out of sheer coincidence that Thai food is so different from American food. Dairy is almost non-existent in their food, for example. There might be some dairy in some of the coffee drinks over here, but my overall coffee consumption hasn’t changed much.

Now, you could just as well eat American food all the time over here, if you really wanted to. You can get your pizza, cheeseburgers, pastas, hot dogs, macaroni and cheese, and whatever else. And I’ve occasionally indulged myself.

But seeing as how Thai food is so cheap, delicious, and convenient, I find myself eating Thai food pretty much every day. It’s frankly preferable. I do certainly crave a juicy cheeseburger here and there, and I’m free to go grab one whenever I want. But I also just as well find myself craving Pad See Ew on the regular. I didn’t anticipate this happening. But it has. And my body is apparently better off for it.

I liked Thai food before I lived here. I would even go so far as to say I really enjoyed Thai food. But I now love Thai food after trying out so many different restaurants, markets, and choices.

Looking around at Thai people, after spending years looking around at Americans, it’s painfully obvious to me which cuisine is healthier. I guess I just didn’t realize how much healthier until stepping on a scale the other day.

The Amount Of Food I’m Eating

If you’re following me on social media, you’ll see that I’m sharing pics of food all the time. That’s because the food scene is a big part of what makes Chiang Mai so awesome.

In addition, I’m eating out every single day. I quite literally have zero groceries at my apartment. I ate dinner at home once during the entire month of October. And that was only because no restaurants were open on the evening of October 26th, due to the ceremony that was being held in Bangkok in honor of the late King.

But while I’m eating out constantly, the amount of money I’m spending and the amount of food I’m eating are both minimal.

Portions are naturally small here, which I find refreshing. Taking home leftovers from a restaurant is a concept that doesn’t exist for me any longer.

A dish of Pad See Ew might look like this:

My favorite Thai dish here in #chiangmai. Costs $1.20. This #dividendexpat is digging it. pic.twitter.com/yfbMaGfH19

— Jason Fieber (@JasonFieber) October 18, 2017

A dish of that size is all I’ll eat for lunch. Dinner might involve just a little more food, but not much.

I find my stomach and wallet both full after eating food like this. And I find my taste buds and soul both happy.

Furthermore, I actually see an interesting phenomenon occurring now that I eat out all the time. There’s no “grocery friction”. No wasted food at home. No time spent on all of the grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning (none of which I’ve ever enjoyed, frankly). No ability to grab a midnight snack, because there’s simply no food there to eat.

Conclusion

There’s almost 3% less of Jason that exists now compared to a month ago. As a minimalist who doesn’t care to own or carry around much, I appreciate carrying around a little less me.

I was pretty satisfied with my weight and health when I lived in America. I was hitting the gym almost every day. I was limiting my portions. I was actively putting in a lot of effort to keep my body (and psyche) in top shape.

However, I find myself actively pursuing (and worrying about) this a lot less since I’ve come to Chiang Mai. And yet I’ve lost five pounds in a month. It’s almost unbelievable for me. I’m putting in less effort, and frankly stressing out about food and money much less, which has resulted in my body positively reacting to this. It’s a case where less really is more.

But this is only because of the way of life over here, which is incredibly hard (or even impossible) to attain back in the US.

I was already very excited about living in Thailand. I was confident it was the right move at the right time. But I wasn’t even factoring in losing a good amount of body fat weight in such a short period of time. As such, living over here continues to exceed my expectations in so many ways.

What’s perhaps best of all about this is that my weight loss has happened in a very organic, natural, healthy, and sustainable way. I’m not taking on any fad diet. No, I’m not starving myself. If anything, I feel like I’m constantly full and satisfied. And I see no reason why this benefit won’t continue to play itself out for many years to come.

Have you ever accidentally lost a lot of weight in a short period of time? Was it adipose tissue? Was it healthy and sustainable?

Thanks for reading.

And if you’re interested in becoming a dividend expat like me, or if you’re even just interested in financial independence, check out some excellent resources that could prove invaluable.

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Filed Under: Dividend Expat

About Jason Fieber

Jason Fieber became financially free at 33 years old by using dividend growth investing to his advantage. Jason has authored two best-selling books: The Dividend Mantra Way and 5 Steps To Retire In 5 Years (also available in paperback).

