Saving Money, Gaining Experience

While studying abroad one thing that you will discover very quickly is how fast your money goes. Yes the American dollar is weaker than most other currencies, but while abroad you just can't help but spend a little more. One great way to find a way to cut back on spending is with food. C'mon do you really need to try a Big Mac in every city you go to. In my experience I found that the way to get the most bang for your buck is save the going out to eat on dinners with friends where you can actually try the authentic food of where you are. For the meals that come in between those, a simple trip the the grocery store works wonders. (And not just with fixing your appetite.) Being Europe I was able to take full advantage of the low priced stores Aldi and Lidl when shopping for food. There style is very similar to any grocery store you're used to, but compared a little more closely to the Cosco or SamsClub style. Buying food this way will greatly cut back the expense that food brings to studying abroad, and will ensure that your fridge is always stocked so you never have to go starved. The other way that buying food from a grocery store can benefit you is in the long run. If you can manage to go into a food store and figure out what you need without being able to read the labels, you will have one more life skill that who knows when it may be needed, but when it is... You'll love yourself for being able to do so. Many things are identifiable such as beef or chicken (you'll hope) but sometimes thins in cartons or containers are difficult to fully understand. That is why it is nice to have a little bit of experience with words such as juice or milk before going in. Getting rid of the hunger, saving money, and gaining cultural experience... a one stop shop for all three at the local grocery store!
-Dan