Society teaches us many ways to find a job or make money. But not much is taught about spending it. Most of the time we follow the standard template of getting a job, getting married, buying a house, buying a car, educating the kids, marrying the kids away and retiring. To perform all these milestones we make money and sometimes save money. But many obstacles like shopping, eating out, and following the latest fashion and jewellery trends come in the way. Sales and advertisements have a sneaky way of eating into our budgets.

These are a few ways you could save while living in Germany:

Save money on Accommodation

If you are single, sharing the accommodation is always a good idea. The other hard-to-find option is to stay in tiny apartments under 40 sqm. If you have a family, think of furnished apartments. Contrary to the perception of furnished apartments, they are not more expensive than the unfurnished ones. There is hardly a fifty euros(Varies slightly from City to city) difference if at all from an unfurnished apartment of the same size. This means a furnished apartment can save you the hassle of buying a kitchen and furniture when you move in—transporting them from shop to apartment. And more importantly the pain of getting rid of them when you move out.

Save money on Food

It’s a no-brainer to say that home cooking saves you money. The health benefits are a bonus. Find out when your nearest hypermarkets have discounts or when you can use the loyalty cards at such stores. Buy some frequently used items in bulk. As a minimalist, I never shop without a list. It helps you focus on what to get to get it and get out of the store. When travelling around Germany, consider picking up sandwiches at grocery stores rather than eating every meal of the day hot at restaurants.

Save on Electricity bills

Find out the optimum temperature to set on your water geyser. Typically it is around 50 degrees. Saves you energy and cost. Turn it down to zero when on vacations otherwise the water keeps reheating itself. Observe when you need room heaters. My husband and I would preheat our bedroom before going to sleep in winter for about half an hour. This warmed up the bed a little and we would be off to sleep in some time under the cosy blankets. This negated the need for a heater for the rest of the night. We would also wear warmer clothes at home to avoid using room heaters often. Whether living in a furnished or unfurnished apartment, do ensure that the electronic appliances are energy efficient. Dishwashers have an eco mode that runs longer but saves energy. Washing machines have settings for lesser rpm of rotation or simply short wash durations. Keeping the refrigerator well utilised is also important. Prevent overcooling when you have fewer items inside and defrost regularly.

Save through Work Expenses

The German system taxes high-wage earners more than low-wage earners. The gateways to save such taxes are through work-related training expenses, work-related travel or food expenses and equipment bought towards the home office. Children, medical expenses and home ownership are other avenues to save taxes. But the work-related topics are the ones that most people can show easily. You must plan these costs during the year towards tax benefits and save the invoices for it.

Save money on Travel

When you do not own your car, it makes perfect sense to get the Deutschland monthly ticket that gives you access to all short-distance travel modes including short-distance trains, buses, trams, etc. Travelling across Germany is made easy through a Euro pass(when you want to cover many countries in one trip) or group trips(when you want to do short weekend trips on a budget). Major expenses like transport and accommodation can be optimised by planning. Booking public transport and hostels can save you a lot. Hygiene and safety are not much of an issue, at least not as bad as when travelling in India.

Thrift your way to stylish Clothes

Sustainability is a major topic all across Europe, especially in Germany. Pretty much every article in your house and closet can be bought used or refurbished. Second-hand shops for clothes and shoes like Resales, Oxfam and Kilo shops are all over the country. Several local thrift shops are also available. Huge flea markets are set up regularly for home, children or personal stuff. Taking hand-down items for newborns or growing children is fairly common. So is the culture of yard sales during move-outs.

Hope this helps you explore more avenues to spend wisely in Germany. Do comment on how you find ways to save.