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carl_00 · Joined: 05 Jul 2008 Posts: 82

Come the new year my contract in Korea will be finished and I'll return home (uk) to probably complete a celta course. I'm considering going back to uni but I will need to maybe spend at least another year teaching in order to save some more money, besides Korea where would be a good place to save some cash? Bearing in mind I'll have one year in Korea under my belt and a celta.

Thanks.

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

Might help to know how much you saved in Korea, so people could compare to where they are now. Wouldn't hurt to tell people your lifestyle, too.

carl_00 · Joined: 05 Jul 2008 Posts: 82

After one year I expect to have saved 10-11 mil minimum. Roughly I save around 50-60% each month without trying, I eat out a few times a week and Friday is pretty much the only day I drink. And I don't really buy any luxuries...few items of clothing here and there and books but that's about it.

GambateBingBangBOOM · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 2021 Location: Japan

Without an MA, Korea is actually probably one of the best places to save money. A year of experience in Korea means zero Japanese experience and therefore basically zero experience in Japan. CELTA says nothing more than "Ant Porry's engrisch Buuteeku" to employers in Japan. "Does applicant have a TESL certificate? Yes__ No__ "

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

carl_00, you could try Taiwan. Keep in mind that they will tax you 20 percent for the first six months but that is like guaranteed savings since you can get 11 percent back at tax time. You could save $1000 US a month in Taiwan especially if you live outside of Taipei.

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

I thought that you could save a lot in Japan, given that you get a high salary, but I've been told that cost of living is high. Taiwan, you might be able to save there. Korea is good too. Those are probably the top three in Asia, in my opinon. At least, they're the ones that I'm looking at and saving is my goal.

Aslso try the MIddle East

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 5:36 pm Post subject:

Chancellor · Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:12 pm Post subject:

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:51 pm Post subject:

Could be- though I wouldn't want to be holding that the next time the won does what it did while I was in Korea. (Went from 1050 won to the dollar to 1500 in about 6 weeks.)

If humanly possible, I try to get a USD contract when freelancing...

Bst,
Justin

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

10-11 million dollars? Japanese yen? euros? Help us here. I will assume Korean won.

10 million won is roughly 740,000 J yen or 8000 USD

The fact that you saved half of your earnings every month means nothing if you don't say more details about how you lived. I heard that teachers don't pay rent there, for one thing. HUGE difference to places like Japan! What about sightseeing or trips back to the motherland? How much insurance did you pay there? Food? Help us help you.

Figure in Japan that half your salary goes to basic needs. If you spent a bit and were frugal, you MIGHT save 1000USD every month. There's your 10 mil.

carl_00 · Joined: 05 Jul 2008 Posts: 82

10 mil won yes. if i'd saved 10 mil dollars or euro i certainly wouldn't be fretting about what to do next Razz

....god i wish i did have 10 mil euros...and yes the deal here is that i don't pay rent, didn't pay for my flights, any sightseeing here is very cheap so that really hasn't made an impact on my finances....i haven't been holidayed outside the country yet...medical insurance was paid for by my boss (good guy)...to be honest if korea is the only place available to save this cash then i'd rather go elsewhere for less.

With regards to the middle east i was under the impression i needed more and better experience than a year in korea and qualifications in linguistics or an ma...but the middle east is certainly somewhere i would like to go to someday Cool

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2009 3:25 am Post subject:

carl_00 · Joined: 05 Jul 2008 Posts: 82

If I decide to take the plunge and do this work long term then I would certainly do the MA or delta at some point, if I got my celta next year i'd look at doing the ma or delta as soon as possible in fact...so, where are the decent places in the ME? I was under the general impression that saudi would be good...sounds as if i was wrong (damn those general impressions).

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2009 4:46 am Post subject:

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

The ME sounds ideal to me, compound living, lots of free time to study, paint, crochet, etc, I'd go if I were single, but I think my husband would tear his hair out. Which is why we're looking at Asia, more freedom