The endless struggle of being broke is one downside of being a college student. When you live alone as a foreign student, saving money and budgeting will become necessary in your life. By saving, I don’t mean that you have to have instant noodles every night to give yourself a healthy appetite. A little bit of research can go a fair distance, and to help you out, I have made a note of how you can afford decent meals every week. Here’s how to Live on a Budget as an International Student.
Planning ahead
Throughout the week, prepare what you can buy and eat and list everything. Only stick to the schedule, and you’re going to be ready to go.
Usually, I have my list on my phone and arrange regular meals, which saves me a lot of time. You will not have to idle around the fridge fretting about what to eat until you have a food schedule for the entire week.
Also, before you start working, it’s always good to make yourself a coffee/tea cup to save you from snacking or wasting money on unhealthy snacks.
Setting a budget
I write down all that I need to buy as I make a meal plan for the week is the biggest way to Live on a Budget as an International Student. On Wednesday mornings, I usually do my weekly shopping. I go out and buy some essential ingredients, such as eggs, a few packs of chicken noodles, pasta, and frozen vegetables that can be used for a period of three weeks.
Afterward, I shop for soft white bread, milk, and wraps. All the things I shop for are incredibly inexpensive, and some of them last for many weeks. Besides that, you get loyalty cards from all the supermarkets to accumulate rewards after each transaction.
Check for nearest grocery stores.
Supermarkets that I noticed on a walk in the neighborhood sell bulk sales of fruits and vegetables in buckets. For under a dollar, which is a relatively reasonable price, you will be able to find 1kg worth of sweet potatoes, mangos, pineapple, potatoes, and all kinds of vegetables.
Even if you shop at 7 p.m. during the evening, many grocery goods would be cut by a price of half or even less than that. I was once able to buy a bucket of sweet potato for just $0.20, which is a very nice price, I must say.
Download apps and passes
As you can win free meals, coupons, and more, it is always perfect for downloading fast food applications such as Maccas, Hungry Jacks, and GYG. It’s still lovely to download passes if you’re a bubble/boba tea addict like me so that you can get free things once in a while.
Order take-out once in a while
You can always go buy a pizza from your closest Dominos when you have money-saving or if you just don’t feel like cooking at home. You can also order some fried chicken or Mexican food, and it will help you feel better realizing that you earned it.
You should search for offers online, and you can also cook food at home if you are staying with housemates while also finding room to spare for the rest of the week.
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