Money in Andaluca

In general, living in southern Spain is cheaper than living in the States. Salaries are much lower here, and the prices of rent, food, and other basics tend to reflect that. However, other costs, such as cell phone minutes, are more expensive than in the U.S., and can add up to much more than you would expect. One of the first things you should do upon arrival at your teaching destination is open a bank account. You will notice that people pay cash for almost everything; credit cards are not always accepted, and personal checks are unheard of. A debit card from an American bank will work in almost all of the ATMs, but you will most likely be charged a fee both by the Spanish bank and your American bank. Therefore, its important that you have a Spanish account in order to have quick and easy access to your money. You shouldnt need more than a basic checking account with a debit card, but if you are interested in a savings account or a Spanish credit card, resident staff in Seville can help you. All participants will have to open an account as a non-resident, which may have an annual fee (around 30, but that depends on the bank). However, once you get your residency card and identification number, you should change your status with the bank to that of a resident to avoid paying the non-residency fee. Almost all banks in Spain offer special conditions for clients under the age of 26. They waive the majority of fees and charges, such as the charges to open and close an account, the yearly maintenance fee, and the debit card fee. However, they will charge commissions on transfers, exchanging money, depositing checks from another bank, and for overdrawing your account. Be sure to ask for all the information about commissions and fees when you open your account. There are two types of financial institutions in Spain: bancos and cajas. Bancos are forprofit businesses, whereas cajas are non-profit and are considered a public service. By law, cajas must contribute a significant amount of their earnings each year to public works. Many sponsor the arts; others have programs to help the handicapped. In terms of customer service, cajas often provide better attention to individual clients, and bancos better serve businesses. Fortunately, there are a number of different bancos and cajas in every city or town. Stop by a few of them, ask about their checking accounts for young people, and sign up with the one that seems to best fit your needs.

Cost of living
Shelter
150-300/month for a room in a shared apartment. Water and comunidad, the monthly building maintenance fee, are usually included in the rent. The price depends on whether you live in a city or a town, and the location of the apartment within the city/town. 300-400 for a single-person apartment in a town. In a city, such as Seville, renting an apartment by yourself will be prohibitively expensive. Luckily, there are lots of shared apartments for students and young professionals.

20-30/month for gas and electricity. This figure assumes that you are diligent about turning off lights and use the air-conditioning/space heaters in a reasonable manner.

Food
How much you spend on groceries every month depends on your tastes, as well as how much you eat out. Previous participants have estimated that they spend as little as 100/month or as much as 200/month on groceries. Its always cheaper to buy store brands, and things like eggs and pasta are cheaper than meat, but you should be able to eat well without a problem. Everyday prices

Transport

Single ride on the bus- 1 1.20 10-ride pass- 4-6 Monthly bus pass- 22-30

Going out

Loaf of bread 2 Box of milk 1 12 eggs 2 Bag of pasta 60 cents Chicken (1 kilo) 6 Coca-Cola 1.50 for a 1.5L bottle; 45 cents for a can

Going out for tapas is a cheap way to eat out and sample the local dishes. One tapa costs between 1-2.50, except in Granada, where they give you a free tapa with every drink. One beer/soda/glass of wine at a tapas bar costs around 1. Eating at a restaurant (most international food falls into this category, except for shwarmas) costs between 10-15 per person. Spaniards are also famous for their ganas de marcha, their ability to go out to copas bars and discotecas until sunrise. A drink at a bar costs between 3-6, and at a disco, between 5-8. Keeping up with the Spaniards is an easy way to spend a lot of money very quickly, so pace yourself. Another popular night-time option is going to the movies. The matinee session is cheaper, around 3.50, and at night a ticket costs 5-6.

Other basics
Cell phone: you should be able to get a cell phone for free by signing up with one of the companies. As far as monthly expenses, it all depends on how much you talk. You should expect to spend 30/month minimum, and past participants have reported spending up to 75/month. See the cell phone handbook distributed during orientation for more detailed information. Gym membership: this depends entirely on the type of gym you want. If youre just looking for a couple of treadmills and basic weight machines, there are neighborhood gyms that cost as little as 30/month. However, if youre looking for more extensive services, such as a wide range of classes and a variety of machines, expect to pay as much as 60/month.

