If you're anything like me, you will go into your study abroad trip with a set budget and be determined to be diligent about your spending. But let's face it, keeping track of everything you buy can be a bit of a hassle and unrealistic. Instead, I try and save money in other ways. Here are a few tips on how to save your money abroad:
1. Buy Groceries
It's okay to go out and grab dinner in the city every now and then, but buying groceries is a huge way to save money. Eating out for every meal/most meals will cost you an unnecessary amount of money that you could use on better things like traveling. It's important to explore what your city has to offer, and food is included in that! So eating out every once in awhile isn't the worst thing in the world. However, I would suggest buying groceries for most meals of the week and trying to cook big enough meals that will last you more than one day. For me, I usually only have to cook 1-2 meals a week (depending on how long I'm in Maastricht) and then I have leftovers the next few days! This saves me time and money because I don't have to worry about cooking every night of the week. Group meals are also a great way to save money. If you and your friends want to get together and cook, you can split the cost and it will be really cheap for all of you!
2. Sky Scanner
This website has saved my life time and time again. It is a search engine that finds the cheapest flights to a particular place that you put in. You can also save flights on this website and it will notify you when the flight price changes. I recommend using this website for finding cheap flights in Europe!
3. Flix Bus
There is a misconception that taking the train is the cheapest way to get around Europe, but I completely disagree. Often times, taking a bus or even flying is way cheaper than taking the train. Although taking a bus is usually a lot longer, it saves you a lot of money. Flix Bus is a really cheap way to get around, and they offer you discounts after using their bus a few times! If the place you are traveling to is relatively close, I would use Flix Bus over the train.
4. Plan Ahead
Something I did before coming to Europe was write out a list out of the top places I wanted to visit. I then searched far in advance to see when the best times to travel to these places would be. It is extremely important to plan traveling in advance, because flights and ticket prices increase the closer you get to the date of traveling. By writing out which places you want to visit, you can prioritize which are most important to you, and spend more money on these places. Rather than travel every single weekend, I suggest picking your top few spots and only going there, so that you can have enough money to enjoy yourself while you are there. Being abroad isn't about traveling to the most countries possible, it is about making the most of the places you can visit!
5. Drinking
Being in Europe is exciting because the drinking age is 18 in almost every country. Don't let this excitement get the best of you though. Buying drinks can be extremely expensive, especially depending on the place you are traveling to. It's not always necessary to buy a drink with dinner, or go out to the bar every single night. Instead, I would be careful about how much money you are willing to waste on drinks. Look for happy hours so that you can find cheaper deals on cocktails. Personally, I would rather save my money for traveling than drinking, so be careful on how much you're willing to spend on a night out!
6. Day Passes
A lot of times, cities offer day passes on transportation cards that include metro, bus, train, and tram. Although you may be hesitant to buy a day pass for 15 euros, it is worth it. If you know you need to take public transportation multiple times throughout your trip, you will save so much money buying a day pass as opposed to buying individual tickets. And don't be afraid of public transportation either! It may seem easier to order an Uber sometimes, but it is a lot cheaper to take public transportation, and a lot easier than you might think! Better yet, if you travel to a city that is small enough to walk to your different points of interest, walk instead of taking public transportation. A 20 minute walk may seem like forever, but it is actually a great way of exploring the city and not as far as you may think!
7. Student Discounts
A lot of places offer student discounts on museum passes, tickets, or even on food. If you go to a museum, make sure to ask if they have a student discount rate. It also doesn't hurt to research restaurants that give student discounts. A lot of places may not advertise these discounts, but it does not mean they do not have them. Take advantage of being a student, and always ask! Don't forget to carry your student ID for proof!
I hope that these tips help you save money while abroad!