[edited]. Investments in China, out of China, tutoring, trading or hell... Some people even do well just playing bass guitar in some kind of Laowai rock band. Not everything makes money, sometimes you lose it, get in shit with the authorities...

One mate used his time in China to write a novel, it didn't sell well, but his teaching job in China allowed him to do it. Dare say it was a risk worth taking, maybe just writing the damn thing was rewarding in itself.

The best way to make money (imo) is to simply not waste it all on pointless indulgences. That might mean living off noodles more than you'd like and not pissing your money up the wall on shit booze, silly golddigging tarts and overpriced but shit western food. Most of China still has relatively low living costs compared to classier Western cities. You can save more than you'd think, then use that to invest.

Yep, doing that little bit more is not always that legit, so you have to keep your nose clean in other areas such as the way that you party at weekends.

As for whether I stay in China much longer, that depends upon a ridiculous number of factors. Being not far off getting engaged can swing it either way, whilst it may be far easier for missus (the highest earner out of the two of us) to make money in China. I'd personally prefer our kids to be educated abroad.