Continuing with the series of recommendations on how to manage your budget wisely during your overseas experience, today I am sharing a few tips on how to save on food.
While food is a very important part of any culture which I personally believe should be broadly explored and enjoyed, you do not need to spend fortunes nor fall prey of touristy restaurants to get to learn about the local delicacies. Below are some of the strategies that I learnt from my students:
1. Eating out: always find out about specials, happy hours and fixed menus, which tend to be a better value for your money than ordering “à la carte”. Also, by registering with some of the group discount sites (i.e. Grupon, Pez Urbano, etc.) you may access really good deals for eating cheaply in some top restaurants.
2. Where and how to buy: although price differences between supermarkets often involve pennies, in the long run this adds up. Hence, one of the “acclimation” tasks you may want to do when you first arrive is visit a couple different supermarkets to determine which is the most convenient.
Most large supermarket chains have their own product lines, which tend to be cheaper than first brands but still have very good quality. They are definitely worth a try.
Buying in bulk is always cheaper than getting small quantities, so, it may not only be wallet-smart but also a fun activity to get together with a few of your friends and go to a bulk outlet (i.e. Costco, Makro, etc.)
Many cities have food markets (generally held on weekends or on special days of the week) which make not only an interesting outing but also a great place where to buy food more economically. A secret to getting even better deals is to there soon before closing time, as many merchants generally slash off their prices so as not to carry anything away with them when they leave. This practice also applies to many bakeries, which also reduce the price of their items a couple hours before closing.
Although supermarket coupons are not common in every country (and where they do, they should be taken advantage of!), weekly or daily promotions and discounts are frequent almost everywhere in the world. You can become aware of these offers either by subscribing to the store’s mailing list or by reading the company’s brochures or national/ local newspapers.
3. University cafeterias: in many countries the food offered at the university eateries are partly subsidized by the institution or the government. This often results in full meals that cost a fraction of what you would get elsewhere. Besides these advantageous prices, some universities also offer weekly or monthly food passes, which provide more savings than paying for your meals on a daily basis.
4. Street stalls: it is common knowledge that food sold in street stands is often quite economical and also very tasty. As a general rule, though, before buying anything from a street vendor consider its overall cleanliness and ensure that anything that you get there is either cooked (and served hot) or, if it is a fruit, that you can peel it before eating.
5. Eating at home: although many students are tempted to live on rice and pasta due to their low cost and easy preparation, it is important to maintain a balanced diet, as this has a direct impact on one’s general well-being. To achieve healthy and economic eating habits it may be fun to do weekly searches of “cheap and easy” meals that you can cook together with friends or roommates.
6. Other: most university campuses feature many weekly events, several of which serve free food. I have had students who have lived whole weeks on event food- all they needed to do was to know when and where to go!
