It goes without saying that the benefits of teaching overseas are far more numerous than simply salary, but we can appreciate that everyone wants to be able to pay their bills and save a bit of money. Depending on where in the world teachers choose to teach, the amount of take-home pay can vary greatly, but if you read below you’ll find some really simple suggestions to stretch your income and save more.
Consider all your options
Don’t get your heart set on one specific position until you’ve done some research and compared several positions. If you take a look at the Teach Away job board, you’ll see that we are hiring for a variety of roles all over the world. Almost all of these positions list benefits and salary information, so if you’re looking for a position in Korea, refine your search to show just jobs in Korea and then you can compare the positions that you’re qualified for and apply to whichever interest you. This ultimately gives you the most choice when it comes time to accept a position.
Look for a flatmate
If you will be responsible for paying for your accommodations from your take-home salary, a flatmate can really cut costs for you. Split rent and share typical housing expenses by living with another teacher. Often, schools will help match teachers if they won’t provide accommodations in the contract. This is also a great way to make a solid friend while teaching overseas.
Watch out for tourist traps
The cost of living in Canada, the US, the UK, and Australia can be substantially more expensive than living in China, Vietnam, or the UAE. The cost of transit, groceries, basic goods and services, and travel can be much more affordable. This is often why you hear of teachers that managed to save a great deal of their take-home salary while teaching overseas in Asia.
One thing to watch out for is tourist traps where you’ll typically pay inflated prices for “tourist friendly” goods and services. Save money by going where the locals go: shop at local markets for groceries and avoid expensive restaurants and bars designed to lure tourists in.
Supplement your income by offering private classes
Everyone learns differently, and though the classroom setting might work for most people, some people prefer to learn in a more private learning environment. This is where you can come in: if you’re interested in saving a little extra money while teaching overseas, consider looking in to offering private classes in your free time. You can take on as many or as few students as you’d like and you can set your own schedule.
