Funds on Dec 14th: 294 093 Dong + $50 ($65.92) ( 46€)
Cash input: 2 000 000 Dong ($108.28) ( 75,57€)
Current funds, on December 20th: 907 000 Dong + 5 dollars ($54.10) (37,76€)
Spent: 1 387 093 Dong + 45 US dollars for rent 
($120,10) ( 83,82€)


Where did the money go?

- One week of rent (7 nights): $45 + 76 000 Dong ($49) ( 34,2€)

- Activities: 1 ticket to swimming pool: 12 000 Dong ($0.65) ( 0,45€)


- Meals and drinks: 587 000 Dong ($31.78) (22,18€)

- Groceries: 141 015 Dong ($7.63) (5,33€)

- Cosmetics 154 900 Dong ($8.39) (5,85€)

- Transportation: 36 000 Dong 
 ($1.95) (1,36€)

- Miscellaneous (haircut, post office…): 328 700
Dong ($17.80) (12,42€)

This week, I went to internet cafés more often. I had a haircut because I couldn’t stand my hair anywore. I bought some cosmetics that I’ll need during my Christmas holidays. And I sent some stuff in the mail.

* * * * * *

Cerre semaine, je suis allée dans les cyber cafés plus que d’habitude. Je suis allée chez le coiffeur car je ne supportais plus cette balayette dans mon cou. J’ai acheté des produits d’hygiène en prévision des vacances de Noël. Et j’ai envoyé quelques trucs par la poste.

Funds on December 7th: 1 319 000 Dong + 99 US dollars =3 128 720 Dong ($171.15) (115,29€)


Current funds on December 13th = 1 108 583 Dong ($60.70) ( 41,67€)

Spent: 1 124 907 Dong + 49 US dollars for rent (895 230 Dong) = 2 020 137 Dong
 ($110.60) ( 75,95€)


Where did the money go?

- One week of rent (7 nights): 895 230 Dong ($49) (33,65€)

- Activities: 1 ticket to swimming pool: 12 000 Dong ($0.66) ( 0,44€)


- Meals and drinks (except for most weekend expenses): 301 300 Dong ($16.31) (11,22€)

- Groceries: 181 107 Dong ($9.80) (6,74€)

- Transportation: 30 000 Dong 
 ($1.62) (1,12€)

- 2 ½ day weekend to Mekong delta 572 500 Dong ($30,98) (21,32€)
- Miscellanous: 
28 000 Dong ($1.51) (1,04€)

I think I did fairly well this week. My two and a half day trip to the Mekong delta was absolutely awesome. I traveled the cheapest way possible and had the perfect weekend. I even enjoy a delicious 7 000 dong watermelon fruit shake!
Below are the details of my weekend expenses.

Je pense m’être assez bien débrouillée cette semaine étant donné mon week-end de 2 jours ½ dans le delta du Mékong. Ce week-end était G-E-N-I-A-L! J’ai voyagé le moins cher possible et ai même pu m’offrir un granité de pastèque à 7 000 Dong!
Voici mes dépenses détaillées du week-end:

Food: 124 000 Dong
Moto taxi: 87 000 Dong
Bus tickets: 100 000 Dong
Accomodation (2 nights): 100 000 Dong
Boat rides: 140 500 Dong
Miscellaneous: 21 000 Dong

For my fifth week (Dec 2-Dec 8), I spent an average of $20.22 per day (384,180 dong/day).  Here’s a general breakdown of where it went:

lunch/dinner at restaurants: $29.00 for the week, average of $4.14/day

water/snacks/drinks/groceries for breakfast: $12.47 for the week, average of $1.78/day

beer: $9.74 for the week, average of $1.39/day

taxis and buses: $2.53 for the week

motorcycle rental and gas: $13.68 for the week, average of $1.95/day

accommodation: $47.60 for the week, or $6.80/night

manicures: $2.84

karaoke, cover charges: $23.68 for the week

.

