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I need £1k per year in savings

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  • hey...breathe easy. sounds like you may be putting yourself under a lot of pressure and I suppose there's been minimal advice re. how to actually raise the money you need. I suppose the way I see it sometimes is that there is an IDEAL situation (studying for a degree and proving something that seems to be really important for you) and a GOOD ENOUGH kind of situation, which will enable you to get to Japan! But thats just how I was seeing it! Cos it's all about me!:D

    I haven't been any help re. trying to get the money you need and, re. all the commnents you've had about the whole benefits thing - you know what? I was in a situation where I could have claimed benefits, but, ironically, my illness got in the way of that BUT if I could have had that support in order to get myself retrained and doing something else with my life I would have done it. The amount of money we 'lose' as a society from people who, rightly or wrongly, claim benefits is minimal compared to that lost through high earners whose accountants shove money through loopholes.

    And as I make my way off my soapbox I wish you all the best and hope you realise your admirable ambitions.

    too true. out of all the money that the government spends, benefits is nothing more than an eighth of it. The rest is Quangos, fat-cats, illegal immigration, etc. Oh yes, not to mention non-jobs. You know, those jobs that pay a lot of money for doing something stupid and un-needed.
  • Frozenace wrote: »
    I think if you say that to any Chinese person, that Japanese and Chinese is like British English and US English, you'd find that you'd !!!! off a lot of people.

    Kanji characters ARE Chinese characters, in traditional form with Japanese pronunciation. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanji)

    Further to that, they have two more character sets, different grammar, different customs etc etc.

    I speak German, English and Chinese fluently and have learned some Japanese in the past. I reckon, to totally integrate into the society would take a minimum of 5-10 years.

    Funnily enough, I can read Dutch about 70%, but can't speak a single word... (hearing I can understand about 30%).

    I guess you're right, but still, it is Japan where I want to go too, no China.
  • My ex MIL took TEFL whilst doing her Access course for a degree in English.
    TELF at a basic level would involve you pointing to yourself and saying your name and then pointing to a student, whereupon they would say their name and so on which means you don't need to know any specific language but can teach many language groups in one class.
    In terms of speaking Japanese you should be able to pick it up easily, the written japanese you will need to learn, but again, if you can get the TEFL and get out there then you will learn this much quicker than you would trying to learn japanese in England whilst still speaking and reading English day in and day out.
    A lot of colleges in fact recommend immersion in the language you want to learn as the best way of learning.
    Is there anything stopping you taking the TEFL course as a 'quick route' out to Japan and studying further when you get there? I can guarantee your students will be more than happy to teach you the local customs, language, script etc
    Or is it just that you dont want to feel at a disadvantage, turning up in a foreign country with a job but unable to speak/write the language, equally scary I would say!

    Yes, there is something stopping me taking a TEFL course as a quick route. Actually, there's 2 reasons, but I'll only mention one. That is a lack of money. The other reason is something that will bring out a huge argument, which I want to avoid, and it's not for this forum.
  • Kate78
    Kate78 Posts: 525 Forumite
    Just had a skim read of this thread and one thing doesn't make sense to me (sorry if I'm being thick).

    If you have health problems that prevent you working in the UK, how will you be able to work in Japan?

    I'm not having a go, just genuinely curious???
    Barclaycard 0% - [STRIKE]£1688.37 [/STRIKE] Paid off 10.06.12
  • JimmyTheWig
    JimmyTheWig Posts: 12,199 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I need to save up roughly £1k per year.
    ...
    I'm also finishing paying off a single credit card (my only dept) which is down to about £770 left to pay, so will be finished off in 11 months due to me paying £70 each month.
    Amongst all the benefit bashing, discussions of the relative merits and China, Japan and Korea and reasons to do a TEFL course or a degree, the answer to your original question has been lost, even though it is pretty obvious from your first post.

