By William Ferreira
Every student has their own unique experience while studying abroad. I made some friends and got to know different people here at Temple who have totally different objectives. Some people like to do tourist stuff, some focus more on school, some like to experience living like a local and others just like to try different activities during their programs. However, the fact is that many times we all have something in common: we don’t have a lot of money to burn, and depending on the country we are from, living abroad can be a really expensive experience. However, there are some things that we can do to enjoy the experience without spending a lot of money.
After living one semester here in Philadelphia, I have a few lessons that I learned and things that, looking at them now, I should have done to help me save money. The first thing is: bring more stuff in my luggage. When I was packing my stuff in Brazil, I didn’t put many things in my suitcase, either because I thought I wasn’t going to need them or because I thought it would be better to buy on the trip - which is not a completely wrong thought. Some things are more worth it to buy while you’re in the U.S. but some others are not - that’s why planning and organizing is so important. Many things that I thought I was not going to need, I did have to buy here – some types of clothes, stuff for my bedroom, medicine, hair products, etc. Most of them I wish I had brought with me from Brazil, because after putting them on my “finances spreadsheet,” paying for extra luggage in my flight would’ve been the best option. It would have made me save a lot of money. But, of course, it depends on where you are from and how much you have to pay for the luggage there.
The second advice I would give for future students is to browse prices in different stores and websites. This is something that we should do regularly in our lives, but while living abroad, it becomes even more essential. This applies to grocery stores, clothes and pharmacies. After browsing and comparing, I stopped thinking that Amazon was always the cheaper and best option. I started finding and buying cheaper clothes, and I even found a really good and expensive winter coat for sale – from $229 to $85! And you should take advantage of living in a large city like Philadelphia; here we have many different types of stores. In Center City you can find Primark, the one with cheapest clothes but with lower quality; Macy’s, the one with a huge number of options but usually not as cheap; Marshall’s and TJMaxx, where you usually can find similar clothes from Macy’s but with a better price; and, of course, some thrift shops spread throughout the city.
Another thing is: cooking at home is always the cheapest and healthier option. However, we are living abroad so it makes sense to eat and try different foods. For that, my advice would be to avoid the delivery option and always opt for eating in-person at the restaurant. It is way cheaper, and you can save a lot of money. For example, the meal that I always order at McDonalds costs around $8 usually, but for delivery, the same items cost around $14 – with all the taxes and tips included. Besides that, you can always have fun going to places and getting to know different parts of the city, so eating-in is always a plus. Also, you can always look at the food trucks on campus, some of which have really good food for a fair price. Last but not least, attending events at Temple is always a good option too. You can not only enjoy the free foods that they usually have, but can also have a good time and learn something new, while meeting new people as well.
Also, don’t avoid traveling to different places when you’re in the U.S. To save money, my advice would be planning the trips in advance and taking your own snacks. For example, you could get a train ticket to Boston for around $80 if you book it in advance, while it could cost up to $300 in the last minute. On my last trip to New York, which was a one-day trip, I planned it 2 weeks in advance, took some snacks in my bag, and got to know the city spending less than $100 that day – with the bus tickets included.
With all that, the most important things still are to have fun and to make your experience the way you want it to be. At least for me, these tips and advice work well because they allow me to have fun and save money at the same time. I love walking around, searching and discovering different stores, trying different foods, attending events and trying new things.
The second advice I would give for future students is to browse prices in different stores and websites. This is something that we should do regularly in our lives, but while living abroad, it becomes even more essential. This applies to grocery stores, clothes and pharmacies. After browsing and comparing, I stopped thinking that Amazon was always the cheaper and best option. I started finding and buying cheaper clothes, and I even found a really good and expensive winter coat for sale – from $229 to $85! And you should take advantage of living in a large city like Philadelphia; here we have many different types of stores. In Center City you can find Primark, the one with cheapest clothes but with lower quality; Macy’s, the one with a huge number of options but usually not as cheap; Marshall’s and TJMaxx, where you usually can find similar clothes from Macy’s but with a better price; and, of course, some thrift shops spread throughout the city.
Another thing is: cooking at home is always the cheapest and healthier option. However, we are living abroad so it makes sense to eat and try different foods. For that, my advice would be to avoid the delivery option and always opt for eating in-person at the restaurant. It is way cheaper, and you can save a lot of money. For example, the meal that I always order at McDonalds costs around $8 usually, but for delivery, the same items cost around $14 – with all the taxes and tips included. Besides that, you can always have fun going to places and getting to know different parts of the city, so eating-in is always a plus. Also, you can always look at the food trucks on campus, some of which have really good food for a fair price. Last but not least, attending events at Temple is always a good option too. You can not only enjoy the free foods that they usually have, but can also have a good time and learn something new, while meeting new people as well.
Also, don’t avoid traveling to different places when you’re in the U.S. To save money, my advice would be planning the trips in advance and taking your own snacks. For example, you could get a train ticket to Boston for around $80 if you book it in advance, while it could cost up to $300 in the last minute. On my last trip to New York, which was a one-day trip, I planned it 2 weeks in advance, took some snacks in my bag, and got to know the city spending less than $100 that day – with the bus tickets included.
With all that, the most important things still are to have fun and to make your experience the way you want it to be. At least for me, these tips and advice work well because they allow me to have fun and save money at the same time. I love walking around, searching and discovering different stores, trying different foods, attending events and trying new things.