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jj_jetsetter
Joined: 26 Nov 2015
Posts: 10
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 Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 12:18 pm Post subject: Is Teaching in China a Good Idea in This Situation? |
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| So, I've been thinking long and hard about moving to China to teach English recently, but there are a few issues making it hard for me to make a final decision on the matter. The main issue is that I have a debt that I must repay in the US that has a payment of $400 USD each month. Since my main goal in going to China is to save some money while learning a new culture, I'm wondering if I will be able to save much at all if I have to make this payment constantly. It would be my first time in China, and while I have a degree, my teaching experience is limited to tutoring English writing to ESL students for about a year in the states. I mention this because I'm not sure what I can get for a salary. The way I see it, I would need to get at least a 20,000 RMB monthly salary and paid accommodation to make it doable. Is this a realistic expectation? Could I do alright with less? What do you think? |
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SH_Panda
Joined: 31 May 2011
Posts: 455
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| Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 12:22 pm Post subject: |
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Pretty much no way you'll get that salary from one job alone.
You'd have to pick up several lucrative side jobs. |
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Jmbf
Joined: 29 Jun 2014
Posts: 663
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| Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 12:26 pm Post subject: |
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I'll leave the question of whether you can secure a RMB 20,000 job as your first teaching post in China to other more experienced posters.
I will address another issue though - US 400 works out to around RMB 2,550. I'm not sure where you are getting the idea that you need to earn RMB 20,000 in order to cover this payment along with normal living expenses plus saving a bit away for a rainy day. I'm guessing if you live frugally even a job paying RMB 10,000 / month with accommodation will suffice (at least for your first job). Plenty of threads you can research on here regarding costs of living in China - they vary of course depending on location and lifestyle choices. |
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Shanghai Noon
Joined: 18 Aug 2013
Posts: 589
Location: Shanghai, China
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| Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 12:38 pm Post subject: |
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| 20,000 for your first job is basically impossible. It took me two years plus connections to achieve that. These positions usually require a face-to-face interview, a demo class, and an applicant who already has a FEC and residence permit. That said, I don't think a salary of 20,000 is necessary either. If you made 10,000 plus housing it would probably suffice, though if you made more you could pay your debts faster. |
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jj_jetsetter
Joined: 26 Nov 2015
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 12:41 pm Post subject: |
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| Jmbf wrote: |
I'll leave the question of whether you can secure a RMB 20,000 job as your first teaching post in China to other more experienced posters.
I will address another issue though - US 400 works out to around RMB 2,550. I'm not sure where you are getting the idea that you need to earn RMB 20,000 in order to cover this payment along with normal living expenses plus saving a bit away for a rainy day. I'm guessing if you live frugally even a job paying RMB 10,000 / month with accommodation will suffice (at least for your first job). Plenty of threads you can research on here regarding costs of living in China - they vary of course depending on location and lifestyle choices. |
Thanks. I have looked over a lot of the information regarding cost of living, and have seen a lot of variance in what different people report. I understand that a lot would be dependent on the area that I lived in, but if I were to live in a place like Hangzhou for instance, what could I expect to save each month out of a 10k salary if I lived frugally? |
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JB140767
Joined: 09 Aug 2015
Posts: 135
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| Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 1:49 pm Post subject: Re: Is Teaching in China a Good Idea in This Situation? |
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| jj_jetsetter wrote: |
| So, I've been thinking long and hard about moving to China to teach English recently, but there are a few issues making it hard for me to make a final decision on the matter. The main issue is that I have a debt that I must repay in the US that has a payment of $400 USD each month. Since my main goal in going to China is to save some money while learning a new culture, I'm wondering if I will be able to save much at all if I have to make this payment constantly. It would be my first time in China, and while I have a degree, my teaching experience is limited to tutoring English writing to ESL students for about a year in the states. I mention this because I'm not sure what I can get for a salary. The way I see it, I would need to get at least a 20,000 RMB monthly salary and paid accommodation to make it doable. Is this a realistic expectation? Could I do alright with less? What do you think? |
If you need to pay back 2500 a month, rent is paid, then you could live on 3000 a month frugally. So 5500 keeps you alive, the rest is up to you |
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hdeth
Joined: 20 Jan 2015
Posts: 583
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| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2015 2:36 am Post subject: |
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| jj_jetsetter wrote: |
| Jmbf wrote: |
I'll leave the question of whether you can secure a RMB 20,000 job as your first teaching post in China to other more experienced posters.
I will address another issue though - US 400 works out to around RMB 2,550. I'm not sure where you are getting the idea that you need to earn RMB 20,000 in order to cover this payment along with normal living expenses plus saving a bit away for a rainy day. I'm guessing if you live frugally even a job paying RMB 10,000 / month with accommodation will suffice (at least for your first job). Plenty of threads you can research on here regarding costs of living in China - they vary of course depending on location and lifestyle choices. |
Thanks. I have looked over a lot of the information regarding cost of living, and have seen a lot of variance in what different people report. I understand that a lot would be dependent on the area that I lived in, but if I were to live in a place like Hangzhou for instance, what could I expect to save each month out of a 10k salary if I lived frugally? |
The cost of living does not depend that much on where you live, especially if you buy a moderate amount of western products (which most do). The area of Beijing I live in is actually cheaper sometimes than where I lived in Qingdao (excluding housing). By far the biggest difference in COL is housing, and most people have housing provided.
Also consider with 20k/month from a single employer you are going to lose a decent chunk to taxes.
