Case Study: Money matters: Anna Moslow

Why living in Scotland doesn’t break the bank

When 19-year-old Anna Moslow arrived in Scotland from the U.S. as a first-time student last year, she was in for a surprise.

Like many international students living in Scotland for the first time, Moslow had no idea about the country’s cost of living. Not only that, as a first-year undergraduate living away from home for the first time, Moslow had never budgeted before.

The girl from Virginia had a lot to learn.

“I didn’t know what prices to expect in Scotland,” says Moslow, an undergraduate degree student at the University of Edinburgh.

“My first impression was that food was expensive compared with back home. Because I’d just arrived, I didn’t know where to buy good food cheaply.

“I soon realised I was spending far too much on groceries – up to £80 a week. I knew this had to change.”

What's your budget?

Moslow is not alone in struggling to budget. Just over half of students in Scotland underestimate the weekly cost of rent and food, according to research published by the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) in 2006.

While an average weekly shop costs between £20 and £40, too many trips to the local luxury delicatessen or trendy café will send this figure soaring.

Determined to make her money stretch, Moslow armed herself with a pen and paper and set out on a price comparison trip. Visiting all major supermarket retailers in the Scottish capital, she recorded the cost of basic goods.

Her fact-finding mission paid off. While she’s been forced to delete some goods from her shopping list, Moslow now knows how to get the most for her money.

“I only spend £30 a week on groceries now. And I still manage to eat the food I enjoy. I’m really pleased,” says Moslow.

Case study supplied from the British Council.