Here is all you need to know about calculating your expenses and creating a budget while studying in the USA as an international student. Read the tips to understand how to save money as a student without compromising the quality of life in the US.
It’s not a secret that living and studying in the US prepares students to work in an increasingly interconnected world.
This is probably one of the main reasons why they choose this destination for an education. For many people, travelling to this beautiful country in North America becomes a very transformative experience.
But, of course, it brings a lot of challenges. Those are mainly the lack of free time and financial difficulties as the US is quite an expensive country.
This article will help you understand how to overcome those challenges, achieve your academic goals, and save money.
How Not to Lose a Balance?
If you are an international student who decided to study in the US, you might experience a lot of stress.
It’s really difficult to combine so many things such as: living in a foreign country, dealing with tons of homework and taking care of your finances.
From time to time you may feel too overwhelmed. But you can always relieve your academic burden with the help of Edubirdie.
This online help service with top writers meets various requests and you can send them the following message:
May I ask professionals to write my essay online due to the upcoming deadline? As a student, you will get any type of assistance you need to succeed.
Online support has become one of the most defining factors of success for international students, so why not use it? This will help you achieve a much-needed balance in your academic life.
How to Save Money in the US
It’s not easy to manage finances, especially if you’re an international student.
You must have a lot of expenses which include living, tuition and leisure time. But sooner or later you will have to learn how to save money as it’s an essential life skill. Below you can find a comprehensive guide on this.
Create a Budget
First of all, create a budget as it helps you be more aware of your spending and avoid unnecessary expenses.
To do that, list your income that must include scholarships, part-time job earnings, and any financial support from family.
If you have other sources, add them to your list too. Then you should get across your expenses.
Two main categories must be essentials and non-essentials. Next, you can allocate specific amounts for tuition, rent, groceries as well as entertainment and dining out.
To make it even easier, you can use budgeting tools. Many students say that apps like Mint or You Need a Budget (YNAB) help them manage their finances efficiently.
Find Affordable Housing
This thing is really hard to do but you should try to find affordable housing. In fact, accommodation is one of the largest expenses.
So if you find an affordable option, you will significantly reduce your financial burden.
As an example you can use on campus housing as it’s often cheaper than off-campus options and includes utilities. Also, you can share an apartment with roommates to split the cost.
This is one of the most common solutions among international students. However, some young people also live with a host family for a cultural experience and potentially lower costs. Maybe this opportunity will be the best for you.
Use Student Discounts
Luckily, many businesses support international students. They offer discounts, which can help young people save on various expenses. But how can you find those?
You should get an International Student Identity Card (ISIC) to see offers for travel, shopping, and more.
Plus, you can utilize on-campus facilities like gyms, libraries, and entertainment centers. They are usually cheaper than normal ones.
Besides, you can get local discounts. Just show your student ID at local stores, restaurants, theaters and international student insurance companies
Be Smart About Textbooks
Study materials can be extremely expensive. If you don’t want to spend too much money on those, find alternatives.
For example, buy used textbooks from former students or online marketplaces.
What’s more, you can even rent textbooks from services like Chegg or Amazon.
By the way, digital versions of study materials are often cheaper than print versions, so why not purchase or rent e-books? You will see that costs stop adding up and you manage to save a lot of money.
Plus, you can use the university library to borrow textbooks.
For sure, it’s not that easy for international students to study in the USA.
It’s an expensive country with lots of academic demands. But if you are brave and ambitious enough to get an education in the United States, you should follow the strategies given above.
It will help you save some money and find a balance between your academic and personal lives.
Award-winning Analyst, multi-nominated digital content creator and photographer Lavina Dsouza's words capture stories about culture and tradition mainly through its food and people. She has written and contributed to publications such as The Washington Post, Lonely Planet and Matador Network, to name a few. She is the editor of UntraditionalHumans.com, a non-profit created to share inspiring stories from women of colour who break free from traditions and choose happiness.
She's also a speaker passionate about DEI and champions solo travel. She has collaborated with numerous renowned brands such as Intrepid Travel, TripAdvisor, Travel and Leisure and Adobe, to name a few.
She can be found on Twitter and Instagram.
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