advice on living expenses overseas

last SG · 2006-11-25T14:39:40+00:00

If you ask them to settle and then they find the cheapest place - I guarantee you will regret it! There are some areas in the UK that are effectively no go...

isosceles SG

[color=brown]hey guys.. this is my 1st time posting. been a reader all these while..
hope to be able to hear some advice..

I just graduated fr Uni this July.. well , got a okie but stagnant job.. recently i got a new job offer.. its a Training and attachment programme organised by a govt board and this foreign pharmacutical company fr US.. The catch is, i have to go overseas for training for 1 year.. upon completion, I will serve a bond with the company in Spore for 2 years.

I was super elated when i was notified.. Laughing

All these are perfectly capitivating, to me. Cos I love to have the experience of life overseas and wad more, only 1 year.. and working in a Sci industry seems like a good experience.

I will be spending most of the time in UK, den Some months in Germany, some weeks in US n india.

But there are some issues that are bugging me..

[color=darkblue]I will be leaving my parents alone in spore, and 1 year isnt too long.. but its not too short either.. Confused

I am given a 2000 allowance and additional 2000 cost of living expenses. I need to settle my accomodation, food, travel and other stuff with this 2000.

i did a brief research on accomodation in Uk , southern Uk the rent as advised, is between 600 to 700 pounds, (PER month) which is about S$ 2100, groceries 60 pounds per week.. ( 1 month about S$712) and public transport per month is S$225. In total , a month's stay in UK will cost me S$2867, that is excluding other cost of living like. internet acess, electricity and utility bills etc..

And the HR told me that, sometimes i may be only stayin in the country for a few weeks and most lodging rentals need to go for quarterly rental, prob i will need to settle in a Hotel.. Den.. how much i will need to fork out, she also duno. Where I can find good lobang lodging, she say she still working with overseas office. also never promise will have a conclusion.
just told me, i need to be really independant..coz the other trainee will be posted to another country so prob i wun have a companion.
She told me, when I am there, should i have any prob. i can always call her..
erm.. not veri useful right..

Upon completion of the programme, I enquire about the pay revision. she say not sure.. shld be ard S$2200 to $2600.. all depends.. On wad?? she say.. erm.. performance, market value blah blah..

my parents are abit against this idea..

and i am not more than ordinary in academics.. why will they wan to offer me.. prob the prev candidates rejected them or smthg??

Guys... if you were me.. would u take up this offer? Question

[/quote][/color][/color]

Bontakun SG

Yes.

Put the monetary issue aside. You are going abroad to exprience life outside SG. You are going to see other cultures and learn many things. How many times do you think you have a chance to go abroad on such occasions? And your value will be higher when you have this experience in your portfolio.

scabstermooch SG

First, you probably should have poster this in the Singaporeans Overseas forum.

I can only advise you about UK living allowance. Where exactly in the UK will you be based. Yes the southern parts of the UK is in general more expensive but expenses will vary quite a lot depending on where you are.

Now, for London, you should expect to spend at least 100 pounds per week for a bedsit (student standard!). I see that you have been advised to go for 3 month leases so expect to pay a premium for short term rental. try Gumtree to get an idea of the rental involved. http://www.gumtree.com/

On top of rental, you have to pay:

1) water -- Usually dirt cheap. Usually less than 60 pounds per year per person (should be much much lower!)

2) Electricity -- Quite expensive. expect to pay on average about 20 pounds per person per month. Less in summer more in winter.

3) TV licence -- about 130 pounds per year. If you live in a block of flats you might be able to get away with not paying but the penalty if caught can be a fine of up to 1000 pounds. (remember they need a warrant to enter your property! Dun invite them in or give them reason to enter!)

4) Since you are not a student, I -think- you have to pay council tax. It will depend on the property you are living in.

If you eat out, McD value meals cost about 4 - 5 pounds each, a kebab and chips about 4 pounds. If you buy groceries and cook at home, budget about 30 pounds per week though you can certainly spend less - i know someone who uses just 10 pounds a week on groceries!

All in all I think your 2000 (about 630 pounds/month) will just (or barely) be enough! the coy obviously did their sums. Smile

scabstermooch SG

Btw, I would definitely take up the offer. I tend to give very little weight to parental objections since my philosophy is to live for oneself. You have only one life and I would say it is easier to live abroad for extended periods before you have a gf/wife/kids or a mortgage.

[email protected] SG

I dun think this offer is good. If you are going to fork out your own money for the living expenses in UK, it is really unfair cos it should be provided by the company. I think even the overseas allowance by SAF is more competitive than that offered by your company. Take my advice, look for a better job. Wink

scabstermooch SG

He has 2000 + 2000 livin expenses. Hence his total salary is 4000 for his trg stint! That is not a bad deal at all, esp for a fresh graduate who has rather ordinary grades.

mhcampboy SG

One thing for sure... GET AN INSURANCE BEFORE GOING TO SEE A DOCTOR!! Mad Mad

scabstermooch SG

Not necc in the UK. NHS is free. The system works though it isn't perfect.

viciouskitty74 SG

I am given a 2000 allowance and additional 2000 cost of living expenses. I need to settle my accomodation, food, travel and other stuff with this 2000.

