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atwood
Joined: 26 Dec 2009
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 Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 2:22 am Post subject: |
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| alongway wrote: |
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| I and other E-2ers cannot get a smart phone and do not tell us we can -we can't because of the ending date on our one year visas. Telecommunications businesses have the right to deny somebody with such a limited stay in Korea a smart phone. |
You lost me there.
Many E-2s have smart phones. KT specifically allows E-2s to get smart phones. All you're required to do is go back when you get a new visa and they carry your plan over. Even F series have to do that, as initially the original F-2-1 was for only 1 year, sometimes lucky if you already had a kid and a friendly immigration officer.
The F-2 points is also very attainable for anyone who really wants to stay on here long-term. With a minimum amount of Korean study, most people should be within spitting distance.
| Quote: |
| All fruit except for bananas is over-priced in Korea. |
Mandarin oranges are a good price in season here, and I find them to be in season here longer than back home. At their best point, I was getting them for about $1/lb
Watermelon will hit a good price at their peak, but I find the peak season a little shorter here than back home
Likewise yellow melons and if you like them, persimmons are priced fine in season.
I've never found anything wrong with Costco's prices. |
From time to time fruit can be affordable, but you couldn't give me "yellow melons."
Costco prices are often one-third to double their prices in the U.S. yet,like you, I find them to be a good deal in Korea. Which says a lot about prices in Korea.
As for inflation, as long as the won remains weak inflation will remain fairly high. |
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Times30
Joined: 27 Mar 2010
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 3:44 am Post subject: |
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| Captain Corea wrote: |
| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
| Captain Corea wrote: |
| Times30 wrote: |
I'll break it down for how it worked for me
America
$2000
-600 rent
-100 utilities
-700 for food and daily living
~Aprox $600 in savings
Korea
$2000
- 0 Rent
- 100 utilities
- 500 for food and daily living
~ aprox $1400 in savings
Here's the thing, despite all the savings you have a BETTER time in Korea. In America I literally had to buy food hobo food. I'd eat Ramen some nights, I'd have to forego beef etc. In Korea I eat like a goddamn king. you get donkatsu, a bibimbap and if still hungry you can throw in some mandu. |
Perhaps we define "eating like a King" differently. |
Perhaps but what he says has a lot of truth to it Captain. |
What part? I don't think eating Dongasu is eating like a king. Nor do I think his A to B comparison is actually very accurate.
As somebody else mentioned in this thread, these comparisons aren't making much sense. For some, they work well, but for others, they are totally out to lunch. |
Well point taken, it really depends on what you were having before. A burger is like ambrosia to someone who hasn't eaten for weeks. But a burger to someone who is used to foie gras is nothing but peasant food.
Stopping with the feudal talk, I used to eat a lot of stuff like ramen, rice, and just bare bread. So to me, a lot of the kimbap nara food is spectacular to me. Also the cheapness is what has me sold. Burger King/ McyD's is like... $7-9 USD. I was rarely satiated even with fries. But in Korea you can get so much more for less. But again this depends. Seoul prices are equal to American prices, but Busan/Daegu and boonie places are a lot cheaper. |
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Died By Bear
Joined: 13 Jul 2010
Location: On the big lake they call Gitche Gumee
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 3:54 am Post subject: |
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The problem with millennials is that they want to get rich working 30 hours a week. No one gets it. You have to work hard, throw extra money in the bank and cut cornerrs everywhere if you want to have that extra cash in the bank. Otherwise you're like most other people, living paycheck to paycheck.
It doesn't matter in you're in Korea or the U.S. (not canada, no jobs), IT'S NEVER HOW MUCH YOU MAKE, IT'S HOW MUCH YOU CAN SAVE. |
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Hugo85
Joined: 27 Aug 2010
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 4:02 am Post subject: |
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| I think it really depends on your job prospects at home. In Korea it's more or less fixed unless you teach privates (2.0-2.3M without privates seemingly) while at home it can really vary. Making 40,000$ a year in Canada usually results in more savings than 25000$ a year in Korea, but if what you can lend is only 30,000$ a year then the Korea gig might be far better. Especially since you can move out of your parents basement. |
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alongway
Joined: 02 Jan 2012
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 4:03 am Post subject: |
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| atwood wrote: |
| alongway wrote: |
| Quote: |
| I and other E-2ers cannot get a smart phone and do not tell us we can -we can't because of the ending date on our one year visas. Telecommunications businesses have the right to deny somebody with such a limited stay in Korea a smart phone. |
You lost me there.
