What are the chances of me returning home with at least a little money after teaching in Spain for a year?
Submitted by Madeline Pope on 07/15/2016.
Question Details
I'm sure I'll love my experience no matter what, but coming home with a little money wouldn't hurt!
Answer
If you're really frugal, live in a smaller city, and pick up some tutoring on the side, there's definitely a chance that you could come home with a little extra cash. However, most teachers in Spain tend to only save a little (as opposed to teachers in South Korea, who could come out of the experience with 10K in their bank account)
We actually profiled two teachers and their savings from teaching in Spain in this article:
https://www.gooverseas.com/blog/how-much-money-can-you-save…
One broke even, while the other saved $5,000.
One strategy you could use is to have some money saved when you leave but then only spend what you make while abroad. That way, you'll still have that nest egg waiting for you when you return home.
I came from from Spain with a little bit of debt - which was completely my own doing! I chose to spend my savings/credit card limit on traveling while in Spain and it was 100% worth it. There are a number of other people, however, who are able to save. It's all about being frugal.
While Spain can be incredibly cheap, the pay is also considerably cheap (compared to what you may be used to elsewhere) and that's something to take into consideration, as well.
It's definitely possible! I broke even during my year in Spain but I was traveling on every break I had and even took a month long trip at the end of my time in Europe. Some of my friends traveled less and were able to go home with savings.