Before I came to Norway for my Dialogue, I was warned a lot by my family and friends about how expensive everything would be – from food to clothes to activities. Although I listened to these warnings, I still was not prepared to arrive in Norway and see the prices for myself. Two weeks into my trip, I wanted to share some of the strategies that I have used to enjoy my study abroad experience while also being mindful of my spending.
1. Listen to people who are mindful spenders
My mom has taught me a lot about money from what she learned while growing up in the Soviet Union. The instability and economic turmoil she experienced led to her quickly learning how to make the best use of her resources. Due to her experiences, she has instilled in me the value of being thrifty and saving money whenever possible. I have found it helpful to keep my mom’s voice at the back of my mind during this trip to help me determine whether or not my purchases were worth it. If you have a family member or friend that is keen on how they spend money, it may be useful to get their advice before you leave or to keep them in mind during your trip.
2. Take advantage of free breakfasts!
My Dialogue program involved visiting many cities and thus staying in several different hotels. Most of these hotels offer free breakfasts in the morning. I would advise that you pay careful attention to the hours that the hotel serves breakfast and make sure that you come down (even in your pajamas!) to take advantage of free food. This is especially true if you have a busy day of lectures and activities ahead of you because it’s sometimes difficult to make time to find food between activities. So, it’s a no-brainer to access the food located in the hotel lobby. Also, if you eat breakfast slightly later in the day, you can fill up enough to power you through much of the day.
3. Find local grocery stores
Local grocery stores have become one of my favorite spots to find food to eat. Many grocery stores have a pre-made meals section, and often the sandwiches, hot dogs, pizza, etc that you find there are already warm or can be heated up upon request. These meals are often much, much cheaper and quicker than going to a restaurant. Grocery store meals are also great after a long day of hiking or other activities when you’re not in the best state to go out for a nice dinner.
4. Balance your spending days
During my Dialogue program, several people have birthdays. So, I have planned my spending around the days I know I will probably spend more during their celebrations. This helps me not go too overboard with spending on a day when I know that the person with a birthday will likely want to go out for a nice dinner and perhaps continue the celebration after dinner (and alcoholic beverages in Norway can get extremely expensive). Some of my strategies are spending a bit less on other meals that day (see #3) or ordering a slightly cheaper dinner to offset the money I’ll spend going out later that night.
On a similar note, I usually try to save money on lunch to allow myself to spend a bit more on dinner. In Norway, burgers can cost $25, and even hot dogs can be $6+. So, going out to eat for both lunch and dinner can quickly drive up spending. I usually try to save money on lunch by going to the grocery store or filling up on breakfast so that I can spend a bit more on dinner.
5. Find people in your program with similar spending priorities
It can feel quite isolating if people around you constantly want to spend a lot of money while you want to be more cautious about spending. The good news is that for most study abroad programs, you will be with other college students that likely have similar financial situations as you. So, it can be helpful to locate people with similar budgets with whom you can eat meals and help each other avoid overspending. I am very happy that most people on my trip, particularly my closest friends, are on the same page about spending money. We help each other not splurge on meals and are happy to make grocery store runs together. It truly helps to have people keep you accountable for your spending while you’re abroad.
6. Look into doing free activities
My friends & I have done a lot of hiking while in Norway, which is completely free. Also, in some of the cities that we’re in, we’re given passes to visit the museums and take public transportation at reduced costs or free. So, I would advise you to take advantage of these passes and make the most of your ability to experience the country that you’re in for cheap/free.
7. Remember to enjoy your program!
Although it’s important to be mindful of spending money while studying abroad, don’t let it consume you so much that you don’t enjoy your time. It’s important to find a balance, and it may take you some time and some trial & error to figure out what strategies work for you. So, try your best to be smart about spending money, but you don’t need to be wracked with guilt if you occasionally splurge on food or get a cute souvenir to take home.
I intend to continue using my money-saving strategies for the rest of my trip while also enjoying the beautiful (but expensive!) country of Norway.
