NOTE: This is the free online version of my book Chasing Your Philippine Dream: An Expat’s Guide to the Philippines.  This voluminous tome has been (inconsistently) updated over the last 13 years and can be purchased either through the Amazon Kindle store (more expensive option) or directly from our site via Surecart.  All things considered, I’d go with buying the less expensive digital version off of Surecart.  It’s the exact same book, and I really don’t think Jeff Bezos needs any more money.

And in case you are wondering why I am publishing the chapters out of order, it’s simply because I want you to buy the actual book.    I gots a family to feed!

 

CHAPTER 2: THE BEFORE-YOU-GO CHECKLIST

• Do your research and visit at least a few times before making a decision to move to the Philippines!

So, somewhere along the way you’ve gotten it in your head to check out the Philippines.  If you’re older, you might be looking to get the most out of your pension or retirement allotment.  Or, if you’re younger, maybe you’ve heard that many inexpensive Philippine universities can grant credits and degrees transferable to the Wets.  Or maybe you’re just one of those trendy digital nomads who work online and can support themselves just about anywhere there is a decent internet connection.  Regardless of the impetus behind your own particular Philippine Dream, there are a number of things to take into consideration before making such a move.  We will explore some of these in depth throughout the book, but in this section, we’ll just provide a simple list of the things that you should do before flying off to that distant tropical shore.

Here is the handy list. And as noted, most of these topics will be revisited in greater depth later in the book.

• Do your research
• Evaluate your wants/needs
• Investigate alternatives
• Have an exit plan
• Update your passport
• Get vaccinations
• Get a complete physical
• Visit
• Talk to your family and friends
• Talk to your ex and dependents
• Set up banking
• Have an adequate cash reserve
• Set up Google Voice account(s) before you leave the US
• Settle up your bills
• Get rid of stuff
• Arrange mail forwarding
• Shop for things that are hard to find here
• Send a balikbayan box (or five…)
• Get your flight
• Go!!

Do Your Research:  Read, watch, chat and interact with other expats to make sure that moving to the Philippines to live, work or study is what you really want to do.  Learn all you can about the pros and cons of making a move from the First World to the Third.  Perform all due diligence when it comes to getting an objective hold on what you will be getting yourself into.  (We named our website “My Philippine Dreams” just for that reason.) Joining an expat Facebook page (or two) is a must in our opinion, and we’ll address that later.

Evaluate Your Wants and Needs: After gathering all (or most) of the needed information in the first step, you will need to determine if you can live without all the things you want and settle for the things you need.   From that, you should be able to more accurately determine if the Philippines is an appropriate destination.  Do you need 24-hour electrical power and gigabyte internet links for your online empire or can you get by with a big battery pack/inverter and a sometimes-intermittent connection to the interwebz?  Does a chronic medical condition require you to be close to a capable medical center?  Do you crave fresh Western foods on a daily basis and are incapable of surviving without them?  Do you have mobility issues that require the use of special walkways or doors? All of these things and more have a bearing on your particular decision-making process.

Investigate Alternatives:  Central and South America, Europe and other parts of Southeast Asia are all popular alternatives to living or working in the Philippines.  Some of these countries have much better infrastructure (internet, electricity, water and roads) while others provide superior health care, more shopping opportunities, cooler weather and contemporary western accouterments.  Yes, the Philippines will typically be a lot less expensive and communicating in English isn’t a problem, but the myriad of stressors in day-to-day life here is sometimes too much for some foreigners to deal with.

Have an Exit Plan:  As stated previously, living in a developing nation such as the Philippines isn’t for everyone.  Statistically speaking, the vast majority of foreigners end up leaving the Philippines.  Even those who arrived with every intention to stay, are gone within five years.  I have even known a few folks who moved to the Philippines, bought land, built a house and then decided that the Philippines wasn’t for them.   With that in mind – and before even moving forward through this list – it is imperative to have a contingency plan in place.  Because once your house is in the West is gone and all your stuff is sold, it’s going to be very hard to start from scratch upon your return.

Update Your Passport:  Make sure it’s not expired and that there have been no name changes since it was issued. Keep in mind that many countries will not let you enter if your passport expires in six months or less.  Getting a new or updated passport in the Philippines usually requires a trip to the national consulate in Manila and a long waiting period, during which you are pretty much a man without a country… (And yes, I know that we can now mail in our old ones for new ones, but after a bad experience here, I don’t really trust Philippine courier companies all that much.)

