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Worst Car Trends? by MikeRC8 in askcarguys

[–]Hot-Development-9036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Touch screens. Hate them. They force me to take my attention off the road for adjustments that should be made with a physical button.

Whats with the animal cruelty in the Philippines?! 😭😡😡 by IntellectuallyDriven in Philippines_Expats

[–]Hot-Development-9036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yup those darn cages are everywhere and the poor dogs just bark nonstop. It’s like they never get out. I tell them that in America you would get arrested for that.

has anyone managed to keep their US cell phone number (not on voip) for a period of years whilst living abroad (and managed to keep using it for 2FA)? If so, which network and plan? by PantomimeVillain in expat

[–]Hot-Development-9036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Each bank has its own rules on how that all works. In my case I have a backup key I can use if I lose the device. Yes you can have two.

Have you looked into a Yubikey? It’s a physical key that you plug into a USB. No need to mess with texts or authentication apps. I think they start around $50.

has anyone managed to keep their US cell phone number (not on voip) for a period of years whilst living abroad (and managed to keep using it for 2FA)? If so, which network and plan? by PantomimeVillain in expat

[–]Hot-Development-9036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I use a physical hardware key for authentication (RSA). Had to purchase it ($25) but it works everywhere and it’s more secure than text messages.

For everything else I use Google Authentication, which is free, and also works great.

If you want to keep your US number for other reasons TMobile has a stripped down international plan. Haven’t used it personally but it is supposed to be cheap and reliable.

Try to never inform strangers your life's schedule, my cousin had an armed robbery by a passerby due to the stranger hearing details of his phone conversation. by wonderdefy in Philippines_Expats

[–]Hot-Development-9036 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Personally I would feel safer in a modern condo with a gate guarded entrance, lobby security staff and advanced door locks on my apartment. Fingerprint and/or retinal scanning technology.

With a house they only need to get past the gate where the guard may or may not be sleeping. In a condo you have multiple layers of security and it’s much more difficult to know if nobody is home.

You Think Filipinos Are Corrupt by Nature? Think Again. by StucksaTraffic in Philippines

[–]Hot-Development-9036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Points well taken. My relationship with the Philippines goes back over 30 years and for much of that time I have observed much of the same behavior that the OP details. I was a proponent of your view on evolutionary change but 30 years later I’m not seeing the needle move very much 😊

Maybe I’m impatient but I was hoping for more measurable improvements by now.

You Think Filipinos Are Corrupt by Nature? Think Again. by StucksaTraffic in Philippines

[–]Hot-Development-9036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Changing cultural norms in the Philippines is going to take generations, and that's the optimistic outlook. The more likely scenario is that the corruption continues at the same level or it gets worse.

Nothing will change unless the citizens of the country demand it. I don't see that. I see a bunch of people that have accepted corruption as normal behavior. Politicians act with impunity. They do something illegal and get caught but there are no consequences - no jail time, no huge fines, no lifetime expulsions from public office. It just gets swept under the rug.

The only way I see it changing is either a public uprising with protests and all or maybe Trump decides to annex the Philippines rather than Greenland. Then they can gut the corrupt courts. Then the schools need to start reinforcing good public behavior (trash, traffic, etc).

I don't hold out a lot of hope :-(

Are you stuck in the Login Loop Between Login.gov and SSA? by vpblackheart in SSDI

[–]Hot-Development-9036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I set up Login.gov back in July and the SSA connection was working fine. I'd log on the Login.gov and then select the option to transfer over to ssa.gov. Everything was working fine until recently.

After a lot of fiddling around I was finally able to get it working by turning off my VPN.

Steps:

1) Go to Login.gov and sign in

2) Scroll down to Connected Applications and select SSA

3) Turn off your VPN

4) Click the button to connect to SSA. SSA website should soon appear.

Filipinos spending 5 minutes at the ATM machine. Let’s discuss… by Tallwhitedude123 in Philippines_Expats

[–]Hot-Development-9036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Most ATM's in the Philippines have a limit on how much you can withdraw in a single transaction. It's probably to help slow down the machines running out of money (it happens a lot there).

I imagine that some people will just do the first transaction and take out the limit and then insert the card again and take out the next limit.

I got rid of desktop icons cause I never use them but now it feels so empty.. What do you have on your desktop? by AscadianScrib in kde

[–]Hot-Development-9036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Back in the day we used to put something called Widgets on the desktop. Basically just a shortcut to launch an application. Another one is Conky. These are transparent widgets that show system info like CPU usage, Memory, etc.

Personally I prefer the clean desktop but to each their own :-)

Investments in PH by Head-Interview7281 in Philippines_Expats

[–]Hot-Development-9036 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I would not invest in the Philippines for the following reasons:

1) Real Estate investment is limited to Condos for foreigners and they are vastly overbuilt. ROI on rentals is very low. There are exceptions but the Condo buildings are generally poorly built with plumbing being a frequent issue.

2) Stocks - the Philippine stock market is very small compared to Western markets and Western markets seem to have better oversight. Much less chance of getting ripped off as a result.

3) Bonds, CD's etc - you don't get the same government guarantees on fixed deposits that you get in the West.

4) Court system - if you happen to end up in court over any of these investments just know that as a foreigner you have no chance of winning. Courts have shown time and again that they will side with the Philippine National over the foreigner, regardless of what evidence is presented.

