Experiences such as the ERASMUS+ one are funded. Nevertheless, money flies, especially when we are abroad.
Even though Lisboa is known to be a cheap city accommodation and fun can become quite expensive. This is why we want to give you tips to save your money and manage it healthily while you are here.
Set a monthly or a daily budget
This is the most obvious action we can do when we want to save money. However, setting a budget is an extremely hard task to accomplish.To set a monthly budget, you will need to consider several types of expenses starting with accommodation, courses and most importantly your leisure time as well as your guilty pleasures. It is important to set a limit of money on expenses concerning your nights out, for instance.
Having a budget will help you to have discipline and you can change the amounts depending on each month.
Set a monthly savings goal!
If saving money is extremely important to you one of the solutions is setting a saving goal.
There are two main options to set this goal: The first one is by setting an amount you are not using in any circumstances. This goes along with having a budget since if you are aware of the amount of money you want to dispense you will not use what is left; The other one is by opening an account in your bank where you send the money you would like to save. This way you make sure that you will not dispense your money without noticing it.
Buy second-hand stuff
When we move to a country, even if temporarily we have to buy certain items, especially kitchen-related or decorative ones.However, when you leave you are most likely not living with those. For this reason, buying second-hand stuff is a good option if not the best one.
In Portugal, you have several online websites where you can find second-hand products but in Lisboa, there is a second-hand market in Alfama, Feira da Ladra, where you can find second-hand items.
Become a wise chef and plan your shopping
Eating can be quite expensive, even when cooking. But thanks to the internet we can find amazing cheap and tasty recipes. There are a lot of applications we can have on our phones that are meant to help us to cook and you should make the best out of them.
Besides, if we plan our meals every week, we can shop for the exact number of items we need as well as for what we need.
Planning avoids food waste as well as spending caressingly.
Make a note of your expenses
During our ERASMUS experience, we tend to spend a lot and we tend not to know where our money goes. One day we have so much the other all of it is gone.
To avoid not knowing where you are using your money, we advise you to take note of where you spent it. It will help you make decisions on where to spend next or not. Having a list of priorities concerning your money is important because that is what will help you decide what you must have, buy or not.
Make trips with ESN Lisboa
When we chose a city to stay in for ERASMUS+ we are also thinking about the possibilities of travelling within the country. And Portugal is a beauty.
The Erasmus Student Network Lisboa will allow you to visit other Portuguese cities cheaper and with activities that would cost you a lot otherwise.
Use the discounts on your ESNcard
The ESNcard includes several discounts that will save you a lot of money. Starting with housing, then transportation and even leisure.
Check what is best for you and enjoy the perks of being part of the Erasmus Generation.
It is possible to save money while having fun, all you need is to follow some of these perks!
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