Many E-2s have smart phones. KT specifically allows E-2s to get smart phones. All you're required to do is go back when you get a new visa and they carry your plan over. Even F series have to do that, as initially the original F-2-1 was for only 1 year, sometimes lucky if you already had a kid and a friendly immigration officer.
The F-2 points is also very attainable for anyone who really wants to stay on here long-term. With a minimum amount of Korean study, most people should be within spitting distance.
| Quote: |
| All fruit except for bananas is over-priced in Korea. |
Mandarin oranges are a good price in season here, and I find them to be in season here longer than back home. At their best point, I was getting them for about $1/lb
Watermelon will hit a good price at their peak, but I find the peak season a little shorter here than back home
Likewise yellow melons and if you like them, persimmons are priced fine in season.
I've never found anything wrong with Costco's prices. |
From time to time fruit can be affordable, but you couldn't give me "yellow melons."
Costco prices are often one-third to double their prices in the U.S. yet,like you, I find them to be a good deal in Korea. Which says a lot about prices in Korea.
As for inflation, as long as the won remains weak inflation will remain fairly high. |
Costcos prices put you within supermarket range back home.
I've been here quite a few years now, so I occasionally ask my mother about certain grocery prices out of curiosity. There are still differences, but they're closing. Some meat prices at costco really aren't all that different than back home.
and I like yellow melons. They're a little work, but I find them worth it
As for fruit back home... everything has a season. Try to buy anything but standard apples and bananas in the winter in Canada and the prices aren't going to be good. You'll get mandarin oranges for a little while around Christmas but that's it.
Nuts are cheaper for anything other than peanuts back home.
Despite the huge strawberry market here they haven't really brought the price down much which is a shame.
| Quote: |
| I think it really depends on your job prospects at home. In Korea it's more or less fixed unless you teach privates (2.0-2.3M without privates seemingly) while at home it can really vary. Making 40,000$ a year in Canada usually results in more savings than 25000$ a year in Korea, but if what you can lend is only 30,000$ a year then the Korea gig might be far better. Especially since you can move out of your parents basement. |
Unless you're living at home..not likely. After taxes, take home on 40k is only about $2200-2300/month (I'd have to check, but about that, I made 47k, and took home about $2600/month after taxes)
Minus rent, and unless you live in Toronto or Vancouver, probably a car, repairs, gas, insurance, etc
I can't really see you saving more.
I guess if you're making $40k and living with your parents in toronto you can save more money. |
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The Floating World
Joined: 01 Oct 2011
Location: Here
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 5:33 am Post subject: |
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All I know is that my local supah wants 4k for a red bell pepper.
That is s.i.ck.
Me and my friends have done the comparison thing to death. In the Uk you need to be on aprox 35k to live comparative lifestyle and save the same as you can here on 2.3mil.
Guess how much harder I'd be working to be on 35k.
Yes I am just not that into work. I mean I will be when I get into academia again and get work at a uni back home (my goal) but until then getting up at 1pm and teaching 5 classes to save for my MA is just fine  |
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Grim Ja
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: On the Beach
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 11:16 am Post subject: |
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When my family lived in Korea we saved an incredible amount over ten years. We also bought our own apartment, drove a brand new SUV, and sent our kid to international school. We could have easily saved more but we lived a fairly opulent lifestyle-eating out at quality restaurants at least 5 times a week, buying copious amounts of clothes, and leaving Korea every 6 months for holidays in new and exciting locales. At that time my wife and I were both working at universities and we also had a few legal part-time positions.
We now live in New Zealand where we earn roughly the same amount as in Korea teaching at public schools. However, we NEVER eat at restaurants, including fast-food, we only buy clothes if we would go naked without, our entertainment consists of walks and picnics, we live in a fairly crappy house and drive a really crappy car, albeit typical by NZ standards. Yet, we save half as much as before.
