If you study abroad in Italy with the same mindset as a tourist, you are going to run out of money, fast. If you want to make the most of your stay in Italy, you need to learn how to save money while still enjoying the country for everything it has to offer.
Italy does have something of a high cost of living in comparison with a number of other European countries, and you will probably be spending somewhere in the area of four hundred Euros a month. In other words, every Euro counts, so here are five things you can do to save money while studying in the Old Country.
House Wines
There is no getting around it: if you are in Italy, you have to spend a little money on wine now and then. Why are you in Italy in the first place if not to enjoy the wine, right? But it can be expensive for a student, so how can you save money while still enjoying what Italy is perhaps most famous for? Most restaurants offer their house wine for cheap, and it’s really good, more often than not. If it’s between spending a few bucks on a glass of house wine or grabbing a beer at the local tavern, well, you can hit the bars when you get back to the States.
Joint Museum Passes
Most cities in Italy these days offer joint passes for museums and other attractions. Along with wine, art is the other thing that you absolutely must take some time for while in Italy, so grabbing these passes can let you visit everything in your city without going over budget.
Haggling
Haggling used to be a tradition in all Italian shops. Today, not so much. During tourist season, Italian shop owners know that they can charge whatever they please and the Americans will pay it. But, if you visit during slow months, pay in cash, and can be friendly with the shop owner, you can easily haggle for cheaper prices on souvenirs.
Visit the Tourist information Office Regularly
You never know when there will be a free concert or other outdoor event, when the museums will be letting people in for free or what kind of stuff is going on downtown. Check the tourist information office now and then and make a note of anything cool and free.