Job Discussion Forums

[carolync]

The Culturalingua job I'm looking into pays 4,500 pesos a month. They cover rent, but I will have to pay my share of the bills for a house with other teachers. Right now, my car payments at home are $180 a month, not to mention insurance. I know the cost of living in Mexico is pretty low, especially in the small towns. But, is this do-able with my car payments? Should I just sell my car, since I don't plan on taking it to Mexico?

[speedie]

I'm not sure that's doable even without the car payments. I hope you like rice and beans!

[Guy Courchesne]

Sell the car. You'll find it liberating, despite that being counterintuitive. You'll help the environment, save on road tolls, insurance, gas, and parking.

4,500 is not a lot and you may struggle, even in lower cost-of-living Mexico. If you could supplement with some private classes, you can bring that up to maybe 7,000 pesos per month, though that isn't very easy in small towns.

[DavefromWandsworth]

I agree with Guy.
Life here can be very nice indeed with capital (and it needn't be much), so sell the car and enjoy your time in Mexico. I am.

[MamaOaxaca]

How long are you looking at staying in Mexico?
I know that the answer can change at anytime, I arrived in 1998, planning to stay a year...

But if you are thinking less than a year, keep the car and take the job. If you are looking at longer than a year, sell the car and keep job hunting there are better jobs out there.

I think I sent you a pm about one didn't I?

[J Sevigny]

I've never been attracted by those low-pay-with-free-rent deals. It usually means you don't get to decide where or how you live and it always means you get a crummy salary.

So you'll be making 4,500 pesos a month. Is that before or after taxes? If you take another 15 percent or more off for taxes, that leaves you with a little more than 4,000 a month or 1,000 a week.

But if you take out another 2,000 for youre car payment ($180 plus whatever it costs you to wire money home, that leaves you with 2,000 a month, or about 500 pesos in spending money a week. That's really stretching it.

If you eat out once a day at a cheap, corner restaurant that sells comida corrida for 30 pesos, you're down to 350 a week. What about the cost of haircuts, laundry, and maybe a beer on Friday? Not to mention two more meals a day? What about a phone card once a month to call friends and family in the states? Will you need to go to the cibercafe once a week?

I say pass on this one.

[Phil_K]

A car isn't a financial asset as such, but anyway, it isn't a good idea to live off capital. These jobs annoy me, $4500 is an insult and is typical of the Mexican attitude of paying as little as possible rather than paying top dollar for top people, thus improving their business.
I say lokk around a bit more - there are companies that pay well.
Besides, having a car (which I bought new in Mexico - they are very cheap) is much more liberating and help you integrate into the country.
Sorry, Guy, but at 44, I am no backpacking fly-by-night, this is my life!

[J Sevigny]

Not sure if this was intentional stereotyping but the statement about low pay being "typical" of a "Mexican attitude" is pretty broad. Especially when you consider that many of the worst-paying schools are owned by non-Mexicans. Especially when you consider that some of the highest paying learning institutions here are 100 percent Mexican, such as Tec de Monterrey.

I'm not sure either that companies in the States are looking to pay "top dollar for top people." I see a lot of layoffs and cost-cutting in the USA, along with experienced, older employees being pushed out to make room for recent grads who don't demand as much pay as veterans.

I think the idea that companies should invest as much as they can in the best quality workers is an ideal more often expressed by employees than managers or owners, who generally need someone who can get the job done, so the business can stay opened, so payroll can be made.

That said, there are a lot of cheapskates and con-artists everywhere in the world, and 4,500 pesos is not a living wage.

[DavefromWandsworth]

[delacosta]

4,500 a month is really low, small town or not. Taking out your share of bills and car payments of around 1,900 would make it quite challenging to live on, unless you are into extreme hermit like frugality. Forget about creature comforts and travelling
Do you have any experience? If so I wouldn't even consider it.
Making car payments on a car not being used makes no sense either.

[Guy Courchesne]

[carolync]

Thanks for the advice, guys. I'm 25 and don't know how long I want to stay in Mexico. Atleast a year. I want to travel to other countries with TEFL too. Even if I come back to the US soon, I don't want to live anywhere that I need a car. I grew up in Phoenix, where driving through heavy traffic everyday is the norm. I'm sick of it! I'm also ok with simplifying my life and the "back-packer" exhistence. But, I want to be able to atleast cover my expences and have a little fun too.

[Sgt Killjoy]

Avoid the job. 4500 pesos a month? Ok great they give you a shared apartment with other teachers? How much is that really worth, 1000 pesos? So you are up to 5500 pesos. Woohoo! You could make as much money waitressing in Mexico and you would probably have a better experience.

I do have 1 question for forum regulars, over on the winnipeg thread, ls650 said New York School is one of the lowest paying schools and they have been lambasted for paying 5000 pesos with room. Why isn't anyone lambasting this school that pays 4500 pesos with room?

[Ben Round de Bloc]

[Guy Courchesne]

My opinion is very much colored by living in Mexico City where public transportation is dirt cheap and fast. 2 pesos for the subway, 2.50 for a bus. A car in Mexico City is only just slightly faster than walking here, and parking is pretty much an Olympic sport.