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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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| If I had this much saved, I'd leave Korea. |
| $10,000 - $30,000 |
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22% |
[ 26 ] |
| $31,000 - $50,000 |
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12% |
[ 14 ] |
| $51,000 - $100,000 |
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13% |
[ 16 ] |
| $101,000 - $150,000 |
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8% |
[ 10 ] |
| $151,000 - $200,000 |
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2% |
[ 3 ] |
| $201,000 - $300,000 |
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7% |
[ 9 ] |
| $301,000 - $400,000 |
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6% |
[ 8 ] |
| $401,000 - $500,000 |
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5% |
[ 6 ] |
| $501,000 + |
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20% |
[ 24 ] |
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| Total Votes : 116 |
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dutchman
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Location: My backyard
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 Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2003 12:05 am Post subject: If I had this much saved, I'd leave Korea. |
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I know it's not all about the money. But if it were, how much would you need to make you say "Okay, I've saved enough. Time to move on."
My wife and I will reach our original savings goal by the end of this year. We're getting greedy and want to save more. 
Actually, we're quite comfortable where we are and aren't in any hurry to leave. |
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Zyzyfer
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2003 12:12 am Post subject: |
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| I'm not really in for the saving game yet; I'm just trying to grab enough funds to get me back into Uni, whilst paying the old Uni bill. Oh yea...and travel for a few months. |
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dutchman
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Location: My backyard
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2003 1:52 am Post subject: |
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| Zyzyfer wrote: |
| I'm not really in for the saving game yet; I'm just trying to grab enough funds to get me back into Uni, whilst paying the old Uni bill. Oh yea...and travel for a few months. |
I felt the same way the first year I was here. That was eight years ago.  |
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posco's trumpet
Joined: 20 Apr 2003
Location: Beneath the Underdog
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2003 2:43 am Post subject: Re: If I had this much saved, I'd leave Korea. |
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Last edited by posco's trumpet on Sat Dec 06, 2003 7:40 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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crazylemongirl
Joined: 23 Mar 2003
Location: almost there...
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2003 3:09 am Post subject: |
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| Zyzyfer wrote: |
| I'm not really in for the saving game yet; I'm just trying to grab enough funds to get me back into Uni, whilst paying the old Uni bill. Oh yea...and travel for a few months. |
Me too.
CLG |
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mysteriousdeltarays
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Location: Food Pyramid Bldg. 5F, 77 Sunset Strip, Alphaville
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2003 3:58 am Post subject: |
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| You have actually been paid recently? I would say take any of it and run , run as fast as the Gingerbread Man can run. Try Taiwan! They love tattoos, actualy anything involving "youth" you can even fake it. In a year nobody once asked me for a diploma or a transcript. They love "Tats" over there. I've been thinking about having a swastika however is spelled "Tatted" on to "me" shaven head. |
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HardyandTiny
Joined: 03 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2003 5:03 am Post subject: |
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| If my stocks run up for another two years I'm gone for good and i will never return to this place or any job again. |
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kimcheeking
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2003 5:06 am Post subject: |
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Not so much about saving for me as I am comfortable and happy here. I will probably be here for at least another 3-4 years, and maybe more.
Of course I like the fact that I can go back home and pay cash for a home, no mortgage. |
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chi-chi
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2003 7:14 am Post subject: |
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| mysteriousdeltarays wrote: |
| You have actually been paid recently? I would say take any of it and run , run as fast as the Gingerbread Man can run. Try Taiwan! They love tattoos, actualy anything involving "youth" you can even fake it. In a year nobody once asked me for a diploma or a transcript. They love "Tats" over there. I've been thinking about having a swastika however is spelled "Tatted" on to "me" shaven head. |
God, that place is ass. I actually read reports from people in THAILAND who made more per month than I have, since being here in Taiwan.
And yeah a lot of people like it because they can look however they want and don't have to have a degree.
But what's the payoff? A sore throat, no money and a hard time...I think most of the people who have worked in Korea first end up going back there after trying Taiwan...unlike say Japan where it's actually decent.... |
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helly
Joined: 01 Apr 2003
Location: WORLDWIDE
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| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 4:13 pm Post subject: |
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Just curious but those numbers seem pretty high. Does anyone here actually have a savings goal of US$500,000 or higher? Even US$100,000 seems pretty high, if a bit more reasonable. How many years are people planning on spending in Korea to reach these types of goals? Those that I've known that come to/stay in Korea purely for the money have more modest aspirations, ie: I'll stay in Korea and save enough to pay back my student loans AND earn enough for grad school tuition. I've rarely come across someone who says, I came to Korea to save enough money to buy a relatively expensive house in a good sized American city in cash so I can skip the mortgage.