So, for my fifth week, I spent $141.54. My balance from the end of week four was $340.80, so that leaves me at $199.26. I don’t get paid until Jan 1st so hopefully it can stretch that far.  Doubtful. But the Jan 1st cheque will be big so I’m not too worried. At this point, I am living very comfortably, have my own motorbike, and am eating pretty much whatever I want. You could definitely do it for cheaper but hovering at the $20/day mark is working perfect for me.

Funds on Nov 30th: 2 307 200 Dong ($126.18) (84,29€)
Current funds on December 6th: 1 319 000 Dong + 1 809 720 Dong (=$99 remaining from
paycheck)= 3 128 720 Dong ($171.15) (115,29€)
Spent: 1 792 520 Dong ($98) (66€)

Where did the money go?

- One week of rent (7 nights): 804 320 Dong ($44) (29,63€)
- Activities: 1 ticket to swimming pool: 12 000 Dong ($0.66) ( 0,44€)
- Night out: karaoke: 160 000 Dong ($8.75) (5,89€)
- Meals and drinks (daily coffee, meals at restaurant, food/drink at internet café):
520 000 Dong ($28.45) (19,15€)
- Groceries: 169 035 Dong ($9.25) (6,23€)
- Supplies,cosmetics, laundry: 68 000 Dong
($3.72) (2,50€)
- Transportation: 40 000 Dong ($2.19) (1,47€)
- Expenses I lost track of: 7 377 Dong ($0.40) (0,27€)

Taking the bus to work definitely works for me! I am so happy that we live close to the only bus line that serves the neighborhood where I work! I have already saved quite a bit compared to last week, and I reward myself with a daily treat (for getting up so early and exposing my back to unexpected bumps on the road): an iced milk coffee for 5,000 Dong. Yum!

This week I went to internet cafés more often than usual, which is why my meal/drink expenses are up. Our karaoke night ended up being a little expensive, but it was definitely worth it.

* * * * * *

Prendre le bus pour aller au boulot me convient parfaitement! Je suis tellement contente que notre logement soit à proximité de la seule et unique ligne de bus qui dessert le quartier où je travaille! J’ai déjà économisé pas mal mes dépenses de transport par rapport à la semaine dernière, et je m’offre une petite récompense quotidienne (pour me lever si tôt et exposer mon dos aux soubresauts inopinés sur la route): un café au lait glacé, pour 5 000 Dong! Miam!

Cette semaine, j’ai fréquenté les cyber cafés plus que de coutume, c’est pour cela que mes dépenses repas/boissons sont un peu à la hausse. De plus, notre soirée karaoké s’est fait ressentir dans le porte-monnaie, même si ça valait complètement le coup!

I will just say that being sick is great for the wallet. I was taken down with a nasty stomach bug so for a couple days I didn’t really eat much. Spent a lot of time lying on my bed which was conveniently located right next to the bathroom. Although because I was so weak, I spent more on motor-taxis as I kept attending my classes but didn’t have the energy to actually walk there myself. Oh yeah, and I GOT PAID THIS WEEK! YAY!

For my second week (Nov 25-Dec 1), I spent an average of $13.88 per day (263,700 dong/day). Compare that with an average of $20.54/day from last week. This is directly linked to the fact that I was ill so my beer and food consumption went sharply down and I managed to sneak into the Loreto Fest to see Ratatat which was normally a $25 ticket. Here’s a general breakdown of where it went:

lunch/dinner at restaurants: $30.26 for the week, average of $4.32/day

water/snacks/drinks/groceries for breakfast: $9.95 for the week, average of $1.42/day

beer: $0 (you now know how sick I really was)

taxis and buses: $15.85 for the week, average of $2.26/day

motorcycle rental: $1.32 for one day

hotel accommodation: $42.41 for the week, or $6.06/night

.

