Since we won’t be traveling for the next couple of years, we have decided to spend our time, energy, and dollars in another way…
Recently we joined the American Club Taipei – a country club style organization dedicated to “camaraderie, sports, entertainment, relaxation and a range of high quality dining options.”
So far, so good.
American Club Taipei
Nestled between the historic Grand Hotel and the Keelung River, the American Club Taipei is a large complex of tennis and squash courts, 25 meter pool with water slide, large weight room, spa, youth center, playground, library, multiple restaurants, and more. In short, it is a nice wholesome family destination.
Only a brisk 8-minute bike ride from our city-center apartment, it feels more like a rural garden oasis. I’ve been spending a lot of time poolside… literally where these sentences were written.
ACC 25-meter swimming pool
Cardio is fun on occasion (I’ve biked ~3500 km so far this year) but it’s also important to lift heavy things from time to time. The weight room has all of the necessities, both machines and free weights. There is also a full schedule of group classes.
Taipei is a great city, but one thing it lacks is an abundance of quality outdoor dining… nice places to sit in the shade while enjoying an espresso or light meal with friends. I’ve enjoyed both of those experiences quite often these past weeks. The lunch specials are well done and good value.
Outdoor dining!
Dining with children is great, but seldom relaxing. So why not let those little buggers go play while you finish your meal and conversation? As a fully enclosed complex with pervasive staff, the kids are safe and secure and free to roam – the playground, indoor playroom, foosball and air hockey tables, etc… are at their disposal.
Playground
And before heading home, stop by the market for milk, eggs, etc… all at reasonable prices. Or maybe get that thick cut bacon that you’ve been unable to find elsewhere… (I’m really excited about that one!)
Yes, it is a nice place.
Our Experiences
We’ve had a pretty good start…
Jr is now in tennis and swimming classes, and has made extensive use of the rest of the facilities with friends both old and new. I’ve even found him reading comic books in the library. He is also a big fan of the mac-n-cheese and pizza.
Kid #2 is doing a great job of introducing us to other club members. As he gets more agile, I’m certain he will have lots of good times in the playroom and pool… he is certainly a fan of poolside naps.
Winnie has stepped back into her regular adventures on the elliptical machine, and has also started yoga and pilates classes. She also appears to enjoy the outdoor jacuzzi.
I’ve moved part of my weight training to the club… I still frequent the gym near home which is newer/better equipped, but the club gym is nice for post-cardio workouts. This morning I attended a tennis clinic for the 2nd week in a row. I’ve also reincorporated swimming into my weekly activities… last week I set a new personal record for 1,500 meter swim time (and also had my heaviest 10-rep squat set as an adult.)
As a slight aside, as a guy born and raised in Minnesota… outdoor swimming in November is amazing. Also, being able to swim for an hour without lane sharing is truly delightful.
Pokemon Battle at a club party (good arm, southpaw!)
Poolside Relaxation
Tennis Lessons
Waterslide!
Membership – the process and prices
Membership is essentially by invite only – 2 lifetime members need to sign your application and vouch for you as an upstanding citizen. This gets you on the waitlist.
For lifetime membership, the waitlist is years long. For a shorter term membership (We signed a 2-year contract) we waited about 3 months. (The waitlist for non-US passport holders is longer.) Price wise, the break even point is just a bit over 4 years… at which point we will most likely be back in the US.
Membership dues come in 4 parts – an upfront payment for a bond (refundable at contract completion), an upfront nonrefundable initiation fee, monthly fees, and monthly minimum spend.
Our initial payment was 291,000 TWD (~$10,000 USD.) This consists of 60,000 TWD ($2,100) as the bond and 231,000 TWD ($8,100) nonrefundable initiation fee.
The monthly fee is 6,280 TWD (~$220) plus a minimum food and beverage spend of 3,200 TWD (~$110.)
My 1st impression was that this is a lot of money, but when you break it down monthly it comes to $560 + food + extras… which also seems like a lot of money. (Maybe it is mostly funded by cashing out our rewards points…?)
I estimate that with our normal dining habits along with regular tennis and swim coaching we will spend about $1,000/month. Part of this replaces existing spending on sports and food, but still a large overall net increase.
Worth it though.
Summary
We joined a country club. We now spend a lot of time there, exercising, playing, eating, and socializing.
Grand Hotel overlooking the American Club Taipei (photo via Grand Hotel booking site)
I couldn’t read the whole article. It seems like it was a commercial for the club written by a bot. Weird
Agreed. Seethes “Referral Fee.”
