Studying abroad can be quite difficult for some students. We know, living and studying in another country is exciting. However, that doesn’t mean that a lot of different students don’t feel the nostalgia for their native country and culture. Not only that, the financial problems can be quite big, especially if you don’t play your cards right.
It can be quite problematic to navigate through these problems if you are living in a country where' the standard is much higher than in your own, right? For example, let’s take a look at London, one of the cosmopolitan cities in the world. If you go through some official reports and studies, you will see that people from all over the globe live here. A high number of them are in the city solely for studying.
As you can presume, it is quite expensive to live in this city. Therefore, students need to develop some of the strategies they need to keep their finances in the best possible shape. Therefore, we would like to talk about some of the secrets of budget living students in London are using to make their life as easy as it can be. Without further ado, let’s take a look at some of these strategies.
1. Come Up with a Budget
Before you are ready to move to London, you will certainly need to come up with a budget. Only by doing that, you will establish the financial construction that will enhance your chances of having the best possible experience. Naturally, you will need to research the costs in this city. As you can presume, finding this kind of information will not be as hard as you may think. There are a lot of sources where' you can find these.
Even better, if you have someone who has the experience of living in this city, you will have first-hand information. Collect all of this data, add the price of the apartment or the room, and you will have an idea about how much money you will need every month. We are talking about a plan that can be described as a budget. Therefore, be sure to take all of the vital factors into consideration and you will have the crucial thing that will help you to overcome all financial obstacles.
2. Sub-Renting the Room
Every year, when you are about to go to your native country or the city in England where' you are from, you can cut some costs by sub-renting the room. Of course, there’s nothing illegal about it. You can rent the room out while you are on the summer break or any other kind of holiday. If you know that London is a city that has more than 10 million people living in it, you will surely be able to find someone who can rent the room while you are out.
That way, the room or apartment will be ready for you when you are back in the city. Not only that this is important for your finances, but the room will also be in mint condition when you need it after you get back. Certainly, you will need to move some of your things from that room or apartment. The most secure way to do this is to rent cheap storage.
3. Have a Roommate
Living on your own after almost two decades of living with a family can be quite strange for some students. Not only that, we can see that this kind of life is much more expensive than living with someone. Therefore, one of the ways you can use to cut the costs a little bit is to have a roommate. Sure, this is not something you should rush. Before you are ready to live with someone, you need to know that person.
So, meeting that person and knowing the most important things is an absolute must. Of course, if you don’t have the chance to do that, there are some alter-native ways to do it. We don’t say that this is going to be easy. Though, you need to invest your best efforts to know that person. You will see the difference between- living on your own and having a roommate quickly. When we say that, we don’t mean only financially, we are also talking about the social component.
4. Prepare Your Food
Chances are that the apartment or dorm you live in will have its kitchen. If that’s the case, you need to make the most out of it. When we say that, we mean it literally. Instead of ordering food every day, you should prepare your food. As you can presume, this is a much cheaper way. Just think about that, ordering prepared food every day will surely accumulate large costs at the end of the month. To save that money, buy your own groceries and prepare the dishes you love to eat.
Not only that you will be able to cut some costs, but you will also be able to spend that money on other things. Imagine that you will have the chance to spend that money on visiting museums, concerts, galleries, and many other places. Certainly, there are a lot of things you can see in a city like London. So, be patient, save your money by preparing your food, and you will have sufficient money to finance these things. If you have a roommate, the situation gets even better, right?
To Conclude
We can all agree that being a student is not a walk in the park. For instance, you need to study hard, and you need to think about your finances. If you are not careful, you can get into some problematic situations. Here, you can take a look at some advices you can use to make your stay in London as good as it can be. We are certain you will find them useful.