 

Jason recommends Personal Capital for portfolio management, Mint for budgeting, Schwab for the brokerage account, and Morningstar, Daily Trade Alert, and Motley Fool for stock ideas. This blog is hosted by Bluehost. If you'd like to start your own blog, Jason offers free coaching when you use our Bluehost affiliate link.

 

Jason's writing and/or story has been featured across international media like USA Today, Business Insider, and CNBC.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tall Investing says

    October 30, 2017 at 10:36 am

    That’s great Jason! I happen to live close to some great Thai places (Washington DC) and get Panang almost every weekend.

    Weight has never been an issue for me – I am on the skinny side and have never dealt with any obesity problems. What resonates for me though is the reduction in stress that comes with FI. I am quite prone to stress and worrying and can’t wait until the day that my job, commute, budgeting etc are to such a minimal level it’s no longer an issue.

    Thanks for a great post, so glad you are doing great over there.

    Reply
    • Jason Fieber says

      October 30, 2017 at 12:47 pm

      TI,

      Thanks for dropping by!

      I totally hear you. All I ever wanted is to be free. Being free (or at least more free than before) of stress is, of course, a primary part of that desire. And that’s pretty much what most of my content focuses on these days. It’s about being happy. And you’re able to be happy when you have the time (through FI) to pursue your passions and become a better version of yourself.

      The physical manifestation of all of that can be seen here. I’m living proof. 🙂

      Best regards!

      Reply
  2. Keenan says

    October 30, 2017 at 10:46 am

    Would love to see more of your lifting routine, perhaps a few posts on that? After all, health is the real goal!

    Reply
    • Jason Fieber says

      October 30, 2017 at 12:50 pm

      Keenan,

      I occasionally discuss exercise, as exercise is a large and enjoyable part of most days for me. I don’t like breaking down each set and exercise, though, because it’s somewhat boring for me to write all of that out. Instead, I’ve always simply aimed to motivate others to build their own routines (whatever works for them) and be active, because it does make a material difference in terms of health, happiness, quality of life, longevity, etc.

      This post discussed exercise (and what it means to me):

      https://www.mrfreeat33.com/happiness-is-exercising/

      Thanks for stopping by!

      Cheers.

      Reply
  3. RichUncle EL says

    October 30, 2017 at 11:07 am

    IT seems like food is so cheap, that it just makes more sense to eat out. I know over there, the menu is full of pasta dishes and soups? Just have to be mindful of the salt in soups I suppose. 172 is a great weight and I am 175, I’m trying to maintain that.

    Reply
    • Jason Fieber says

      October 30, 2017 at 12:52 pm

      RichUncle EL,

      I wouldn’t call anything over here “pasta”, unless you’re hitting up an Italian joint or something.

      But the cuisine in general is just much healthier than most of what I was consuming in America. And one can simply look at your average Thai person and see how that works out. That said, I still like my pizza and cheeseburgers here and there. 🙂

      Cheers!

      Reply
  4. FreeInFIRE says

    October 30, 2017 at 11:40 am

    That’s interesting about the weight loss despite eating out! It would be an interesting life change as someone who doesn’t like cooking (you) to be able to afford to eat out all the time while maintaining a budget.

    I’m not a fan of eating out OR cooking, but my wife is fortunately a wonderful cook and we’re able to keep our family grocery budget under about $260 thanks to her being able to whip everything up from raw staples. We like cooking and saving money, but it would sure be hard to motivate when you can eat at restaurants for $4 a day or less! It would really change the cost/benefit analysis when having someone cook for you is both easier AND cheaper.

    Reply
    • Jason Fieber says

      October 30, 2017 at 1:00 pm

      FreeInFIRE,

      Yeah, I’ve always hated the whole rigmarole behind cooking. There’s the shopping, the cooking, the cleaning, the meal planning, etc. You need the dishware, the cookware, the cleaning supplies, etc. It’s really just a huge time suck. And it’s ultimately time that I’m after (not money). When I can just go out and eat a delicious dish for less than $1.50 and spend almost no time in the process, that very much works to my advantage. I’m able to enjoy the meal much more because there’s more time to spend on the experience of it all. Plus, the value is incredible.

      I made the best of eating almost every meal at home in the US, but I really quite prefer living over here with the different dynamic in that department. To each their own, though. I can certainly see how someone else might prefer eating at home, regardless of the cost structure. There’s something nice about just being at home and grabbing some food. Of course, delivery here is incredibly accessible and cheap, too. So it’s not hard to recreate what you’re talking about (having the food “cooked” for you at home very cheaply) here in Thailand. 🙂

      Thanks for adding that!

