Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Dixon]

Are there many single income families in Korea?

And here, are there many couples with a teaching father and a stay at home mother?

If there you are one of those people, contemplated it, or know people like that, I'd like to open a discussion on the advantages and disadvantages. Obviously the main disadvantage is a loss of a second income but there are potentially many advantages.

[definitely maybe]

My wife, son, and I are living off of my income. It probably won't be like that forever, but for the time being . . .

Are you more interested in foreign/Korean couples, or foreign/foreign couples? I think you'll find there are a lot of us married to Koreans doing the single income thing, but our visas allow us a great deal of breathing room in terms of work opportunities. Those avenues are not available to E-2s, and I'd think that a foreign family with a single income would find life much harder.

As for my situation, it certainly isn't bad. I make enough to allow my family to live quite comfortably, and we are able to save a fair amount as well. My wife is home with our young child too, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

[Mr. Pink]

My wife isn't currently working and the loss of income is pretty noticeable. We get by and I can still save about $15000-$20000 a year, but I am greedy and would rather have my wife working so we can save 2-3x that much a year.

The benefits are my kid gets more personal attention from my wife with her homework and studies. Outside of that though, I don't see much benefit.

Reason my wife isn't working is we're in China for the next year, and she can't work here. Well I guess she could, but making $1000 a month for work that she could make 2-3x more in Korea isn't really worth it.

Unless you are making 5mil+ a month, I don't see how families can survive on one income and still save for their future.

[Goon-Yang]

I support my wife and twins without much of a problem. Things could be better, but it's only for another year or so. Even if your wife isn't working she can still earn money.