# Single mom and an expat



## red_bricks (Jul 12, 2014)

Hi all, I'm very new to this group but really hoping for your generous feedback for my consideration. 

I'm a single mom of two (12 & 10) that is in the mid of negotiating with a potential new employer for a job in Manila. The salary range is potentially at the bracket of php160,000-190,000 but considering the cost of living and two Kids on International School instead of public school, crazy traffic, transportation, foreign culture, property renting etc. What would be my major challenge in your opinion if you were in my shoe? Is that salary range enough to cover the basic ie kids' International School (assuming the new employer is not paying the fees), cost of living and condo renting?


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## Fort878 (Sep 7, 2013)

red_bricks said:


> Hi all, I'm very new to this group but really hoping for your generous feedback for my consideration. I'm a single mom of two (12 & 10) that is in the mid of negotiating with a potential new employer for a job in Manila. The salary range is potentially at the bracket of php160,000-190,000 but considering the cost of living and two Kids on International School instead of public school, crazy traffic, transportation, foreign culture, property renting etc. What would be my major challenge in your opinion if you were in my shoe? Is that salary range enough to cover the basic ie kids' International School (assuming the new employer is not paying the fees), cost of living and condo renting?



If you are referring to the International School in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig then it is a wise choise as it is a very good school. The yearly tuition from middle school to high school is between ~300,000 to 500,000 pesos...that doesn't include all the school expenses like extracurriculars, registration fees, school bus/transportation, etc. They accept quarterly payments with a ~4000 fee per post dated cheque. 

If you live in Manila, the safest and best places to live would be a in gated community or a condo with security in Makati and Fort Bonifacio. The rent for a simple, furnished two bedroom condo in Fort/Makati could cost you around 30,000 to 50,000 pesos (more for high end luxury suites), not including parking, electricity, water, cable, internet, phone, etc. The cost of living (services, restaurant meals, groceries, entertainment, etc.) in these areas are generally higher than the rest of the Philippines. 

So...you do the math. You can make it with your salary to pay for living and schooling expenses but I think there will be little left for savings. Ofcourse, It would be great if the employer pays for your move, rent and kid's tuition. Nevertheless, I think it will be a great opportunity for you and your boys to experience a different culture and explore the country especially outside Manila. 

The usual poverty, petty theft and beuracracy typical of third world countries may take a while to get used to but it is generally safe in Philippines....aside from using commom sense, just always keep a low profile, be prepared and be alert. Seek and find sincere Filipino friends and experience true Filipino hospitality and support. 

Good luck!


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## PogiBaby (Apr 2, 2014)

Depending what your work hours are you also might want to find a good nanny. Most of the multiple bedroom condos will have a maids quarters off the kitchen for your nanny. The cost of the nanny is minimal, although being a foreigner they might want to charge you more. Just make sure you find someone you can trust. Make friends with Filipinos and ask if they know someone, etc.. Kids at that age like to run around, but you will need to make sure someone is with them at all times. Taguig is more expensive to live than other places because it has more foreigners, but it really has everything there. Best restaurants, schools, and nice condos. Also, since it has more foreigners it won't be as foreign to you. Good luck!


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## JimnNila143 (Jul 23, 2013)

*Work in the Philippines*



red_bricks said:


> Hi all, I'm very new to this group but really hoping for your generous feedback for my consideration.
> 
> I'm a single mom of two (12 & 10) that is in the mid of negotiating with a potential new employer for a job in Manila. The salary range is potentially at the bracket of php160,000-190,000 but considering the cost of living and two Kids on International School instead of public school, crazy traffic, transportation, foreign culture, property renting etc. What would be my major challenge in your opinion if you were in my shoe? Is that salary range enough to cover the basic ie kids' International School (assuming the new employer is not paying the fees), cost of living and condo renting?


Make sure that you obtain a Work Permit from the Philippine Embassy and/or the Philippine Bureau of Immigration as well as your employer. Remember that the pay scale in the USA is far greater than that of the Philippines. 160,000 [$3,695US] PhP to 190,000 [$4,387US] PhP per month is considered to be a king's ransom here in the Philippines. Remember, too, that there are no foreign owned companies or business here in the Philippines. Every business, no matter how big or small has to be no less than 60% Filipino owned and operated. No matter what the scenario for work conditions and earnings, consider this formula:

75% of income goes for living expenses [this is everything], and 25% goes for fun. If you live by this formula, you can live very well in the Philippines with your two kids. There are many foreigners living in the Philippines who live on far less than the above amounts and do surprisingly well. 

Good luck.


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

JimnNila143 said:


> 160,000 [$3,695US] PhP to 190,000 [$4,387US] PhP per month is considered to be a king's ransom here in the Philippines.



Darn straight on that, was always my dream to come back as a high GS employee and live large there but Pinatubo ruined that party.


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## Fort878 (Sep 7, 2013)

*Good Nanny/Housekeeper*



PogiBaby said:


> Depending what your work hours are you also might want to find a good nanny. Most of the multiple bedroom condos will have a maids quarters off the kitchen for your nanny. The cost of the nanny is minimal, although being a foreigner they might want to charge you more. Just make sure you find someone you can trust. Make friends with Filipinos and ask if they know someone, etc.. Kids at that age like to run around, but you will need to make sure someone is with them at all times.... ...Good luck!



