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nautilus
Joined: 26 Nov 2005
Location: Je jump, Tu jump, oui jump!
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 Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 5:13 am Post subject: |
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| byrddogs wrote: |
This reminds me of of Chinese-American co-worker here in China (cheap, cheap, cheap). |
Its disappointing because so often, otherwise decent people reveal themselves to be utterly selfish when it comes to paying their share.
I know most waeguks are here to save, but please, don't expect others to pay for you the whole time. And be sure to return the favour if they do. |
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ses1985
Joined: 18 Aug 2011
Location: California, USA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 10:50 pm Post subject: |
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hey just to add, my boyfriend and I have survived on a similar budget too. We are not anti-social and we DO NOT skip on tabs when out with friends. The trick is not to drink your money away and set aside your budget in cash so you know exactly what you can spend. There is a difference between being sticking to a budget and being frugal  |
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Daelim
Joined: 18 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 4:34 am Post subject: |
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| jennykwon wrote: |
"Weekdays: 70,000 a week"
70,000 for 2 people?! that's 5,000 won per person per day!! "we rarely do without anything"!! yeah right!!
"groceries: 150,000 for the month" for 2 people?! that's 2,500 won per person per day. pleaaaaase... keep it REAL! |
Excuse me? Looks like I hit a chord with someone who likes to blow 100,000 won on a bar bill at the weekend!
70,000 a week for 2 people, yes. And you are correct that it's 5,000 a day.
150,000 a month for groceries for 2 people, yes. And you are correct, that's 2,500 per person per day.
We eat cereal for breakfast and lunch comes out of our salaries at school. Around 120,000 buys us all the meat and vegetables we need for a month of weekday dinners.
It's completely do able and the fact you are scoffing at it makes me assume you are most likely early - mid twenties and someone who puts more emphasis on pissing your money against a wall than anything else. |
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Daelim
Joined: 18 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 4:37 am Post subject: |
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| nautilus wrote: |
| jennykwon wrote: |
"Weekdays: 70,000 a week"
70,000 for 2 people?! that's 5,000 won per person per day!! "we rarely do without anything"!! yeah right!!
"groceries: 150,000 for the month" for 2 people?! that's 2,500 won per person per day. pleaaaaase... keep it REAL! |
Exactly.
This type of person is not much fun to be around. They always find a way to avoid paying their way or picking up the tab. Korea is chock full of them. |
With all due respect, you are an imbecile!
We are the complete opposite. In fact, many times we pick up the entire bill if we are out with friends and have to cut back in the coming weeks as a result.
I guess you are another early to mid twenties know it all. Probably been here under a year and write a travel blog that teaches others about the intricate details of Korean psyche.
Balloon. |
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Daelim
Joined: 18 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 4:41 am Post subject: |
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| ses1985 wrote: |
| hey just to add, my boyfriend and I have survived on a similar budget too. We are not anti-social and we DO NOT skip on tabs when out with friends. The trick is not to drink your money away and set aside your budget in cash so you know exactly what you can spend. There is a difference between being sticking to a budget and being frugal |
This!
We actually take our monthly budget out in cash every payday and put it in separate envelopes. We then send the rest home every 2 months.
Drinking is what costs money here. That and taxis. If you like to do those things that's perfectly fine. It doesn't mean those who don't do it to the extent you do are no fun to be around. It probably actually means the opposite! |
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Daelim
Joined: 18 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 4:43 am Post subject: |
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| nautilus wrote: |
| byrddogs wrote: |
This reminds me of of Chinese-American co-worker here in China (cheap, cheap, cheap). |
Its disappointing because so often, otherwise decent people reveal themselves to be utterly selfish when it comes to paying their share.
I know most waeguks are here to save, but please, don't expect others to pay for you the whole time. And be sure to return the favour if they do. |
Why are you constantly beating this drum? Why are you assuming that those saving substantial sums are not paying their share? Maybe you have befriended anti social lice like this before but don't tar all monetarily responsible people with the same brush, for goodness sake!
