To be honest, I have a lot of anxiety about spending money. I fill up with dread every time I have to take my card out of my wallet to pay the 40 krone for a pastry at Emmerys. I’m very used to working while at school and not having a source of income you’re used to is hard. I also really enjoy working at school because it’s a great way to take a break from work. In Copenhagen, there’s no job opportunities at DIS that are an equivalent to work study in the United States. So while here, I’ve been carefully watching my spending so I can best maximize it! Here are some tips:
- Meal plan the week! If you really want to show your roommates you’re great at making brussells sprouts, then buy a pack of them from your local Netto or Føtex. Buy what you need though; if you buy a lot of something sporadically, there’s a good chance that it will go bad in your refrigerator. That’s a waste of money! Buy with intention.
- If you’re living in a community setting with a shared kitchen, make a community drawer and put the basics in there. This can be your flour, sugar, oatmeal, cookies, chips, ect. Why buy a million things of flour when everyone can use one and split the cost? A highly recommended app is Splitwise; it let’s you create different groups, input the amounts spent, change who will be using them, and shows the amounts owed. Honestly, it’s better to buy for the group because then you’ll get money back at the end when dues are paid.
- 7-11 is a great option for cheap snacks. It’s super nice in comparison to the United States and has genuinely good pastries.
- Don’t go to Emmerys, a rookie mistake. Yes it is super convenient, but it adds up so quickly with it being around $6 for a latte. Not worth it for the quick fix of caffeine in the morning. Instead, go to the studenterhuset. It’s the equivalent of a student union and it’s shared by some other universities in the area. You’ll be a member with your DIS student card so you’ll get discounted coffee. The proportions are on the smaller size, but still fantastic (they even have oat milk).
- Definitely eat out and do things! That’s been my biggest problem, feeling guilty for doing things. You’re studying abroad to experience things! Everything is new and yeah spending money sucks but I promise you it is worth it. Do some research before you go to a restaurant! The food itself is not expensive, it’s the act of someone making food for you that makes it expensive. You’re helping support someone that would usually be paid less than minimum wage.
m wage in the United States. Enjoy it all! I haven’t had a bad meal yet. - Flying Tiger is the cutest little chain of stores you’ll ever see. They have super cheap basics. I bought a laundry bag there and a few kitchen supplies. They also have super cheap, a large variety of bagged spices which is so nice. If your phone charger breaks, they got you. Looking for cups for beer pong? They have it prepackaged with the ping pong balls.
- Bring a lunch! If you’re going to spend money on a meal let it be dinner. Lunch around DIS is limited and can be kind of expensive. There are a few exceptions that have student discounts, but I promise you that you’re more than capable of making a sustainable lunch.
- If you’re wondering about travel, don’t worry! I’ll cover that in another post.
- Some museums have free days! Free learning is the best. Glyptoteket is free on Tuesdays and Thorvaldsens Museum is free on Wednesdays. Here is a link to other great stuff! Additionally, you’ll probably go to some cool sits through DIS field studies.
Spending money is not the worst thing in the world I promise. You’re here to experience a new place and it’s worth spending the money. Hope this helps!
My Danish Adventure 