Hello,
So I have been buried in homework and other non-social activities so I decided to write about something useful. Money.
I looked all over the internet for some sort of budget before I left the states I came across nothing. That is when I promised myself that I would write an amazing budget plan. Let's do this.
1. How much should you save for a semester abroad?
This is obviously hard to plan for since everyone is different. I personally recommend $1,000 per month (including rent).
-Groceries are approximately 25-45 euros per week. This varies on how much pasta you are willing to eat and how much meat you are willing to sacrifice.
Rent and groceries are the only fixed expenses you have.
-Traveling is extremely hard to say so this leads me to me next step.
2. Traveling costs
If you plan on traveling, you should plan on $1,500 - $2,000 per month. Once you take out fixed expenses, that's how much you have for travel. Don't spend more than you have and you'll be okay.
***I HIGHLY RECOMMEND AN EMERGENCY FUND OF $1,000
Honestly, that's all there is to it. To live comfortably and not pinch every penny, I recommend $6,000 - $7,000 for the semester.
If you are planning to study in France, bring school supplies. It is extremely hard to find them here and they use graph paper. I finally found some normal US lined paper in Italy.
Good Luck!
Hillary