Deciding the Budget for Accommodation

Studying abroad can be a wonderful experience but one should keep in mind certain principles to take the worry and stress out of studying abroad. It is advisable to spend wisely to save money. Where you decide to reside and the way you live is an integral as well as a decisive factor on the amount of money that you will require while studying abroad. While deciding the budget for your accommodation, you will need to keep other costs like food, clothes, insurance, conveyance and transport as well as some money set aside for your leisure and social life. Budgeting is not just finding out the amount of money that you will require for accommodation and food and rent but it is a method of managing your finances and making a mental note on how much you can afford to spend on essential things and things that you enjoy.  Money is often a major factor contributing to stress among international students since studying abroad is expensive.

Thus one should resist temptations, curtail costs and not buy everything that one may like. It is advisable to live like the locals, cook local food and save money. Eat healthy food within a budget. You can use the money you save to explore the city you live thereby learning about new cultures and having an enriching experience. Use public transport to save on conveyance costs. Keep additional expenses like mobile phone plans in mind and switch to a local SIM once you arrive. It is better to plan ahead and be well- prepared.

The cost of rent can vary depending on the type of accommodation that you want to where the accommodation is located, i.e. in the metropolitan cities or the suburbs. Private accommodation is the most expensive option while staying in homestays can be very affordable. Securing a place of accommodation usually entails one to bear additional costs like deposits and administration fee or booking fees, so bear that in mind.

The following factors are to be kept in mind while deciding the budget for your accommodation:

1. Tuition Fees, Books and other School Supplies: Tuition fees can be very expensive so check to see how much of it is covered by your scholarship. You would also require funds to purchase books and other essentially school supplies. So set aside adequate amount to take care of these important expenses.
2. Food: It is advisable to live like the locals, cook local food and save money. Eat healthy food within a budget. Eat healthy food, take care of yourself and ensure that you have a health insurance as medical bills can be costly. Pack your lunch to college thereby curtailing costs.
3. Utilities: If you intend to stay at University Halls of residence, major utilities like gas, water and electricity are more often than not included in your rent, but in case you choose stay in Private Accommodation, you may have to pay for these utilities, so it is advisable to check with the landlord before moving in and plan accordingly and set aside some money to pay for your utility bills, in addition to paying your rent. Keep a check of your expenditure, budget your finances and spend your money wisely, while also ensuring to save for the future and for any untoward expenses.
4. Mobile Phone costs: Keep additional expenses like mobile phone plans in mind and switch to a local SIM once you arrive. Choose a mobile phone plan according to your needs, switch to a local SIM card to cut down on roaming and calling costs, in additional to data roaming costs.
5. Travel: Immerse yourself in the local culture and the local life (food, places to visit, activities etc.) and have an enriching experience. Make lots of friends and ensure that you have a wonderful time. Get to know your classmates, flat mates and other students on campus. You could join the student association in your school or join the various clubs and groups in your school as per your interests. Go for trips and excursions and participate campus activities. Go out with friends and enjoy yourself always and always remember to stay calm and relax. Explore the city you are in and the neighbouring places and have the time of your life.
6. Health Insurance: Ensure that you have a health insurance as medical bills can be costly. In most universities, students are required to have health insurance
7. Transportation Costs: You can cut down on your conveyance costs by availing public transport, like buses, subways etc. instead of travelling on app based cars goes a long way in saving money. You can even cycle as it is a great way to stay fit, is good for the environment and will go a long way in saving money. Use your student travel cards to cut down on expenses.

It is advisable to stay on a budget and curtail your expenses. This will ensure that you have adequate money to buy essentials goods, pay rent for accommodation, bills, conveyance, groceries as well as set aside some extra money for travel and hanging out with friends. Once you have calculated your daily expenses, think of ways of curtailing costs. You may look for supermarket specials and student discounts, bring your lunch from home or think of various ways to make some extra money, like getting a part-time job. You should spend wisely and learn to live on a budget. You can save money by working as your student visa permits you to work for 20 hours a week, you should also open a bank account in order to avoid bank fees, choose a mobile phone plan according to your needs, switch to a local SIM cad to cut down on roaming and calling costs, use your student card to avail discounts on transport, restaurants, cafes, gyms, museum tickets etc. Living like a local and cooking your own meals and availing public transport, like buses, subways etc. instead of travelling on app based cars.