How to Save Money When Living in a Foreign Country

Many of us dream of saving lots of money. Whether to buy something, to go on a journey, or for taking a new step in our lives. But sometimes saving money is essential for simply surviving. Especially, if you’re just starting out in a foreign country.

Would you like to save up more than you do now? Don’t worry! Saving money is a skill that can be learned. For starters, follow these tips and tricks.

Decide on a realistic budget and follow it

If you’re aiming to save money, you need to manage your finances. It sounds hard, but it gets easier with practice. Evaluate your income and set a fixed amount of how much money you can spend per month. The amount should include all the necessary living expenses with some space left for unexpected circumstances. Try to be realistic. Don’t plan your budget too tight or too big. You may not survive with the first one and might not save anything with the second.

What’s most important – don’t just decide on your budget! You must follow it. Calculate your expenses for each week and see how much of your budget is left for the remaining month. Then, plan your purchases accordingly. It’ll help you to avoid buying on a whim and wasting money. Instead, you’ll be saving up.

Find out the best options for international shipping

Although you have left home, you’ll still want to keep in touch with your family, right? The internet makes it easy to communicate even across the biggest distances. But what about presents? When holidays are approaching, you will be sure to think of your family and friends and wish to send them a token of appreciation.

International package shipping makes it possible to achieve that even when living in a foreign country. All you have to do is research the best options for shipping to Europe from the USA or any other combination of countries depending on where you are currently staying.

Consider two key aspects: the cost and the speed of the delivery. Since your goal is to save money, picking economic shipping will be the best. Just keep in mind that it may take a while for your parcel to reach its destination. For instance, if you’re shipping to Romania, it might take even several weeks. But it’s not a problem if you plan in advance and ship your package earlier.

Limit your contracts

Another thing you can do is to restrict your financial commitments. Consider carefully which services are essential to you and which ones you can do without. Contract for the internet is a must, but do you really need cable TV? And if you do, do you really need all those TV channels that come with the most expensive package? You probably don’t, since nowadays you can stream many things online, including movies.

Be sure to sign a few contracts as possible, especially at the beginning of living abroad. As time passes, you can always get additional services if you see that you need them after all.

Use the cheapest means of transportation

Having a car is super convenient. But it’s a luxury. If you wish to save money, you’ll have to be smarter and pick cheaper means of commuting. Walking on foot or using public transportation are probably two of your best choices. They’re cheaper than getting your own car or using taxi services. They may even be good for your health as you’ll be spending more time outside.

Plan your meals in advance

Meals are super important. When you start living in a foreign country, you might be tempted to taste new food at every opportunity. But try to restrain yourself. You’ll soon see that eating out is expensive. So is ordering take-out. It’s much more economical to cook at home.

It’s best to prepare a menu beforehand and go shopping for the ingredients for the whole week. This way you’ll save yourself the trouble of having to think about what to eat every evening. And you’ll save money since you won’t be going to the supermarket as often. Also, don’t forget to take homemade lunch to work. It will save you quite a lot of money too.

Look for free entertainment

Living is not only about the essentials. It’s also about having fun. You can save money here as well. You just need to think a little bit outside the box. You’d be surprised at how much entertainment is offered for free.

Be sure to research what local events are taking place around you. You’ll find many that don’t need an entrance fee. They might not be as fancy as a concert of a rock star, but you’re guaranteed to experience something new there. Remember to check the schedule for local museums and galleries. They might offer free services on certain days of the week. Don’t forget to take advantage of that!

Saving money when living abroad might be a bit tricky at the beginning. But if you are smart with your choices, you’ll soon see more great opportunities to save money and have fun at the same time.