    You are a lot closer than you think.
    Once you've paid off your credit card you will have £70 a month to put towards your £5k target.

    I presume that you'll be paying interest on the credit card bill, so it will actually take you 12 months to pay off rather than 11.
    That gives you 4 further years of paying £70 a month into a savings account. That's £3360. Plus probably £200 in interest, but lets call it £3500 to be safe.
    So you need a further £1500 in 5 years. That's £300 a year, or £25 a month. Does this sound more reasonable?
    You've had various suggestions that, while wouldn't get you to the £5k mark, might bring in this sort of money.

    And if there really is nothing else you can do then keep paying the £70 a month and you'll be at your target within 7 years.
    If this is your long term dream then it's worth waiting an extra couple of years for if that's your only choice.
  • JimmyTheWig
    JimmyTheWig Posts: 12,199 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Kate78 wrote: »
    If you have health problems that prevent you working in the UK, how will you be able to work in Japan?
    I don't think the OP does have health problems that prevent him from working in the UK. He's listed various jobs that he's at least tried. Some (e.g. cleaning) that he was good at.

    The only thing stopping him from getting a job in the UK is the availability of jobs.

    Whether that will still be the case in 5 years time I don't know. But saving up money in the meantime has got to be a good plan whatever he then decides to do...
  • Frozenace
    Frozenace Posts: 258 Forumite
    I wish you good luck with your project.
  • davester
    davester Posts: 4,079 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    edited 3 August 2010 at 5:27PM
    YOU will need a degree. I also erge you to do a degree related to a subject of English,Science or Maths as their is always a huge shortage of science and maths teachers in bilingual schools. Or just do a straight TEFL degree or PGCE. and get the top jobs in International schools. Bilingual and government schools which on average pay half the salary of what you could earn as an International school teacher with PGCE qualifications.
    Also with the influx of immigrants from Eastern Europe alot of colleges and universities still need TEFL teachers, therefore you not need to go half way around the world, and you will still have your free health care etc you enjoy now.

    Also Medical insurance will not cover your preexisting conditions, or anything new condition that is on the area of your existing condition.

    With all degree bar the TEFL degree you will also need a TEFL certificate. TEFL skills are easily transferable to any other subject. As long as you know the subject your teaching.
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  • Kate78 wrote: »
    Just had a skim read of this thread and one thing doesn't make sense to me (sorry if I'm being thick).

    If you have health problems that prevent you working in the UK, how will you be able to work in Japan?

    I'm not having a go, just genuinely curious???

    Simple answer really. I am not completely unfit for work, just restricted to what sort of work. However, the work that I can do, is very hard to find and get into.
  • Amongst all the benefit bashing, discussions of the relative merits and China, Japan and Korea and reasons to do a TEFL course or a degree, the answer to your original question has been lost, even though it is pretty obvious from your first post.

    You are a lot closer than you think.
    Once you've paid off your credit card you will have £70 a month to put towards your £5k target.

    I presume that you'll be paying interest on the credit card bill, so it will actually take you 12 months to pay off rather than 11.
    That gives you 4 further years of paying £70 a month into a savings account. That's £3360. Plus probably £200 in interest, but lets call it £3500 to be safe.
    So you need a further £1500 in 5 years. That's £300 a year, or £25 a month. Does this sound more reasonable?
    You've had various suggestions that, while wouldn't get you to the £5k mark, might bring in this sort of money.

    And if there really is nothing else you can do then keep paying the £70 a month and you'll be at your target within 7 years.
    If this is your long term dream then it's worth waiting an extra couple of years for if that's your only choice.

    I did mention the £70 a month recovery after I've paid up my credit card. My balance is showing that I have £645.24 left to pay. Paying at £70pm that comes to 9 months. However, there is the interest rate, but that would only add a month or 2 at worst.

    £70 comes too £840 a year, that's £4200 in 5 years. That's not including interest rates. But yes, I would need that little extra income to help boost it.
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