How to get around in Alta, Norway (TIPS!)

As an international student in Norway, you will experience the expensive groceries, clothes and other items. Norway just is not cheap, not for our standards in Europe. I have put down some tips to safe money and how to live the student life at the same time.

Kiwi//Rema

Kiwi and Rema 1000 are grocery shops. I consider them as the cheapest ones, and therefore I used to buy all my groceries there. Both are cheaper in different products, so is bread cheaper at Kiwi, and fruit and vegetables at Rema. It is all about watching the prices, but not too much that you will not eat anything any more. In Alta, in the winter period, the fresh fruit and vegetables will get more expensive, due to the fact that most needs to be imported at that time of the year. Then a cheaper option can be to buy frozen veggies, the same nice quality, better to keep and to safe money. They taste just as good as normal veggies. Furthermore, do both of these grocery shops have 50% boxes, which means that every day something will expire and therefore will be on sale. This is especially nice when meat is on discount, like salmon or chicken. I would definetely recommend to check these out regularly!

Miabutikken

I have talked about this store before, but I will again, since it is so good. This is Miabutikken, one of the second hand shops of Alta. It is great, since they have so many items that we as students need, from plates, to cups, to cutlery, to games and much more. Definetely worth checking out, really really cheap and good items!

Dumpster diving?!

Then we come to the part which is maybe not completely considered legal. Dumpster diving. It is one of the easiest ways to get free and good food. We have done this I think about twice, and I did not have to buy groceries for about a month, it is great! Especially since the meat and bread you find can be frozen. 

Products from the nature

You can also ofcourse get your products from the nature. Go fishing, go berry picking or plant picking. You will be surprised by how much in the nature is eatable. It is amazing and the fresh taste beats every supermarkt product. Berries are present almost everywhere in the nature, just be sure to know which ones you can pluck and which ones are best not to get. 

Volunteering

Then you have volunteering, it may not get you money, but it will provide you with new contacts, discounts and volunteer parties! So definetely worth checking out, it has more benefits than you think. 

Throwing parties

Now you may think, how is this beneficial. I will tell you, I have thrown several parties throughout my semester. And I only spent money on the first one. The other ones I just invited people, set a date, time and theme and told the people to bring their own drinks. The best way to collect money. Because if you are smart and put a bag or bucket somewhere and collect all the empty plastic bottles and cans, than you are able to make money out of your parties. The only point is that you need to clean up the next  day, but I would consider that definetely worth it! 

Cook together!

You dont have roommates and friends just to hang out with, you can also cook together! It will not only safe you money, but it will also create a nice home feel like atmosphere and you will have fun together. It creates a bond. 

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