I guess I’ll decide sooner or later. I’ll get to that in a minute.
Did my weekly grocery shopping and once again dealt with the frustration of the out-of-stock syndrome that seems so prevalent here. Doubly so, because I went to two different supermarkets in search of some essentials without success. You know, I get that certain imports, like frozen food, may be tough to get these days because of shipping issues. But damn, to be out of canned dog food for two freaking weeks? I bought some at the local veterinarian for 150 pesos a can ($3) because my boys have to eat, but damn. Alright, rant over.
Small turnout for darts last night. With only seven players we did a singles tournament. That suits me fine. I made it to the finals undefeated. Nancy, who I had beaten earlier, was my opponent. You know, I play for fun and I’d had a few beers which drowned whatever competitive juices that may have been flowing (yeah, that’s a convoluted metaphor, isn’t it?). First-place money was 400 pesos and second place was 200 pesos. Nancy would have to beat me twice (win two best-of-three matches) to take first. I offered her a deal where we call it a tie and split the money (300 pesos each). She accepted my offer. That’s a win-win for everyone, right?
Speaking of spoils, the fish and chips place here in town posted on their Facebook page that they had made up a batch of pumpkin tarts, get ’em while supplies last. I sent a message asking if any were still available and they said they still had five left. I hoofed on over and bought myself two to go. They were 70 pesos each, which seemed a bit pricey, but damn, how often do you get anything close to a pumpkin pie in these parts?
It was a nice bedtime treat and a worthy reward for my outstanding darts.
Woke up this morning to this pleasant view:
There are some stray dogs that roam the neighborhood. I’ve seen other people’s trashcans raided, but this was a first for me. Shit happens I guess.
Speaking of the neighborhood, that’s my dilemma–should I stay or should I go? I spoke to the landlord and he wants to increase my rent by 5%, or about $45 a month. He says there hasn’t been an increase in three years. I pointed out that I’ve done all the repairs and maintenance here out of my own pocket and I didn’t think a rent increase was justified. He said the increase in necessary and to let him know next month what I decide.
So, I really like living in Alta Vista. I enjoy the views and the convenience of living here (except when the dogs attack my trash). It is quiet–no roosters, traffic noise, or loud videoke singing, all of which are pretty standard in most neighborhoods. My rent is currently $900. a month. When people hear that, they think I’m crazy for overpaying so much. Well, I can afford it, and truthfully, the increase is the equivalent of what I spend some nights in the bar. But I also don’t like being taken advantage of, and after three years of being a loyal tenant, this increase feels like a slap in the face.
I’ve been looking around some to see what alternatives might be available. There is one place for rent here in the neighborhood for 30,000 ($600), but there are some potential issues with the folks who live upstairs. I’ll save that story for another day. And now I’ve learned of another house that is available on the other side of town that seems to be a viable possibility. I’ve not personally been inside yet, but it is next door to a house of a fellow Hasher and has the same floor plan as his, so I’m at least familiar with the layout.
Not sure why they didn’t send any kitchen shots. I’m going to try and see the place tomorrow.
So, the negatives for me so far are that it only has two bedrooms and is unfurnished. I’ve got a bed and a desk, I’d have to buy everything else. On the other hand, I don’t really use all the space I have now. And the rent is only 20,000 pesos ($400.) a month, less than half of what I’m currently paying.
It’s a pain in the ass to move and I’d really rather not have to, but damn, how can I justify staying here and getting fucked in the ass? I’ll see how I feel after checking the place out personally.
Otherwise, life goes on in its usual fashion. I take each day as it comes and make the best of it. And I’m happy to report that I am not living in fear.
And as long as I’m in the mode of being obnoxious, how about this Hunter finding a gal and grabbing her by the Harris:
Love the Hunter pic. Also had a chuckle at the cartoon about mask-wearing: half the people pictured in the cartoon are wearing their masks with exposed noses, thereby heightening their hypocrisy. A subtle touch, but noticeable.
“Nancy would have to beat me twice (win two best-of-three matches) to take first. I offered her a deal where we call it a tie and split the money (300 pesos each). She accepted my offer. That’s a win-win for everyone, right?”
Are you saying that you guys didn’t play each other and simply settled for declaring a tie, thereby splitting the cash? Is that what happened? I bet the sparse audience was disappointed if that’s the case. Imagine two high-profile boxers doing that in the ring. “Nah, man. We don’ need ta prove nuthin’. We good. Later.” It’d be chaos! Then again, people don’t pay for expensive tickets to local dart matches, so there might not be an uproar.
