Job Discussion Forums

dagi · Joined: 01 Jan 2004 Posts: 425

The initial plan was to set off to China next summer and look for a job over there (for 1 year). But now things have changed and at the moment I have some savings of 2000 Euros. This will be enough to pay for my return ticket and health insurance, not even for the other expenses I have at home!
I am not necessarily bound to China, right now I am glad if I can make it to leave next year.
So the question is, how much money did you take with you to begin? Teaching some well paid job in the ME is no option, I am female and only have a B.A. in teaching German.
Did you guys just go overseas with no money in your pocket or did you have substantial savings?

august03 · Joined: 13 Oct 2003 Posts: 159 Location: Jiangsu, China

You wont need a lot of money if you come to China, the only expenses you will have are those before you leave; airfare, insurance, injections, visa and whatever other costs are involved in you leaving home for a year. Wages are paid in China by the month, so you should ideally have enough money to last 1 month, at mimimum between 2000 and 4000RMB. This is of course if you choose a position that provides fully furnished accommodation. It's always nice to have extra cash in case a situation arises but as long as you have a return flight you should be ok. It's often a good idea to get a credit card before you leave (if you don't aready have one), you don't have to use it but at least it's there for emergencies.

Chris_Crossley · Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2004 8:22 am Post subject: Credit cards

august03 wrote:

Jetgirly · Joined: 17 Jul 2004 Posts: 741

I don't think you should have a fear of credit cards, or only use them in emergencies. I've been operating on a credit-card only system since I was sixteen (and I can ONLY use my bank card at my-bank ATMs, not in-store or at the ATMs you see in bars, etc) and I've had no problems. I always pay off the full balance at the end of the month, and it has some nice incentives like getting cash back depending on how much I spend annually (I think last year I got about $50 dollars back at the end of the year). I have two Mastercards and a whole bunch of department store cards... if anything it discourages me from spending too much money because it seems like I'm paying for everything twice!

dagi · Joined: 01 Jan 2004 Posts: 425

You say that you don't need a lot of money in China, but I guess that is only if you have a job in advance? I am not a native speaker and thought I'll look for a job when I am there, preferrably in Bejing or Shanghai.
From this forum I got the idea that it is not that easy to find a job in China, especially in these two cities! Or did you arrive and found a job within days?