Budgeting Your Time Away

Before going abroad, I was concerned about balancing spending with enjoyment. To keep myself on track, I decided what I wanted to prioritize.

For me, this meant cultural experiences like museum visits, plays, and musicals. I also knew I was physically constrained by the number of suitcases I could bring free of charge with my plane ticket— one carry-on and a checked bag—so I chose to prioritize experiences. 

After getting to London, I sat down and made a simple spreadsheet on Excel with Date, Vendor, Cost, Payment Form, Description, and Running Total (in both pounds and USD). Once I had the spreadsheet set up, I would fill out a new row every time I made a purchase. At the end of the week, I would look at how much I had spent and reflect on how I was doing. 

Knowing the experiences I wanted allowed me to find discounts. I used my UCL Student ID for discounts at Boots, a British drugstore chain, and signed up for the Pret subscription to get free coffee and tea. There are also great apps like StudentBeans and UniDAYS that offer discounts to students at major retailers and tourist attractions like the London Eye. 

Lastly, I made a conscious effort to walk more, which not only saved me money but also allowed me to fully immerse myself in the city. I set a daily goal of walking 10,000 steps and only filled up my metro card in £25 increments, which forced me to be more intentional with when I wanted to use public transportation.