How I Became a Typical Broke College Student

My parents brought me up to have pretty decent money-saving skills. Yeah, I like to shop, but I do have a bit of self-control and always look for sales everywhere I go. It wasn't until I came to Sydney, the 3rd most expensive city in the world, that I encountered a financial crisis.

Australian dollars look like Monopoly money...so could you blame me for spending it? They're colorful (and waterproof!) Much more fun than plain American dollars.

This was obviously before I left for Sydney.
An updated pic would be me with a $1 coin  in my hand.

I arrived in Sydney with some savings, but evidently not enough. After shelling out cash for wifi (yup - BU made us pay for wifi), a crappy Vodofone and plan, food to stock the fridge, $6 for laundry, and a couple meals out, panic set in. I was barely a month into my trip and my bank account was frightening to look at. 

I've now been living here for almost two months and have figured out some loopholes and learned to live on the bare-minimum. Here are a few things i've come to appreciate (in order):

1. 30 cent ice cream at McDonalds 

...only before midnight. This has become a weekly habit among me and my friends. That's a lie, it's daily.

2. 3 for $5 sushi on George Street

I'm not sure that I should trust sushi this cheap, but I will continue to as long as I can eat it and still be alive afterwards. So far, so good.

3. Free bus

There is a free bus that runs through the CBD (Central Business District) on off-peak hours. Great for exploring during the day. 

4. 4 for $1 cream puffs

This is a more recent discovery (in Chinatown), but there is always a line down the street for these. They have a pancake-like consistency with vanilla pudding in the middle. So no, they're not really cream puffs at all, but the Chinese really know what they're doing. 

5. Paddy's Market

From Wednesday-Sunday, fruit and vegetable vendors set up in the sketchy basement of Market City, where you can get really cheap food. I briefly considered a fruits-and-veggies-only diet when I bought 9 nectarines for $1.50. 

6. Freelance

This is a shoe store my friends and I discovered at the mall. They have weekly sales where you can find cute heels for $10. 

7. $1 bags of pasta

Coles brand products are always really reasonably priced. Carbs, carbs, carbs! 

8. The Reject Shop

Not sure why it's called that, but you can get 18 rolls of toilet paper for $4. 

9. $1 Hot Dogs 

There is a really hipster bar called The Soda Factory where they serve $1 gourmet hotdogs (normally $10) on Tuesdays. This is a godsend after a long day of internships and class. 

10. $3 tacos

My favorite spot - The Abercrombie - is conveniently right down the street from where I live. We'll meet up here almost every Wednesday to take advantage of the amazing taco deal.

11. $3.50 Meat Pies in Glebe

After paying more than double this price for a mediocre meat pie from Pie Face, this was a delightful discovery. The pies from this cute deli will be enough for a whole meal!

I'm practically become a vegetarian again because meat is so overpriced in supermarkets. I help my boss from a previous internship with social media tasks for extra cash. I sometimes eat 6 rice cakes in place of a real meal. But I couldn't be happier to be here and have the opportunity to see everything there is to see in this beautiful country - even if I have to make a few sacrifices.