Tips to save money as expat in TW?

Taiwan Living in Taiwan
21

If washing in the rain is beneath you, what about the free showers at the beach?

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22

Which beach? Most the ones Iā€™ve been to, you have to pay.

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23

Is the bus to Costco free?

24

Depends how stealthy you are

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25

Donā€™t drink at bars. Actually, just donā€™t drink. Or smoke.

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26

Cā€™mon. water from the lake at neihu was free last time i looked.

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27

I was thinking Cijin Island in Kaohsiung, there are free public showers at the beach there, must be othersā€¦

28
  • Live outside of Taipei City
  • Travel around on foot and U-Bike
  • Live in a flat share
  • Find the flat share using local sources, not Facebook groups for other expats
  • Live on the top floor of an old building without an elevator
  • If youā€™re seriously dedicated, live in a roof conversion
  • Use Facebook groups for second-hand items and freebies
  • Cook your own meals
  • Buy ingredients from local traditional markets
  • Avoid Western restaurants
  • Donā€™t go to bars
  • Donā€™t go on dates (youā€™re expected to pay for everything for your date)
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29

Kinmen beaches have free showers. Sometimes thereā€™s even soap in the dispensers too!

30

This. Not as cheap as Taipei Main station, but it really saves on the rent and the average room temperature over the year is quite bearable.

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31

Plenty of women are fine going Dutch.

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32

Iā€™ve never had to pay on a date lol

33

Become a tinder swindler

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34

Indeed, but I think itā€™s fair to say that when you date a new woman in Taiwan, you should at least go in with the legitimate intention of paying for her because a lot of them do expect that, at least on the first date.

35

If they expect that on the first date, there is no second date. Itā€™s a good way to filter out the princesses. :slightly_smiling_face:

36

Hereā€™s my score from Dayuan wet market. $600 total.

Just gotta get outside of big cities.

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Bell peppers arenā€™t 4 for $50 now though. $29 each.

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37

Donā€™t have sex either. Or eat anything savory.

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38

I donā€™t know. I met some nice girls in Taiwan who, as I say, at least expect the guy to make moves to pay for her the first time. I think here in England, only seriously uptight princess-wannabes would have that kind of attitude. This is all circumstantial.

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39

I was told itā€™s around 4million.

40

Yeah, if you need the yellow ones you pay more. If you take the green ones which are just as good for my purposes, you can save a lot of money