How to Save Money While Studying Abroad: Smart Tips for Students in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia & UAE what No one will tell you about it

 

How to Save Money While Studying Abroad: Smart Tips for Students in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia & UAE

Hey Guys 

lots of you might be studying abroad and thinking of how to save money and yes saving money while studying abroad can be overwhelmed and can be very difficult as when you come abroad you find out lots of new things to buy new things to eat new food new restaurant and you aim will be to try out everything in single day which is not possible at all and when talking about it here your money are wasted and destroyed completely . You might have heard from your friend that your friend had bought the money two weeks back from home yes from his father who is living abroad and sending him money to spend it on right thing , his father is sending him the money package to be spend in the entire month but unfortunately just in two weeks his monthly budget is finished have you asked him why ? the answer to this is because no one had told him how where and when to spend the money also how when and where to save the money >Astonishing yaa . No problem the same happened with me he still spend it in two or three weeks while i being honest finished all the monthly budget in just two weeks and had to take the money twice time a month from my father and yes it made him angry a lot that why i am wasting his money a lot everyone father send money once a month to be spend the entire month while i or my father sending me twice a month that s completely unfair solution 

So i started to ask myself where am i wasting my money and it came out that i was wasting 99 percent of money on food yes food which is very big mistake eating from outside everyday every time and buying snacks etc which give me 0 energy but 99 percent fat and laziness 

so finally i made a Research and here i am going to discuss with you how to save money 

so lets deep dive into it .

Studying abroad is a dream come true for many students. Whether you’re in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, or UAE (Dubai) — the opportunity to learn in a new country is exciting. But there’s one common challenge: money.

From high tuition fees to rent and daily expenses, life as an international student can get expensive quickly. But don’t worry — you can still live well and save money if you’re smart.

This blog will show you practical, simple, and surprising tips to help you save money while studying abroad — without sacrificing your happiness or health.

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🎓 Why Saving Money as a Student Matters

• Your parents may be paying in foreign currency (which is expensive)

• You may have limited part-time work hours (especially in the UK, Canada, Australia)

• You need emergency savings for visa renewals, health issues, or travel

• You'll feel less stressed when you're financially stable

🌟 Remember: Saving even $50–$100/month adds up over time. It gives you freedom and peace.

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💡 1. Choose Budget-Friendly Accommodation

UK/Canada/USA/Australia:

• Avoid luxury student apartments.

• Look for shared houses or student dorms with kitchen access.

• Use websites like SpareRoom, Kijiji, Craigslist, or Facebook Marketplace.

• Live near your university to save on transport.

Dubai/UAE:

• Avoid downtown or marina areas.

• Look for bed spaces or shared apartments in Deira, Bur Dubai, Al Nahda.

• Ask Pakistani/Indian student communities for help.

✅ Tip: Living with others may feel uncomfortable at first — but it's the biggest way to save money abroad.

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🍽️ 2. Cook at Home – Don’t Rely on Restaurants

Buying outside food every day is one of the fastest ways to go broke.

Simple food-saving tips:

• Learn 5–6 easy recipes (rice, lentils, pasta, omelet, wraps)

• Buy ingredients in bulk from discount supermarkets (ALDI, Tesco, Walmart, Carrefour)

• Carry your own snacks, tea, or lunch to campus

🍜 UK: Tesco Meal Deal is cheap, but homemade lunch is even cheaper
🍛 UAE: Pakistani restaurants are affordable, but daily meals still cost more than cooking

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🚇 3. Use Student Discounts for Travel

Public transport can drain your money. But most countries offer student travel cards:

UK:

• 16–25 Railcard for train discounts

• Oyster Student Card in London (30% off)

USA:

• Check university bus passes

• Use student MetroCards if available

Canada:

• Student monthly transit passes in Toronto, Vancouver, etc.

Australia:

• Concession cards for students in NSW, VIC, etc.

Dubai:

• NOL student card gives 50% off on metro, bus

✅ Tip: Walk or cycle if your university is close. Many students save $50–$150/month this way.

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🏬 4. Don’t Shop Brand New

You don’t need new clothes, furniture, or textbooks.

Save by:

• Visiting thrift shops and second-hand stores

• Joining university Facebook groups for free stuff

• Buying used books or using the library

• Renting or sharing electronics (printers, kitchen items)

💸 A $200 winter jacket can often be bought second-hand for $40.

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💻 5. Use Free Software & Student Tools

Many universities offer free software licenses like:

• Microsoft Office

• Adobe Creative Cloud

• AutoCAD

• VPNs or antivirus tools

Also use:

• Google Docs, Notion, Trello (free productivity tools)

• Canva Free for assignments and presentations

✅ Avoid paid subscriptions unless absolutely needed.

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👕 6. Control Your Lifestyle Habits

Living in a foreign country may tempt you to:

• Eat out a lot

• Go clubbing or parties

• Shop for branded clothes

• Upgrade your phone or gadgets

But remember: You're a student, not a tourist.

