Job Discussion Forums

[Boy Wonder]

One theme has been recurrent during my time here and that is usually after 2 weeks I find I have spent nearly all my monthly salary and only have about 3000 bt to see me though till next payday!!

I don't even have a Thai girlfriend either!!!!!

Where does the money go...well September on a return flight to the UK(we had 3 weeks holiday)...October on travelling to different spots outside Bangkok...November on trips to Chiang Mai and Phnom Penh...December on Christmas presents and postage....January on my end of contract flight home to the UK. Every month I also shell out approx 10,000 bt on my appt and eat/drink my way through another 6000-8000 bt.

I see many things I'd like to buy and places I'd like to go but find that 45,000 a month just isn't enough!

Damn shame.....at least I know which markets and shops to bring my empty suitcases to fill up when i come here on holiday in future.

How do other teachers here manage on their salaries? Does anybody else suffer from that sinking feeling when they discover after 2 weeks their daily budget hovers around the 200 bt mark?

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

Hello Boy Wonder


I get paid by the hour, so my take-home pay varies a little.

In an average month I net between 36 and 42K.

By renting cheaply @ 4,000 Baht per month,

I manage to survive until payday.


If I were paying 10K rent like you are,

I'd have to make some serious

lifestyle adjustments.


In concrete terms; I set my daily budget at 1,000 Baht

and stick to it --- come hell or high water.


If I only spend 600 Baht on Monday (which happens sometimes)

I'll have 1,400 Baht for Tuesday. And if I only spend 600 Baht

on Tuesday, I'll have 1,800 Baht for Wednesday, etc ...


By spending a little less during the work week,

I end up with enough for a comfy weekend.

[clock]

[Miyazaki]

Precisely why I've limited myself to teaching only in Japan, Korea and Taiwan and take my R&R in LOS!

[reddove]

It is totally possible to survive on 30,000 thb if you limit yourself. I mean, limit yourself.

3300 rent
100 energy

1000 a week
2000 for monthly visa run.

Give yourself about 12000 thb a month, and you should do ok.

Chuck

[Boy Wonder]

Sheffield Wednesday

Ticktock......How dare you suggest I buy shirts from a team so far north of Essex (cultural capital of the UK)!!!

Nottingham Forest (adidas repro circa 1979) is as north as i go!

Anyway the 70 DVD's (7000 bt) and 11 footie shirts (2400 bt) were a special treat for myself paid for with the proceeds (6000 bt) from this months Saturday overtime classes.

Therefore Mr Timex it appears that I have only spent 3000 from my 45,000 allowance!! I do not drink alcohol so the money that would otherwise be spent on Chang/Tiger/Heineken I tend to spend on permanent things!!!

[clock]

hmmm

[Solar Strength]

clock,

I disagree with you.

I love my job and I'm EFL'ing because I make good money and get a lot of time off. I worked for the government back home and I worked 40 + hours a week. I also paid high taxes. In addition, I needed a car to get to work and that cost me a lot of money. Living in Tokyo, Seoul or Taipei I don't need to worry about that.

Personally, working in Thailand would be irresponisbile financially at this point in my life and I'd rather make 190,000 baht per month than 21,000 Baht a month.

Each to his own.

[legaleagle]

I just flew over to Thailand for a two week Tet holiday. I had a fruit of a time only spending 60K baht and I only spent 1200 or so a night on a room. I can't imagine living on 40K a month. You wouldn't have any money whatsoever to play! No summer trips to Croatia, Christmas trips to Paris, no new Jaeger watches, no new Ferragamo shoes, no new Hermes ties, no new O2 Atoms. And no savings! I hope it is worth it over there!