How to save money working abroad
Posted by Jennifer MacKenzie - 18:42 on 14 November 2008
How to save money abroad!
‘It’s a credit crunch!’, ‘No, it’s a Depression!’, ‘No, it’s a recession!’ – whatever it is, we all need to tighten our belts a little. So, we put our collective heads together, sent emails to the 4 corners of the world and came up with some money saving ideas of our own!
Firstly and foremost, if you're studying/working in a country where English is not the spoken language, get a TEFL (Teach English as a Foreign Language) qualification! It's very useful to find a job really quickly, and you can get paid up to £20/£30 an hour!
If continuing to run a British bank account get a Nationwide account so you don't get charged to withdraw money every time you use a cash machine.
Get an ISIC card - it's an international student discount card and for a mere £6(it worked in Russia so it works EVERYWHERE) you'll get discounts on food, museums, travel including most forms of local transport, up to 30% off international flights and lots more. Well worth the spend! There’s also free or discounted web access (so you can complete that online course abroad!)!
Look out for local loyalty cards (as you would here.) When I lived in France, I saved my points religiously on my ATAC card collecting suitcases, casserole pots and various other useful items along the way. A friend spent a year in Moscow and bought a supermarket loyalty card for the equivalent of 50p, which gave them 20% off goods that were already on promotion - and entitled them to further extra promotions.
Eat seasonally – nothing tastes better than Clementines in November
Don't go to world-wide chains of restaurants - they are usually tonnes more expensive and if you must have your fast food dose then try a local chain instead to get that native take on it!
Consider travelling there by train/coach/boat if you can to avoid high cost flights and at the same time doing your bit for the environment.
Invest in a Skype number - mobile communication is very expensive, and it's unlikely you'll have a landline. If you can, get Skype, try to arrange a time to speak to family/friends at home online free. Failing that, for about £6 a year you can get your own dedicated number that costs them the same to call as a local landline, and you can call home for about 3p/min.
Research your travel insurance early – (and don't go with the one your Uni. will probably advise you to go with. They're being paid to recommend them!) Like anything else, a bit of time and research can really keep those prices down. But check the fine print, does it provide you with the cover you need?
Bring travel sized toiletries on the way there to cut down on baggage weight - and don't bring any home!!!
Not very ethical (and I don’t recommend it personally, but I did ask for money saving ideas!) - but a friend bought a wardrobe of clothes from Primark and left it there to try and avoid excess baggage on the return journey- 20kg baggage allowance for 10 months in a place is not easy. Excess baggage is expensive though(easily causing you £100 bill at the airport) and a pain to carry. Stock up when you arrive at your destination and leave things behind. Be tough with yourself. You'd be surprised what you can live without. I took 20kg with me and lived perfectly happily, although when I used to go to Uni. I’d take everything but the kitchen sink ...
All those knick knacks you bought and want to remember your year abroad by: get them shipped home in a box. Slow shipping as opposed to air freight can be a lot cheaper even if it takes a couple of months.
Don't go shopping for touristy souvenirs for friends/family until you know the language well, or someone who does. You'll save a bundle by pretending to be a local. (This may actually be a bit of an impossibility but maybe it works after 20 years in a country!).
Don't book tickets for events online if they seem a bit pricey. Check out a local ticket office to see whether the locals get a cheaper rate.
Really push for your student discounts. You might be intimidated by a language barrier but if you'd ask for a discount in every shop here - do it there. In fact, make sure you know how to ask for one before you get there!!!
If you’re a student going to study abroad find out from your LEA if you can claim back any expenses from them. They often pay for flights, jabs and medical insurance.
Again, if studying abroad is part of the plan, pick a country where the cost of living is lower than the UK! This will make your extra year abroad loan go further.
Look into interesting ways of reaching your destination. Another teacher I know, spent a year in Damascus, with return flights usually costing at least £350. But an Easyjet flight to Istanbul was only £30 one way. Plus, there are several cheap ways of going by train/bus/plane/combination of all of the above to do the rest of the trip for £30 or less. And yes, frequently she did blow the saving made on 4 days in Istanbul on the way -- but hey, free holiday!
Do your homework on airlines. Small national carriers can be pretty cheap even if they don't have shiny websites and simple booking systems
Well, hopefully this has set you all thinking, if anyone has any other ideas send them in and we’ll get them out there for everyone to see and use!
Jennifer MacKenzie
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