How to Stretch Your First Stipend Like a Pro (Yes, It´s Possible)

You’ve finally arrived in your new country. You got your accommodation — it may be empty, but it’s yours. You’ve registered at your university. You’ve opened a bank account. You’ve collected your residence permit.

Life is looking good. Hopeful. A little chaotic, but good.

And then you remember… your stipend is coming. Not just any stipend — the first stipend.

The one everyone romanticises. The one that looks huge in your bank account. The one that whispers: “You can pay off all your loans… you can afford to buy a laptop… buy a bicycle… buy that winter jacket that will solve all your winter issues… go wild, you deserve it.”

But this is where you pause. This is where you be smart and be realistic. This is where you become a financially intelligent international student and and not the student who splurges like crazy.

Your first stipend isn’t the time to play — it’s the time to plan.

Before You Spend a Cent: Slow Down.

Getting a fully funded scholarship is a massive achievement. But being funded doesn’t mean you can spend like you just won the lottery. Your first month in a new country will test your budgeting skills like never before.

Let’s be honest: When that stipend drops, everything suddenly feels urgent.

A new phone to capture your new memories and help you feel like you belong. A new laptop. A bike so you can cycle to class like people in YouTube vlogs. Winter clothes because your sandals betrayed you the moment you stepped outside. Paying back family who helped with flights and visas.

And yes… you might need all of these things. Just not all at once.

Month One Is… Expensive. Let’s Just Admit It.

Your first month is basically a financial obstacle course:

• Rent or deposit

• Groceries

• Pots, pans, plates, spoons (the whole kitchen starts from zero)

• Bedding, pillows, sheets, duvet because that thin blanket from home is NOT fighting European cold (you will be lucky if there is a good working heater in your room)

• Toiletries (the ones from home never last the full month)

• Transport passes

• Possibly a bicycle + helmet

• Maybe a bed — some accommodation is generously minimalist

• Maybe a chair or desk (optional — your bed and the library can hold you down for a moment)

This is exactly why the first stipend should not be touched with excitement, but with careful consideration.

The Secret to Surviving Month One: Prioritise Like a Grown Adult

Here’s the golden rule:

DO NOT — I repeat — DO NOT buy all your big-ticket items in the first month.

A laptop and a phone in the same month? That’s not budgeting. That’s daredevil behaviour.

Instead:

1. Make a list of everything you want to buy.

Phones, gadgets, furniture, bicycles, winter jackets — everything.

2. Rank them by necessity.

• What do you need immediately?

• What can wait 30 days?

• What can wait 2–3 months?

3. Stick to your list like your peace of mind depends on it.

Because it does.

A Little Tip: Don’t Buy What You Can Borrow or Use for Free

University computers Use them while you save for a proper laptop, with good RAM and specs — don’t rush to buy something cheap and regret it later.

Library spaces If you have to be there everyday because you do not have a good work space in the meantime, then live there. They’re warm, they have Wi-Fi, and there is no judgement.

Need a desk? Think twice. Your bed is surprisingly versatile for 1–2 months.

Need a bicycle? Many universities have rentals or second-hand markets.

Remember: You do NOT need to create a fully furnished home in week one. This is not Extreme Makeover: International Student Edition.

Grocery Shopping: Your New Olympic Sport

Your first grocery run will shock you. Because you’re starting from zero. Salt, oil, pots, cutlery, rice, tea, detergent, spices, dishwashing liquid, food containers… EVERYTHING.

Here’s the trick:

Month 1: Buy only what’s necessary. Month 2 onward: Explore and compare stores — price and quality differ between stores.

Until then: A student must NEVER enter a supermarket hungry. That is how financial disasters are born.

Practical Tips to Stretch That Stipend Like a Pro

1. Buy second-hand furniture. Facebook Marketplace is your friend — just be safe (if its too good to be true it possibly is, if you can see the items face to face before paying for them).

2. Don’t overstock toiletries. You’re not starting a mini supermarket.

3. Compare grocery stores. There is ALWAYS a cheaper and better quality one.

4. Track your spending. Even a simple notes app works. Most bank apps categorise your expenses automatically.

5. Leave space for unexpected costs. There will be surprises, don´t splurge on everything in one go.

6. Start an emergency fund.

   Even €20–€50 a month will save you one day.

7. Reward yourself — gently. A small treat. Not a TV.

Before You Leave Home, You Might Need a Little Help…

Not everyone can afford everything required for moving abroad in one go. EU StudyAssist understands the chaos of month one.

If you ever feel stuck, overwhelmed, or need a bit of breathing room, EU StudyAssist does offer settlement financial assistance for fully funded students — and also supports with:

• Flight tickets

• First accommodation payments

• Certain once-off costs

We are here so you don’t have to suffer alone in a foreign country with one plate and one cup.

Keep This in Mind

Stretching your stipend isn´t about suffering or missing out, its about spending smart so you can enjoy more. With a little planning (and maybe one less impulsive bubble tea), you can live comfortably, travel often, and experience Europe fully.

Your first stipend will tempt you. Your new environment will overwhelm you. Your Instagram feed will confuse you into thinking you need everything immediately.

But you don’t.

You are not behind. You are not lacking. You are building — slowly, wisely, beautifully.

Budget with intention. Spend with purpose. Save with pride. And remember: the goal isn’t to survive abroad — it’s to thrive.

You’ve got this. And one day, you’ll laugh at how dramatic you were with that first stipend. We all do.