There are no referral fees – for content that is certain to displace unhealthy skepticism, there is nothing like writing it yourself. I even have a guide on How To Start a Blog (contains affiliate links / referral fees – get the Black Friday special offers!)
Sounds like a great plan for your family! I’m envious!
sounds alot like the Denver athletic club, which has many of the same amenities (minus the outdoor pool). They also have outstanding daycare, which is the primary reason we were members for three years, and I used it as an office for a while (yay free wifi). With daycare, competed with our mortgage for our largest expense, but found it worth the money.
daycare is a beautiful thing
So happy for you and Winnie. We also had ivf a d had one child, responsible for elderly parents now so not thinking about another (also a few years older than both of you 😉). Our girl is 4 and there are many expenses in downtown Toronto, but so glad to lean in to this time in our life and engage with other parents and activities (with social distancing). Please enjoy as much as you can ❤️
Do members get a secret decoder ring and have a secret handshake? If yes, I’m all for it!
I’m going to start giving people a wink and a weird handshake
Wow, that club looks really neat. That seems like a lot of money to me too. But if you use it often, it’s probably worth it. Especially if you’re using points. I just cashed out our Capitalone points for Amazon gift cards too. More exercise is worth it.
Anyway, can I get in line for a visit to the country club? I assume you can bring guests. :)
Yes, we went as guests a bunch of times this year which is why we decided to join. I’ve been almost everyday in the last month… usually doing tennis or swimming in the AM, lunch, and then weights. The exception is days I do a big bike ride. We have spent the past few weekends poolside also.
You had me at waterslide.
Right?
Hi-Just curious-does anyone wear a mask in Taipei? Is covid a problem there? If so, are you concerned for you and the fam at club and gym? I’ll have to go to the google machine and look up Taipei. Thanks and be safe.
There have been zero local covid cases for 200+ days. Masks are required on public transit and Jr wears a mask at school.
I wrote a bit about the Taiwan response to covid: Coronavirus and Life in Taiwan
Just like the Before Times…gyms, restaurants, people. I remember those days.
Your life and circumstances have certainly changed since you started this blog. Different life situations have different needs. Glad you saved enough to make the changes you want when you want.
Life certainly has changed.
Before I quit my career job, our goal was to save enough to fund our desired lifestyle. I thought of it as Front-loading Frugality. We then spent about 3-5 years continuing to live well beneath our means so the portfolio could continue to grow. As it did, we inflated our lifestyle… these next 2 years or so we will just be spending our travel budget at the country club.
Longtime reader, first time commenter. Personally I’ve really liked following your journey.
There are a lot of FI/RE bloggers who adhere to the theme of ‘frugal living’ or ‘you don’t need to spend more to be happy’, which don’t get me wrong, I agree with & given a binary trade off of living frugally or sitting in a cubicle for 40 years, I know which I’d pick.
The actual reality of my life (and I think most people’s lives), is hedonic adaption and lifestyle creep. I think the important part though is to be mindful of what you’re spending more on. The more I travel, the more I like to travel. I still don’t care about SUV’s, so I’m happy to up my travel budget each year, but I haven’t felt the need to buy a gigantic car yet.
You seem to be fairly mindfully going from frugal -> FI/RE -> now you’re starting to get into FATFI/RE territory.
Which I think is great and is more interesting than other bloggers who have been overly conservative, have too much money and no real use for it.
I agree :)
This was always our plan – we saved to fund our desired lifestyle with kids and then just spent way less than that for an extra 10 years so compound interest could do its thing… It’s even quite possible our spending drops substantially next year if Jr goes to public school for 1st grade (still TBD.)
Would we be equally happy spending less? Absolutely. Would it require more effort? Also yes. But we still spend less than 4% so I err on the side of laziness.
I really like Winnie’s cactus shirt!
Does this club have any reciprocal clubs that you can also stay at when traveling? My parents belong to a private club that has reciprocal relationships with clubs all over the world and we were able to stay in London and Tokyo at these clubs, which ended up being half the cost of staying at an equivalent hotel in the same location. Plus, the amenities are generally fantastic and you get to meet interesting people who are also members. Although a bit pricey, I’m glad you signed up for this!
Yeah there are reciprocal clubs all over the place… not sure if we will manage to take advantage of that, but some of them look really nice.
Like the Denver Athletic Club mentioned by another commenter or the YMCA we have around here, these facilities have similar amenities (maybe not quite as nice) minus the restaurant choices but for much less per month. I understand Taiwan may be different but are there not similar options to what we’re seeing in the US?