So, for my fourth week, I spent $99.79. I got my first paycheque which was 7,000,000 dong ($368.00). My balance from the end of week three was $72.59, so that leaves me at $340.80. I have started renting a motorbike ($1.32/day), but that will actually work out cheaper than the taxis I’ve been taking. Now if I can just manage not to kill myself…

A bit of a bummer is that our accommodation cost is going up. We had an “arrangement” to fix the price, but apparently the owner forgot about that initial conversation and effective December 1st, our housing is going up by 20% for the remainder of our time here (for “high season”). It’s a bit late to start looking for a proper apartment (we’re only here for two more months), and we all really like it where we are so we will probably suck it up. Still not cool, though, Hai Ha!

Funds on Nov 16th: 3 012 283 Dong ($168.45) (113,05€)
(PS: I made a little mistake last week: I had 3 012 283 VND left, not 2 908 000 VND)
Current funds, on Nov 22nd: 579 283 Dong ($32.39) (21,73€)
Spent: 2 433 000 Dong ($136) (91,25€)

Where did the money go?

-One week of rent: 888 000 Dong ($49.67) (33,16€)
It’s more expensive to pay with VND than with US dollars because the guest house isn’t using the real exchange rate. Unfortunately, I no longer have US dollars.
-Activities: 1 ticket to swimming pool + day trip to Vung Tau beach: 157 000 Dong ($8.78) (5,86€)
-Meals and drinks (fruit shakes, coffee, hot chocolate, beer): 579 000 Dong ($32.38) (21,63€)
-Groceries: 191 775 Dong ($10,73) (7,16€)
-Transportation (mostly to job interview): 115 000 Dong ($6.43) (4,29€)
-Tailoring of two shirts: 220 000 Dong ($12.30) (8,21€)
-Miscellanous: laundry + a few copies and printouts+ other expenses: 158 000 Dong ($8.84) (5,89€)
-Expenses I lost track of: 124 225 Dong ($6.95) (4,64€)

I’m trying to get organized to spend money on food wisely. I’ve started eating a good, cheap breakfast in my room: instant noodles flavored with chicken, beef or mushrooms for about 2 500 Dong, along with a fruit or some orange juice.

For lunch, I sometimes go to relatively inexpensive restaurants. However this week, I have often bought food from street vendors: pao, corn on the cob, grilled meat, meat ”doughnut”, kebab, pineapple, fruit shake. You can manage to get a full meal (main dish + dessert) that works out cheaper than if you eat one main dish at a restaurant. (Of course, I’m only talking about a couple 10 000 Dong less).

For diner, I go to restaurants more often. My motto has become: ”no more than one restaurant a day.” It will be even easier to do so since I now have a job and will bring my own lunch: laughing cow cheese and ham sandwich + fruit + yoghurt.
Thus, I shall buy a few more things from the grocery store and go to the restaurant less often.

My biggest ”fixed” expenses
-I have made a deal with a moto taxi that will drop me off to work and pick me up for 50 000 Dong/day. I tried really hard to get a better deal with another moto taxi who has let me down. We live in district 1 and my workplace is in district 7: it’s not even on my map. It’s a non-stop 20 to 25 minute ride to the very south side of Ho Chi Minh City. This means that I’ll spend at least 50 000 Dong on transportation everyday.

-I also like to go to internet cafés every once in a while, because I just can’t stay at our guest house every time I need to write a post, edit a video or write some emails. We don’t have an apartment, thus no living room, thus no place to hang out besides our two bedrooms. The only issue is that even the cheapest drinks can be a little pricey in a café that has got wifi.

-Lastly, I have a big weakness for chocolate and I’ve found that dark toblerone can be less expensive than a simple dark chocolate bar of about the same weight! (I’ve tried cheap vietnamese dark chocolate and it’s… not good. I think it might taste like cocoa butter.)

* * * * * *

J’essaye d’organiser mes dépenses de façon à avoir un budget à peu près intelligent. Cela fait quelques temps déjà que j’opte pour un petit-déjeuner pas cher dans ma chambre: nouilles instantanées saveur poulet, boeuf ou champignons à moins de 2 500 Dong la portion individuelle, ainsi qu’un fruit ou un jus d’orange.