Try this instead:

• Hang out in parks, university events, free museums

• Invite friends over for game nights or group cooking

• Challenge yourself to go one month without buying anything unnecessary

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💼 7. Do Part-Time Jobs (Legally)

Many countries allow students to work part-time:

UK:

• 20 hours/week during term

• Minimum wage: £10–11/hour

USA:

• On-campus jobs only (unless with CPT/OPT)

Canada:

• 20 hours/week during term (off-campus allowed)

• 40 hours/week in summer

Australia:

• 48 hours per fortnight

• High wages: AUD $20+/hour

UAE/Dubai:

• Limited student jobs, mostly internships or freelance gigs

💡 Try tutoring, delivery, supermarket cashier, babysitting, or even online freelancing.

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🌐 8. Freelance Online from Anywhere

If you have graphic design, video editing, writing, or digital skills — use them online.

Best platforms:

• Fiverr

• Upwork

• Freelancer.com

• Toptal

• PeoplePerHour

🧠 Even if you earn $200–$500/month — that’s enough to cover your rent or food in many cities.

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📦 9. Send Money Carefully (If Supporting Family)

If you’re sending money back home (Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, etc.), use cheap remittance services like:

• Wise.com

• Remitly

• Western Union promotions

Compare exchange rates and fees before sending.

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📱 10. Don’t Overspend on Mobile Plans or Wi-Fi

In many countries, mobile data and Wi-Fi are very expensive.

Save by:

• Using student bundles (Giffgaff UK, LycaMobile UAE, Public Mobile Canada)

• Turning off auto-renewal on apps

• Connecting to free campus Wi-Fi

✅ Use WhatsApp, Telegram, and Google Meet for communication instead of regular calls.

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🛒 11. Watch for Discounts and Cashback Offers

Download local apps that offer:

• Student discounts (UNiDAYS, Student Beans)

• Cashback (Rakuten, Honey, Cheddar)

• Coupons (RetailMeNot, Groupon)

Also follow your city’s student forums and Reddit pages for weekly deals.

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💰 Bonus Tip: Track Your Expenses

Use free apps like:

• Money Lover

• Spendee

• YNAB (You Need a Budget)

Write down everything you spend for 30 days — and you’ll be shocked how much you could save just by watching your spending habits.

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✅ Quick Summary Checklist

Tip	Action
🏡 Accommodation	Share rooms, avoid luxury
🍲 Food	Cook at home, bulk grocery
🚍 Travel	Use student discounts, walk
👚 Shopping	Thrift or buy used
💻 Software	Use free tools
🎉 Lifestyle	Avoid parties, control spending
💼 Jobs	Work part-time or freelance
📦 Sending Money	Use cheapest remittance
📱 Phone/Wi-Fi	Use bundles and free Wi-Fi
🛍️ Discounts	Use student apps and coupons
📊 Budgeting	Track your money daily

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✨ Final Words

Studying abroad is a life-changing experience — but it can quickly turn into stress if you don’t manage your money well.

Saving money doesn’t mean living poor — it means being smart. It means choosing long-term success over short-term comfort.

Whether you’re in London, New York, Toronto, Sydney, or Dubai — follow these tips, stay disciplined, and you’ll graduate not only with a degree but with peace of mind.

🎯 Save more. Stress less. Study better.

I have one more thing to say and that is 

             DON T AND NEVER ACCEPT YOUR FRIEND IF HE SAY LETS GO PARTYING OR EATING FROM OUT SIDE PLEASE DON T 

This is something which will destroy your money completely and this is also the biggest ever mistake due to which i lost my fathers money and let me tell you one thing you are not earning anything right now you can go partying or eating outside daily if you are earning money yourself if not then stop it you don t even know how hard your parents are struggling . let me tell you if you came to know how hard they are struggling i swear  and again swear that you wont stop crying yes you wont stop crying and wont even stop asking forgiveness from your parents so please don t listen to your friend your friend does not know what your parents are doing neither you so why listen to friends then ?????

I hope you might have got what i wanted to say and i hope that from now and onwards you will take care of your money in proper way and will not waste it at all and Thanks a lot for reading out this article Don t forget to share it with your friends and family may be they are also struggling to do something with money 

if you want to know how poor broked person became millionaire just by selling old books you can read out 

https://www.mindsetmasteries.org/2025/07/how-man-sold-old-books-and-became.html

if you want to know how to start bsiness with no money at all then you can read out 

https://www.mindsetmasteries.org/2025/07/how-to-start-business-with-no-money-at.html

if you want to learn five high income skills to earn in dollars then you can read out 

https://www.mindsetmasteries.org/2025/07/5-high-income-skills-to-learn-and-earn.html

Thanks a lot and i will caught you in another posts till then take a god good care of yourself and yes 

bye bye 

Your Well Wisher

Saad UR Rehman Head and founder of page mindset masteries