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Money in Andaluca

In general, living in southern Spain ischeaper than living in the States. Salaries aremuch lower here, and the prices of rent,

food, and other basics tend to reflect that.However, other costs, such as cell phoneminutes, are more expensive than in the U.S.,and can add up to much more than youwould expect.

One of the first things you should do upon arrival at your teaching destination is open abank account. You will notice that people pay cash for almost everything; credit cardsare not always accepted, and personal checks are unheard of. A debit card from anAmerican bank will work in almost all of the ATMs, but you will most likely becharged a fee both by the Spanish bank and your American bank. Therefore, itsimportant 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 inSeville 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 yourstatus 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. Theywaive the majority of fees and charges, such as the charges to open and close anaccount, the yearly maintenance fee, and the debit card fee. However, they will chargecommissions 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 for-profit businesses, whereas cajas are non-profit and are considered a public service. Bylaw, cajas must contribute a significant amount of their earnings each year to publicworks. Many sponsor the arts; others have programs to help the handicapped. In termsof customer service, cajas often provide better attention to individual clients, andbancos better serve businesses. Fortunately, there are a number of different bancos andcajas in every city or town. Stop by a few of them, ask about their checking accountsfor young people, and sign up with the one that seems to best fit your needs.

Cost of livingShelter 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 pricedepends on whether you live in a city or a town, and the location of theapartment 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, thereare lots of shared apartments for students and young professionals.

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

FoodHow 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 as100/month or as much as 200/month on groceries. Its always cheaper to buy storebrands, and things like eggs and pasta are cheaper than meat, but you should be able toeat well without a problem.

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

Going out

Going out for tapas is a cheap way to eat outand sample the local dishes. One tapa costs between 1-2.50, except inGranada, where they give you a free tapa with every drink. One beer/soda/glassof wine at a tapas bar costs around 1.

Eating at a restaurant (most international food falls into this category, except forshwarmas) costs between 10-15 per person.

Spaniards are also famous for their ganas de marcha, their ability to go out tocopas bars and discotecas until sunrise. A drink at a bar costs between 3-6, andat a disco, between 5-8. Keeping up with the Spaniards is an easy way tospend a lot of money very quickly, so pace yourself.

Another popular night-time option is going to the movies. The matinee sessionis 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 muchyou talk. You should expect to spend 30/month minimum, and pastparticipants have reported spending up to 75/month. See the cell phonehandbook distributed during orientation for more detailed information.

Gym membership: this depends entirely on the type of gym you want. If yourejust looking for a couple of treadmills and basic weight machines, there areneighborhood gyms that cost as little as 30/month. However, if youre lookingfor more extensive services, such as a wide range of classes and a variety ofmachines, expect to pay as much as 60/month.

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

Everyday pricesLoaf 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

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appliances. You will also need enough money to support your lifestyle until you getpaid at the beginning of November, and should budget enough for unexpected expensesas well. Those participants doing the Basics version of the Teach in Spain programshould 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 monthswork. Your school will either pay you in check form or via direct deposit to your bankaccount from the 1st to the 5th of the following month. This means that you will be paidfor October between November 2-5, and for November between December 1-4, asbanks are closed on the weekends. In some cases your school may be able to pay youearly (for example, before going on holiday break in December), but they are notrequired to do so.

Tips to cut costs Watch your cell phone use. Make phone calls during the cheaper hours of yourcalling 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 downloadSkype and call them from your laptop. Resist the urge to go out for tapas during the week. Although tapas are aninexpensive 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 independentfruteras, not at supermarkets. Thisway, youll be able buy the exact quantity of what you want, instead of prepackagedproduce that is more than you want or will use. Be diligent about turning off the lights. Electricity is expensive in Spain, and your bi-monthly bills will be sky-high if you leave the lights and air conditioning on. Only useair conditioning and heating when necessary, and always turn off the lights when youleave a room.

During the day, dont spend your money on taxis. Walk, or take the bus. However, ifyou go out at night, always take a taxi home for safety reasons.

Increasing your incomeWith a student visa you do not have legal permission towork. However, there are a couple of under-the-tableoptions that you may want to look into to supplementyour income. As a native English speaker, your bestoption is giving private English classes (clases

particulares) to children, university students, orworking professionals. One of the best ways to find

these opportunities is by posting signs on the bulletinboards at the local university. If there is no universityin your town, post signs near elementary and high

schools. Most parents who want an English tutor for their children start looking in mid-September and want to begin classes in October. Therefore, once you reach yourteaching destination, make sure to get moving quickly posting signs and makingcontacts.

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As youll soon discover, having contacts in Spain makes life much easier. People oftenlook for English tutors simply by asking their friends and relatives if they know ofanyone available. Talk to the other teachers and administrators at your school, and evenyour landlord and neighbors, and ask them if they know of anyone looking for privateclasses. You should charge between 10-15/hour for English lessons; the rate willdepend 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 acouple 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. Thesetypes of businesses often hire people under the table, but the hourly wage is generallyvery low, around 5/hr. Also, keep in mind that tipping is very uncommon in Spain, soyou 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 tomake some extra money. While babysitting is not common, there are families in needof some help after school or in the evenings. Look for advertisements in the localpapers 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 highlevel of Spanish is necessary to do translations, but, for the right person, translationwork can be another way to supplement your income. Whatever you decide to do tomake some extra cash, make sure you are comfortable with the working conditions andthe price they are paying you. If you do not feel comfortable, speak up and see if youcan negotiate better terms, and if necessary, find something else to do.