Did I Fumble the Bag?

The truth behind the money... 🤑

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Making thousands of dollars may sound good, but how much of that is actually going into YOUR pocket? After bills and expenses what are you really making?

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Before moving to South Korea I compared my offer to teach in Gunsan to my offer to work as an engineer in Delaware. After factoring in everything from taxes, groceries, savings and insurance I realized there wasn't that much of a difference. Only a couple hundred dollars.

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Okay, so boom. I didn't have a car in Korea so I wasn't paying for any gas, regular maintenance or insurance. That's thousands of dollars right there. If I was living in the States I would most likely need a car to get to work, run errands, etc. Getting a car is something that most people need do, but there are a lot of expenses associated with it.

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On top of the money I was able to save, my health improved as well. Not having a car forced me to walk more. Sure, I could've taken taxis everywhere or public transportation, but my city wasn't that big so walking wasn't a problem. I walked to work, the grocery store, the mall, social outings, to the bus station, and everywhere in between. I quickly became more active, lost weight, and became healthier overall. Not having a car may seem like an inconvenience, but, for me, it was the change I needed to develop a healthier lifestyle for myself.

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On top of all that, my only expenses is Korea were my utilities. In South Korea, English Teachers are given housing or a housing stipend. That means you're living there RENT FREE. There's no catch. No red tape. No hidden surprises. A completely free apartment while you work as an English teacher.

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As far as feeding myself, a cheap take out meal could literally last me a couple meals. If I was living in the States I definitely would not be eating out on a daily basis like I did there. I didn't really cook much of anything except breakfast so my groceries were only about $20 a week (fruit is expensive here 😭). The lower cost of living and affordability allowed me to save a lot of money without having to sacrifice anything at all. I missed no meals.

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So picture this. You get to do a job you love, travel and live in a different country. You learn languages, try new food & meet new people. Definitely worth the couple hundred dollars a month. Engineering is a pretty good thing to fall back on too. Bag secured.

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