Life Overseas - Saving 101
There's this saying by Warren Buffet, a dollar saved is a dollar earned.
I'm sure that foremost on many students heading overseas to study, be it in Europe, USA or Australia, are financial costs.
Life would be very much easier if your family has more than enough to tide you through your studies, throw in a car or two and allow you to live in a higher end apartment.
However, for some students, I'm sure things are a tad complicated where their family has just enough to cover the tuition fee and offer a decent, or slightly below comfortable standard of living.
So what do you do if you find yourself more often than not settling for playing PS3 at home instead of joining your mates living in the high society and catching the next Mraz concert? Here's a couple of tips to save you that dollar or two.
o Seek out some clubs and societies that offer free meals.
These normally come along the lines of 'overseas christian fellowship', 'campus ministry', 'asian students gathering'.
We all know the generosity of religious groups and the Chinese's love of food.
You just have to attend the gatherings, pretend you are so into whatever is being preached, and the food may just be mediocre.
o When gathering at a friend's place for dinner, offer to cook 1) any vegetable dish 2) any egg dish or 3) wash the dishes.
Both dishes are way cheaper than any kinds of meat, and like my friends always say when we eat out, if you've got no money to pay, you can always stay to wash the dishes.
o Depending on how you see it, the local casino could be your 'bank', or your worst nightmare.
The literal Chinese translation would mean 'no home to return to' when you've burned your rent money thinking you could get the next blackjack.
o What's the worst that could happen renting a cheap garage? Couple of cockroaches, spiders and creepy crawlies climbing onto your bed at night ain't so bad.
o What's the worst that could happen renting a living room? You just may find out why your your beloved XXXX beer in the refrigerator is disappearing overnight.
Or you could post on YouTube that video of your housemate in his/her habit of sleepwalking with their hair in a 'just-dropped an A-bomb' state.
o Seek out and be good friends with those who drive.
You get to save on transport costs, and get anywhere in half the time.
o Beware, these tips could make you lose half your number of friends in double the time.
I'm sure that foremost on many students heading overseas to study, be it in Europe, USA or Australia, are financial costs.
Life would be very much easier if your family has more than enough to tide you through your studies, throw in a car or two and allow you to live in a higher end apartment.
However, for some students, I'm sure things are a tad complicated where their family has just enough to cover the tuition fee and offer a decent, or slightly below comfortable standard of living.
So what do you do if you find yourself more often than not settling for playing PS3 at home instead of joining your mates living in the high society and catching the next Mraz concert? Here's a couple of tips to save you that dollar or two.
o Seek out some clubs and societies that offer free meals.
These normally come along the lines of 'overseas christian fellowship', 'campus ministry', 'asian students gathering'.
We all know the generosity of religious groups and the Chinese's love of food.
You just have to attend the gatherings, pretend you are so into whatever is being preached, and the food may just be mediocre.
o When gathering at a friend's place for dinner, offer to cook 1) any vegetable dish 2) any egg dish or 3) wash the dishes.
Both dishes are way cheaper than any kinds of meat, and like my friends always say when we eat out, if you've got no money to pay, you can always stay to wash the dishes.
o Depending on how you see it, the local casino could be your 'bank', or your worst nightmare.
The literal Chinese translation would mean 'no home to return to' when you've burned your rent money thinking you could get the next blackjack.
o What's the worst that could happen renting a cheap garage? Couple of cockroaches, spiders and creepy crawlies climbing onto your bed at night ain't so bad.
o What's the worst that could happen renting a living room? You just may find out why your your beloved XXXX beer in the refrigerator is disappearing overnight.
Or you could post on YouTube that video of your housemate in his/her habit of sleepwalking with their hair in a 'just-dropped an A-bomb' state.
o Seek out and be good friends with those who drive.
You get to save on transport costs, and get anywhere in half the time.
o Beware, these tips could make you lose half your number of friends in double the time.