Get All Relevant Vaccinations: Hepatitis is pretty common in the Philippines as are some other more exotic maladies, among them being a rather interesting one called Japanese encephalitis. Make sure your vaccinations are all up to date and be sure to get them months ahead of time, as the hepatitis TWINRIX vaccine requires multiple doses.  Also seriously consider getting a shingles and pneumonia vaccine.  Pneumonia is very common in the Philippines (tropics, go figure) and the country has the second highest incidence rate in the world.  As for shingles, I have known two foreigners who have acquired the malady while here, and they both had to return to the West for treatment.

Get a Complete Physical: Know where you stand medically by getting a thorough checkup including all relevant blood work.  The change in diet alone is pretty harsh on foreigners in the Philippines, so it’s good to have a baseline to track any changes in cholesterol, sucrose and triglyceride levels. Also be sure to talk to your doctor about any medical conditions that you might be dealing with and review any and all medications.  Outside of large urban areas, emergency medical attention is rare, so being prepared – having atropine injectors for allergic insect bites, for example – is of utmost importance.  Also be sure to take the time to scan all of your medical records and store them on a thumb drive AND a cloud service.  You probably don’t want to be lugging physical copies of your medical records around, but having easy access to them in case of an emergency is a must.

VISIT!:  I cannot stress the importance of this one enough!  Before selling all your stuff and buying a ticket, take the time to actually visit the Philippines!  This might seem like simple common sense, but many folks move here sight unseen, and that is simply a very bad strategy.  Try to ensure that these visits are for a good amount of time – months are of more value than a random week or two.  When all is said and done, this “boots on ground” experience is going to be more important than all of the research you conducted before your departure.  Hearing about abject poverty, oppressive heat and fragmented infrastructure is one thing, but seeing it first hand is something else entirely.  I would recommend at least a few trips to get a feel for things – each for a month or two.  Flying 10,000 miles and for a one-week stay doesn’t give you a solid impression of the reality Philippine life.  Heck with one week, you won’t even have gotten over the jet lag before its time to head back home.

Talk to Your Friends and Family:  If you are dead set on moving to the other side of the world, your family and friends are going to have some interesting things to say about it.  Expect a good number them to have a hard time “getting it,” and most will likely express their worries about economic instability, the possibility of war with China, volcanic eruptions, road accidents, typhoons, terrorist kidnappings or the occasional beheading.  Expect some of them to be skeptical and tell you things that you aren’t going to want to hear.  The reason for that is pretty simple:  They are your family and friends and as such, they love (or at least like) you – hence their fears, concerns and reservations. Do you best to allay these worries but also recognize them for the truth they are. In the Philippines, all of those things can – and have – occurred.  It’s also good idea at this point to put together an emergency info packet with all the ways in which you can be contacted – email, messenger apps and phone numbers (WhatsApp, Viber, Magic Jack, Google Voice, etc.). And while you’re at it, you might want to make (or update) your Last Will and make provisions for a Power of Attorney.

Talk to Your Ex and Dependents:  If you are separated, divorced and/or have kids, you’re going to have a WHOLE lot of explaining to do.  We can only assume that your children have graduated and that you won’t be leaving growing offspring behind you.  And if you have alimony or child support obligations, be sure that you have everything in place to uphold those responsibilities during your absence.

Set Up Banking:  Look around for a bank that has no or limited foreign ATM transaction fees on debit card use in foreign countries.  In 2025, those options are limited to Capital One 360, Betterment and – our number one recommendation – Charles Schwab.  Keep in mind that bank policies are always changing, so it’s a good idea to spend some time shopping around.  Also keep an eye out for a credit card that has limited foreign transaction fees in case you need to use one in an emergency.  And finally, when it’s time to go, make sure you notify your bank and credit card companies that you are going to be overseas, lest they freeze your accounts due to suspicious activity. This is also a good time to make sure you have an adequate supply of checks (about the only use for checks now) if you are intending to set up a Philippines bank account, as checks are still a convenient way to transfer money internationally.   And – once you get there and have set up your Philippines cell phone number – be sure to call them and give them your new phone number.  Better yet, give them your Google Voice number.  As of 2025, that is still the easiest way for a foreign bank to get in contact with you.

