How do you save for aliyah while paying tuition?

↑ Reality ↓

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 11:50 am

shabbatiscoming wrote:

Wow, thats a lot of money. I made aliyah 21 years ago. As a single person I was given a few hundred extra shekels a month for a few months. It was considered rest subsidy. I guess times have changed.
Im still not unerstanding about the unemployment though. But I guess thats something new as well.

If you come with at least four children you are awarded a bonus of extra money each month. My sal klita was more than my monthly rent but only because we rented a typical apartment. It will not cover a luxurious, multi- floor apartment.

I don't know about unemployment but I do know about underemployment. My friend had this. She was working part time and her husband was still looking. She was able to get a few thousand nis a month for 6 months from sal klita after sal klita was officially over. They told her after that she could get unemployment but at that point her husband had found a job so it wasn't applicable.

Bottom line, Israel is a wonderful country that really tries to help new immigrants have a successful aliyah.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 11:51 am

I really appreciate all the answers.

So, I feel like the short answer is that you really can’t, and just have to try to cut down on the initial expenses (ie share lift space) as much as possible? And sell everything at the last minute when it won’t impact tuition assessments…

TBH I’m less stressed about expenses once we got there and settled. We’re in a crazy high COL area and would be looking for a place with lower rents, so between that and saving on tuition I could see our expenses dropping by $4000/month or more. I’m trying to be very conservative and plan for a tight scenario, but there’s a chance my husband could keep his job remotely, at least for the short-term. It’s just the costs of getting there (like literally getting lift space, paying for certification of documents, passport photos x7 people, etc).

↑ Reality

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 11:57 am

That part is very expensive.

When are you making aliyah? Can you start putting aside a small amount each month to help cover the cost of a partial lift?

Just note, I'm pretty sure it is illegal to sell part of your lift privately. Check it out and see if it's something you are comfortable doing. You can send a partial lift for a few thousand through the lift company.

amother

Offwhite

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 12:15 pm

amother Diamond wrote:

Do not make aliyah because of tuition or security. This is a challenging time for Jews everywhere. It's a false notion to think you can move to Israel and suddenly be super safe. As someone living in Israel, October 7th nearly broke me. Make aliyah because the most important thing to you is living in Israel. You have to value that above all else to be successful! (And family and friends are HUGE assests too!!)

Why do you say that?

We live here and are very relieved with the tuition here. It's giving us peace of mind thus quality of life we wouldn't have elsewhere.

And Israel has so many benefits besides this.

I would advise anyone to really take time planning everything well if coming with kids to make the transition as smooth as possible.

justforfun87 ↓

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 12:29 pm

Ok so I have been dealing with the same concerns. I was told to save at least 30k, someone told me closer to 50k. That has to be a joke because I pay more than 50k for my kids in school/daycare so the money ain't there to save.

Our plan is to not bring a lift and get second hand there (I realize this isn't for everyone.) We are going to be selling two cars.

I have really tried cutting down on spending when possible and started trying to save money, unfortunately I have had to dip into the savings a few times.

I am hoping to use a skill I have to get work there and if not, well I am willing to do whatever I need to do. My husband has marketable skills and we are davening he will be able to keep his job.

The rest is just davening that this is the right decision.

amother

↑ OP

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 1:57 pm

justforfun87 wrote:

Okay yes, this sounds exactly like me! I hear people talking about saving 30k, 50k, and that just won’t happen with tuition. So maybe we could also avoid taking a lift or get space on someone’s. Our furniture is mostly old/ikea anyway.

amother

↑ Aconite

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 2:18 pm

So here’s a question. We have a lot of debt just from life, we are very frugal, we don’t have the means to save and very slowly trying to pay off debt but I’m working a lot here. If we don’t count expenses of getting to E”Y (we can use some of the money from selling our house for that), then is it ok for us to go and start fresh? (I can’t use my license there, I’m a masters level therapist, I will have to start my accessories business from scratch and DH will have to find a job). Should we plan to go with these factors in place? Or just resign ourselves to the fact that we won’t make it there

↑ justforfun87

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 5:06 pm

amother OP wrote:

Feel free to pm me. I love making aliyah friends! All of out furniture is on its last leg. The only thing we want to bring is seforim like a whole huge shas set I wont buy again so I will look into options for that.

amother

Hawthorn

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 5:14 pm

Following. We dont make enough to ever save at the end of the month. Have 2 kids under 4 yo. We kind of want to just wing it. Pay off our CC debt this year and move next summer.
Most of our furniture is second hand anyway or IKEA so we wouldnt necessarily bring it. The only thing I would miss are: 2 twin beds, one full bed, baby swing, baby crib

amother

Mocha

Sat, Jul 20 2024, 10:25 pm

Best bring luggage and buy furniture in Israel the beds and wall closets are different and everything is more built ins.

Sell your furniture, or give it away.

Bring only the important stuff, maybe a few boxes in a lift lots of people sell space in a lift. Just find out who’s moving around the same time.