Job Discussion Forums

SomeGirl8 · Joined: 15 Jun 2005 Posts: 8

How much Yen did you bring with you for your first month in Japan and was it enough?

I'm going soon and although they recommend an amount, I wonder if it's even enough to last a month.[/b]

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

Stickies are your friend.

HERE:
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=3788
and here:
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=4129
and here:
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=19893

Direct quote from the first link:

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

You really haven't given us enough information to compare fairly.

Are you coming with JET or another type of employer, or are you coming on a tourist visa to job hunt?
Where will you be posted?
What is your employer providing? (and not providing)
Will you need a car?
Other than answers to these questions, only you can make an educated guess as to how much money you will spend on such things as going out, sightseeing, etc.

SomeGirl8 · Joined: 15 Jun 2005 Posts: 8

Jim, thanks, I'll check the stickies.

Glen, fair enough - I did not provide much info in order for anyone to answer that question accurately.

I'm going with Aeon - I'll be a city with a population of roughly 780,000 people (i don't give the exact name for the purpose of maintaining some anonymity). - I am told to bring at least $1200.00 US. I suppose I want to know the rough estimation of what is spent in the first month prior to getting paid. Does that amount include buying a cell phone?

Thanks! Very Happy

azarashi sushi · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Posts: 562 Location: Shinjuku

One thing to check is if you are required to pay your rent in advance or if AEON will deduct it from your first pay. If you do have to pay it in advance, that will reduce your spending money to about $800 . . . Anyway, if you're frugal and don't need to catch trains, hook up the internet, get a mobile, buy a bicycle etc... this should be fine.

SomeGirl8 · Joined: 15 Jun 2005 Posts: 8

Ok, I can be frugal, but I do need internet set up and a phone and so on and so forth...but I will check with Aeon about the first month's rent.

Thanks for the input.

Synne · Joined: 06 Apr 2004 Posts: 269 Location: Tohoku

Most cell phones are free, if you would like a fancy one then you will be looking at about 3000yen - 15000yen.

The bill will come the next month after registering.

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Depending on when the previous renter paid utilities, you may have to pay after the first month or after the second. They are thereafter paid every other month. Plan on 15000 yen/month average.

Groceries will run you 30,000 to 40,000 yen/month, depending on your desires, on the ability to find sales, on your cooking style, and whether you are a vegetarian or not. These figures don't include snacks or trips to the vending machines.

With AEON, you know how MUCH you will pay in rent (capped at about 42,000 yen/month, right?), but you need to know HOW SOON you have to pay it (as you have already learned).

AEON should have already set up the apartment with a phone line, so it is up to you to find out if it has Internet, too. Installation of that will run you about 10,000 to 15,000 yen, and then 3500 to 5000 yen/month thereafter.

Assuming AEON pays for local transportation, you need to know if you have to pay for this first and get reimbursed later, or if AEON gives you a pass at the beginning of the month.

Also find out when the first paycheck is (probationary salary or not), because you might have to wait 6-8 weeks, depending on how they run their accounting, but thereafter you should get paid with automatic deposit every month.

So, with rent, food, phone setup, you are looking at about 87,000 yen for the first month not including utilities or local transportation. That's about US$800. With the remaining 400 in hand, you will still have to pay for some form of insurance, taxes, and everything else in life, and any emergencies if they arise. In my opinion, that's cutting it a bit close. I'd double the amount you take over.

SomeGirl8 · Joined: 15 Jun 2005 Posts: 8

Thanks for all the inputs everyone.

Glen, you just brought up a few great points that I need to take into consideration. I guess from here, I'm so busy trying to pack and make sure I take everything I need, that I'm not thinking about the potential obstacles I might face once I get there.

That said, no obstacle is too big - except when you don't have money Wink

I will bring more money for sure!

Thanks again!

bornslippy1981 · Joined: 02 Aug 2004 Posts: 271

I came with about $600 US and a credit card. I could've came with more, but decided to leave the final paycheck from my job in the US in my account, and see how long I could go on a really thin shoe-string. I made it about 3 weeks on this money before having my 120,00 Yen salary advance deposited in my account. I used the credit card twice at the grocery store because I was nervous about having no money, and having to pay at a place that didn't accept credit cards, which is frequent in Japan.
I maybe spent $70 on the credit card. The day my advance arrived in my account, I had about 300 Yen to my name, and was envisioning eating the bag of white rice I bought for the next week.

I purposely came with such limited funds because I didn't want to get here and go crazy, thinking "I'm in Japan. It's like a holiday with a job to keep my money steady. Let me buy the next three rounds."

I got a free phone from Vodafone a few weeks after arriving. I wonder though, do you really need Intenet access right away? I'm in a city a little smaller than where you're going, but there are plenty of Internet cafes, and free wireless spots. As you'll see, and I'm sure some people on this site will agree, the 10 emails a day dwindle after a few weeks, and only increase when you've sent home some photos and a little information about what you've been doing in your new home. I only recently paid my first Vodafone bill. I moved out of the company sub-leased apartment and into a house where I don't pay rent. My next check will have my travel re-imbursements for the past 6 weeks, the last of my salary advance deducted, and only a small amount for rent that I was still paying because I moved out a few weeks before the 30 day notice period, and had to finish paying off the rent.

With paying for travel, rent, insurance, and salary deductions, it has only left me with about 100,000 Yen for the last two paychecks. At times it's a struggle, especially when you want to do something, but know it means no food for 3 days before your last check, but eventually, things will balance out and you'll be fine.

Just budget yourself, and you'll be okay. And bring deodarant.

yeka · Joined: 24 Oct 2004 Posts: 24 Location: Japan

I am here with AEON*Amity. They take your rent straight out of your paycheck. Your first paycheck will be significantly smaller than the next paychecks because they take out two months worth of rent (the previous month and the following month).

I came with about $1300 USD, budgeted myself a little and I was totally fine. Actually I had about $700 left over by the time I got my first paycheck.

SomeGirl8 · Joined: 15 Jun 2005 Posts: 8

That's great news - Thanks. But why do they take two months' rent out? Is it like a security deposit? Will they give it back? Anyhow, I think I'll be alright with what I'm bringing.

bornslippy1981 · Joined: 02 Aug 2004 Posts: 271

I don't know how Aeon works, but I would guess depending on your start date, the first month will be pro-rated. Check with them before signing the lease agreement. If you move in on say, July 23, then you shouldn't have to pay for July 1-22. At least, that would make sense, but with the large language schools, there are always some sort of issues.

stillnosheep · Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Posts: 2068 Location: eslcafe