A modicum of respect for people who maybe do things differently than you would go a very long way, dear chap. |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 6:03 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| We are the complete opposite. In fact, many times we pick up the entire bill if we are out with friends and have to cut back in the coming weeks as a result. |
You cut back from 2500 won a day!? |
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Daelim
Joined: 18 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 3:56 pm Post subject: |
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| edwardcatflap wrote: |
| Quote: |
| We are the complete opposite. In fact, many times we pick up the entire bill if we are out with friends and have to cut back in the coming weeks as a result. |
You cut back from 2500 won a day!? |
If you had a modicum of intelligence, you will see it's not really 2500 a day. |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 4:04 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| And you are correct, that's 2,500 per person per day |
Just going by what you said, genius |
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Zyzyfer
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?
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| Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 5:43 pm Post subject: |
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| edwardcatflap wrote: |
| Quote: |
| We are the complete opposite. In fact, many times we pick up the entire bill if we are out with friends and have to cut back in the coming weeks as a result. |
You cut back from 2500 won a day!? |
I don't see how someone can do 2500 won per day unless they have the absolutely most amazingly auspicious situation. My typical day, full disclosure, I don't work at a public school so I don't get free lunch:
Bus fare: 2100
Morning coffee: 2500
Lunch: 4000-7000
Dinner: home (2000-3000) eat out (4500-9000)
Bad habits: smokes (2700) crappy beer at home (8000)
Could I live on 2500 won per day with the groceries already factored out? I suppose, if I also factor out bus fare the same way/ride my bicycle, bring my own lunch and eat dinner at home, quit smoking, and stay away from the booze completely all week. Or I can skip the morning coffee and enjoy a beer after a hard day. 
Anyway, just to stay on point, I'll say yes, it's possible to live on 1.2 million as a couple. I budget myself 800 a month and usually fail, but I go out at least twice a week and drop 50k on a meal and drinks. Just keep that bit under control, go out once a week instead and have a few meals at home and it should actually be fairly cozy. For groceries, maybe say you each throw in $25 per week into the pot, it's a reasonable grocery budget for the month and each of you still has $125, plenty of room for the odd monetary indiscretion here and there. |
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Daelim
Joined: 18 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 7:55 pm Post subject: |
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| Zyzyfer wrote: |
| edwardcatflap wrote: |
| Quote: |
| We are the complete opposite. In fact, many times we pick up the entire bill if we are out with friends and have to cut back in the coming weeks as a result. |
You cut back from 2500 won a day!? |
I don't see how someone can do 2500 won per day unless they have the absolutely most amazingly auspicious situation. My typical day, full disclosure, I don't work at a public school so I don't get free lunch:
Bus fare: 2100
Morning coffee: 2500
Lunch: 4000-7000
Dinner: home (2000-3000) eat out (4500-9000)
Bad habits: smokes (2700) crappy beer at home (8000)
Could I live on 2500 won per day with the groceries already factored out? I suppose, if I also factor out bus fare the same way/ride my bicycle, bring my own lunch and eat dinner at home, quit smoking, and stay away from the booze completely all week. Or I can skip the morning coffee and enjoy a beer after a hard day.
Anyway, just to stay on point, I'll say yes, it's possible to live on 1.2 million as a couple. I budget myself 800 a month and usually fail, but I go out at least twice a week and drop 50k on a meal and drinks. Just keep that bit under control, go out once a week instead and have a few meals at home and it should actually be fairly cozy. For groceries, maybe say you each throw in $25 per week into the pot, it's a reasonable grocery budget for the month and each of you still has $125, plenty of room for the odd monetary indiscretion here and there. |
And there you have it! Of course you can't save as much if you have a morning coffee everyday, a beer or two after work and a packet of cigarettes every day. My typical day in comparison:
Eat breakfast ($20 a month)
Walk to work ($0)
Lunch ($0 for arguments sake, although its around 3,000 a day which comes direct from my salary)
Dinner (From grocery budget or the 70,000 a week budget if eating out)
Internet/TV/Soccer ($0)
It isn't difficult and we don't go without nights out drinking or eating in a nice restaurant.
It's infinitely harder when single and I guess those posting accusing me of being a tight arse who doesn't pay his way in the world are single, drinkers, smokers perhaps... out chasing tail every weekend. (or night?) |
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Zyzyfer
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?
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| Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 8:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Daelim wrote: |
| It's infinitely harder when single and I guess those posting accusing me of being a tight arse who doesn't pay his way in the world are single, drinkers, smokers perhaps... out chasing tail every weekend. (or night?) |
Yes, well, and I'm not really out to argue against your point or anything, but I don't everyone is in the same situation. Like I live in Seoul, so I can't walk to work. And I could actually still do all the things I listed and live on $150 a week were I not in a relationship (half my $200 a week budget gets blown on dating stuff!).