NOTE:  Due to the vagaries of financial brokerage regulations, it is strongly recommended that you DO NOT notify them that you are traveling/living outside of the United States.  Some brokerages can and will limit and/or close down your accounts if they discover that you are residing outside of the United States of America.  I say this because somehow the brokerage firm eToro discovered that I was spending most of my time outside of the US and they closed down my account.  I then did some research and transferred all of our holdings to Charles Schwab. They are very international friendly and you can buy and sell just about any type of commodity through them EXCEPT for mutual funds.  In this day of ETF’s, I am not sure who is still using mutual funds, but Schwab explained to me that it creates a difficult tax burden on them. That aside, with foreign ATM fee reimbursement, limited USA residency requirements and a rock-solid reputation, I strongly suggest that you make Charles Schwab a part of your Philippine Dream.

And while we are on banking, take time to set up an online Wise account.  As of this date, Wise is still the cheapest way to send smaller transfers (under $3,000 USD) from your home bank to your (eventual) new bank in the Philippines.  If you need to transfer a larger amount, it is best to initiate a bank wire transfer (Schwab charges only $15 per international transfer).

Have an Adequate Cash Reserve:  This is VERY important and can’t be stressed enough.  In addition to whatever monies, you have coming in though pension, salary, retirement and the like, it is also imperative that you maintain an adequate cash reserve.  When you first relocate to the Philippines, you’re going to need a good chunk of cheddar to get set up.  Rental fees (first/last/deposit), a motorbike or car purchase, furniture, appliances and the like are all going to cost money.  And since you will be starting from scratch, it will probably amount to more than you might expect.  You are also going to need a solid emergency fund in the case of a medical crisis or any other sudden need to travel back to your home country.  If you are going to move to the Philippines, I would recommend at least a $30,000 USD cash reserve.  Does everyone that comes to the Philippines do this?  No.  Do they sometimes come to regret it?  Absolutely.

Set Up Google Voice Account:  Aside from your passport and a good amount of cash, the next most important thing an American can bring to the Philippines is Google Voice, a VOIP service that gives you a US phone number that you can use to make free calls to ANY phone number in the US and also (critically) receive any long or short OTP codes.  You might not think this is a big deal, but if you need to call your home bank, the Social Security office, or friends and family in the US, you are going to be sheet out of luck.  Sure, you can get ‘US numbers’ with WhatsApp and Viber, but you won’t have the ability to call ANY number and receive all One Time Passcodes that you can with Google Voice.  Setting it up in the USA is quite simple if you already have a Google account.  All you need is a real US number to register it.  If you are outside the USA, you will have to have someone back in the US set it up for you.  Google can detect any and all attempts to get around initial setup with a VPN and you also need to have that real US number (cell or landline) to register it.  Google Voice has been fantastic, and I use it nearly every day.  If you are reading this, and it sounds too complicated to set up, have a friend or family member help you do it.  It is THAT important.

Settle Up Your Bills:  Don’t leave your creditors hanging.  You can’t run away from debt, so it’s best to zero out your obligations up before you go.  Unlike a happy marriage, your credit score is with you forever, and despite what you think, the chances of you returning to your home country are rather high.   Also, don’t do what I did and close up all your credit card accounts.  After eight years or so, I realized that I didn’t have a credit score anymore.  At the time, we ourselves were thinking about coming back to live in the US.  So, to build credit, I secured a Discover IT card.  Within a year of using it, I was already back up to over 700 on my FICA.  As of 2025, we have no intention of living back in the US, but you never know…

Get Rid of Your Stuff – Whether you sell, loan or store it with family or friends, one doesn’t realize just how much junk they have until it’s time to move.  eBay, Craigslist and other ad sites are going to be your best friends when it comes time to getting rid of your worldly goods.  Again though, remember that most people do not stay in the Philippines.  A good number of well-intentioned expatriates return within a year or two, so if you want an ace in the hole, consider loaning your belongings to friends or family with the agreement that you can get them back if you return.  Or – if you decide to stay in the Philippines – agree ahead of time what you’ll actually sell it for.  I did this myself – a buddy of mine was just setting himself up after leaving the military, so I “sold” him all my furniture with the agreement that if I returned within a year, I could get it all back.  He was happy as a clam, and since I stayed, he still has all my furniture and appliances (probably not the old Xbox, though).