      Best wishes.

      Reply
  5. Miguel (The Rich Miser) says

    October 30, 2017 at 11:54 am

    Man, I’m jealous! At 34, I’ve come to believe that stress plays a huge role in our health. Just like you said, I find it extremely hard to get below a certain weight with cardio (and weights); in fact, I started a new program and promptly injured myself, despite 10+ years of gym experience. Overall I’m pretty fit and health, but not where I really want to be.

    The conclusion I keep arriving at is that stress affects everything and really holds us back, physically and mentally. So far, exercise, meditation, and hanging out with friends and family is how I deal with it…

    Reply
    • Jason Fieber says

      October 30, 2017 at 1:03 pm

      Miguel,

      I totally agree. Stress is a huge silent killer. I came across literature not too long ago that either explicitly stated or implicitly implied (I’m going off of memory here) that stress is more harmful to longevity, health, and quality of life than smoking. I totally believe that. I don’t think a lot of Americans realize just how much they’re being held back (physically and mentally) by stress. Of course, reducing stress in my life (by taking part in this wonderful lifestyle over here) is one big reason I came over here. And it’s been working out (pun intended) tremendously thus far. The physical manifestation of that is super interesting, which prompted me to share this experience.

      Sorry to hear about the injury. Hope it wasn’t too bad, and I hope you’re back to normal soon. I’ve never been injured in all of my years of working out. Very fortunate in that department.

      Best regards.

      Reply
  6. Sean Layton says

    October 30, 2017 at 2:07 pm

    Great to see CM providing some unerxpected positive upside! Quick question because it’s something I struggle with, lifestyle creep. I remember reading your posts for years where you would say even if you had significantly more money, you’d still live largely the same lifestyle. It’s interesting because it appears to me you’re living a vastly better life in CM but at the same cost as FL. It seems to me that in the states if you had more money, you would actually inflate your lifestyle somewhat over what it was before, as we have seen you do in CM at the same cost. I for one believe in lifestyle creep as long as it’s within reason. For example, if you save 50% of your income, then raises at work would dictate natural lifestyle creep as long as you continue to maintain the same savings rate.

    Reply
    • Jason Fieber says

      October 30, 2017 at 2:12 pm

      Sean,

      Yeah, that’s a great question.

      So what I meant by that is that I wouldn’t go out and buy a big house. I wouldn’t go out and buy a BMW. I wouldn’t buy suits. I wouldn’t eat steak every night. That kind of thing. Very little of that stuff has any value to me, regardless of the cost. And I still have none of that in my life.

      I do, however, appreciate not having to cook. I appreciate being able to have meetups with like-minded people (and I attended a neat birthday party tonight, actually). I appreciate being able to live in a decent (but quite small) apartment in a dynamic, young, walkable, interesting, vibrant, urban area. So on and so forth. Even though this stuff might not seem like much in terms of lifestyle (or lifestyle creep), it would cost very much in the States simply due to the cost structure there.

      Cheers!

      Reply
  7. Sara says

    October 30, 2017 at 3:18 pm

    I always eat much healthier on vacations and weekends than when I am at work. If I’m at work and I’m not really hungry but it’s lunch time, I’m going to eat lunch rather than keep working until I’m hungry. More because I want an excuse to take a break from work than because I want to eat. And sometimes I think…do I want to make this next phone call, or take a second to eat a candy?…and the candy wins, not so much because of my sweet tooth, but because I want to procrastinate making that phone call. Basically when I am at work, eating is more interesting than working. But when I am at home or out running errands, whatever I am doing is way more interesting than eating. P.S. You do look very healthy in your picture at the top of the post. Congratulations on your weight loss.

    Reply
    • Jason Fieber says

      October 31, 2017 at 1:27 am

      Sara,

      I hear you. It’s unfortunate that our priorities and perspectives can be shifted out of whack like that, but I can definitely see how it happens. I’ve always been fairly healthy, but my health, conditioning, and happiness are all greatly improved now relative to where they were when I was still jobbing it for most of my waking hours. Simply encountering less stress in my daily life has been a huge addition through subtraction. I can only hope that many others are able to experience that shift at some point.

      Thanks for the kind words of support!

      Best regards.

