nadirah
September 10th, 2011, 11:10 AM
Found this in a different section, too...might be interesting for some of you.
Most of us would agree that the cost of studying in overseas is very high.
I have found a few ways to save a few amount of money (even though what I save is small in relative terms to what I paid for tuition).
What I did those last 4 years:
1.I avoided to buy too many phone credits and used the internet to communicate with my friends and family overseas. I used to spend $$ buying $49 credit 6-7 times a month; today, I can spend 3 months buying just one 49$. Just last year, by cutting down on communications, I saved ard $2500-3000.
Avoid buying credits as much as you can as even if he price seems low, when u add them add, u get a pretty good figure at the end!!
2.With those electricity consuming bulbs they (intentionally) installed in my bathrrom, I found the idea to use a solar lamp (IKEA) when showering..well, my bill decreased by 30 bucks (it`s nothing to some but 30 bucks IS 30 bucks...no?)
3.I never use gas to cook...it is too expensive
4.I stopped smoking cigarettes. With one pack costing more than $10, and with the excises taxes being a big part of them, I decided to stop smoking and since then, saved around $4,500 and $5,500. This is not nothing...in my guess.
5.socialise, but don`t oversocialize as socilzing in sydney is also expensive (drink cost ard 6-9 dollars and when u socialize, u need to show pople that u can afford, right? so it is not unusual here in Aus to spend 30-50 bucks in one night!!) Do the maths if you go out 2-3 times a year like me.
6. make sure u don`t fail subjects cos failing one means u repay ard 3,000 bucks. Unfortunately, these are those students who have to work hard who are the most likely to fail due to fatigue, lack of time and stress (and yes, they still have no priority later when competing for jobs with locals).
7. buy alcohol if u want, but don`t buy too much... as everything u earn will straight away come back to where it came from..u know what I mean. what I do, I buy a bottle of french cognac, and a few good red wines; they last me for almost a year.
8. never buy clothes here, they are mostly of lower quality and much more expensive.
9 otherwise, buy things in bulk, buy good deals, and yeah, before u come, bring everything u may need (buy things like jackets, suits, expensive shoes, electronics OVERSEAS!!!!)
10. A bit unwise, but once here, USE the facilities as much as you can because you have paid for them!!! (i.e: Use the lab facility, borrow books at libraries, use hot water when washing your hands, use lifts when taking trains, too).
11. avoid to have too many visa extensions as each time u renew, it costs u around $1,000 for each extension ($540 for visa + expensive medicals + cousi-cousi insurance price).
(If u go to the US, u pay ard $100 once and that's it...in europe, you don`t pay as much either)
12. As most int students are NOT eligible for fare concessions, try to limit your trips as much as u can.
13. your turn now, your ideas are welcome
Most of us would agree that the cost of studying in overseas is very high.
I have found a few ways to save a few amount of money (even though what I save is small in relative terms to what I paid for tuition).
What I did those last 4 years:
1.I avoided to buy too many phone credits and used the internet to communicate with my friends and family overseas. I used to spend $$ buying $49 credit 6-7 times a month; today, I can spend 3 months buying just one 49$. Just last year, by cutting down on communications, I saved ard $2500-3000.
Avoid buying credits as much as you can as even if he price seems low, when u add them add, u get a pretty good figure at the end!!
2.With those electricity consuming bulbs they (intentionally) installed in my bathrrom, I found the idea to use a solar lamp (IKEA) when showering..well, my bill decreased by 30 bucks (it`s nothing to some but 30 bucks IS 30 bucks...no?)
3.I never use gas to cook...it is too expensive
4.I stopped smoking cigarettes. With one pack costing more than $10, and with the excises taxes being a big part of them, I decided to stop smoking and since then, saved around $4,500 and $5,500. This is not nothing...in my guess.
5.socialise, but don`t oversocialize as socilzing in sydney is also expensive (drink cost ard 6-9 dollars and when u socialize, u need to show pople that u can afford, right? so it is not unusual here in Aus to spend 30-50 bucks in one night!!) Do the maths if you go out 2-3 times a year like me.
6. make sure u don`t fail subjects cos failing one means u repay ard 3,000 bucks. Unfortunately, these are those students who have to work hard who are the most likely to fail due to fatigue, lack of time and stress (and yes, they still have no priority later when competing for jobs with locals).
7. buy alcohol if u want, but don`t buy too much... as everything u earn will straight away come back to where it came from..u know what I mean. what I do, I buy a bottle of french cognac, and a few good red wines; they last me for almost a year.
8. never buy clothes here, they are mostly of lower quality and much more expensive.
9 otherwise, buy things in bulk, buy good deals, and yeah, before u come, bring everything u may need (buy things like jackets, suits, expensive shoes, electronics OVERSEAS!!!!)
10. A bit unwise, but once here, USE the facilities as much as you can because you have paid for them!!! (i.e: Use the lab facility, borrow books at libraries, use hot water when washing your hands, use lifts when taking trains, too).
11. avoid to have too many visa extensions as each time u renew, it costs u around $1,000 for each extension ($540 for visa + expensive medicals + cousi-cousi insurance price).
(If u go to the US, u pay ard $100 once and that's it...in europe, you don`t pay as much either)
12. As most int students are NOT eligible for fare concessions, try to limit your trips as much as u can.
13. your turn now, your ideas are welcome