Dunno – there are public pools and tennis courts and golf courses, but I’m not aware of anything similar at any price
We joined a country club for the same reasons and have really enjoyed it.
Great choice!
do they feed you breakfast, lunch and dinner?
There is at least one restaurant open during all business hours.
If you give them money they will give you food.
That place looks really nice and fancy. The price definitely isn’t cheap. But if you use it very often and take advantage of all the perks, it might be worth it.
I kinda recall seeing the swimming pool when staying at the Grand Hotel many years ago. :)
The Grand Hotel has a really nice pool!
I’ve been there often for a weekly early-morning Men’s Bible Study and have enjoyed the visit. We now do the Bible Study on alternating weeks via Zoom or at ACC with Zoom as a backup. I have biked there from Neihu on the YouBike (rental bikes). Amazing place!
Which Youbike station do you return the bike to? The closest one I saw is 10-15 minute walk?
I was thinking of joining the bridge club (disclosure: I’ve never played bridge.)
That sounds awesome! So the nagging question in my mind: I would be curious of the expected impact of raising kids in this environment. Basically it sounds like a resort every day. On the one hand, maybe this provides good opportunities for community with other kids and adults, and lots of exercise, but on the other hand it’s a very exclusive and maybe unrealistic environment only enabled by lots of money. I have the same question for our own kids as we move towards FI in a few years, while currently enjoying abnormal(ish) flexibility working from home and being around all the time for kids, as well as >5 weeks of vacation a year, taking trips all the time. The basic question I guess is will our kids expect life to just hand them luxury conditions, and be incapable of working hard and relating to the ‘real world’? (See the Schitt’s Creek kids as an extreme example :-) The practical implication then is do I get to ‘live it up’ in early retirement, or will that spoil the kids and have them living in the basement of our yacht club when they’re 45? Maybe this isn’t even an issue, but seems that it would apply to anyone retiring early with kids so I would be interested in anyone’s thoughts.
The best way to answer this is probably to have our kids reply in 18 years or so… I don’t know how they will turn out. I’m skeptical that swimming and playing tennis will be a gateway drug to a life of basement dwelling, but you never know.
I haven’t seen Schitt’s Creek so I don’t follow the reference, but one way to think about these things to invert the question… if we never went swimming or played tennis, would they be better adults? Would living in a 2 bedroom apartment when we can comfortably afford 4 provide better life principles? Where do we draw the line on luxury? Does intentional poverty instill better values?
Apparently, intentional poverty appears to be most people’s aim. I can’t say I agree with that. Currently, I have $1.4 million in index funds and spend accordingly. If the amount grows to $2.5 million in a few years, will I increase my spending in proportion? Hell yeah! GCC, just do you. You like it? You can afford it? Just do it!
I always though this should be the judgement free zone.
Why do you say intentional poverty is most people’s aim?
Rather than blowing their retirement savings and then, at 67 receiving the Age Pension (welfare ~$A37,000 / y couple), retirees are ‘refusing to spend’ and dying with more than at start of retirement.
Retirement Income Review – Final Report (Aus)
https://treasury.gov.au/publication/p2020-100554
“Crucially, there has been insufficient attention on assisting people to optimise their retirement income through the efficient use of their savings.”
“– Retirees are generally reluctant to draw down their savings in retirement due to complexity, little guidance, reluctance to consume funds that are called ‘nest eggs’, concerns about possible future health and aged care costs, and concerns about outliving savings. Currently adding to concerns is uncertainty around the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic.”
Making retirees spend all their money ‘next major battleground’
https://www.afr.com/policy/tax-and-super/making-retirees-spend-all-their-money-next-major-battleground-20201127-p56iiw
Former ASIC deputy chairman Jeremy Cooper said while encouraging people to draw down on their accumulated wealth in retirement might be good public policy, “several million retirees completely disagree.”
On the refusal to draw-down nest eggs: I hear about the nursing homes that people with no money end up in, and they are NOT happy stories… I would much rather be driving my golf cart to the shuffleboard and tea party when I’m 80 than be left drooling in a wheelchair in the hallway of the local slumlord nursing home. And from what I hear, this contrast is NOT an exaggeration. Perhaps if our country promised a better end of life outlook for the elderly, then people would be less terrified to spend some of that cash in their golden years…
Thanks for the reply, I like your thoughts! This gives me something to ponder. Thinking about your comment, maybe wealth can enable good parenting, teaching good work ethics, discipline etc., where impoverished conditions would not. There are the rags to riches stories that you hear about where extremely hard working people pull themselves out of poverty and do great things, but statistically poverty is more of a vicious self perpetuating cycle. I suppose playing tennis with your parents or friends is going to develop better humans than attending a horrible school, then coming home by yourself and watching TV while your single parent works 3 part time jobs, for instance. So maybe wealthy conditions will just be good, provided the parents are dedicated and prioritize good parenting. Good food for thought, thanks!
oh how great he is, how fancy and exclusive that club is….
can you believe this guy? he only approves messages massaging his ego, not the real ones
Found this in the spam folder
LMAO!
