Sunday, April 19, 2009

Study on a budget!



Things to do in Bs. As. On a Budget:
1. Go to Museo de Belles Artes in Recoletta for free on Sunday. Spend 5 hours pondering at works by Rodin and Picasso at no Price.
2. Go to the supermarket, buy a sandwich and a large drink then go to Plaza San Martin and have lunch for under $3 USD while people watching.
3. Take the bus for $0.30 USD to the center of town and walk to the Obelisk then take a stroll down Corrientes and see the many theatres as well as amazing architecture.
4. Go kiosking at night. This essentially entails going to a kiosk and buying liters of beer for about $1.50 USD. Then hang out around the kiosk and meet locals as well has have fun with your friends.
5. Learn the Subway system in order to get 15 blocks in 5 minutes for less than $.40 USD.
6. Learn to share pizza with a friend, as well as go on back streets which have pizza joints that have large pizzas for about $5 USD. Avoid places that have a table charge, and learn to like empanadas and supermarkets for food.
7. If traveling anywhere outside of Bs. As., learn to enjoy long bus rides. A trip to Santiago Chile on the bus will cost about $100 USD, while a ticket to fly will cost about $350 USD.
8. Become good friends with hostels. Investing in a Hostel International Card is a good idea if you plan to do a lot of traveling. I saved about $40 USD over the price of the card which was about $12 USD. Check out hostels that take this card before traveling.
9. Get an STA Student travel card. This offers many discounts in over 100 countries. Even if it is a 10% discount, money is saved everywhere. I have already saved myself about $20 over the price of the card just by being frugal enough to check the website for discounts. This will also save you in airfare to Bs.As.
10. Take advantage of outside concerts in parks on Sundays. These kids can be very talented, and it’s a good way to get connected to the culture.
Buenos Aires is a beautiful town, full of tempting items to purchase. As a student, if you don’t watch it you will end up broke quick, with little money to enjoy the rest of the country with. Little tips that should always be abided by are: do not take a cab unless absolutely necessary, walk anytime you can, buy food at the supermarket and make lunches for yourself, take advantage of student discounts, search the papers and look out for free festivals and concerts, go out during happy hour to get the best rate on drinks, and avoid downtown prices, they are normally more expensive than other parts of town because this is mostly tourist attractions. Also remember do not tip as much as you normally would in the states. Save some money and do not to go restaurants where there is a need for a waiter. Just go to the park and eat. It is nicer to be outside as well as a great way to save money. Living off of $1,000 is possible for four months in Bs. As., but you have to be very frugal, and do not expect to take many trips outside of the city. The food can get pricey, no matter how good the exchange rate is. But the shopping availabilities, such as Dior, Versace, and Vuitton, are what will kill your expense budget!

1 comment:

Heather said...

Ashley! Just wanted to ask -- do you think you could make me up a list of "How to Live in Spartanburg on a budget while still having fun" when you head back to the states? I'd like one as interesting as this... Is that possible? I sure hope so!

Anyways, just wanted to say sounds like you're having a blast... and it sounds like you're really experiencing the culture -- on a budget, nonetheless! That's always the way to go!

But, seriously. It's the end of the school year time again... I checked my wallet this morning and found a piece of lint... So, about that list...