Anyway, glad you can save, and I save just fine myself so it's neither here nor there for me. Though if we happened to be friends and I found out you had to go into crunch time because you spotted me for the evening, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't let you do it any more.  |
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Daelim
Joined: 18 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2012 12:43 am Post subject: |
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| Zyzyfer wrote: |
| Daelim wrote: |
| It's infinitely harder when single and I guess those posting accusing me of being a tight arse who doesn't pay his way in the world are single, drinkers, smokers perhaps... out chasing tail every weekend. (or night?) |
Yes, well, and I'm not really out to argue against your point or anything, but I don't everyone is in the same situation. Like I live in Seoul, so I can't walk to work. And I could actually still do all the things I listed and live on $150 a week were I not in a relationship (half my $200 a week budget gets blown on dating stuff!).
Anyway, glad you can save, and I save just fine myself so it's neither here nor there for me. Though if we happened to be friends and I found out you had to go into crunch time because you spotted me for the evening, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't let you do it any more. |
We have never "gone into crunch time" - EVER! That's the whole point. All I was saying is that if we happen to treat friends (who return the favour) to a meal and it takes us over budget, we merely scale back a night out or eat in on the weekends to make up for it. Sacrifice is the name of the game.
But for people to start spouting about those who save money are "all skipping out on paying their fair share" is idiotic, immature and small minded. Either that or they are just living in an ignorant bubble where anyone who doesn't spend all their money must be weird! |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2012 1:17 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| But for people to start spouting about those who save money are "all skipping out on paying their fair share" is idiotic, immature and small minded. Either that or they are just living in an ignorant bubble where anyone who doesn't spend all their money must be weird! |
I think people are just speaking from experience. In every example I can think of with people who scrimp and save and watch every penny, sooner or later they behave like a cheapskate with the people around them. OK you're the exception that proves the rule, well done.
And remember, good manners don't cost nothing either!  |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2012 7:14 am Post subject: |
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Daelim,
With all due respect, your situation sounds a bit exagerated. What I mean here is that the numbers you present are questionable at best.
150 000W per MONTH on groceries for TWO people in Korea is not realistic (sorry). Considering the prices for fruits, veggies and meat in Korea I do not see how you two can cook and eat meals for 20 weekdays a month on 150 000W. Unless that is you stick to ramyan, skimp on fresh produce and quality meat.
Not having a TV is a realistic sacrifice and can save you money. I assume you use the school's internet for free and otherwise do not use the internet at all. Unless you own an Ipod-Ipad and try to find free Wi-Fi (it is doable). Then again you would have had to BUY the Ipod or Ipad.
Your lunch does cost you 3000W per day but you factored that in as 0 because it comes out of your salary..well thats part of your budget anyway so already for daily food you are up to 5500W....
Dinner: from your 150 000W monthly budget or from your 70 000W a week budget for everything else but food. I assume you mean the grocery budget is for those cooked meals you two have at home and the 70 000W - per week is the "other" expenses budget. Even right there this seems odd.
Breakfast is 20 000W per MONTH for TWO people so ok that means (on a 30 day month, assuming you eat breakfast home everyday) 666W per breakfast...so what do you have? A Crunky bar split in two or was that 20 000W per month, per person as opposed to your budget for one month for two people plan?
Lets then discuss nice restaurants over the weekends (4 weekends a month as an average). A decent restaurant in Korea, lets say a good dwaeji galbli place as a standard example will cost you at least 20 000W for the meal (no drinks) for two people. That works out to 40 000W per weekend for dinners alone or 160 000W for your month.
So while your numbers may be real, you two are cutting somewhere or not eating a lot of fresh produce and quality meats, not to mention nuts or other variety. It is possible, no issue there. However, it is probably not the life choice most people would make.
Even before we had kids, I would never have cutback on food costs. We shopped at local open markets in Busan, cooked at home, had food from my in-laws (MIL made tons of stuff for us like Gimchi (a few varieties, brought us odeang, brought us some fresh veggies from a farm they own in the countryside), still our grocery bill was well over 150 000W per month and that was in 2008.
If you want to eat a lot of fresh fruits and fresh veggies, have variety there, eat quality meats and fish then it will cost you a lot more than 150 000W for two people over a month.... |
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