Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jessie-b]

I'm arriving in Korea next week to start my new job and have $300.00 U.S. to start out with. Will this be enough to last until my first paycheck, which I'll receive probably a month, maybe month and a half after I arrive? What must I budget into my living expenses? I think my boss is deducting my utilities from my paycheck so...will I be able to live semi-comfortably for a while? Also should I bring a blanket or factor that into my budget?

[djsmnc]

Good lord man!

You might want to stock up on any and every toiletry you can think of.

When I first went to Korea, I thought about 500-600 dollars would suffice, but ended up spending about 1000 the first month. Part of that was because my fellow Korean teacher wanted me to have the best introduction to Korea and let me eat with his brother's family a number of times...

300 is meager...grim...just awful. Possible, but meager, grim, and just awful. I hope you are within walking distance to work, and able to refuse nights out with other people.

Don't you have a Visa card you could use for the month?

[PRagic]

Figure three square meals a day at 5 thousand won a pop = 105K/wk X 4 = 420 thousand KW/month (roughly 400 bucks for conversation's sake). Transportation? Social life? I'd say figure a grand, and even then you'll have to be practicle in your purchasing.

The good thing is that you'll probably be provided with free housing and your boss will probably float you an advance on your first paycheck.

[Thunndarr]

[jessie-b]

Thanks for being honest. I think I can get an advance from the director of the school, I just didn't want to. But I guess that a lot of people do that?

[Hollywoodaction]

It's not a lot of money, but it should be enough. Just get a large bag of rice, some kimchi, a large bag of frozen mandu, and fruit (get them from street vendors). You could also get some spaghetti and spaghetti sauce . If you do that, each meal would cost you about 1000 to 2000 won each.

[ttompatz]

[jessie-b]

I'm gonna go buy a bottle of wine while I can still afford it. So bring the blanket then?

[ttompatz]

[lastat06513]

I would be the person to ask because that is exactly the amount I went to Korea with the first time I went there to be a teacher.
All I can say is that it took me 6 weeks to get my first paycheck and I also took an advance of another 300,000won as cash became very low.
But I would also agree with the other posters, start stocking up on necessities first, like tioletries.
Do you like to cook?
Because cooking your own food would help keep costs low, unless you like to eat ramyun and rice dishes all the time. Grocery shopping is relative from city to city- I think you can get by on about 100,000 for the month. Vegetables are very fresh and cheap, especially in the open-air markets. If you live in Seoul, the best vegetable shopping is in Yangjae- there is an open-air vegetable market near the subway station and there is a big one near Costco's. Stay away from name-brand products- Ottogi is just as good....really!
Also, get a transportation card- you can put 10,000 won at a time and if you use it for the subway or bus, you save at least 50 to 100 won each ride, which is better than paying full fare in cash or coin. Also, you can transfer from bus to subway for up to 5 times on each trip, so you can go a long distance on just 850 won.

And regardless of what people say here...if you are offered or if you can find part-time work, do it!
You can negotiate for them to pay up-front in cash for the classes, so you have some spare money around.

I would warn against borrowing against your paycheck, because if you do that, you will find yourself always short.
All I can say is once money starts rolling in, start stashing some away, if not for savings then for emergancies

[Qinella]

Don't you have some stuff you can sell before you come? As everyone agrees, 300 for a month is no joy-ride.

Quick tip: do you have a lot of CDs or DVDs? A made a few hundred bucks selling most of mine before coming.

[SPINOZA]

Spending less than 300 in a week is a tall order for me....

[bosintang]

I don't think its possible. I mean, a Korean could probably do it, or even a foreigner who is comfortable with Korea, but they probably live with their families or at least have all their startup necessities. What if you need to take the bus or a taxi to work? When are you going to get a phone? A used phone will be about $70. Are you not going to phone home at all (phone card will be about $15)?

..and God forbid there's an emergency of any kind or your boss doesn't pay you on your 1st payday (it happens!!).

Really, to be comfortable you should have at least a $1000 and a way home in case of emergency, and even then you won't be living like royalty by any stretch. At the most absolutely desperate minimum, I'd say $500 and you'd better pray things go smoothly.

[bosintang]

[JZer]