Start Planning Now: Budgeting

In my belief, having a successful budget doesn’t mean that you are a super saver; it means you are capable of living comfortably with the funds that you have. The key to budgeting is having good spending habits. As a student living on their own in a separate country, I want you to realize that you are completely responsible for yourself. There will be nobody around to call you up and say “Hey! Don’t waste your money!” so my recommendation is, start learning to support your lifestyle on your own now. Your first steps to make sure you won’t be high and dry halfway through the semester should consist of a few things:

1. Plan the places you want to visit. Everybody does the last minute trip to London, but trips that take you off of the island should be thought out before you leave. Look into travel options and find the cheapest way you can get there and then look into housing and accommodations. Don’t worry about food yet. Having a rough estimate of travel and accommodation costs for a few trips you want to take can help judge about how much money you’ll need for traveling.
2. Start shopping at grocery stores for all your food. I cannot stress enough how much money you’ll save shopping for fresh groceries, as opposed to visiting the Cornish bakery for a sausage roll. Start to become familiar with the prices of foods you buy often in the States. When you shop at local stores you can compare food prices between England and the States so you know roughly how much you are spending.
3. When you come over to England, there will be a conversion rate between the pound and dollar. Last year for every 1 dollar, it converted to .56 pounds. Keeping the conversion rate in mind will help you understand price comparisons. For example, a box of cereal in here in England might be 2.49. However after the conversion rate that’s roughly 3.75, a dollar and 25 cents more expensive.
   (the rough current dollar-to-pound exchange rate can be found on Google)
4. The program recommends that you save between 3,000 and 6,000 dollars for living over here. If you plan on taking a couple large trips, then yes, I agree, that is an accurate estimate of what you’ll need. I would say a good middle ground is 3,500-4,000 because I know 6,000 is a lot of money to save. Also, whatever you spend money on over here and decide to take back with you, you will need to pay taxes on, so don’t fill your suitcase with things that you could find back in the states. Only bring back with you the things that are important moments of your journey abroad.

I handle my money on my own; it’s up to me to know how much I have in my accounts. I would recommend that you too learn how to handle your own bank account. This way you’ll understand how much of an impact buying an extra latte or sausage roll has on your funds. However, bear in mind that you will be over here for a year, and it is very important that you feel at home and relaxed. Don’t feel like you have to scrounge every pence you have to keep yourself alive. You are in England, which is a precious and wonderful opportunity, so enjoy it.

-Jacob

Train Travel in Pictures

If you're wondering how to get around for cheap, make sure to get a 16-25 Discount Railcard when you get here! The train is a super easy way to get around for a cheap price. At first, it may seem intimidating, but after you do it once, you realize how easy and efficient it actually is! The rail employees and station staff are more than willing to answer questions and point you in the right direction. It is an extremely popular way to travel here in the UK, as it saves you from more expensive flights. Once you get the hang of the system, it is the simplest way to travel.

If you take the train to London, an extremely easy way to get around London is by using the London Underground Subway. All day passes cost about 8 pounds. They are very efficient, easy, and FAST! There are loads of signs to point you in the right direction if you are having any issues. The underground trains run about every 5 minutes or less, so it is an extremely reliable way to get around London as well!

In October and November, make sure to watch for the "Great Escape" deal, where you can go anywhere that the London Midland Service trains go for only 10 pounds!

-Rose, Cassidy & Rachel

Worcester: Your Temporary Home

When one hears “Worcester”, the thought of Worcestershire Sauce might come to mind. Even though the original Lea & Perrins factory still operates here, this is far from the only thing that the City of Worcester has to offer for your time living here. The River Severn runs through this city of about 100,000 residents, splitting it into the main city and St. Johns. There are two rail stations that serve Worcester: Foregate Street and Shrub Hill.

Foregate Street Station

The Worcester skyline is dominated by two structures. First and foremost is the majestic Worcester Cathedral, which was built between 1220 and 1345 AD. It is open to the public most days and is only a short and beautiful walk down the river. The other outstanding feature in the skyline is The Hive Library.

The Hive

The Hive is quite unique, in that it serves as the city library, city hub, and University library. It is located right next to city campus, and only a short walk from St. John’s campus. 

Academics and architecture are nice and all, but you will be here to have some fun as well. A straight shot down from Foregate Street Station, you will find High Street, which is the main retail hub of the city, along with The Shambles, and the Angel Marketplace. If you find yourself a bit peckish after shopping, Worcester has no end to café’s, restaurants, and delis, not to mention a great selection of grocery stores if you prefer to cook at home. There is a great club scene as well, if you please. 

In many ways, Worcester is like most towns. It has nice people, good amenities, and many opportunities. I can tell you all about the history of the city, the railways, the restaurants, even the best chip shop in the county. But that’s my Worcester. These are my observations and recommendations. Your Worcester is what you will make it. So, come on over and experience this great city.

For more information, visit other articles in this handy blog, and these links:

Wikipedia: Worcester

A few things to do: http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attractions-g186424-Activities-Worcester_Worcestershire_England.html

The Hive: http://www.thehiveworcester.org/ 

-Andrew