Frugality

Before moving to Sweden everyone told me how expensive it would be to live here. Even fellow bloggers scoffed at the prospect of the _Saving_Ninja moving to Sweden!? The country with one of the highest income tax and VAT rates in the world! I wouldn’t be able to call myself the SavingNinja for much longer, they said. When I first arrived here, I found it hard to swallow the insanely high food prices, it seemed everything that we usually bought back in the UK was at least 3 times as expensive, sometimes even more than that. Eating out was another big shock, paying over £25 for a main course per person is the norm in any type of restaurant here, even for a burger and chips. ...

First-class flights on British Airways are pretty special. Not only do you get access to a luxury chair that can convert into a fully flat bed and is lined with the same Italian leather that they use in Maseratis, but you also get to sample some of the most exquisite wine and food in the world. A first-class ticket grants you access to the renowned Concorde Lounge where you can fill up on unlimited bottles of £200 Champagne, get a massage, or even take a shower. ...

University has been the ticket into the white collar world since the inception of capitalism. Of course - there are other, normally more difficult, ways to gain entry into this world, but needing the ‘checkbox’ of a degree is still becoming ever more prevalent in the industry. Student loans are too expensive, even with tuition fees rising by three times in 2012, you still need that little 3-word line on your CV that says; University degree - achieved. ...

Since I started commuting and working in London almost two years ago, I’ve met a lot of people that say they can’t save money due to big cities being too expensive. London is one of the most expensive places in the world, but I’ve learned over this period that spending is still a choice. In-fact, I think bigger cities have cheaper options than some of the more rural places, you just need to know what to look for. ...

If left to fester for longer than the contract period, Broadband and TV package costs add up quickly. Bills can more than double with countless rises throughout the year. This is even more prevalent with Broadband deals. Did you know that if you actively manage your Broadband and switch when your contract has ended, a Fiber connection is actually cheaper than the standard, slower connection? This is because they’re hoping you won’t switch when your contract is up! ...