As for the $400/mo. place… it looks like quite a grungy step down from where you are now, and you definitely get what you pay for. Having potentially contentious neighbors living one floor up would be a deal-breaker for me; I’m pretty much done with apartment living. If I ever go back to the States, I’m getting a free-standing house with plenty of yard/lawn/wilderness space so that I don’t hear my neighbors, and they don’t hear me. There’ll be space enough for my dogs to roam around freely all day, and for me to practice shooting, slingshot-ing, and axe-throwing in the backyard, not to mention a spot for me outside to hang a canvas Everlast 70-pound kicking/punching bag so I can work out my frustrations on the bodyweight equivalent of a fifth-grader. Leather bags are for pussies; canvas is rough and makes your knuckles bleed. Toughens the skin.
I sympathize with your desire not to get cornholed by your landlord (I thought it was a she… did someone get surgery?), but I think you need to keep looking until you find a much better deal.
As for $900/mo. being expensive… I have no standard of comparison. I haven’t lived in the States since 2013, and back then, the price for an average, 850-square-foot apartment in northern Virginia (2 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms, kitchenette) was anywhere from $800 to $1300/month, depending on how close you were to DC. Is $900/mo. expensive for the Philippines for the size house you’re in now? I have no idea.
Anyway, good luck with your search. Maybe narrow your search by thinking about what counts as a deal-breaker for you. Do the neighbors matter? How about the neighborhood as a whole? Access to shops, bars, etc.? What about the roaming-animal situation? And crime? The degree to which the new place is a fixer-upper? Etc.
Do you really want the hassle of moving?
Offer him half of what he wants and be willing to go up to $30. Add in the proviso that he doesn’t f#ck with the rent again so long as you stay.
Lean in real close with your hands on your knees when you add in that proviso. End it with a mafia hug. Least, that’s how we do it in Peshwar.
Seriously, the other place looks less salubrious. Can easily picture that toilet being stuck with a floater that won’t flush.
If you are getting fucked in the ass at your current place, they should definite give you a discount of at least 30k pesos.
Kev, the thing about masks is that even when worn properly, their value in stopping the spread of COVID is limited. But most folks don’t bother with covering their nose and the masks themselves can be made of anything. Lots of people tie a handkerchief around their faces. Complies with the law, but is of no practical benefit. Oh well, as long as we do what we are told.
Yes, Nancy and I agreed not to play the championship and split the dough. I used to make that offer frequently, but I got some pushback from the tourney director who thinks the games ought to be played. I’m usually ready to go home by the time the finals roll around and don’t care about the money. Nancy (who actually works at Alley Cats) had told me she needed to buy rice with her winnings. It was unlikely she was going to beat me twice, so getting that extra 100 pesos was a windfall for her.
The “landlord” I talked to was the brother of the landlady. He’s the only one who’s been around the property lately, so I guess they are partners. I totally with you on not wanting to live in an apartment. The house in the photos is a walled stand-alone residence, so it has that going for it. But yeah, it is definitely a step down in many ways. Half the price, but you get what you pay for I suppose. When I rented this place for $900. I was pretty much clueless. A good deal compared to Korea or the USA, but people here are shocked when I tell them what I pay. I don’t know any expat paying more than $500 rent to live in Barretto (a lot of them with the money bought/built houses).
I appreciate the insights, I’ll keep my eyes and ears open but if need be, I’ll suck it up and pay to stay here. One concern I have is that if the dollar loses value because of Biden policies, my rent automatically goes up.
Dan, no I dread the thought of having to move. What a pain in the ass. Plus, I’ll have to buy furniture too if I can’t find a furnished place. I did try negotiating with the landlord, but there was no changing his mind…from his perspective, my rent should have gone up every year, so 5% now is a bargain.
Picturing that unflushable floater is definitely an image I don’t want to see in real life!
QP, well, I agreed to the 45,000 three years ago, so that’s on me. Just resisting overpaying more. But I’m not going to sell my ass for a discount either! 🙂
Agree with the above comments. The house in the other neighborhood looks like it not meet what you need. Money (within reason) does not seem to be an issue, so moving to the other place because it is half your current rent doesn’t make sense.
Remove money from the equation and evaluate places simply on the neighborhood/neighbors, aesthetics, view, location, etc.
Yeah, good points, Brian. It’s not so much about the money as it is about feeling like I’m being taken advantage of. Still, need to look at the big picture and make a choice that works best for the long run…