Guys... if you were me.. would u take up this offer? Question [/color]
[/quote]

Still Yes.

2k allowance is per month or for the whole year? Please check.

This is a really good opportunity to learn. Dont miss it just because you think something better is going to come along.

macjoe SG

What will you be learning over 1 year? Go see how they practise proper
hygiene or be an apprentice to top scientists developing new vaccines learning new discovery methods and skills? Forget it if it's the former.

You see if the training is special, shouldn't your pay be raised significantly?
Unless of course the training is just ordinary and the training-attachment deal could just be a way to keep staff from resigning a boring job.

What's their plan is what you want to know and how the training-cum-attachment thing fit into careers would give you an idea where your career could be going over the next 3-5 years.

If the plans are fuzzy and careers not mapped out clearly to you now, I won't think it's worth it. They don't care enough to think through thoroughly and so should you.

3 years is a long time and you don't want to waste time doing mediocre things that lead you to nowhere.

I have a hunch the staff turnover is high and the cheap training-cum-attachment deal is a scam to keep employees from hopping.

Idea

Devil1976 SG

x 2.

If you feel that budget's too tight and you don't really have the spare cash for backup, I think you might wanna reconsider especially if you're not that 'tough' a person for survival instinct...

You've worked out most things to be within your control, I would agree that this is certainly a good experience.

I-like-flings(m) SG

it's either the company is screw up or their HR is........so many things also dunno dunno dunno.... please lah. if they are really serious about training u up they will sure to have better planning......do u feel u are treat like someone valuable to them??

even my company super screw up HR did not gave mi so many dunno when i first leave sg...think about it ok....think hard about it...

Wink

viciouskitty74 SG

Well? Have your HR got back to you on how much allowance per month/week we are talking about?

And that extra $2k is monthly or one off?

As a secretary, I can plan your stay, get you into a company approved rental apartment/hotel. And all will be billed to the company.

But since you dont know for sure what its all about.

I can only explain some of the norm.

Most companies does this.

A 2k should be a monthly training allowance cum pay cum personal expenses, irrespectively you are in sg or overseas.

That additional 2k is a one off amount given to you for the whole year. That is most likely to e used sparingly for your winter clothings & you need to document/write down your expenses using that money. From currencies changes, to transport to & fro Airport. Whatever you spent on with that 2k must comes with receipt. Your phone charges, internet should reasonably still be charged to your company or paid out using this 2k and receipt submitted to HR for records.

You however has to ascertain whether these charges are agreed by the company. meaning......unless they tell you to apply internet to contact you. Or else, it is not suppose to be used with that 2k.

scabstermooch SG

Will you people hold off on blaming the coy. It seems to me the threadstarter has been very ambiguous on the terms of his service.

bozo43 SG

My advise is to go. Dont think about the money too much. It's the chance of a lifetime to experience life abroad and being paid to do so at that, on top of that you get some industrial experience.

Insofar as bond is concerned, 2 years is nothing, you still have 40 years to work. But 1 year experience of living abroad will give you memories for a lifetime.

Please do not pass on an opportunity like this.

Devil1976 SG

Someone murdered isosceles?? Laughing

viciouskitty74 SG

Most likely is. So they can go in place of him for the training stint.

I-like-flings(m) SG

bo lah ....already overseas and realised that the scheme dun bao internet access one lor... Laughing

isosceles SG

wOO.. im so surprised that so many pple are giving me solid advice.. hEheh. im so touched.. =) thanks so much..
sorry for the late reply.. coz eer.. haha. i duno how to submit reply. just figured oUt.. *so noob*

okie, just met up with the representatives..

the terms are: monthy 2k + 2k.. ( one is allowance , and one is cost of living expenses,,. which means accomodation n all). They will be giving me a one time $4k for start up overseas..

I asked them if accomodation per mth in UK is veri costly, and mite exceed the 2k. they ask me not to worry.. the coompany will foot the bill..
so i guess he means the wil pay the excess??

kinda so happy now..
another problem is this...

i plan to submit my resignation letter dated todae.. and official last day dec 31st

and todae is also the deadline to sign the new contract.. is it okie to resign n sign a new contract on the same day??

and GUYs.. i am a girl. not a guy.. heheh Embarassed

Devil1976 SG

Personally, I think the offer's quite 'cool' with. But whatever they've said to you about the company would cover the excess on accomodation and such...? Try to get it on BLACK and WHITE.... Who was the one who told you that anyway? You new in the working society? Careful with what people tell you with their mouth only especially when you're still fresh and new to them...

What is the effective date for your contract to start? Read through the contract carefully... So long as there's no case of breach where you have to pay a huge consequence to it, it should be okie...

Btw, pharmacutical field is expected to be on the growth in years to come and UK is indeed a rather prospective place to have you properly trained.. A year of training and 2 years of bond to that in Singapore shouldn't be too bad even if you're seeing it beyond...? Wink