Hi all,

In the last four years, I have been playing internet poker pretty intensively. While I have always kept my job, I have now reached the level where I can have a regular revenue from it as my winrate is steady ans sustainable on an extensive sample.
I can optimistically count on a monthly 2000$ revenue and I have been thinking of dropping my job and settling somewhere to play professionaly.

So the question is prety simple. Is it possible to live with 2000$/month in Bonaire (actually probalby 1400$-1500$ if I take into account retirement and health insurance expenses) ?

I dont' have an expensive way of life and I can perfecly live in a studio/small 1 bedroom.
I can also cook my own food or go in local eateries, with the occasional good restaurant. I don't intend to go out a lot.

So the expenses I can't cut are :
- rent, inc water and electricity
- food
- motorbike related stuff, as I would probably get one
- INTERNET CONNECTION. This is really important as I will need a reliable connection (reliable is far more important than fast, poker sites don't take a lot of bandwidth). My experience with Bonaire Internet was not bad, but I didn't use it a lot while there.
- budget for unexpected/occasional expenses (I like reading, so I would occasionaly buy books for instance)
- Ideally, I would try to put aside something like 100$ a month, apart from the retirement account.

I have a french passport, if it can facilitate immigration.

What do you think? Is living possible with that amount of money?
The rent is my main concern as I have no idea of how much a basic appartment would cost. I also suspect Internet to be expensive.
Of course, all my setting up expense would not be covered by poker, I would come with something like 10-15k$ to start me up.

Thanks a lot for your answers and please try not to be judgmental

:The rent is my main concern as I have no idea of how much a basic appartment would cost.:

Pokerman.. My advice is to check out all the local realtors on the island as they all post long term rentals available & their rates on the internet.
Sunbelt, Remax, Harbourtown & Caribbean Homes all come to mind.

You can live very nicely for 2k per month...Interent lease lines can be expensive however fiber optic is coming (or so I have been promised)

I BET you cant do this. No wait, nevermind. HA

;)

Thanks for answers. I also thought it was possible with a simple lifestyle.
I have seen apts for 250-300$/month, which would be in my range.
I'm going in Bonaire in Nov for 2 weeks, I'll do some research when there.

Jason, believe it or not, I hate gambling ;) Poker is somewhat different

I can understand...that is pretty cool you can do this doing that. The only talent I have while online could get me arrested. ;)

Jason,
That my friend, is a 511 situation.
Let me explain:
411 is for information;
a 511 situation is one where you have given
TOO MUCH INFORMATION!!!

mare

I also play poker online....although as a hobby, not for income. If you want reliable internet you might need two providers (as any one tends to be dowm once in a while and that sucks when you're at the final table), so both Telbo and Flamingo. Even with two you will have downtime as with heavy storms occasionally power goes down on big parts of the island or there can be problems with the backbone than both providers share (as far as I know). If you accept that I think you can have a lot of fun here.

Good luck,

Bas.

Mare,

Are you turning into my personal Bonairetalk guide?

;)

Hi Jason,
could be...
need one?

Mare

I think I got this site under control.....however I think my political correctness may need an adjust from time to time.

Im a bad boy, I need to be spanked. HA

J

Jason...we don't spank here we just offer "schmacks" when needed I think you're on that fine line where we don't want to go.

Keep it clean and you can hang around. Looks like you have an upcoming BON trip; hope you have a blast!!

Kobi

Coming up on 40 eh? Let me repeat that 4 0

As in the big 4 0. FORTY!!!

WOW!!!

God...I can remember 40...barely...LOL!

Charlie