4 inexpensive things I love in the USA
'15.07.2017'
Source: ForumDaily
When I first moved to America, I was young and inexperienced and constantly compared prices, converting the currency of my native state into dollars and vice versa. “Oh God, how expensive everything is!” I thought for the first few months and lamented that good bread costs as much as 100 hryvnias ($ 4) and rent of more or less tolerable housing - 32 hryvnias ($ 500). After 1300 years of living in the United States, I am still comparing, but now - in favor of the United States. What is expensive in Ukraine is affordable for everyone in America.
- Apparel
I have never been a shopaholic and have always laughed at people who are fighting over collaborative things or going crazy about products of new and interesting brands. All this happened until I lived in the USA. It’s impossible not to love shopping here because:
- very large selection of brands and products;
- seasonal sales, where you can find expensive and high-quality things at a very low price;
- high competition, which forces stores to reduce prices in order to get customers;
- different chips to save online.
To buy some items of clothing cheaper than in the offline store, you just sometimes need to score the right thing in the search bar Google and find the most appropriate offer, including tax and delivery. If this is a famous online store like Macy`s, there, most likely, there are always some discounts or promo codes that can be found on Retailmenot. And in order to return part of the money spent, you need to make a purchase through any website with a refund (cashback) - for example, through Topcashback.
And sometimes you just need to wait - and the price of a thing the next day can decrease by 25-40%. This is often done by the company Michael Kors.
If you do not like online shopping, then pay attention to outlets, where you can find brands with discounts, and discount centers like Tj maxx or Marshalls.
And the most important thing is to dress really well in the United States and not pay all your salary for clothes, because even a $ 400 purchase is only 10% of the average salary of $ 4000.
- Products
In America, you can eat exactly the amount that you are willing to allocate for food. Want to eat on $ 300? You are welcome. Ready to give $ 700 to products? Wonderful.
With any amount spent, your food basket will contain dairy products, meat, fish, fruits with vegetables, and household chemicals. And this is the main point. The question is already in the quality of goods, because there are cheap products and expensive ones.
And residents of America have the opportunity to buy goods for the month ahead in a wholesale store like Costco, and it turns out much more profitable than weekly walks through supermarkets.
Moreover, buying normal food does not consume 60% of the budget, as it happens, for example, in Ukraine, where many have to choose - buy meat for a week or a new thing.
- Cars
In America, you don’t need to save even a used good quality foreign car for long, denying yourself everything, because you can buy a car on the go already from $ 1000. And if you carefully search, you can find options costing a few hundred bucks.
And I am not talking about auctions, where buying a really good car will cost a mere penny.
The cost of gasoline is also pleasing: to fill a full tank of a car in Miami - from $ 30
If you want a new car, you have a high credit rating, a steady income and you are ready for bondage, try to get a car on credit or lease. Although this story is quite costly, a budget car will cost from $ 200-300 per month plus the cost of insurance.
In any case, you will find an acceptable option. The question is only in efforts, initial investments and the state of the “iron horse”.
If we talk about Miami, then almost everyone here, including people with low salaries, can afford a car. There is no other way, because buses are a very unpopular form of transport.
- Travels
Photo: depositphotos.com
Traveling around the USA can be not only pleasant, but also beneficial if you know how to save money. Fortunately, for this you do not need anything except the Internet and mobile applications.
First, sign up for a low-cost mailing list like Spirit, and systems selling tickets (Skyscanner, Anywayanyday, Expedia and so on) to be aware of all the discount offers. Do not neglect the early planning of the trip and try not to buy tickets with a departure date on Friday, Monday and the weekend. To save "play" with the dates and times of flights on the site where you plan to purchase tickets.
After all, if you find a worthwhile offer, a flight from one city to another will cost like a lunch for two - $ 30-40.
And if you are not afraid of new acquaintances, then you can live absolutely free of charge by finding a “home” using the service. Couchsurfing.
Do not forget about coupons on the site Groupon, that really help keep the cost of your cultural entertainment down - dining at a restaurant, going to the zoo or museum.
