Okay this is one question everyone keeps asking me. I am sorry for not being able to write more but I try to respond to all those who send me their queries through emails too.
This is my second year in France as an English assistant and frankly speaking, it’s not difficult to live with 790euros.
Yes, 790euros is what you get after all deductions. Now it really also depends on how much you spend on your accommodation. Last year when I was in the south of France, my monthly spending on housing was 450euros. I had got 1800euros with me and everything went really smooth with no financial crunch. I managed to eat well, go to parties, shop, and travel a bit too.
This year, I learnt about CAF (the French housing aid) and it’s really cool because even though I am not spending a lot on housing, I do get reimbursed about 74euros by the government. So the most important thing right now for anyone who is applying for assistantship or has been selected this year, is to make sure your accommodation allows you to apply for APL/CAF (CAF is the govt. agency and APL is the scheme, so it’s the same thing). For that you will have to ask your landlord if it’s possible to apply for APL or not. Trust me you, the first year, I had no idea about any such scheme and I regretted not changing my studio later on because I had a lot of friends who benefitted from the same. So if possible, look for a housing that promises you APL.
Apart from that, if you’re really keen on cooking Indian all the time, do not hesitate to bring your own spices for seven months because Indian markets in France are a bit expensive, so let’s say, 1.50/2.99euros for a simple pack of Kitchen King. I found it a little too much so I got my spices.
Rest, you’re also eligible to do some extra hours through private tutoring as well. Yes, there are websites like leboncoin.fr where you could post your advert. You could also make some extra money through babysitting.
In case you have more questions or you would like to share your own experiences, feel free to post your comments.
