All About Overseas Education

[sim]

Hi coast,


Thank you for your info!

[newbieks]

Is there any way of mitigating the fluctuating exchange rate when funding a child’s overseas education? Will having foreign fixed deposit account be useful?


Thanks

[MrsKiasu]

Since not 100% sure abt movement of the exchange rate…maybe buy and keep whenever feel the rate is not bad? Some foreign currency FD may have higher interest rate as I think it also comes with some volatility in exch rate. But if foresee to use it…I think it is not bad to do that.

[Nasi Lemak]

In London, what is the monthly cost for food? Assuming eat out for three meals.

[00skyblue00]

Nasi Lemak\" post_id=\"2112263\" time=\"1688400377\" user_id=\"188813:[quote=\"Nasi Lemak\" post_id=2112263 time=1688400377 user_id=188813]
In London, what is the monthly cost for food? Assuming eat out for three meals.[/quote]

Some hostels cover one meal per day. There is option to opt in or out for the food. Eating out is not as cheap as in s e asia, unless you are prepared to eat sandwiches for every meal or day. They don't have hawker centre pricing due to high labour cost. MnS cafe has under 10pound dish. You need to find such better deals. Local pub chain has afternoon deals, check out wetherspoons.

I was in international hall in central london. just visited there in june. Incl free WiFi and opt in meal. There are eating out option nearby in Bloomsbury. Checkout hare and tortise outlet in bloomsbury.

No light out policy. Never heard of it. But hot water heating is centralised so better to shower earlier, not late in the night.

Yes, young children sleep by 7pm. Parents got to bed by 9pm or lates 10pm. Most shops do not open late, some in Oxford Street maybe. In winter, they close at 5pm. It's their culture.

[00skyblue00]

The general rule if you are going London is, if the name of the area sounds dodgy than avoid that area. Eg Hack-ney.


Walking at night should be avoided unless you are in a group.

[sharonkhoo]

Nasi Lemak\" post_id=\"2112263\" time=\"1688400377\" user_id=\"188813:[quote=\"Nasi Lemak\" post_id=2112263 time=1688400377 user_id=188813]
In London, what is the monthly cost for food? Assuming eat out for three meals.[/quote]

It's really not practical to eat out 3 meals a day for a prolonged period. To eat decent hot meals of the kind of variety and quality equivalent to hawker centres - that's just not available, at any cost. Any meal that requires a seat, service staff, etc brings up the cost. The cheapest meals would be a pre-packed sandwich from a supermarket, snack bar or 7-11 equivalent, which was about 4-5 pounds in 2019, and probably more now.

So students need to be prepared to eat hostel food where possible, or cook at least 1 meal a day if they live in self-catering accommodation, or some combination of hostel and self-cooked meals. If not, it can be quite miserable, foodwise, and probably not very nutritious. Buying ingredients from supermarkets is relatively cheap, certainly much cheaper than buying prepared meals.

[MrsKiasu]

Is the inflation in UK quite bad now? How abt the safety now in general?

[sharonkhoo]

MrsKiasu\" post_id=\"2112276\" time=\"1688429013\" user_id=\"43981:

Is the inflation in UK quite bad now? How abt the safety now in general?

The inflation sounds bad, but I haven't been there recently.

The UK is a big place. Every city has its places where you should not venture alone at night, even Singapore. Rural areas have their own safety issues - getting lost, stranded without transport, etc.

[doodbug]

Nasi Lemak\" post_id=\"2112263\" time=\"1688400377\" user_id=\"188813:[quote=\"Nasi Lemak\" post_id=2112263 time=1688400377 user_id=188813]
In London, what is the monthly cost for food? Assuming eat out for three meals.[/quote]

Hi Nasi Lemak

I think a general reasonable guideline for allowance is the PSC/Statutory Board monthly allowance for their scholars. Scholars typically pay everything out of pocket (i.e. food, accommodation, transport) from the allowance and it represents a reasonable student budget. I do not know what the current rates are - would you happen to know? My guess would be in the 1500-1700 GBP range per month? It's enough to support a few regional short trips a year too.

I don't know of anyone who eats three meals out a day. A Tesco or Sainsbury meal deal (Sandwich/pasta, drink and snack) is now 5 pounds, which to me is not a bad deal. Sometimes you can get a hot latte/mocha in the meal deal too if the store has the Costa machine. The cheaper sandwiches (2 pounds or less) like egg and mayo or tuna mayo, make good breakfast items to me, and I do buy and toast them up in the morning. I also love the ready-to-eat meals that you buy and just heat up at home. M&S pastas are 3 boxes for 8 or 9 pounds - I find them all very good quality. The typical Chicken Tandoori or Tikka Masala or Korma meals are found in every supermarket.

International Hall is very central! You can walk to many London unis (not Imperial College though). Hackney is not the \"best\" area in London but it is increasingly gentrified and there are university students who live there.