      Reply
  8. Pat Watson says

    October 30, 2017 at 3:33 pm

    Hey Jason – This has been a great move for you. The food looks delicious – I look forward to see what you eat every day. I have never been overweight but dairy is a part of my diet – in a different environment it would be easy to change – but I live in America and always will so I appreciated what you share with us. Because of health problems we are going through diet change – my husband has lost 40 lbs. because of cutting out junk food – something you have not mentioned is sleep – that is important.

    I am just enjoying your journey – thank you so much for sharing.

    Reply
    • Jason Fieber says

      October 31, 2017 at 1:32 am

      Pat,

      Thanks. The move has exceeded expectations. 🙂

      Congrats to you and the husband on the dieting and success. 40 pounds is huge. Keep it up!!

      I agree with you on sleep. I didn’t talk about it here because I’m not sleeping any more or less than before I left America. I already realized that benefit (being able to get enough sleep) when I quit my job a few years ago, but I’ve talked about that quite a bit before:

      https://www.mrfreeat33.com/happiness-is-no-alarm-clock/

      Best wishes.

      Reply
  9. Iditchedmydayjob says

    October 30, 2017 at 5:29 pm

    Jason, thank you for sharing your inspiration. You are a remarkable young man to have gotten out of the system and to have become financially independent. Vegetables and carbs (rice,noodles) have no fat so it would make sense you dropped weight unless they’re drenched in a lot of oils. I didn’t figure this out until I hit 50, that “the fat you eat is the fat you wear” ( Dr. John McDougall)! John

    Reply
    • Jason Fieber says

      October 31, 2017 at 1:35 am

      John,

      Thanks so much. I’ve always simply aimed to inspire those who want to live a similar lifestyle. The fact that I can reach out to people and help them positively change their lives is a real honor for me. 🙂

      Yeah, Thai food is just much, much healthier in general. But that’s assuming one comes over here and eats Thai food. I see a lot of Westerners over here hanging out in restaurants that serve their comfort food. Of course, these Westerners look like Westerners. So to each their own. But I’d rather have something closer to a Thai physique, given a choice. And since I have a choice over what I eat and whether I exercise, I try to make good choices. Choices and consequences…

      Thanks for dropping by!

      Cheers.

      Reply
  10. Passivecanadianincome says

    October 30, 2017 at 7:48 pm

    Haha thats awesome Jason. Very cool. Its amazing how far money can go in other countrys. We just hired a guy who lived in equador for the last couple years. 400 bucks us was all he needed although he didn’t have alot of the same ammenitys as here.
    Have fun and congrats on the trim!

    Reply
    • Jason Fieber says

      October 31, 2017 at 1:36 am

      PCI,

      Absolutely. Geographical arbitrage is an amazing thing! 🙂

      Cheers!

      Reply
  11. SaneCents says

    October 30, 2017 at 10:33 pm

    Great job, man! I’ve lost 25 pounds since last February, and it feels truly liberating. While I wasn’t ever extremely overweight, I have much more confidence in myself now and it’s a feeling unlike any other. Keep up the good work.

    Reply
    • Jason Fieber says

      October 31, 2017 at 1:38 am

      SaneCents,

      That’s great. Congrats. You should do the math and figure out what percentage of yourself that you lost. I like knowing that there’s just that much less me in the world, sucking up resources and forcing me to carry him around. 🙂

      Thanks for the support. I was already in very good shape. But improving just a little bit is an awesome benefit of living here, especially considering that I wasn’t giving it any extra effort at all.

      Best regards.

      Reply
  12. Sundeep says

    October 31, 2017 at 12:12 am

    Man, mother solid post. The stress thing really hits home.

    I’m not FI yet, but on a solid path to getting there, but now that I know what to do and how to get there, the waiting for to get there is killing me stress wise. It sounds counterintuitive, but is all too real.

    I need to try meditation and maybe hitting the gym or running more to see if that takes my mind off not being FI yesterday. Your amazing posts don’t help either 😉

    Glad everything is going really well out there!

    Reply
    • Jason Fieber says

      October 31, 2017 at 1:40 am

      Sundeep,

      Hey, these posts are designed to be motivational and inspirational. It sounds like it’s working. 🙂

      I’ve always enjoyed going to the gym. It’s not for everyone, but it works for me. The benefits are innumerable. And it’s just another thing to keep your mind occupied on improving another aspect of your life (not just finances). To strive to be the best version of yourself in all aspects is, in my view, the only logical way to think about life and happiness. FI just gives you more resources toward that end.

      Thanks for dropping by!

      Best wishes.

