With its growing city centres and booming national economy, Australia is seen as a land of immense opportunity in the southern hemisphere. But Australia hasn’t been immune to the rising cost of living across the globe either. With the costs of rent, petrol, and even groceries on the rise, those looking to move to Australia for work or study will need to be a little more strategic with their spending.
So what should you be keeping in mind when building your budget for your move down under? We’ll be answering this question today by outlining all the best ways you can make your move to Australia without spending excessively in the process.
Buy a car that’s within your budget
Australia is built on its roadways, so it really does pay to have your own personal vehicle rather than relying on local public transportation services. But a car is a big investment, and isn’t a purchase you’d want to make on the fly. Thankfully, there are options out there for students and professionals who may be on a limited budget.
For instance, you can secure car loans in Australia if you have a good credit history. Or you could even purchase a car second-hand via a number of car selling sites or at local car dealerships.
If you’d prefer to drive a modern vehicle with only the most up-to-date safety features, however, then securing car finance can help you purchase your ideal vehicle with less money in the bank. And you won’t have to worry about being reliant on bus or train services during your move down under!
Find yourself a roommate
As we said, the cost of rent and the cost of housing in general is on the rise in Australia’s capital cities. Because of this, the best option for travellers looking to lay down roots in Australia is to secure themselves a room in a sharehouse or even find themselves a roommate for an apartment. Finding a roommate can be as easy as posting an ad in your university newsletter or even just joining local Facebook groups for renters and tenants.
You should also take this time to familiarise yourself with the ins and outs of renting in Australia. Be sure to read up on bonds, rental agreements, and equip yourself with a strong understanding of your rights and responsibilities as a tenant. Once you’ve done this preliminary research, all that’s left to do is find an ideal abode in an ideal suburb.
Buy your furniture second-hand
Australia’s capital cities all have a strong culture of renting. In fact, if you jump online and look through the local listings of marketplaces in your area, you’ll be likely to find plenty of renters looking to sell off furniture or home appliances before the end of their lease.
With that, it’s highly recommended that you take full advantage of this booming second-hand marketplace when it comes to furnishing your own rental property. Look for couches, bed bases, dining room tables, and other large pieces of furniture that people may be looking to move quickly. Chances are high you’ll be able to snag some great deals on big furniture items or even grab some items for free!
Find stable work
It goes without saying that you’ll need to find work in order to pay your rent, bills, and to generally support your lifestyle when living in Australia. But if you’re on a student visa, then sadly your working hours will be capped at a certain amount, depending on what kind of visa you have.
Because of this, it can definitely be worthwhile to look into freelance or contract work that you can do on the side of a part-time job as well as your study (if you’re currently at TAFE or uni). Thankfully, finding contract work can be as easy as jumping online (once again) to scroll through job listings on freelancer platforms like Fiverr. You may even find freelance opportunities in your city, ranging from doing some design or photography work to teaching English. And who knows? These opportunities could lead to full-time work down the line too.
Secure health insurance
Although Australian citizens do have access to the government’s Medicare programme, this same luxury sadly isn’t available to international residents. And Australian healthcare can be costly without government support. The last thing you want is for all your hard-earned savings to go straight to your healthcare bills.
Because of this, it’s absolutely essential that you secure adequate private health insurance cover and ambulance cover prior to your big move. This will help ensure that you don’t get slapped with any hefty hospital fees in the event that you do need to go to the ER during your time in Australia.
Build smart shopping habits
Australia is a country with an international palate. Wherever you go, you will be sure to find plenty of different types of cuisines on offer, ranging from humble kebab joints to Michelin star french restaurants, and everything in between. But just because all of these dining options are on offer, it doesn’t mean that you should feel any pressure to try them all.
Truth be told, dining out can be pretty expensive, even if you’re only doing it once or twice a week. And if you’re living on a strict budget, it’ll likely be far more cost-effective for you to make your own food and dedicate some time to meal prepping every week rather than relying on take-out. So be sure to stay on top of your grocery shopping routine while you’re in Australia.
We also recommend shopping seasonally and in bulk wherever possible to enjoy greater savings power. Thanks to Australia’s booming agricultural industry, it’s pretty easy to find fresh seasonal produce at lower prices. You can eat healthy whilst spending less so long as you maintain these smart shopping habits.
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With all these budget-friendly tips and tricks in mind, you should find settling down in Australia to be a veritable breeze. Just make sure that you continue saving and building up your earning potential as you enjoy your new life down under!
Posted By JenniferA
Updated : 30th October 2023 | Words : 1019 | Views : 206
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