15 Feb 2024
India’s dubious distinction of being the world’s most populous country, overtaking China in 2023, means many challenges most Indians grapple with. The primary one is financial troubles. These financial challenges drive millions of Indians abroad to find employment opportunities to earn a living. And what better country to work in as an Indian migrant than the UK? A report by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, said that about 1764000 Indians live in the UK to earn a living. They send money to India from UK to offer financial support back home.
But being an Indian expat, do you know how to manage your finances while living abroad and save money? Remember that you work in foreign countries, including the UK, because you face unemployment and poverty in your native country. Right?
Therefore, this blog will walk you through tips to save money abroad for optimized financial support back home.
But first, let’s look at the advantages of working in the UK.
With a nominal GDP of $3.09 trillion in 2022 and a GDP per capita income of $46,125.3 in the same year, the United Kingdom is one of the most preferred expatriate destinations. Even if you randomly ask an aspiring migrant about which country they would like to go to, the spontaneous answer would surely be ‘the United Kingdom’.
But it is not only the economy that pulls migrants.
As an Indian migrant working in the UK, you will get the following few benefits that you cannot ignore.
Whether you are a migrant or a native, the UK government will offer you access to healthcare and education, with minimal cost to a certain extent. Where the fee applies, you will have to pay a bare minimal amount for both these services as a migrant.
Gone are the days when the UK was part of the European Union, which would make accessing European countries easy. But still, while you are in the UK, traveling to European countries is far easier than traveling to the EU from outside.
The robust economy of the UK means that the country has a thriving and expansive job market. Therefore, you can find your dream jobs in the UK in almost every professional field. Even if you do not get your dream job in the UK, employment opportunities you will essentially get as an Indian migrant to earn a living to send money online to India from UK to support your family back home financially.
Perhaps one of the most important things you need after landing on foreign soil is the help and cooperation of the natives of your host country. Right? For this, the natives of the UK are perfect because they are extremely affable and will go beyond their call to help you when needed.
One of the keys to success in the UK is your command over the language. If you can speak English fluently and get your message across without distortions, excelling in your job and making personal and professional acquaintances is easy for you.
Regardless of your job type, every employer in the UK is legally bound to offer you several paid leaves. This is the reason why the UK is known to be a country with the best paid time off policies. Every employment type offers you between 5 to 6 weeks off.
Let’s now understand saving and its importance.
The term savings refers to the money you have set aside after meeting all the necessary expenses at a given time. In other words, savings refers to the surplus of funds for a household or an individual after all the essential expenses and financial obligations have been paid.
You can keep savings in the form of cash or its equivalent, like gold or a bank deposit. Savings provide a base for investments, and if the amount in your savings reaches a certain limit, you can invest it in property or business.
You travel to the UK from India because you cannot earn a living in your native country and, therefore, face acute poverty. Making ends meet somehow is not sustainable, nor will it ever be. Therefore, savings help you accumulate money to a point where your savings can provide you with the necessary financial backup.
Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, savings help you with investments and generate a passive source of income. As an Indian migrant, however, remember that your money transfer from UK to India can also play a significant role in helping you with your savings, given the process's costs.
Let’s now study the important hacks to save money as an Indian in the UK.
You need to focus on the core objective of your expatriation, which is to earn a living and financially support your family. Right? This alone will help you save money. But the following few hacks will make savings even easier for you.
The UK is an expensive country. So, getting small things done by the professionals can be financially burdensome. Make sure, therefore, to do small plumbing tasks or fix a bulb yourself. This will help you save a lot.
Moving in the UK in your vehicle can be financially hard. Therefore, make sure to travel in public transport whether you are traveling to and from your office or are off to a place for vacation to enjoy.
No matter how much you earn, you must create and live on a budget regardless of your financial status. Always remember that the best way to ensure savings in a foreign country is to control your finances, create a budget, and live by it.
Traveling by train in Britain has its unique charm. Whether you want to travel for some work or simply want to enjoy the countryside, traveling by train in the UK is the best option. But make sure to book your train well in advance – even months before your traveling dates.
With the availability of a large array of options to choose from, the utility costs in the UK can vary hugely. Therefore, to get the best deals, make sure to shop around and thoroughly weigh all the options available to you before finally choosing one.
With these simple hacks, you can easily save money while living in the UK as an Indian migrant.
As mentioned earlier, the process of making an online money transfer from UK to India also plays a significant role in helping you save money. So, the selection of your service provider matters the most.
Therefore, choosing ACE Money Transfer will help you save as the firm offers market-competitive currency exchange rates, speed, safety, and a unique online money transfer experience in exchange for a low fee from one stop.
The burgeoning population of India makes it difficult for the government to provide for its entire population, leading to unemployment and poverty. Therefore, millions of Indians travel to foreign countries for work.
While working in the UK itself is beneficial in several ways, the prime benefits you can get while working in the UK include access to free education and healthcare, easy access to Europe, several paid holidays, multiple job opportunities, affable and helping people, and so on.
Savings are that part of your income that you set aside every month after meeting all the necessary expenses and meeting essential financial obligations. You can keep savings in hard cash or its equivalent, like gold or bank deposits.
Saving money is important for you because it helps you on rainy days or after you have retired. In addition, savings help you achieve your financial goals and propel investment in property or business to generate a passive income.
While living in the UK as an Indian migrant, you can make savings by traveling on public transport, booking your railway trips well in advance because fares sky-rocket if you book a trip recently, doing small tasks yourself, creating a budget and living on it, and search different utility offers before choosing one.
Resources
(https://www.mea.gov.in/population-of-overseas-indians.htm)
(GDP (current US$) - United Kingdom | Data (worldbank.org)
(GDP per capita (current US$) - United Kingdom | Data (worldbank.org)
