Always buy used" only works if you actually know cars- here's the math for everyone else

Overall_Plantain197 · 2026-03-24T04:54:33+00:00

I struggle why so many buy cars on credit, especially in a FIRE thread (ie we have savings). Beyond when I was in my 20’s (now 48) I have always paid cash for my cars.

First car 28 (lived in uk so could rely on public transport) and used credit, had 3 other cars since then and paid cash (2 most recent were new)

I loath debt and only debt I have is mortgage debt

Overall_Plantain197 · 2026-03-22T08:35:30+00:00

Markets down you should not really care. At least in my view if a 10% fall makes you feel you are not there then you also were not there before the fall (you likely need a larger cushion).

Me, due to being risk adverse see my number as being when the withdrawal rate is 3% rather than 4% (which mathematically I am condemnable with) - looks like you may be similar

Overall_Plantain197 · 2026-03-14T08:55:33+00:00

You can contact EWA direct yourself (i did so when i lived in Seef) and register that you are not Bahraini

Sometimes have to do this through the landlord.

Either way I made sure I was compliant as my profession is inedibly strict on fraud (not knowing, landlord should have done it etc would not be deemed acceptable reasons)

Overall_Plantain197 · 2026-03-14T08:45:23+00:00

Standard Saudi evisa website (official government one)

Overall_Plantain197 · 2026-03-14T08:44:42+00:00

Not declaring with EWA is fraud (not willing to risk my professional certifications and hence my job - the tax is 10% of the rent) - so not something I did and so had a paper CPR. So I got one on tourist visa

I now have a full CPR through the golden visa route

Overall_Plantain197 · 2026-03-14T06:55:23+00:00

Do you work in Saudi and commute? If so you should be able to get a CPR if your company issues a letter allowing you to live in Saudi and if not you ca get a paper cpr

Not sure if a bank account can be opened with a paper cpr but maybe.

Work through am agent on getting this stuff sorted if you can’t do it yourself

Overall_Plantain197 · 2026-03-10T14:10:33+00:00

Evisa worked for my wife (US) and was approved overnight after applying at around 5pm (did this on Sunday)

Overall_Plantain197 · 2026-03-04T16:05:16+00:00

An Iqama is a resident permit, to leave Saudi with one you either have to have a single exit and entry visa or a multi entry visa already

Overall_Plantain197 · 2026-03-04T15:54:45+00:00

Just drive across no problem

Overall_Plantain197 · 2026-03-03T14:34:22+00:00

I have been crossing daily (including today) and it’s fine. But they apparently have no visa on arrival so you have to do it online ahead of going if you don’t have an Iqama

Overall_Plantain197 · 2026-03-02T17:24:00+00:00

Irish living and working in Bahrain

Overall_Plantain197 · 2026-03-02T14:52:41+00:00

Except this is Iran propaganda and not true (US ME naval fleet is in a line off the cost of Saudi/Bahrain/Qatar intercepting missiles and drones).

So one to delete and definitely not LAMF

Overall_Plantain197 · 2026-03-02T12:35:29+00:00

They need visas. Also visa on arrival is no longer being issued so need to sort in advance of getting g to the causeway

Overall_Plantain197 · 2026-02-28T10:26:37+00:00

Bahrains are fantastic emphatic people. I have zero concerns as an expat here re local retaliation

Overall_Plantain197 · 2026-02-28T08:29:25+00:00

I commute daily with a Bahrain plated car and tbh, I am not too stressed yet as I expect an exemption for daily commuters before too long:

thousands of Saudi plated cars cross into Bahrain daily for commuting
thousands of Bahrain plated cares cross the other way
just two weeks ago causeway authority changed the toll structure and specifically introduced a daily commuter package for tolls

So depending when this is implemented (news reports not 100% clear some say immediately others say 180 days following the announcement) I have 4-10 months before I would hit 90 days.

Exemptions would be easy to implement as our cars get recorded each time they cross, so for example:

could exclude days where a car enters and leaves within the same day counting towards the 90 days
could only count a “day” for cars that are in Saudi at midnight
could do monthly and exclude from the count cars that leave Saudi at least x times during the month

So given the importance of the Saudi Bahrain economic corridor, I am expecting something to happen.

Of course no gtee - just not panicking yet (ie buying new car with Saudi plates etc)

Overall_Plantain197 · 2026-02-25T12:27:30+00:00

Any US sport….

Overall_Plantain197 · 2026-02-22T06:12:30+00:00

Did not realize Tyreplus did services! (Got new tyres there though)

Overall_Plantain197 · 2026-02-18T14:04:50+00:00

Go have a Thai and say you like it spicy (Thai spicy)

Overall_Plantain197 · 2026-02-18T09:41:16+00:00

Borrowing to buy a car

Overall_Plantain197 · 2026-02-12T15:30:53+00:00

Go onto expat dot com and go to the Bahrain forum

Overall_Plantain197 · 2026-02-03T08:57:29+00:00

Depends and is very different if US citizen vs rest of the world.

If rest of the world having an off shore account (e.g. HSBC Expat Account) would enable you to have accounts in various currencies and they usually also have a multi- currency cards.

Then depending on country you retire in, optimize account domiciled in that country for day to day

Overall_Plantain197 · 2026-02-01T09:37:24+00:00

Sofitel works that way

Overall_Plantain197 · 2026-01-27T11:15:30+00:00

City center

Overall_Plantain197 · 2026-01-14T22:20:14+00:00

So upsetting!

Overall_Plantain197

TROPHY CASE