Looks like a no brainer to take the kids and for everyone to enjoy a little bit of some thing. I’ve been there many times before to play tennis or to have a meal. I would definitely join if I was there.
We were members of the YCC in Yan Ming Shan. It was so fun to swim and play tennis all the time. So for those of you who are afraid that a club will spoil a child, I don’t think so.
Club brought me some lifelong skills that have been able to meet other people (play tennis 3X a week).
I’m curious why would the waitlist be longer to become a lifelong member then a temporary member? As in having the flexibility to be temporary, and then extend longer more valuable?
Sam
There are a limited number of lifetime memberships, and a larger but also limited number of term memberships.
For a lifetime membership to become available, somebody needs to either abandon their membership or reach the end of their life.
OK, but wouldn’t your membership be more valuable since it provides the same benefits and is easier to get?
Or is there a cost and prestige differential with like a different member coding when you check in and stuff?
At my tennis club in SF, there is full membership for $12K+ monthly dues and junior membership for kids. But supposedly there is now a 3-year waiting list b/c tennis and other outdoor sports have exploded in popularity since covid.
You pay roughly the same for 1st 4 years, and then after than it is only ~$300/month. One guy who was recently elected to the board of directors has been a member for 40 years… that’s a pretty low monthly rate.
Words fail me…
Think it could make sense to swap out a travel budget for something like this.
We’ve certainly been willing to spend more on some entertainment, food, and exercise-related subscriptions/activities that are safe and/or at home over the last year.
But the thing that piqued my interest the most…
“Since we won’t be traveling for the next couple of years…”
Is that because of COVID?
YEARS?
Phew, I really hope that vaccine hits and we can start planning trips in Summer 2021 for later 2021.
Perhaps I am too optimistic.
Combination of covid and just having a baby.
Gotta get the vaccine out in sufficient quantities… maybe that starts in summer ’21 and ramps from there. Maybe some family visits in late ’21. We could then consider travel summer ’22, but haven’t put any effort into thinking about it — it would probably be just to the US to visit family.
Feels funny for an establishment in Taipei to offer preferential treatment to holders of another country’s passport.
Why does nationality matter in this context? Is it to maintain an English-speaking environment (and specifically the American accent)? Or are there other practical considerations?
I dunno – I think it started out of some old military thing
Funny, the American Club looks just like it did when I was growing up in Taiwan in the late 1970s and 1980s. Many a fond summer was spent at the swimming pool there. Now it looks like the tables are turned with me living in Minnesota and yearning for an outdoor pool amidst the COVID shutdown and the cold MInnesota winter…. Enjoy!
Now that I am an old man I can’t deal with the cold anymore… yesterday was 20C (~70F) and I was wearing a winter hat and sweater. Last week was 24-26C and I swam everyday-ish. The pool is heated to 27-28C though…
The Minnesota Christmas experience is loads of fun though… I kinda miss seeing all the houses decorated and fresh snow for the holiday. Plus maybe some hot chocolate by the fire
Jeremy,
I think this is awesome for your kids! Totally jealous and I thought “If I could do this, I would!” Plus, I love reading about your lives. I feel like you are a “friend” living a very cool existence and I love that you share this with your blog readers, a.k.a. strangers on the internet. Also, the MN Christmas is pretty great – thinking of all the lights and snow – BUT, warm weather thins the blood fast. Although 70F hat and sweater? For shame! :) I remember 40F in MN being called “shorts weather.” (shudder)
I remember running around in shorts/T-shirt in the spring when there was still some snow on the ground. Perfect shorts weather :)
Are you still members at the ACC. We are relocating to Taipei later this year and would like to join but as new arrivals do not know anyone for referral. Any suggestion on how to approach this?
We are not – but since we were not lifetime members we couldn’t make referrals. We got our referrals through a friend of a friend of a friend.
I’m not sure what the best way to connect with members would be – I think all of the expat members I knew were short term or corporate members.