Expat Life

Knowing that you’re ready to take the leap is far less than half the battle: the biggest obstacle comes in being able to afford to facilitate that leap. Moving is expensive. Moving to a foreign country is infinitely more expensive. If you plan and strategize correctly, you’ll be able to meet your financial goals and make the huge transition you’ve been longing for sooner than you may think. It’s all in the prep phase.

Research to Create a Budget
If you don’t have everything set up for you by the time you get there, you’re going to need a lot more money to move with. If you already have a place to stay (https://www.expatbriefing.com/profile/608/blog/…) picked out and you know how much it’s going to cost to move in, you’re able to accurately estimate how much you need to save. If you have a job lined up, that’s even better.
It’s relatively easy to get a job in the tourist industry of a foreign country, particularly if the language you speak natively is not the same as their native language – they want native speakers of different languages to serve people who share that language. There are also language teaching opportunities that may be worth looking into – some of them don’t even require teaching credentials.

Sell What You Don’t Need or Can’t Take With You
The easiest way to make money is to sell what you can’t take with you. If you’re not able to drive to the foreign country you want to move to, you’ll find that having everything you own shipped overseas is nearly as expensive as buying new stuff. You need to trim the fat from your personal belongings, and if you have things you can sell, it’s time to start listing them in virtual marketplaces. Even if selling what you no longer need or want only offsets the costs of shipping the things you intend on keeping, it’s cutting a huge chunk out of your moving budget.

Maximize Your Savings
If you’re saving up for something as big as a move to a foreign country, you’ve probably been funneling as much of your money as possible into a savings account. While savings accounts do accumulate interest, that interest won’t be enough to change your life any time soon. Even high yield savings accounts won’t boast impressive returns.
Consider investing some of your money. Learning to trade (https://learntotrade.com.au/) is relatively easy, and you can do it by yourself at home. If you research great investments and play it safe, you’re going to see more money than you would letting your money sit in the bank. There’s a little more risk involved, but the potential for reward is substantially greater.

Pick up Some Side Gigs
No matter how great you are at saving and investing, nothing is better than having additional income that you can use specifically for moving. If you freelance (https://www.forbes.com/sites/abdullahimuhammed/…), you can even take that extra money with you. Your computer becomes your job, and it follows you wherever you go. If you know how to write, how to code, or how to build websites, you can make your own schedule and set your own rates. Whenever you have some free time, you can hop online and make some quick moving money.

It may not happen overnight, but with enough persistence and dedication, you’ll eventually be able to make the move of your dreams. Just make sure you keep your eyes on the prize when you take out your wallet.Read more