When I first came, I was the "pack away $1,000 a month just to have some savings when I go back." Now that I've been here a while, I've been converted to the Korean style and mentality towards savings (to some degree). As I'm planning on leaving within the next 6 months, I'm of the mindset that I must budget and cut back as much as possible so I can take the biggest piece of the pie I can. But I am nowhere near that 500,000 mark |
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dutchman
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Location: My backyard
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| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 6:13 pm Post subject: |
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| helly wrote: |
Just curious but those numbers seem pretty high. Does anyone here actually have a savings goal of US$500,000 or higher? Even US$100,000 seems pretty high, if a bit more reasonable. How many years are people planning on spending in Korea to reach these types of goals? Those that I've known that come to/stay in Korea purely for the money have more modest aspirations, ie: I'll stay in Korea and save enough to pay back my student loans AND earn enough for grad school tuition. I've rarely come across someone who says, I came to Korea to save enough money to buy a relatively expensive house in a good sized American city in cash so I can skip the mortgage.
When I first came, I was the "pack away $1,000 a month just to have some savings when I go back." Now that I've been here a while, I've been converted to the Korean style and mentality towards savings (to some degree). As I'm planning on leaving within the next 6 months, I'm of the mindset that I must budget and cut back as much as possible so I can take the biggest piece of the pie I can. But I am nowhere near that 500,000 mark |
I think the responses seem to be polarized. At one end you have people who are here for an adventure, payoff school loans and pocket a bit of savings. At the other end are those who have been or plan to be here for a decade or more. I think the 500k is a lofty goal but possible for a two income household. The time spent here is not likely to help a great deal when looking for a job back home. So, we (or at least I) feel a lot of pressure to save as much as possible for the future because when I do start looking for a job back home I expect to start at close to the bottom rung. With a wife and two kids, a bottom rung salary isn't going to cut it unless the house and cars are paid for and the nest egg is pretty well established. |
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Hank Scorpio
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
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| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 6:43 pm Post subject: |
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| dutchman wrote: |
| I expect to start at close to the bottom rung. With a wife and two kids, a bottom rung salary isn't going to cut it unless the house and cars are paid for and the nest egg is pretty well established. |
Eh, it's not that difficult to make decent money, folks. The only catch is that you'll have to work harder than you ever have as a 9-5 office stiff.
Go into business for yourself. Know how to paint? Lay carpet, vinyl, and hard wood? Know how to drywall or frame? Know any plumbing? Ignoring tradeskills can you slap together a network? These are all businesses that if you live in the right area you can easily be self employed and make very good money doing it. The catch is that since you work for yourself you have to do all the jobs and also do estimates, advertising (usually just Yellow Pages and word of mouth), file your taxes quarterly, and pay for your own health insurance.
Still, it beats having a boss. |
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Cthulhu
Joined: 02 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 7:02 pm Post subject: |
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Dutchman is right: with two incomes $500,000 is possible within 10 years, and one doesn't have to live like a hermit either. With one income it's almost impossible (that said, I'm sure somebody is going to chime in with how they are doing it). It really does depend how what you are doing here, how focused you are and how much you really care about saving.
Unless you are still in your 20's it is a good idea to save as much as possible before returning home (unless you stay here forever) because the first few months or even years will be tough with the change in living (hello, taxes!) and the increased difficulty in finding a job after being out of the domestic job market for so long. |
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mokpochica
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
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| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 9:01 pm Post subject: |
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I'm not really rolling in the dough here and am actually planning on leaving Korea (in part) to make more money. The first year I was in Korea I made just 1.2 million (not because I'm an idiot who doesn't know how to negotiate a contract---it was the going rate for the program I was participating in--obviously for reasons other than money). Now I'm making a regular Korean salary, but can do better at home--mostly because my M.A. will be recognized there while it isn't recognized here.
I came to Korea and am leaving Korea for reasons other than money. That said, it is nice to have fewer bills and an apartment furnished for me here because that simplifies life a lot and has allowed me to save some $$ (although not nearly the amounts mentioned in this poll!).[/u] |
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dutchman
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Location: My backyard
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| Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2003 7:04 pm Post subject: |
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| Hank Scorpio wrote: |
| dutchman wrote: |
| I expect to start at close to the bottom rung. With a wife and two kids, a bottom rung salary isn't going to cut it unless the house and cars are paid for and the nest egg is pretty well established. |
Eh, it's not that difficult to make decent money, folks. The only catch is that you'll have to work harder than you ever have as a 9-5 office stiff.
Go into business for yourself. Know how to paint? Lay carpet, vinyl, and hard wood? Know how to drywall or frame? Know any plumbing? Ignoring tradeskills can you slap together a network? These are all businesses that if you live in the right area you can easily be self employed and make very good money doing it. The catch is that since you work for yourself you have to do all the jobs and also do estimates, advertising (usually just Yellow Pages and word of mouth), file your taxes quarterly, and pay for your own health insurance.
Still, it beats having a boss. |
The business is always an option but I really want to get back into social work. Any idea what a junior level caseworker makes? It's not pretty.  |
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