According to a comprehensive report by Visas Consulting Group: In the United States, most public universities do not offer scholarships to international students, which means that all tuition, food, clothing, and living expenses for four years must be covered by parents. Most international students come from "middle-class" families, and some are even just moderately well-off. With parents sacrificing everything to send their children to school and budgets being limited, there are two paths for students to save money: "increasing income" and "reducing expenditure."
Let's talk about the first one, "increasing income," the most common of which is working part-time. Of course, there are many types of part-time jobs:
First, working in school cafeterias and cafes. The pay ranges from $7 to $9 per hour, but it is often thankless work. You only earn the federal minimum wage per hour, so most people prefer the second and third options for earning money.
Cafeterias always have a lot of hard labor to do. Sometimes you have to wear thick gloves to carry hot, heavy trays loaded with over a hundred chicken legs, with the constant risk of being burned. More often, you have to stand behind the counter for half a day, repeatedly performing packing tasks like "one leg, one wing," "one breast, one leg," or "one box of fries, one wing." It is even worse when you encounter picky customers: "Give me some mashed potatoes without gravy, two grilled legs that aren't too charred, and make sure they are big—the ones you gave me last time were too small! ... Remember, the chicken wings should be big too!"
Second, working at off-campus restaurants. For Chinese students, the most common choice is naturally Chinese restaurants, as it is easy to memorize the menu and easier to get along with the boss.
Working off-campus also has its characteristics: if you are a kind, pleasant-looking, smooth-talking person who works efficiently, the tips you receive per hour can be quite substantial. During peak lunch and dinner hours, you can even earn up to $20 per hour, plus the $4-5 base hourly wage provided by the restaurant, which is much more enjoyable than a fixed salary.
If the first two options don't suit you, there is only the third path: private business, which is the most lucrative. Students who plan to buy a car and drive around in the U.S. can try carpooling (a ride-sharing service. Usually, for a 1.5-hour drive, the driver can earn about $25-30 from each passenger, which not only covers the gas money but also leaves a little extra for pocket money). American universities generally have 30,000 to 50,000 students, so it is not difficult to find people going to the same place at the same time.
Besides carpooling, other private jobs include professional organizing, tutoring (yes, some courses in American universities are very difficult, especially mathematics, which is like a foreign language to many Americans; many smart Chinese students with good English skills have found work as math tutors for Americans), helping people move, babysitting, and hourly cleaning, etc.
Of course, while working part-time can earn you some money, it also increases physical fatigue and reduces study time. Many international students do it with the mindset of "giving it a try" or "gaining some American social experience," and after about a semester, they focus on their studies.
In addition to "increasing income," "reducing expenditure" is also a good way for international students in the U.S. to help their parents reduce financial pressure. The principle of "reducing expenditure" is based on an old Chinese saying: "Think thrice before you act."
Now that I have a deep understanding of saving money, looking back at myself, from the first grade of elementary school when I started managing my own pocket money to now, I have truly bought many things without "thinking thrice." From stickers in elementary school to colorful notebooks and pens in high school, I spent a lot of money in vain. Once abroad, looking at the price tag and multiplying it by six, I instantly felt that everything was incredibly expensive, and I had to start living a frugal life.
First, don't get dizzy when you enter the supermarket and put everything into your cart! In China, our family had a habit of making a list before going to the supermarket, which avoids buying a bunch of things you shouldn't have and forgetting the necessities.
Now, I keep my weekly food budget at around $80. I go to the supermarket on Saturday noon, spending $40-45, then go to an Asian supermarket, spending $10-15, and keep $20 for the occasional meal out with classmates. Sometimes I take the opportunity to secretly learn a few delicious dishes and buy the ingredients to cook at home, otherwise, I really can't afford to go to a Chinese restaurant where a stir-fried vegetable dish costs $8.
Second, besides tuition, a major expense for international students in the U.S. is accommodation. The first year, I was forced by the school to live in a dormitory, but the second year I could move to an apartment, which costs about $10,000 a year. A cheaper apartment only costs $4,000, and the remaining $6,000 is enough for several trips back home.
Apartments slightly further from school have a bit of a vintage feel; they are not only cheaper but also quiet, the buses are not crowded, the school often sends people to exterminate pests, and more importantly, they use cheap floor tiles instead of carpets (American apartments basically don't have the option of hardwood floors)—just imagine, if I spill a cup of juice on the floor tiles, I just need to wipe it clean myself, but if it spills on the carpet, I would have to pay the school hundreds of dollars.
Third, learn to cook for yourself.
If you don't want to gain weight rapidly and spend more than $40 a day on food, then cook for yourself. As mentioned earlier, the money spent on food each week is about $80, which is based on cooking all three meals yourself. Although the school cafeteria is an option, most of the food is repetitive and greasy. If you eat it for a long time, even if you are as thin as a needle, you will eventually become as thick as an iron pestle.
Fourth, don't be a party animal.
Although partying is a manifestation of American culture, frequently going to parties is extremely wasteful of time and money, and it shortens your life. Appropriate social activities are definitely a good thing, but after playing happily with friends for a weekend, you will find that the entertainment for those few days has cost you the money you saved by tightening your belt for a week.
Fifth, encourage bookkeeping.
In fact, although bookkeeping is traditional, it is a good way to answer the question, "Where did my money actually go?" Recording every daily expense in a notebook, even if it's just buying a cup of coffee, will help you develop the habit of not making blind purchases. Averaging your monthly expenses helps you develop good self-control.
Saving money is not a bad thing, and doing so can save a lot of expenses; it is possible to save an average of about $8,000 per year. Don't be a "moonlight clan" (someone who spends all their monthly income), and don't regret your purchases after you've made them.
Visas Consulting Group Editor
