Job Discussion Forums

[Cshannon]

Hey all, I'm heading to Japan around the end of January, but I won't start work until March (I've got a NOVA job lined up), and I really don't have much money to work with (about $1500CAN). I'm going a month early to hang out and visit some friends etc. So, I'm just wondering about finding some place to stay with minimal rent (I checked out some places like Leo palace, but it wasn't what I'm looking for).
Basically I mean to share with other foreigners (or non-foreigners for that matter ) who want to spend as little as possible on rent. I don't really care about space, or even comfort really, as long as it's remotely habitable, and secure (like, not with drug dealers or something). Just a temporary place to sleep at night, and keep my bags for a month or two until work kicks in.
Any suggestions? I need to be in or around Tokyo or within commute distance. I'm quite an easy-going person who can do without most extraneous domestic things like most appliances, tv/internet etc. That, and I haven't got much money at this time. I just want to be out and about most of the time with a sort of 'home base' to work from, if you catch my drift .

If anybody could post any good internet links for finding cheap housing in Tokyo I'd appreciate it a lot. Also, I'd love to hear any experiences people have had with 'gaijin' housing, good or bad. Thanks a lot!

[canuck]

If you only have $1500 CDN, I think you're in for trouble. That's at least 35% of your money on accomodation. Don't forget how much transportation costs. Be careful.

[Cshannon]

I understand that $1500 isn't enough to live it up or travel around Japan etc., but I think there are different ways of doing things. I just want to spend time in Tokyo without spending much money (I know that sounds funny, but that's all I can really do...).
I'm good at severely budgeting food etc, and as for entertainment I'll worry about that later when I have an income. All I want is a cheap way to cover the bare necessities (rent, transportation etc.) while I hang out on the cheap. Surely this must be possible, and surely people have done this? I think (hope) $1500 will be enough... Any suggestions for cheap housing, though?

[utopianthreat]

I've been told that if you're not going to see a paycheck for at least a month, you need a minimum of $2500 CDN to be comfortable, as a lot of your expenses will be there to greet you before you even have money coming back at you. I'm about to leave myself and I'm going to try to bring at least $3000CDN that I've spent the last few months breaking my neck to save.

So unless you can figure out a way to stay with friends who are there now, I would try to stay frugal until the money is coming back to you.

[Gordon]

There's no way that $1500 is enough to live in Tokyo, even if you don't leave the house AND then you will have to wait for your first paycheque which will be at least 5 or 6 weeks later. So your $1500 will have to last 9 or 10 weeks.
Sorry, you should bring at least 3-4 times that amount. Japan is not a place to be poor. You could sleep in the parks, but it is still very cold at that time of year. Beg or borrow some money from someone and pay them back after a few paycheques.

[Cshannon]

okay... maybe I'm not making myself clear: I am not interested in living comfortably. As I said I will be visiting friends throughout this time so I will have help with many things (I won't have any internet, phone etc. 'start-up' costs per se). All I want is a place (please see title of thread) to keep my stuff (I feel more comfortable this way, I don't want to mooch off anyone for a month; they'd probably let me stay if I asked, but I know they don't have much room).

"There's no way that $1500 is enough to live in Tokyo, even if you don't leave the house - Gordon"

For just 1 month? Somehow I find this difficult to believe. I know Tokyo's not cheap, but if I can find a shared accomodation place for around $500 (or less), that leaves a fair amount of money. BTW I'm only talking about until March (I can borrow money after if need be until first paycheck or whatever). Park benches don't even come to mind... I really just want to find a cheap place to stay until March. That's all.[/quote]

[Ajia]

Have you tried this website?

www.gaijinpot.com

[Nismo]

Are you allowed to go there a month early? You might have to leave the country and re-enter when your contract begins - check with your local Nova recruiter before you make any flight arrangements.

[Cshannon]

Yes, I can go early (as far as I know) , because, actually I'll be there on a working holiday visa. I just needed to borrow some extra money to get the required $2500 travellers cheques. Unfortunately the money's not all mine to keep . It's bending the rules a tad I know, but anyway, I'm doing all I can - and it's not that I don't have (parental) backup if I get into a financial jam, it's just that I'd rather not borrow, and make do otherwise.

[junk'n]

[canuck]

Shannon, as said previously, you might not see a paycheque until six weeks after you start Nova and if you're here for a month before that, that could be 10 weeks. You're severely screwed if all you have is $1500, no matter how good you are a scrimping, saving and being a hermit.

I don't think you realize how expensive Japan is, especially if you're not set up and can't cook to save money. Did you know you're transportation budge could be anywhere from $6 to $10 just for a regular trip across town?

And you'll be surprised how much cash is used over here and how little you deal with a credit card.

I think the cheap hostels are $30 minimum a night.

If you want to go super cheap, one option might be to hit the late night internet cafes or karaoke places that people sometimes stay at waiting for first train in the morning when they are wasted.

$1500 is a recipe for disaster...

[Glenski]

The average CHEAP gaijin house runs about 50,000 yen/month. There goes 2/3 of your $1500 in Feb and March just to have a roof over your head. Then, you will have to pay for food, and if you use the shared kitchen, you will burn 30,000 yen/month on groceries easily.

50,000
50,000
30,000
30,000
--------
160,000 yen already on food and shelter

Want to get around Tokyo, a sprawling metropolis? Unless you are into torture and extreme slowness, you won't walk. Public transportation will run you about 15,000-20,000 yen/month.

160,000 + 2x(15,000 to 20,000) = 190,000 to 200,000 yen

Anything else (postage stamps, a Snickers bar or Coke, a newspaper, a photocopy machine, film and developing, entrance fee for museum, laundry, a phone call to anyone, a taxi ride, etc.) will cost you extra.

So, you have just spent all of your earnings on food, shelter and transportation, gone in the red, spent nothing on anything else in life, and you are "ready" to move into a NOVA apartment. Congratulations. You will have to take their 120,000 yen loan just to pay for your first month's rent, and pay it off in your first 3 paychecks (first one probably starting a month later). That means you have 120,000 - 70,000 = 50,000 yen to live on for a month more. Spend 30,000 more on food, and you are down to 20,000. Assuming you are FT, NOVA will probably pay for your transportation, but if you are on a working holiday visa, you may not be FT, so NOVA is not likely to pay for your train/subway fares, and that last 20,000 yen goes for that. You have nothing to spend for your third month.

SERIOUSLY reconsider what you are doing. Have you ASKED NOVA about coming early? I believe they strongly urge people to take advantage of their own flight arrangements so everyone starts on time, and so the visa (even WHV) doesn't run out before your contract does and put the company and students without a teacher.

[Gordon]

[shuize]

I lived in Tokyo on 40,000 a month for 6 months. But I was in a language program and my university dorm room was paid in advance. Having done it, I can tell you it was not easy. Good luck.

[Gordon]