Mail Forwarding:  Using family or friends to be your mailing address is the easiest solution to ‘getting’ your mail in the Philippines.  With all your bills settled, you probably won’t be getting much in the way of mail anyways, but there will still be stuff coming in from the government and your financial institutions.  This is also a good time to contact those same institutions and set up “paperless” (internet only) correspondence Alternatively, you can also do a Google search for “mail forwarding” companies, which scan your mail and email the images to you. For Americans looking to formally change their mailing address, it’s easy to do on United States Post Service website.

Shop: If you are moving to the Philippines, try to get some things that are difficult or expensive to source here:  Deodorants, cosmetics, vitamins and other supplements, quality office supplies, soft cotton sheets, electronics, M&M’s and the like are all good things to source in your home country and send to yourself in the Philippines.  Which brings us to…

Balikbayan Boxes:  You are probably going to want to send at least one or two “BB” boxes to yourself before leaving for the Philippines.  Jumbo balikbayan boxes can hold a good amount of goods, have no weight limit and cost about 80 to 90 dollars to ship to the Philippines.  Conducting a Google search for Filipino or Asian markets in your area will usually reveal more than a few that offer balikbayan box services.  As to where you would send it, you have a few options:  If you are on a Philippine Expat Facebook Page (more on that later), create a post asking if you can you their address to ship your boxes.  Alternatively, you can simply put your name, barangay and city where you will be living on the box and track it online.  Typically, a balikbayan box takes about three months or more to reach the Philippines via cargo ship.

Get Your Flight:  OK, boys and girls, it’s now getting real.  Everyone who travels internationally knows that searching for flights is time consuming and onerous.  Even with Skyscanner and Google Flights, finding the ‘perfect’ flight is a headache.  Luckily, both the sites just mentioned can be configured to show the cheapest flights over a one-month window.  If you can’t find anything you like, simply check out the next month.  It’s a bit of work, but that perseverance can pay dividends when you finally find a flight for $600 instead of $1,200. (Think of that as a savings of 600 San Miguel beers.)   Also note that flight prices change drastically throughout the year. Round-trip tickets to the US this past year ranged from $1,200-$1,700 US dollars.  The former is a bargain – the latter not so much.  The lowest prices are usually found around the start of the New Year, after the glut of the holiday rush.  And speaking of flights, please note that you CANNOT enter the Philippines with just a one-way ticket, so you will either need a round trip ticket or – as is more often the case – a “throwaway” ticket. This is simply a cheap future ongoing flight from the Philippines.  You can get great throwaway ticket deals through Cebu Pacific, where they usually have “promos” on flights to Malaysia or Hong Kong for about 40 US dollars. Some folks (like myself when  I was on a tourist visa) avail themselves of $12 “rental tickets” that you can find on sites such as bestonwardticket.com. And if you are regular air traveler, it is well worth getting a credit card that offers air mile rewards – those puppies add up pretty quick when taking 10,000-mile flights.  I have a Capital One VentureOne X card and it is has gotten me more than a few business class upgrades over the past ten years.

Ready, Steady, Go:  OK, cowboy – by this point you’ve done everything that needed doing.  You’ve painstakingly lined up your ducks, and it’s now time to step on that plane and head off on your grand adventure.  But before you go, we just thought we’d add a few more thoughts:

• You’re probably not going to sleep well the night before the flight. It’s kind of like being a kid on Christmas Eve
• The heat on arrival is really going to be a slap in the face, especially if you are coming from a temperate locale – welcome to the tropics, baby!

And finally…

• Jet leg is much easier to deal with going to the Philippines than coming back from it. Well, at least for peeps in North America that have to deal with the 8-12 hour time difference. For some reason, going east to west is a lot easier on the human body (and mind) then going west to east.

And then the magic begins…..

Jaded Expat:  Screw that noise.  All you need for a successful move to the Philippines is a passport, a boatload of bucks and an epic drinking problem.

 

++ So that’s it for this installment. If you are looking for a more concise/less fragmented version, buy the complete ebook for (a wopping) $6.95 by clicking HERE.  Note that it is in epub format, so you will need an appropriate e-reader app (or Kindle) to read it.  And if you want to add your own two centavos (or noticed any errors), feel free to leave a comment! ++