Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Cedar]

I'm sure it's been mentioned, but cook something that will see you through 3 meals or so. Rice (and I don't use a rice cooker) is great hot, then room temperature I throw it in a salad (think my own personal style of Bibimbap) and then after it's been refrigerated I use it in fried rice dishes. I make batches of soup that last through 3 meals or so (for me and my husband). I make some of my banchan- I mean, I love to buy some good banchan, but there are lots of banchan that are simple and cheap to make yourself. This time of year I make a lot of cucumber banchan and I'm a big fan of eggplant banchan. Most of my banchan will also last a couple meals.

We don't drink or smoke, that saves tons of money.

We don't go out for overpriced Western food (a little overpriced Thai from time to time, though).

We go for hikes. They're free.

We turn off the hot water except when we shower or wash a bunch of dishes (not in the winter, of course, but this time of year). Our last utility bill (gas) was around 12,000 for a 2 bedroom apartment with 4 outside walls (all with windows) on the top floor of the building.

If you are going out of town and cheap, the buses from Nambu Terminal are cheaper (if they go to your location). There are for many buses, even from Central or Express Bus Terminal cheaper ones (4 seats across) every hour to two, reserve for those ones and pay 1/3 less for your ticket.

[Highwayman]

[wintermute]

Buy less you-know-what

Do "that thing" instead of "that other thing"




You did ask for hints, right?

[Quack Addict]

Buy veggies from a farmers market. The Emart or Lotte Mart veggies are waaaaaayyyyyy overpriced. Try the Guri Veggie Market or Garak Market or Moran Station Veggie Market. There are many in Seoul and vacinity.

[PatrickGHBusan]

[Warhammer820]

does Netflix online work in Korea?

[Died By Bear]

You could do like this one guy I knew, never buy any beer, wait for friends to invite you out and never reciprocate, tell everyone you're perpetually broke. That was for you L.

[ontheway]

Spending less is not the problem.

1) First, decide how much you want to save each month. Put it in your separate dedicated savings account and never touch it. Be bold. Save and invest a lot. Never spend it for food, fun or folly.

2) Second, pay for your monthly utilities and other expenses. You can do your best to use less water, shorter phone calls, turn off lights etc, but your monthly "nut" will average out over time. You have to pay for this stuff, so do it.

3) Third, shop for good healthy food. Don't buy expensive items, but don't skimp on your health.

But, don't waste food. Eat your leftovers. Don't go out to eat when there's food at home that is enough and could go to waste.

4) Don't waste money on bad habbits. Quit. Smoking, junk food, excessive drinking etc are expensive, waste money and increase your lifelong health expenses. You'll save money, live longer, be healthier, be more attractive, improve your sex life and find better partners if you give up your bad habbits.

Instead, exercise at home for free, or you can spend money to join a gym or health club if it fits in your budget. Exercise will have benefits opposite to the personal costs associated with your bad habbits.

5) Don't waste money on clothing. Buy as little clothing as possible, just enough to get buy and the cheapest items possible. Most people don't care what you are wearing most of the time. If you go shopping for clothes, including shoes, more than once or twice per year, you are wasting money.

6) Now, spend what you have left. Enjoy it. Have fun. But, never spend more than the monthly cash you have left at this point. No credit cards. Cash only. If there's some trip, some outing, bar hopping, movie, whatever, that you want to do, but you're short of funds - then don't do it. Stay home. Read a book. Go hiking. Play board games. Help a poor kid with free English lessons at your school. Talk to people about stuff. Have a real conversation.

7 ) If you want to buy something major, pay cash. Save the cash out of your monthly fun budget. Do not touch your savings. If you don't have enough money to buy the computer or take a vacation trip outside of your savings, then wait until you do. No credit cards. No debt.

If your friends are always out spending large sums of money to have fun, do not go with them - these people are losers. Find better friends.

You can live a good life and enjoy it without spending money. In fact, you might just be more secure, more confident, more comfortable and happier than the spendthrifts who are perpetually broke and worrying.

[HymanKaplan]

If you like fruit, a lot of kinds are still good frozen. Since fresh fruit is anywhere from 3 to 8 times the price I'd pay back home, I was thrilled when I realized some of the frozen stuff at HomePlus thaws out OK. (And is cheaper and better-tasting than the canned kind).

[Warhammer820]

Is that the system that you hook up to the faucet and it automatically becomes drinkable when it comes out?

[PatrickGHBusan]

Ontheway your list was interesting and I agree with a lot of it...but this is a bit ridiculous (sorry):
5) Don't waste money on clothing. Buy as little clothing as possible, just enough to get buy and the cheapest items possible. Most people don't care what you are wearing most of the time. If you go shopping for clothes, including shoes, more than once or twice per year, you are wasting money.

Sorry but if you have a job, you will need to spend money on clothes and going for the cheapest possible is not saving as you will need to buy more because frnakly speaking bargain basement clothes do not last.

there is also an issue of what you will look like at work and in general life. Sorry but without spending a fortune you can look good and have quality clothes. Just hunt for sales.

A simple example would be a buying the cheapest winter coat out there...thats a bad investment as it will not keep you warm and it will look like a tent tarp on you.

Still up to you.

[ontheway]

[Cedar]

Overall, I must agree. Don't scrimp on food. And don't keep yourself from happiness by prioritizing saving over quality of life.

That said, there has been no reason to have the air con on so far this summer-- I mean, I haven't even gone to the freezing cold shower to cool off stage yet, so I can't imagine anyone who likes aircon (I hate it, gives me headaches) wanting to have their A/C on at home.

And boredom is not an excuse to go spend money. You can fix boredom with things like books and long walks and free concerts in the park. Or sitting down to write a real pen on paper letter to your mom/dad/best friend/little brother/husband/wife to tell her she's just the best ever. Or cooking a fantabulous meal with just what you have in the house.

[thevagrant]

Knowing how to cook (and shopping smart) will save you tons of money if you put in the effort. If I want spaghetti, I make a big batch of it and save a few portions for quick dinners. Rather than buying a 12 oz. jar of spaghetti sauce for 5 bucks, I buy a 24 oz jar of crushed tomato sauce for half that. I season the sauce and add thinly sliced olives and onions to it. Rather than buying parmesean cheese, I buy feta for half the price.

You can score big bags of frozen mandu pretty cheap. Yummy, healthy, and easy to cook. I just let them defrost in the pan, add a little canola oil, and heat them up. Really good with sesame oil soy sauce.

If I do eat out, it's almost always at a Mom and Pop Korean joint. You get more than enough food for a reasonable price.

[PatrickGHBusan]