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| Can a teacher earning an average university level salary, comfortable afford to bring up a family and save enough for a fairly comfortable retirement? |
| No chance |
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28% |
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| It's a struggle |
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28% |
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| Should be able to manage |
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28% |
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| No worries mate |
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14% |
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| Total Votes : 7 |
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ohdannyboy
Joined: 23 Jun 2004
Posts: 18
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 Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 5:38 pm Post subject: Supporting a family? |
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| Experienced teachers. I would like to know if it is feasable for a average university teacher to support a average family and save for retirement on an average university teaching wage. |
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Doglover
Joined: 14 Dec 2004
Posts: 305
Location: Kansai
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| Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 8:47 pm Post subject: Re: Supporting a family? |
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| ohdannyboy wrote: |
| Experienced teachers. I would like to know if it is feasable for a average university teacher to support a average family and save for retirement on an average university teaching wage. |
I have two kids and a non-working wife. I can manage on my salary but also have side income that pays for my graduate study. My salary pays for my overseas pension as well. Not sure what you mean by "average" as salaries are anything between 4 and 7 million yen. It depends on your job and where you work.
It is possible to survive but you have to consider that you can forget about trips home as airfares etc will eat up any savings. I know guys with three kids who havent been home in ten years as its so expensive to go home for a visit. You might also run a car with insurance etc which cna be expensive.
You also have schooling costs: By the time a child reaches university it will have cost you $150,000 per child. I dont spend anything on school fees now but you might pay for juku, swimming lessons, school trips etc. A good private school can cost you 1 million yen a year. Thats assuming you can find a job and stay employed every few years. |
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Doglover
Joined: 14 Dec 2004
Posts: 305
Location: Kansai
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| Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 10:41 pm Post subject: Re: Supporting a family? |
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| ohdannyboy wrote: |
| Experienced teachers. I would like to know if it is feasable for a average university teacher to support a average family and save for retirement on an average university teaching wage. |
The average family is now about 1.2 kids (for japanese, I guess its no different for foreigners). Any more and you are looking at needing to earn SERIOUS income to feed and educate them. the cost of raising and educating kids here you could buy a house back home.
The job security is not there in my opinion to warrant raising a family in Japan and you should be prepared for moving house, school changes and things such as international schools if you want your kids to grow up as westerners or bilingual speaking English. |
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Gordon
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 5309
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2005 2:00 am Post subject: |
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I would certainly say you can do it, because I am doing it. My salary is low by university salary numbers, but there are opportunities to supplement your income to do quite well.
Paul, the problem is what to do with the .2 kid, they still eat don't they?
My kids are still young, so the expenses aren't there yet. Ask me in 10 years time. |
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ohdannyboy
Joined: 23 Jun 2004
Posts: 18
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| Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2005 10:00 am Post subject: thanks |
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Thanks for your responses. Now I have my MA I want to return to Japan, but I would also like to start a familiy in the not to distant future. I realise it is expensive to have kids in Japan, I'm just wondering how expensive and if an average Uni teaching wage can provide for a comfortable family life. I realise uni wages vary significantly, which is why I use the word average!
Thanks again |
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