Most people can get by fine with 3,000rmb/month + housing once they've settled in. |
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asiannationmc
Joined: 13 Aug 2014
Posts: 1342
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| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2015 4:12 am Post subject: |
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| Most people can get by fine with 3,000rmb/month + housing once they've settled in. |
I would have to respond with a resounding .. oh, never-mind.... O.K. .... if you believe this ..someone dropped you on your head when you were a youngin... |
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CNexpatesl
Joined: 27 May 2015
Posts: 194
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| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2015 4:43 am Post subject: |
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I'm wondering if 20k and up teaching jobs will even exist 2 years from now.
Chinese are getting cocky and arrogant, and are lowering the salaries. They know they can dick around desperate foreigners with useless degrees coming en masse to China for work. |
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Jmbf
Joined: 29 Jun 2014
Posts: 663
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| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2015 4:56 am Post subject: |
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| asiannationmc wrote: |
| I would have to respond with a resounding .. oh, never-mind.... O.K. .... if you believe this ..someone dropped you on your head when you were a youngin... |
Horses for courses. I believe there's too much variation in personal situations / preferences / lifestyle to have one single figure that suits everybody. For myself, I 'd use up that 3K allowance in only a day or two. Having said that, it's fairly obvious that there are at least some frugal people who are living on approx 3K / month. LionHeartUk is a recent example over on the other thread - and he's been doing that for 8 years! |
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asiannationmc
Joined: 13 Aug 2014
Posts: 1342
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| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2015 5:19 am Post subject: |
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| it's fairly obvious that there are at least some frugal people who are living on approx 3K / month |
agreed, some although I would still think nah! however , the word most was used....
| Quote: |
| Most people can get by fine with 3,000rmb/month + housing once they've settled in. |
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hdeth
Joined: 20 Jan 2015
Posts: 583
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| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2015 5:50 am Post subject: |
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When I mention how much some people on this board claim to spend/need to my co-workers they get perplexed looks. I see this thread is no exception. How could you even spend 3k in a day living an ordinary lifestyle? Even back home in the States I would struggle with that. A massive Costco run followed by a five course meal with good wine? Some of the shit posted on this board about spending is just bizarre.
Most people I know in real life can live pretty comfortably on 3k + housing. Bump it up to 5k if you go out to eat all the time at better restaurants.
I know one guy who spends more because he just has to buy the most expensive electronics possible, but that's not the norm. Yeah, people splurge on vacations, but I'm talking about day to day living. |
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Jmbf
Joined: 29 Jun 2014
Posts: 663
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| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2015 6:25 am Post subject: |
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| hdeth wrote: |
When I mention how much some people on this board claim to spend/need to my co-workers they get perplexed looks. I see this thread is no exception. How could you even spend 3k in a day living an ordinary lifestyle? Even back home in the States I would struggle with that. A massive Costco run followed by a five course meal with good wine? Some of the shit posted on this board about spending is just bizarre.
Most people I know in real life can live pretty comfortably on 3k + housing. Bump it up to 5k if you go out to eat all the time at better restaurants.
I know one guy who spends more because he just has to buy the most expensive electronics possible, but that's not the norm. Yeah, people splurge on vacations, but I'm talking about day to day living. |
Don't get me wrong, I mentioned my own expenses not to suggest that they are the norm (I know they are not), just to reinforce the point that the spending range amongst teachers can vary widely depending on personal circumstances. |
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Non Sequitur
Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China
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| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2015 6:30 am Post subject: |
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Just keep in mind that in public school jobs you are only paid for 10 months.
Accordingly your 12xmonthly US repayments must be met from 10xmonths of income.
If your eventual plan provides for a basic uni job for about 6500 but which gives you accommodation and airfare as well, you could top up your income with privates.
That said it will take you 3 months to get your head around this place and the teaching job you are employed to do.
Income from privates is immensely variable and really depends on how hard you work. So don't factor in privates until month 4.
Can you get a repayment 'holiday' for 3 months to enable you to transition?
Best |
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jj_jetsetter
Joined: 26 Nov 2015
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2015 6:48 am Post subject: |
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| Non Sequitur wrote: |
Just keep in mind that in public school jobs you are only paid for 10 months.
Accordingly your 12xmonthly US repayments must be met from 10xmonths of income.
If your eventual plan provides for a basic uni job for about 6500 but which gives you accommodation and airfare as well, you could top up your income with privates.
That said it will take you 3 months to get your head around this place and the teaching job you are employed to do.
Income from privates is immensely variable and really depends on how hard you work. So don't factor in privates until month 4.
Can you get a repayment 'holiday' for 3 months to enable you to transition?
Best |
Yes, I think this will be important to remember. No, I do not think I'll be able to get a repayment holiday unfortunately. But, some of the jobs I've seen say that these holidays are paid? Am I misunderstanding? Also, I don't know if I'd want to start with 6500, I think the lowest I'd feel comfortable making would be 10000 as some other posters have mentioned. I am wondering if spending 3000 per month will be enough, as I will likely be paying for phone, internet, and utilities, as well as food. I think I could live frugally, so I am hoping this information is correct. I'm thinking I should split the difference between what I originally thought, 20k, and what has been suggested, 10k, and maybe search for a job paying 14-15k with accommodation paid. Is this reasonable for a first time teacher in China? I have a BA in English and some experience (1 yr) tutoring English composition for ESL students in the states. That was about 7 years ago though. |
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