Pour le déjeuner, je vais de temps en temps dans un restaurant pas cher, mais cette semaine, je me suis souvent arrêtée chez des marchands ambulants pour déguster: pao (pâtisserie à la viande), épis de maïs, brochettes de viande, beignet à la viande, kebab, ananas frais, jus de fruits pressés. On peut faire un repas complet (plat principal + dessert) à menu prix par rapport à un plat au restaurant. Bien entendu, cela ne représente que quelques dizaines de milliers de Dong d’économies.

Pour dîner, je vais au restaurant plus souvent. Ma devise est désormais: ”Pas plus d’un resto par jour.” Cela va m’être d’autant plus facile que j’ai maintenant un travail et j’emmènerai mon déjeuner sur place: sandwich jambon/vache qui rit (!) + fruit + yaourt
Ainsi, mes dépenses au supermarché s’apprêtent à augmenter, alors que j’irai au restaurant moins souvent.

Mes plus grosses dépenses ”fixes”:
-J’ai conclu un marché avec un chauffeur de taxi moto pour qu’il m’emmène tous les jours au travail pour 50 000 Dong aller-retour. J’ai essayé de négocier davantage, mais mon chauffeur initial n’a pas été fidèle au poste. Nous habitons dans le premier arrondissement, et mon lieu de travail est dans le 7ème, au sud d’Ho Chi Minh Ville. I faut 20 à 25 minutes non-stop pour s’y rendre. Cela veut donc dire que je vais dépenser au moins 50 000 Dong par jour en transport durant la semaine.

-J’aime bien aussi aller de temps en temps dans un cyber café parce que je ne peux tout simplement pas rester tout le temps dans la chambre quand je veux monter une vidéo, écrire un billet ou envoyer des e-mails. Nous ne sommes pas en appartement, donc nous n’avons pas de salon, donc nous n’avons aucun autre endroit où aller que nos deux chambres. Le seul problème est que même les boissons les moins chères ne sont pas toujours bon marché dans un café qui a un réseau internet wifi.

-Enfin, mon péché mignon étant le chocolat, j’ai découvert qu’on peut trouver du toblerone au chocolat noir moins cher qu’une tablette toute bête au poids similaire! (J’ai goûté du chocolat noir vietnamien premier prix et ce n’était pas bon. Ca avait sans doute un goût de beurre de cacao.)

Nearly 3 weeks in I’ve spent a total of $240.  I have no idea what the breakdown of my spending is, life is too short to be anal retentive about every penny.  All I know is that I have a place to live, food to eat and I’m happy as fuck.

Don’t trust figures! In terms of financial management, I actually did better this week than last week!

Funds on Nov 9th: 1 640 740 Dong ($91,82) (61.34€)
Cash input: 3 500 000 Dong ($195.87) (130.97€)
Current funds (on Nov 15th): 2 908 000 Dong ($162.73) (108.69€)
Spent: 2 232 740 Dong ($124.94) (83.47€)

Where did the money go?

-One week of rent= 748 500 Dong ($42) (28 €)
-Activities: 1 ticket to swimming pool: 12 000 Dong ($0.67) (0.45€)
-Meals and drinks (fruit shakes, tea): 648 500 Dong ($36.29) (24.27€)
-Groceries: 160 657 Dong ($9) (6€)
-Transportation (moto taxi to drop off resume): 130 000 Dong ($7.27) (€4.86)
-Fabric for two shirts: 140 000 Dong ($7.83) (5.24€)
-Investments: kettle + bowl: 253 800 Dong ($14.20) (9.50€)
-Miscellanous: 3 letters posted+ pack of envelopes + face mask: 38 000 Dong ($2.13) (1.42€)
-Expenses I lost track of (probably food/drinks): 94 283 Dong ($5.27) (3.52€)

It still feels like it’s a lot of money spent, but that includes a full week of rent plus three wise, necessary investments:
1) a kettle, to sterilize drinking water and cook breakfast
2) fabric to make two shirts that I can wear at work
3) several moto taxi rides so that I don’t show up dripping with sweat for job interviews

Week 2: total spent – ”investments” – 1 week rent
= 2 232 740 -(253 800 + 140 000+ 130 000 + 748 500)
= 960 440 Dong
compared to
Week 1: total spent – 2 days of rent
= 1 540 360- 290 000
= 1 250 360 Dong

OVERALL, I DID BETTER THAN LAST WEEK! YAY!