      Reply
  13. David says

    October 31, 2017 at 12:44 am

    Another great article. Many people don’t release how stress effects your health and weight as well. Looks like you are having a great adventure. I am looking forward to your articles.. Is there alot of expats in Chaing Mai.

    Reply
    • Jason Fieber says

      October 31, 2017 at 1:43 am

      David,

      Stress is huge. It’s intangible and invisible, though, so most people don’t pay it the attention it deserves. I do, though. I take it very seriously. And that attitude manifests itself into my physical form. It’s all part of that holistic lifestyle that I preach constantly. Some get it. Some do not. 🙂

      I’m not sure how many “expats” there are here. But there are a lot of foreigners here at any given time. Many might just be here passing through. But I believe there are quite a few foreigners actually living here long term. I honestly hope that doesn’t increase, as it will only likely serve to ruin what makes the place so nice.

      Cheers!

      Reply
  14. FJ says

    October 31, 2017 at 10:39 am

    To be honest, I’m really jealous Jason , reading your post from a cubical life and dreaming.

    I’ve built a solid path, somewhat similar to yours, but the process is bit of slow due to my family expenses (a father of 3 year old boy).

    I am sure I will get there one day and meet even younger and more happier Jason than now ( I belief happiness makes people younger)

    Reply
    • Jason Fieber says

      October 31, 2017 at 1:14 pm

      FJ,

      I totally empathize. Financial independence is still pretty new to me. And this whole lifestyle here in Chiang Mai is obviously incredibly fresh. It wasn’t that long ago that I, too, was at work… dreaming of the day I’d be free.

      The great thing about this whole thing is that it’s largely just math. The money is actually the easy part, in my opinion. If you’re doing the right things mechanically, you’ll get there very soon. 🙂

      And I also believe you’ll meet a younger me. The clock has been turned back a little bit. I feel like a kid over here.

      Best regards!

      Reply
  15. Fred says

    October 31, 2017 at 4:33 pm

    Great points!. If I could go back a decade, I’d aim to build the life that you have. How much does American food cost there, like a burger, fries, and a coke (meal deal)? You mentioned not cleaning, does the apartment include maid service? You should stock up your kitchen incase you get snowed in. LOL just kidding.

    Reply
    • Jason Fieber says

      November 1, 2017 at 2:40 am

      Fred,

      Ahh, the puffy white stuff. Haven’t had to worry about snow in a long time now. No regrets there! 🙂

      I can tell you that a Big Mac meal at McDonald’s (a pretty good proxy) is about $5.50. So it’s a good value relative to the US, but it’s a poor value relative to local food. I’ll stop by McDonald’s here and there, but the local food is just really cheap and delicious.

      Cheers!

      Reply
  16. Mysticaltyger says

    November 1, 2017 at 7:26 pm

    Dan Buettner, who studies cultures where the people live a long time. He calls these places Blue Zones. He pretty much says what you do in this article. The natural environment and the food environment is just naturally healthy. Everything is set up for the healthy choice to be either the only choice or the default choice. He talks about it here:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waGHi6aMzh8&t=272s

    He has had success in places like Albert Lea, Minnesota in promoting a healthy environment:

    Reply
    • Jason Fieber says

      November 2, 2017 at 12:02 am

      Mysticaltyger,

      That’s really interesting. I can definitely see it, especially after experiencing it myself.

      It’s always occurred to me that the US doesn’t usually score very highly on various happiness studies. The life expectancy might be pretty far up there, but one wonders if that’s not just advanced medical care keeping people alive longer than ordinarily possible. To be somewhat unhealthy and unhappy, but still live a long time because of machines and/or pills, doesn’t seem like the best way to go. But to each their own, as always. My lifestyle is but one of many, but I think the proof is in the pudding. 🙂

      Cheers!

      Reply
      • Mysticaltyger says

        November 2, 2017 at 2:17 pm

        Yes, I keep promoting Dan Buettner because I really don’t think health care costs will be fixed in America by fighting about who pays the bill after people get sick. But actually American life expectancy is pretty low compared to other developed countries. So the pills really don’t work all that well, anyway. They just cost a lot.

        As far as happiness goes, the U.S. does score pretty high on most happiness studies. But no, we’re not the highest. In all fairness, I think it’s a lot easier for a small country like Denmark to score high on happiness than a country of over 300 million like the U.S.