Getting Established
As with all moves, there are several up-front expenses that you should be prepared for upon arrival. CIEE recommends that all participants have access to at least $2,000 upon arriving in Spain. Once you find a place to live youll have to pay the first months rent and a security deposit (typically 1-2 months rent), and in some cases, a brokerage fee to the real estate agent who helped you find the apartment. While all rental apartments are furnished, you may need to buy some basic things like sheets, towels, and cooking

appliances. You will also need enough money to support your lifestyle until you get paid at the beginning of November, and should budget enough for unexpected expenses as well. Those participants doing the Basics version of the Teach in Spain program should also bring enough money to stay in a hotel or hostel until finding a place to live. Hostels typically run from 20-50/night and hotels from 50-150/night. Keep in mind that you will be paid once a month, after completing the previous months work. Your school will either pay you in check form or via direct deposit to your bank account from the 1st to the 5th of the following month. This means that you will be paid for October between November 2-5, and for November between December 1-4, as banks are closed on the weekends. In some cases your school may be able to pay you early (for example, before going on holiday break in December), but they are not required to do so.

Tips to cut costs

Watch your cell phone use. Make phone calls during the cheaper hours of your calling plan and send text messages the rest of the day. To talk to your family and friends in America, buy a phone card at a locutorio and use a pay phone, or download Skype and call them from your laptop. Resist the urge to go out for tapas during the week. Although tapas are an inexpensive way to eat out, it is still cheaper to eat at home. If your city or town has a bus system, buy a 10-ride or monthly bus pass. Buy fresh fruit and vegetables at independent fruteras, not at supermarkets. This way, youll be able buy the exact quantity of what you want, instead of prepackaged produce that is more than you want or will use. Be diligent about turning off the lights. Electricity is expensive in Spain, and your bimonthly bills will be sky-high if you leave the lights and air conditioning on. Only use air conditioning and heating when necessary, and always turn off the lights when you leave a room. During the day, dont spend your money on taxis. Walk, or take the bus. However, if you go out at night, always take a taxi home for safety reasons.

Increasing your income

With a student visa you do not have legal permission to work. However, there are a couple of under-the-table options that you may want to look into to supplement your income. As a native English speaker, your best option is giving private English classes (clases particulares) to children, university students, or working professionals. One of the best ways to find these opportunities is by posting signs on the bulletin boards at the local university. If there is no university in your town, post signs near elementary and high schools. Most parents who want an English tutor for their children start looking in midSeptember and want to begin classes in October. Therefore, once you reach your teaching destination, make sure to get moving quickly posting signs and making contacts.

As youll soon discover, having contacts in Spain makes life much easier. People often look for English tutors simply by asking their friends and relatives if they know of anyone available. Talk to the other teachers and administrators at your school, and even your landlord and neighbors, and ask them if they know of anyone looking for private classes. You should charge between 10-15/hour for English lessons; the rate will depend on whether you are located in a city or a town, and whether you teach more than one person at a time. However, if you find yourself in a situation teaching more than a couple of people in the same hour, you should raise the rate accordingly. Another way to add to your monthly income is by finding work in a bar or pub. These types of businesses often hire people under the table, but the hourly wage is generally very low, around 5/hr. Also, keep in mind that tipping is very uncommon in Spain, so you will be unable to count on tips to increase your income at the bar or restaurant. As you integrate into life in Andaluca, you may find that other opportunities emerge to make some extra money. While babysitting is not common, there are families in need of some help after school or in the evenings. Look for advertisements in the local papers or on bulletin boards, and again, talk to people you know. Also, individuals and small businesses often look for native English speakers to do translation work. A high level of Spanish is necessary to do translations, but, for the right person, translation work can be another way to supplement your income. Whatever you decide to do to make some extra cash, make sure you are comfortable with the working conditions and the price they are paying you. If you do not feel comfortable, speak up and see if you can negotiate better terms, and if necessary, find something else to do.