* * * * * *

J’ai toujours l’impression d’avoir dépensé beaucoup d’argent. Cependant, mes dépenses hebdomadaires incluent une semaine de loyer ainsi que trois investissements sages et nécessaires:
1) une bouilloire, pour stériliser de l’eau potable et préparer le petit-déj
2) du tissu pour faire confectionner deux hauts sur mesure
3) plusieurs trajets en taxi moto pour ne pas arriver en sueur aux entretiens d’embauche

Dans l’ensemble, j’ai donc fait mieux que la semaine dernière. Youpi!

Semaine 2: total dépenses – ”investissements” – 1 semaine de loyer
= 2 232 740 -(253 800 + 140 000+ 130 000 + 748 500)
= 960 440 Dong
par rapport à
Semaine 1: total dépenses – 2 jours de loyer
= 1 540 360- 290 000
= 1 250 360 Dong

Starts with a 900 KRW ($.75) can of coffee.  I like this brand because it’s not packed with sugar, which usually just leads to a sugar crash midday, always an awful experience at this job.  Also, I ate some instant ramen: 600 KRW ($.50). Total: 1500 KRW ($1.25)

Then lunch…

Another coffee, 2 of those nifty rice packaged triangles, plus a Snickers splurge.  Total: 2300 KRW ($2).

And dinner at my new favorite place around the hostel…

I got 2 small sandwiches, both delicious, but the best part is the free bread crusts.  Making each sandwich at this place leaves some bread scraps, which are collected and offered as a kind of appetizer.  They also give you strawberry jam.  Man do I love (free) wheat bread crust and (free) jam.  Total: 3000 KRW ($2.75)

Today, I got away with eating for only 6800 KRW ($5.50).  And who says Seoul is one of the most expensive cities in the world…

The Backstory: We were so broke in Tokyo, mid-April, 2.5 weeks away from departure, and one of our monthly leases was up.  Renewal would be $500 we didn’t have.  We were already living in poverty in one of the world’s most expensive cities, so why not go one extra step…Manga Kissas, Internet Cafes: Tokyo is peppered with internet/manga cafes, a cross between an internet cafe, a manga library, and a hotel that rented cubicles instead of rooms.  You can rent by the hour or stay overnight.  They seem to be used for 4 things, as far as I can tell. 

First, people who have missed the last train home and who don’t want to pay the monstrous cab fees to go home.  They’re either Japanese salarymen, stumbling out of a client dinner, or those damned denizens of Tokyo with money to enjoy the nightlife.  In the cafes, you could hear them throwing up or snoring drunkenly. 

Second, highschoolers who want some private time – they live with their parents and they can’t go to love hotels.  In the cafes, you could hear them…well, you could hear them.

Third, manga lovers and gamers. I was actually surprised that people paid money to go to a manga library and read manga.  What kind of manga people read or internet sites they browsed is anyone’s guess, although, in the cafes, they sometimes sounded like the highschoolers.

Fourth, the internet cafe refugees or “cyberhomeless” – people who can’t afford the outrageously expensive housing in Japan but who have enough money to afford a $10/night roof.  They rove from cafe to cafe, catching 7 hours of peace at night to recharge for a part-time job during the day.  It was in this fourth class that I fell.  So instead of paying $500 for another 19 days, I’d pay around $12/night for sleep in Tokyo’s central districts.  I’d save money on transit, because I wouldn’t need to travel out to exciting Kanagawa.  I’d also still be tutoring, so I’d be making a decent amount of money.  The cafes had free coffee and juice, and I’d enjoy internet speed we only wet-dreamed about back at our guesthouse.  I’d sleep in the cafes when I could and then just huddle up on one of the trains and sleep as it wound its way around the city.  So I packed my bags…

and set out with 4000Yen, about $45, to see where it would all take me…