        Reply
        • Jason Fieber says

          November 2, 2017 at 2:26 pm

          Mysticaltyger,

          Once nice thing about my new lifestyle is that I don’t really have to even think about the US healthcare system any longer. I just got my email the other day about signing up for a plan for 2018. That was a nice email to quickly delete.

          The life expectancy for the US (very high relative to the world average, but lagging many other developed countries) probably accounts for some of the issues when happiness studies/surveys pop up. Most people want to live longer. But that’s also assuming they’re going to be healthy and experience a high quality of life, which all relates back to the article, much of my writing, the reasons I moved, and this very comment. It’s all holistic, feeding into itself. The lifestyle I live has all of these individual aspects that complement one another. Most people don’t see life like I do. And most people don’t have my opportunities.

          Cheers!

          Reply
  17. TJ says

    November 3, 2017 at 2:10 pm

    I’m jealous of your “eating out” costs. I hate everything that is involved with cooking, but I’m willing to do it if it allows me to spend less time working a job I don’t like.

    If I had no family ties in the US, I’d absolutely consider a lower cost country where I could just live off my dividends. Having moved abroad, is your taxation going to change at all? Is there a way for you to access your retirement accounts without the normal early withdrawal fees if need be?

    Reply
    • Jason Fieber says

      November 3, 2017 at 3:20 pm

      TJ,

      I totally hear you. I hate cooking (and all of the associated rigmarole involved), but one has limited options in the US in that department. You have to do what you have to do. I did the ramen noodles for a while. I’ve also had my fair share of sandwiches. So on and so forth. But it’s a different universe over here. Grateful for it.

      As for taxes (and other benefits), I discussed that a bit here:

      https://www.mrfreeat33.com/three-reasons-why-you-may-want-to-become-a-dividend-expat/

      I don’t like to write about taxes too much, though, because it’s just so highly individualized/specific. Plus, it’s quite boring.

      Cheers!

      Reply
  18. Moose@MSolife.com says

    November 3, 2017 at 2:16 pm

    Hey Jason, how’s your protein intake relative to the USA? Curious if that’s something you’ve had to keep an eye on or not overseas. Thanks, and I love these expat posts! Great to see an adventure unfold.

    Reply
    • Jason Fieber says

      November 3, 2017 at 3:25 pm

      MSO,

      Thanks so much. I think a lot more content is going to look like this, as it’s now a major part of my life. Since my writing has often been personal and reflective, I’m sure I’ll have a lot to share as experiences unfold. 🙂

      Tough to say on protein. I wasn’t measuring it or tracking it in the States, nor do I do so here. I can’t imagine it’s a whole lot different. I might be eating meat more often here (because it’s expensive in the States), but the portions are also quite small. In addition, almost no dairy, as I noted. I think the protein roughly balances out. I’m certain my caloric intake is less here. But the protein intake must still be solid because I’m just as strong as I ever was, if not stronger. And I’m not a small guy.

      Best regards!

      Reply
      • Moose@MSolife.com says

        November 3, 2017 at 3:26 pm

        Thanks, Jason!

        Reply
  19. jack says

    November 27, 2017 at 11:50 am

    Hi Jason – I really enjoy reading your site, great insights! Just one question out of curiosity. In this article you mention several times that you had to live off ~1,200$ p.m. in the US and essentially now also in Chiang Mai. But at the same time you also mention elsewhere on your site that your active income dwarfs your passive income (the 1,200$ p.m.). Given the above, why were you so concerned about adhering to the 1,200$ “budget” if your active income most likely could serve as a proper buffer? Also, you mentioned somewhere else that you grow your dividend portfolio autonomously (dividend growth) rather than by adding fresh capital.. but if your current passive income covers your current expenses (~1,200$) couldn’t you just invest your active income streams to your dividend portfolio and increase your passive income?
    Have fun in Chiang Mai!
    thx, Jack

    Reply
    • Jason Fieber says

      November 27, 2017 at 11:55 am

      Jack,

      Thanks for dropping by!

      I think the answers to your questions can be found here:

      https://www.mrfreeat33.com/how-my-active-income-complements-my-passive-income-and-vice-versa/

      I did my best to explain how I look at the two different income sources (active and passive), and I also explained how financial independence (which is achieved when one is able to live off of just passive income) adds so much value to one’s life. 🙂

      Hope that helps!

      Best regards.

      Reply

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Hi. I'm Jason Fieber. I achieved financial independence and retired in my early 30s by using dividend growth investing to my advantage. I cover stock analyses, market news, dividend updates, and the dividend growth investing strategy.

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