Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Von Ludwig]

Hey all

So I've been here two weeks and will be running out of the money I had bought over with me pretty soon, first pay cheque won't come through for probably another two weeks. SO....can anyone suggest real cheap ways to put food in the belly?

I'm still comparing things with prices back home and it is almost cheaper to buy microwave kinda dinners than buying ingredients for home cooking.
Please no silly suggestions about stealing or dumpsters or wild animals...although

[Globutron]

Some people consider getting food from Bins a decent lifestyle. Many swear by it. Such as what supermarkets throw out. Fresh, unused and safely packaged goods for free. Just need to learn to drop your pride and principles.

Anyway I'd also like some cheap eating ideas.

I couldn't even get to my money at all, in my bank. So my boss was nice enough to front me with 400,000 to last me until I get paid - I have to wait 8 weeks, 5.5 and counting. 150k went on laptop repair, I'm already down to about 160k.

[dosed_neurons]

[mcviking]

I survived off of ramen for three weeks here once. Had 50,000 won to my name. Two packs of ramen a day and tap water. It wasn't fun and I couldn't leave my apartment, but it happened. Kimbap is pretty filling and cheap too. You can also buy 15 kilos of rice and some Curry packets. That should last a while. Eat Korean and you will be amazed at how much money you can then waste on beer and chasing girls.

[Globutron]

Haha, good advice ^^^

Yes you can - I have friends and a great boss insisting on buying me things whenever.
Generally if I was all alone in it I'd be spending... 35,000 a week minimum, or 45,000 average, but easily 60,000 if I want to be a big spender.

The cheapness is partly because I don't really know any other food other than Ramen noodles and cereal/milk.

I've just discovered Spicy Tuna though which has upgraded my appetite.

[climber159]

깁밥천국 and 깁밥나라 (the orange Korean restaurants) are pretty reliable for decent, cheap Korean food. A kimbap will run you 1000-1500KRW if you really need to skimp. But you can easily fill up for 5000KRW or less at one of these places.

[iamascud]

I agree, kimbap is a great way to go for cheap and nutritious food. Also jumokbap (fist bap) is pretty tasty with kimch + tuna.

Also, I don't know where you are, but most likely there is a market with many street food vendors. Cheap meals are easy to come by from food carts. Steamed corn, savory veggie pancakes, dukbokki, and more. Also, if you really want to eat at home; it's been my experience that the open air markets are a little cheaper than the supermarkets for meat and veggies.

[jonpurdy]

[Bloopity Bloop]

[crisdean]

Just go to the Walkerhill Casino, buy in to a roulette table for 5 bucks and then ask for the menu and order food, cash the chips back out and go eat for free. Hell sometimes you can just walk into the restaurant area and order food without even buying into a table.

[Underwaterbob]

There's always the big bag o' potatoes should you want to cook rather than eat out all the time.

[AsiaESLbound]

Eat school lunch for 2,600 won.
Get potatoes and huge onions for at home in the apartment. Go for huge bottles of water a huge store to get good drinking water deals.
That's about it if meat and everything else isn't yet affordable.

[Von Ludwig]

Great thanks for the advice people. Keep it coming..

I'm in Daegu, so yeah heaps of street vendors and open air markets in my area, we don't have school lunches at my Hagwon. I like cooking at home, but since it is a matter of rationing the left over funds I'm thinking it would be better to eat out most nights and other wise I guess it is back to the basics until I can afford to buy some nice stuff for trying out the recipes on 'Cooking western food at home'.

Don't get me wrong I am definitely enjoying Korean foods and will in the future...but being from NZ I'm still a meat and veg kinda guy. Fills me up

[Katchafire]

Hi fellow Kiwi ,

Spaghetti noodles and a Jar of pasta sauce will see you 3 or 4 meals, throw in some mince if you want to 'chunk' it up a bit.
Lettuce/tomato/bacon/egg, or tuna/grated cheese/mashed potato/pasta sauce (any fav sauce) - heated ..... stuffed into a french bread stick cut into 2.
Baked beans or creamed corn or eggs on toast.
Toast, toast, toast.
Korean style 'vegetable pancakes'.

Good luck!

G

[Xaiko]

Eggs, ramen, rice. Mix em up for better taste~