Selling the farm and moving to Bali!

‘Bali is cheap, a plate of nasi goreng costs 8,000rp, a guest house room is 50,000rp and you can rent a scooter for a month, for 400,000rp. I’m selling the farm and moving to Bali!’

That thought process has gone through so many people’s heads, and the allure of waving palms and a relaxed lifestyle, combine to loosen your financial thought process.

Some people have got it made for sure, a couple of houses back home, cash in the bank, their laughing. Most people aren’t that lucky, and either have to take some risks with their wad, or work. There’s a guy here who sells antiques and artwork online. If he sees something he likes in a shop, he photos it, puts it on eBay, then if a buyer comes along he buys it. Pretty cool eh?

Looking through the Bali Advertiser today I noticed an ad for a bbq service. For 1.5m rp they’ll show up at your place and bbq for you, arranging the cost of the food , drinks etc. beforehand. Good idea, if I say so myself.

Of course if breaking a sweat isn’t your scene, and ‘on the beach money’ is, there are options. You might consider the stock market. I don’t know didley about the stock market, but one guy who does is Colin Bloodworth, who writes for the Bali Adsvertiser. Colin writes some money-wise articles and for people with something to lose, you might want to hear what he says about assets.

I know one recent Bali expat, who plans to sell the house back home, and stick $300,000 Aussie, into BII bank! Australian banks give 6%pa, Indo banks give 10%pa, so he’s looking at $30,000 a year off his stash. Let’s hope unregulated BII, doesn’t have any ‘accidents’ with his $300,000, or it could be ‘back to the drive-thru’ for him. Pretty cool though, you can live on AU$30,000 in Bali no worries.

Starting your own company in Bali, means you’ll have to jump through some hoops, but a simple C.V company licence costs around 2m rp. Feel free to contact Kantor Kita (and tell them who sent you!) about any business / visa questions in Bali.

When I moved to Bali in 2003, a long term expat said “When I first came here, I knew all these other expats, who had to keep coming and going, as they had businesses back in Europe, or Australia.” “I thought, poor them, they have to leave, but after a few years, I realized it was lucky them.” You may not want to totally sell the farm, in order to move to Bali.