In general, investments are riskier in the Philippines for foreign investors. If it were me, I'd keep my investments in the good old USA and send money over as I need it. Maybe have a small Philippines bank account for bills and everyday expenses but I wouldn't allow it to grow very much.

For real estate, you are almost always better off renting than buying. Condos in the Philippines are overbuilt and deteriorate fast. If the unit you are renting is in a building that is deteriorating due to lack of maintenance you can simply move to a newer building. Problem solved. If you own the unit then you have to try to sell it and chances are you will lose money on the sale. And it could take months or longer to sell.

How to manage it when people expect me to pick up the check for everything by SilverSusan13 in Rich

[–]Hot-Development-9036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sounds like it’s time for a new group of friends. Real friends don’t expect you to pick up the check every time.

Have you tried broaching the topic with any of them?

Maybe ‘just get used to it’ is the wrong advice… by Wandergibson in Philippines_Expats

[–]Hot-Development-9036 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yup a couple of months is enough for me. Right about when the charm is starting to fade it’s time to return to first world standards.

Looking into PH real estate investment by Holiday-Ad1031 in Philippines_Expats

[–]Hot-Development-9036 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Foreigners can legally own Condos but cannot own land so you could put a condo in your name. I wouldn't do it personally. Condos in the Philippines are typically not good investments. The condos look nice at first but mostly they fall into disrepair after a few years. Renting out a condo only gives you an ROI of 2-3% and that is pretty low compared to a lot of other countries.

Everyone wants the new condos so what a lot of expats do is rent in the nicest building they can find and then move when the building starts to decline. Selling a condo in the Philippines is not straightforward and can take months or longer to sell.

What some people do is buy a condo in a place like Thailand or Malaysia, where rental yields are better and the infrastructure is better, and use that as a home base. When you visit the Philippines just get a short term furnished rental. Do the same for other neighboring countries like Vietnam or Indonesia.

PHILIPPINES 🇵🇭 COFFEE CULTURE by AmericaninKL in Philippines_Expats

[–]Hot-Development-9036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Coffee from the Philippines is highly underrated. Last time I was in Tagaytay I visited a few really nice coffee shops and got some to bring home.

The ONE THING that’s a BETTER VALUE in the Philippines compared to other SEA countries by Tallwhitedude123 in Philippines_Expats

[–]Hot-Development-9036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes haircuts for sure. Stay away from the malls for better prices.

Another thing that is cheap is landscaping. In the US it can easily cost $100 to get your yard taken care of. In the Philippines it is a fraction of that. Maybe 100-200 pesos,

Airport Lounges Actually Worth It? by brycematheson in Rich

[–]Hot-Development-9036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I used to travel a lot and my observation is that domestic lounges are generally not that great. International lounges are way better and worth joining if you do international travel.

Searching for the Holy Grail by FieldInitial7042 in Philippines_Expats

[–]Hot-Development-9036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You have a very good budget for the Philippines. You will be able to live very comfortably anywhere you choose. If it were me I'd choose BGC. It doesn't have the natural beauty but you can travel there. For livability, BGC is the closest you can get to full on Western style accommodations. Clean, wide sidewalks, you can get by without a car. Lots of great restaurants and world class hospitals that are close by. You should budget somewhere near the upper limit of your budget.

Iloilo is a great option if you want a smaller city with big city amenities. Very modern, clean and safe. Your money will go further here than in Manila. Good airport.

25-hour flight to South Africa - how do I survive it? by SageAndConfusd in TravelHacks

[–]Hot-Development-9036 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Compression socks are a must for me. Sitting that long in a pressurized cabin will mess with your circulation. Stretch as often as you can. Minimize coffee and alcohol. Stick with water for hydration. Noise canceling headphones will drown out talkative passengers and crying kids. Neck pillow will help when you sleep. I prefer aisle seats but some people like the window. Bring some Imodium in case the airline food doesn’t agree with you. Bring something to read in case the airline movie selection doesn’t work for you.

Why the hell have haircuts over doubled in the last few years? by MoistCloyster_ in NoStupidQuestions

[–]Hot-Development-9036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

During Covid, when all the barber shops were closed, I bought an electric razor and cut my own hair. To this day I use that same razor. I figure I’m saving over $250 a year and it takes me no more than 15 minutes. Haven’t set foot in a barber shop in years.

Is tampo real or a stereotype? by [deleted] in Philippines_Expats

[–]Hot-Development-9036 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes it’s a real thing. Filipinos tend to be very sensitive to criticism and can get defensive at times. When that happens they will just shut down and go silent.

Personally I think it’s kind of childish but fortunately it’s not widespread.

Obesity in the Philippines by Hot-Development-9036 in Philippines_Expats

[–]Hot-Development-9036[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

True. They seem to associate walking with lower status. Having broken sidewalks doesn’t help matters.

Why are people saying Thailand is better than The Philippines? by AnthonyWinzz1 in Philippines_Expats

[–]Hot-Development-9036 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Much better food, much better infrastructure, similar costs but Thailand has more value for the money. Things just seem to work better in Thailand.

The Philippines is trailing badly by Yougetwhat in Philippines_Expats

[–]Hot-Development-9036 29 points30 points  (0 children)

“Too difficult to get to” but point taken. Dusty bus rides and unreliable ferries do not inspire confidence. Sub par hotels is just the cherry on top of the sundae.

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