I think the NZ situation is great experience in our lives and taught us how to budget and be frugal. At some point we will return to Korea and hopefully have the same earning potential. However, we will be smarter with our spending. In fact, I read many articles about how couples retire early and live in Ecuador, Panama, or Thailand for around $1000 per month. Although we are not at that age yet, the frugality of NZ is good training when the time comes. |
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isitts
Joined: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 1:19 pm Post subject: Re: Why do people think Korea is so great for saving money? |
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| AtmaWeapon wrote: |
Most of us here are making ~$24K/yr with a paid apartment (if that), the equivalent of making ~$30K back home. Since most of us are recent college grads, the alternative would be making ~$36K at an entry level position (I guess if you are lucky enough to get one).
Aside from saving on costs associated with driving such as gas and insurance (I already factored in rent above), I think most people would still be able to save more money living in their home country. I just don't understand why so many people rave about Korea being such a great place to save money, when in reality we are making peanuts. Transportation aside, the cost of living in Korea is about the same if not higher than the US.
Personally I prefer teaching to working a boring desk job, which is why I came to Korea in the first place and why I'm coming back. I managed to save $20K over 15 months my first time around which is OK, but my friend who works an entry level job saved $30K during my time in Korea. Granted he was living with his parents and I definitely had more fun in Korea than he did back home, but I'm speaking purely of finances here. |
I think you're in a good position to answer this question yourself. But congratulations for getting 6 pages of responses to your trolling post. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 2:47 pm Post subject: |
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| NYC_Gal 2.0 wrote: |
| I never needed a car in NYC. |
Cool! Thats good.
Many of my friends in Toronto do need a car for example, Ottawa as well. It depends. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 2:50 pm Post subject: Re: Why do people think Korea is so great for saving money? |
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| atwood wrote: |
| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
| atwood wrote: |
| akcrono wrote: |
| AtmaWeapon wrote: |
Aside from saving on costs associated with driving such as gas and insurance
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There's your problem. I spend about half in transportation a month than I did just on car insurance at home. That alone is huge savings.
| AtmaWeapon wrote: |
I managed to save $20K over 15 months my first time around which is OK, but my friend who works an entry level job saved $30K during my time in Korea. Granted he was living with his parents |
That right there makes the comparison unbalanced. |
Living without a car and the associated benefits also make any comparison unbalanced. |
Not really....
Not needing a car IS a benefit. |
Yes and no. There are lots of times when having a car comes in handy, even if you don't drive it everyday. It can be a benefit financially, a benefit to the environment, a benefit to those who are seeking a simpler lifestyle for a variety of reasons, but overall life is a lot easier and in many ways better with a car.
And thus my original point stands. |
If you need a car occasionally, you can always rend one (its not that hard in Korea). If you have a car and use it on occasion, then of course that reduces the cost. Still not having the need for car in a city like Seoul is a huge benefit in terms of gas costs, insurance costs, parking costs, maintenance....
Up to each person to choose to have a car or not. As for me, I need a car in Canada (have 2 kids) and in Busan, where we lived, we did not need one for the most part. That is something I miss, even if the car is convenient sometimes. Heck a car is basically a rolling money pit. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 2:53 pm Post subject: |
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| Captain Corea wrote: |
| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
| Captain Corea wrote: |
| Times30 wrote: |
I'll break it down for how it worked for me
America
$2000
-600 rent
-100 utilities
-700 for food and daily living
~Aprox $600 in savings
Korea
$2000
- 0 Rent
- 100 utilities
- 500 for food and daily living
~ aprox $1400 in savings
Here's the thing, despite all the savings you have a BETTER time in Korea. In America I literally had to buy food hobo food. I'd eat Ramen some nights, I'd have to forego beef etc. In Korea I eat like a goddamn king. you get donkatsu, a bibimbap and if still hungry you can throw in some mandu. |
Perhaps we define "eating like a King" differently. |
Perhaps but what he says has a lot of truth to it Captain. |
What part? I don't think eating Dongasu is eating like a king. Nor do I think his A to B comparison is actually very accurate.
