Job Discussion Forums

[skppen67]

Wondering what the prospects are for a newbie teacher in Thailand to put some money away for travel purposes. I did receive a reply indicating a salary of 700-900 $US would be realistic and that you can save around $200 a month. Yikes! I know $200 goes further in Thailand than here in the States, but that still doesn't seem like much to put away on a monthly basis. As a newbie, could I realistically expect to do any tutoring to supplement a salary? If saving money is of primary concern, am I better off teaching in a place like Korea, Taiwan, or Japan? Will the higher salaries really outweigh the higher costs of living there? I'd hate to think that living and working in Thailand would make it LESS easy to travel in Thailand (due to money concerns), but if that's the case I'd like to know.

[maximmm]

Dunno about Thailand, but as I understand it, indeed you could save more money in other countries, as opposed to Thailand. I'm currently working in Korea and saving a thousand dollars per month is fairly easy here, and I drive a car, which means extra expenses. I get only 2 weeks off per year though.

[tedkarma]

I've worked in Korea, Saudi, Taiwan - in addition to Thailand.

Generally speaking, you can SAVE more per month in each of those countries than you can EARN in Thailand.

But. . . in the end - Thailand has the highest quality of life of all of them - thus its attraction.

I think you would find it difficult - unless you are extremely frugal - or land an exceptionally well-paying job - to save even US$200 a month here.

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

[Solar Strength]

Yeah, I love taking my Y500,000 paycheck from Japan and going to Thailand and living like a king.

I work in Japan but love to take my vacations in Thailand or the Philippines.

[wix]

I agree with most of the posts above. You can't really save a significant amount of money teaching in Thailand. You can live well though as living costs are low. You will also have enough money to travel in Thailand and neighbouring countries like Laos and Malaysia.

But if you want to consistently save hundreds of dollars a month go to Taiwan, Japan, Korea or the Middle East.

[kenkannif]

I know some people that save here, so it is possible. But as others have said there are far better places to save money.

[tedkarma]

Ken is right (as always!). Really does depend on your lifestyle. Some people can save anywhere - some can save nowhere.

When I was a volunteer in Africa (Botswana 89-91) - some volunteers actually saved money on the small stipend we were paid - I spent thousands from my own pocket.

Your lifestyle will determine what will work best for you.

[skppen67]

Thanks to all who replied. It sounds like Thailand is NOT an ideal place to earn and save a substantial amount of $. For those of you in Thailand or elsewhere, do you find time to travel or doesn't your schedule allow it? Finding time to travel, even weekend or two-day getaways, would be important to me. Am I being realistic here or am I looking to work in fantasyland? BTW, tedkarma, great website. Sounds like you've really made a success of the teaching abroad gig.

[Sgt Killjoy]

You can save $200 a month if you get 30,000 baht per month and you watch your expenses AND if you try to pick up some extra work.

Back in 2000, Stickman put on his site that you needed 20,000 baht per month AFTER you paid your rent and utilities to have a decent life in Bangkok. I think that has gone up to 25 to 30k now. 30k is about the lowest salary you can make and still get by with a decent standard of living.

If you want to save $200 a month, you are gonna need to be making 40,000 a month. and that is getting to be the high end of salary scale.

[Gordon]

[joe beets]

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

I may have been a little harsh in my first reply above.

Yes, you can save $200 per month on 34 ~ 38K.


As others have already mentioned,

it boils down to lifestyle choices -

and how much beer you drink!


To be a bit more specific -


If you can avoid the 3B syndrome (beaches, bars and babes),

go straight home after work, eat Thai-style in the Soi cafes

and rent for 5,000 Baht or less - you can indeed save $.


I discussed daily budgets with a long-term adult student of mine recently

and discovered that he spends 10 Baht per day on weekdays

by eating lunch at the company subsidised cafeteria.

He doesn't smoke or drink and rarely goes out.

He's Thai, and for him, this is quite normal.


In plain English -

He lives on 10 Baht per day (25 cents!)

unless he puts gas in his car.


Me, on the other hand ...


I've spent 10 Baht on a scooter ride before I get off my Soi.

A pack of L&M, a large ice coffee & a few bags of candy

for students (yes, it's a bribe!) - there's 80 Baht.


Another scooter to the Skytrain, add 30 Baht.


Lunch in an air-conditioned restaurant;

100 Baht+ depending how hungry I am.


Two hours in the internet cafe, 40 Baht.


A cold beer or 2 after work, maybe pick up

the tab for a few friends - there's 200.


Drop by Watsons for a 4-pack of Mach 3 razor blades; 235 Baht - Ouch!

Grab a medium pizza @ Pizza Company for 200 Baht.

I've spent 435 Baht, but my face looks great

and my tummy is full & happy.


So to keep a clear conscience when posting, I just try

to emphasize the difficulty of saving $$$

but it's not totally impossible!


On an average day I'll blow through 800 Baht; more on the weekends.

That's basically 24,000 Baht per month. Add 4,000 for rent & 1,000 for utilities

and I've spent 29,000. If I stopped there, I'd have US $200 (8,000 Baht) to save,

if you assume a monthly net salary of 37,000 Baht.


In reality, however, I'll go on a shopping spree,

or catch a bus to Pattaya for the weekend,

or go on a bender & pick up the tab,

and that 8,000 Baht is spent.


But I'm single and debt-free,

so I'm OK living like that !


If I really needed to save $200 a month, I could do it

without too much of a problem, but the value of

Chang Beer stock would drop significantly.



PS: "Soi" means small Street in Thai ซอย