International Student In London Struggles To Pay For Groceries: ‘£30 Is Not A Big Deal For You, But Is A Week’s Worth Of Groceries For Me’
Varisha Tariq is an international student studying in London. She has spent over £40,000 to come here. However, she struggles to pay for her groceries. Varisha often walks on crowded London streets. She thinks about the cheapest way to go home. Living in Islington, she wants to walk to Warren Street or Tottenham Court Road but the bus is cheaper. A 27-minute walk seemed manageable. I had already done 6,000 steps. I hadn’t eaten in 6 hours. I got a light-headed feeling when I remained hungry. Breakfast was a cheese omelette. For dinner, I planned leftover rice and pulses. I thought, “Could I treat myself to sushi?” It would cost about £5. No, I’ll take the bus instead, I told myself. I’m an Indian student in the UK. I live on a small budget. Every penny matters. My education is a sacrifice for me and my parents.
Balancing Dreams and Budgets
I grew up in Lucknow, India. My family provided everything I needed. At home, I had “cheap cab fares, small rickshaws costing about 40p”. I enjoyed family. I had domestic help.
I recognized my good fortune. I knew India had problems. As a Muslim, I saw my community being mistreated. People lynched Muslims. There was Islamophobia. Muslims faced unfair treatment at work, home, school, and in society.
Tariq thought the situation in her country made her sick. She could not move. She applied to be accepted by SOAS in London. She was glad to be accepted.
It took much effort for her to leave home and go to the UK. She had few friends there. Tariq planned her year in London with some family help.
Her parents got a loan for tuition fees, which were £23,400. For the other costs, she had some savings from her job as a writer and project manager. Her parents sold land to pay for her visa, health insurance, accommodation, travel, and daily living. Those costs totalled £17,660.
More Money Making Chance for Olden Indians
That’s £40,873 or 4 million rupees enough for a flat in my city. In London, I had to make careful spending choices.
My money anxiety was a constant worry. Each meal and trip made me stressed. Every pound felt like I was draining my family’s finances.
Life in London was tough. Train strikes and expensive food made everything harder. My master’s course took all my time and I could not work.
Socially, I was feeling the pinch. A friend invited me to a £30 event. For me, that was much money. I had to say no for the first time in my life.
Some days later, this friend accused me of not caring because I didn’t go. This small part made me feel like nothing. To her, it was a little thing. But it stood for my week’s food. I liked with this feeling in my heart.
Tariq does not get her friend’s feeling of being self-indulgent or ignorant about the effects of living cost crisis and immigration on people.
Tariq is almost done with her course in the UK. She is also starting her job search but is still worried.
Tariq said, “I don’t think I can repay my parents for bringing me halfway across the world if I don’t get a good job here.” Despite all the financial hardship, she has faith that she will find a place and create an identity for herself.
She told international students going to the UK to adequately prepare financially beforehand. There are inexpensive free attractions, for example, museums in the UK.
Tariq added, “For me, the chance of having a better and safer lifestyle makes all the struggle worth it.”
But Tariq is not the only one with financial problems in the UK. Another international student Pranjali Hasotkar acknowledged feeling so broke that she could not join her friends out. She had to stop spending small amounts on things like clothing and dinners as well as give priority to basic needs like food.
The Rising Cost of Groceries
International students like Tariq make sacrifices. But living in the UK is hard due to high costs. Grocery price inflation has just gone up. The last time that happened was 17 months ago.
According to Kantar, supermarket prices rose by 1.8% in July. This was slightly higher than 1.6% in June. Grocery inflation had been falling since it peaked at 17.5%. It had dropped last month to its lowest since September 2021.
New officials’ figures show UK inflation above the Bank of England’s 2% target. Prices for flights, hotels, and holidays drive this surge.
There is a mixed picture in supermarkets. Prices increased in 182 areas and decreased in 89 others such as kitchen towels (-7%) and baked beans (-5%).
Fraser McKevitt of Kantar said, “Inflation rose again in August after July’s lowest rate for almost three years. This makes it more noticeable now after 17 months of decrease, while still back at pre-cost of living crisis levels.”
Hence the prices for groceries affect how much customers pay. McKevitt stated that consumers use promotions to deal with high prices. The amount spent on sales increased by 15% whereas the full-price sales were flat.
International students like Tariq experience financial hardships in the UK. With rising grocery prices and other costs in living. Managing a budget can be a challenging task for them. Many still carry on due to the hope of a brighter future.