As somebody else mentioned in this thread, these comparisons aren't making much sense. For some, they work well, but for others, they are totally out to lunch. |
Sure, I agree with what you just said: comparisons are often hard to do because conditions differ from one person to another.
If I compare my situation with a family in Korea vice Canada in terms of restaurants for example, i find we can eat a great meal in Korea for a far better price at a restaurant vs Canada. Not talking about food diversity (Canada wins there) but about price and quality.
Other issues differ. |
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NYC_Gal 2.0
Joined: 10 Dec 2010
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 3:36 pm Post subject: |
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| atwood wrote: |
| NYC_Gal 2.0 wrote: |
| I never needed a car in NYC. |
I lived in Manhattan and needed a car from time to time. Plenty of people who live there have cars. And if you lived in one of the other boroughs, you;d probably need a car. |
If you only need them from time to time, it's far cheaper to hire a car for the day. I've lived in every borough but the Bronx, and never needed to own a car. I chose neighborhoods with good public transport and good supermarkets within very short walking distance.
Parking in Manhattan either costs a fortune (nearly $500 a month if you use a garage) or often takes hours if you're hunting for a free spot. There's also alternate side parking, where you have to move your car for street cleaning. My roomate in university had a car, and he was always complaining, and hardly ever drove the thing. |
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isitts
Joined: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 6:32 pm Post subject: |
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| NYC_Gal 2.0 wrote: |
| atwood wrote: |
| NYC_Gal 2.0 wrote: |
| I never needed a car in NYC. |
I lived in Manhattan and needed a car from time to time. Plenty of people who live there have cars. And if you lived in one of the other boroughs, you;d probably need a car. |
If you only need them from time to time, it's far cheaper to hire a car for the day. I've lived in every borough but the Bronx, and never needed to own a car. I chose neighborhoods with good public transport and good supermarkets within very short walking distance.
Parking in Manhattan either costs a fortune (nearly $500 a month if you use a garage) or often takes hours if you're hunting for a free spot. There's also alternate side parking, where you have to move your car for street cleaning. My roomate in university had a car, and he was always complaining, and hardly ever drove the thing. |
+1
Does New York have any sort of car sharing? Seattle has flexcar. |
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isitts
Joined: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 6:35 pm Post subject: |
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| motiontodismiss wrote: |
| atwood wrote: |
| NYC_Gal 2.0 wrote: |
| I never needed a car in NYC. |
I lived in Manhattan and needed a car from time to time. Plenty of people who live there have cars. And if you lived in one of the other boroughs, you;d probably need a car. |
I agree with this. I lived in Manhattan and there were occasions when I wished I had a car. But in NYC there's always Zipcar. Usually cheaper than Avis and they pay for gas and parking. |
Ok. Question answered. |
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NYC_Gal 2.0
Joined: 10 Dec 2010
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 7:56 pm Post subject: |
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| isitts wrote: |
| NYC_Gal 2.0 wrote: |
| atwood wrote: |
| NYC_Gal 2.0 wrote: |
| I never needed a car in NYC. |
I lived in Manhattan and needed a car from time to time. Plenty of people who live there have cars. And if you lived in one of the other boroughs, you;d probably need a car. |
If you only need them from time to time, it's far cheaper to hire a car for the day. I've lived in every borough but the Bronx, and never needed to own a car. I chose neighborhoods with good public transport and good supermarkets within very short walking distance.
Parking in Manhattan either costs a fortune (nearly $500 a month if you use a garage) or often takes hours if you're hunting for a free spot. There's also alternate side parking, where you have to move your car for street cleaning. My roomate in university had a car, and he was always complaining, and hardly ever drove the thing. |
+1
Does New York have any sort of car sharing? Seattle has flexcar. |
I never used Zipcar, but some friends did on occasion when they wanted to go for weekend getaways that would have been too difficult with trains or busses.
On the rare occasion when a car would have been ideal�deep winter when I wanted to do a big grocery shop to stock up on things, so that I could avoid smaller shops on my way home from work�I'd go food shopping with a family member or friend, then cook them dinner as thanks (or, in the case of my sister, treat her to a mani/pedi.) |
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