I agree with PogiBaby…a good nanny can help not only with child-minding but also with most of the house chores. I believe the going rate in Metro Manila is 4000 pesos a month for a live-in who works 10 - 12 hrs per day and 6 days a week. You can pay a little more, plus give her more time off but I am sharing with you what actually goes on there. You can definitely afford this with your salary.

The key is to find someone honest, hard-working, motivated, energetic and trainable. “Trainable” is not so easy because of where these girls come from. They were born and raised poor without all the typical first-world conveniences. Most will not know how to use an oven, a coffee maker, vacuum cleaner, washing machine or a microwave. They were poorly educated in a public school system that taught them English but you will definitely have great challenges with communication. They know the English words but their English grammar, comprehension and verbal skills are verypoor. 

What is actually more challenging is the typical Filipino trait of “saving face” of not being direct or straightup…so by trying to not look stupid or disrespectful, she will say yes with a smile as if she understood you but in actuality, she did not but she was afraid/ashamed to admit it. You might luck out with a bright one but 80-90% of the time it will be like ground zero, like training a child so you need to be as patient as you can be with her and vice versa.

Once you find the right person, and train her well (hopefully without burning her and yourself out), you will be amazed and grateful for the much-improved quality of life with less stress, more energy for things you love to do and more quality time/fun with the boys.


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## red_bricks (Jul 12, 2014)

Thanks so much everyone for your informative input and feedback. Being a single mom, what I worried the most is the safety of my kids, such as how and who can send them to school and pick them up after done. Should it be done through hiring a driver? Is it the normal practice there and how much would it cost? Even though the salary range offered is on the high end side but I am always very conscious when come to budget and want to be realistic and see the possibility of the unlikelihood. Being in a foreign land, I have total zero knowledge of how things work there. I think finding a place that convenient for the school and my work place would be another major challenge for me too.


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## overmyer (Aug 15, 2013)

red_bricks said:


> Thanks so much everyone for your informative input and feedback. Being a single mom, what I worried the most is the safety of my kids, such as how and who can send them to school and pick them up after done. Should it be done through hiring a driver? Is it the normal practice there and how much would it cost? Even though the salary range offered is on the high end side but I am always very conscious when come to budget and want to be realistic and see the possibility of the unlikelihood. Being in a foreign land, I have total zero knowledge of how things work there. I think finding a place that convenient for the school and my work place would be another major challenge for me too.


I drive my son to school every morning and pick him up afterwards. His yaya (nanny) goes with him ad takes care of him on his lunch break. Other families do the same, substituting the family driver if they can't transport themselves or even send by taxi and/or jeepney but in all cases the yaya goes along. While the kids are in class, the yayas hang out and socialize/gossip with each other.


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

overmyer said:


> I drive my son to school every morning and pick him up afterwards. His yaya (nanny) goes with him ad takes care of him on his lunch break. Other families do the same, substituting the family driver if they can't transport themselves or even send by taxi and/or jeepney but in all cases the yaya goes along. While the kids are in class, the yayas hang out and socialize/gossip with each other.


And the yayas think they got the best gig in town I bet!


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## Fort878 (Sep 7, 2013)

*School Bus*



red_bricks said:


> Thanks so much everyone for your informative input and feedback. Being a single mom, what I worried the most is the safety of my kids, such as how and who can send them to school and pick them up after done. Should it be done through hiring a driver? Is it the normal practice there and how much would it cost? Even though the salary range offered is on the high end side but I am always very conscious when come to budget and want to be realistic and see the possibility of the unlikelihood. Being in a foreign land, I have total zero knowledge of how things work there. I think finding a place that convenient for the school and my work place would be another major challenge for me too.


I think your kids are old enough that they can do without fulltime nanny (yaya) supervision. I would suggest looking into the school’s services. Most private schools like International School Manila ISM have reliable, secure school bus services, one way or round trip. You pay in advance: quarterly, semi-annually or annually…usually 35,000-40,000 pesos per kid/per school year. The morning pickup and afternoon drop off are right from your doorstep, the bus/van picks up only ISM kids that have subscribed to the service. There may be other cheaper private school bus options so when you get here, ask other parents for information and support. 

If your kids decide to skip the home-bound bus service to join after school extracurricular activities, your maid can pick them up via taxi or one of their schoolmates may be nice enough to give them a ride home.

You did not mention where you will be working in Manila exactly. I would suggest living as close as possible to your work and children’s school. Traffic in Metro Manila is unbelievably heavy/hectic…a 30-40 km distance can easily become a 2-3 hour ride depending on the time of day.

With your budget, I do not recommend getting a car and hiring a driver unless your employer will provide them, or help pay for them (in part or entirely). 

I just checked out these links and I think they may be helpful to you:

International School Manila: Transportation Office

http://www.ismanila.org/uploaded/Student_Services/Transportation_Office/Zone_1.pdf

https://www.ismanila.org/uploaded/Student_Services/Map_Distance_around_ISM_with_Time_SY_2011_12.pdf


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## overmyer (Aug 15, 2013)

cvgtpc1 said:


> And the yayas think they got the best gig in town I bet!


No doubt!


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