13 Ways to Save Money in Korea!
Source: Flickr
9.) Free cosmetic samples:
Head on over to cosmetic island down in Myeongdong. They have every single Korean cosmetic (including foreign). But wait!!! Make sure to grab yourself free samples in front of their stores being handed out by the mass!
Major Korean Cosmetic Brands:
→ Skin Food
→ The Face Shop
→ Innis Free
→ Tony Moly
→ Etude House
10.) Eat at home:
We know that this one is sort of going against the idea of number three on the list, but you’d be surprised on how much you can save by eating at home as well. It may not be the healthiest, but heck, it’s cheap! Ramen will be your best friend if you are the tightest of the tightest budget.
Here is a list of what you can get for 5,000 won or less!:
→ Cup ramen: 700 – 1,000 won
→ Two liter bottled water: 500 – 1,000 won
→ Milk: 2,000 won
→ Chips: 2,000 won
→ Oreos (knock-offs :P): 1,000 won
→ Eggs: 3,000 won
→ Pasta: 4,000 won
These are pretty much your basic food groups and this will surely last you for a while!
Random fact: Did you know that Korea has a delivery service for your groceries!? Most major grocery stores in Korea have an online service where you get your groceries delivered from the convenience of your home! How cool is that!?
11.) DO take the subway and bus. DON’T take the taxi:
If you are traveling by bus and subway, your wallet will thank you. By purchasing yourself a transport (T-money) card, you will save tons and tons of money in the long run. Korea has a very convenient transfer system where you can save yourself a few 100 wons if you are transfering from a bus to a subway, or vice versa. If you want to find out more about the transfer system, check out our T-Money page!
12.) Sleep in Jjimjilbangs, rather than hotels:
A Jjimjilbang is essentially a center where any gender can hang out fully dressed in the comfy shorts and t-shirts and also be able to chill in various rooms. The rates for these can cost you anywhere from 7,000 won to 10,000 won! If you sleep in a hotel, it can cost you at least 50,000 won for one night. If you are not a math wiz, you can literally sleep in a Jjimjilbang for 5 nights as opposed to one night in the hotel 😛 But if you are still looking for other options, make sure to check out our article on, “Where to Stay in Seoul for Less than $50 USD a Night.”
13.) Gym Membership:
Okay, this costs money. You might think we’re stupid, huh? Think again! 😀 This seriously gives you something to do every night of the week. If you are paying for a gym membership, you are essentially saving yourself from the nights hanging out and getting wasted! If you’re bored, you are more than likely to go walk around E-mart and blowing your money on more alcohol. Signing up for the gym membership is a great way to kill time and gives you great health benefits.
If you have any more suggestions for your fellow travelers, shoot us a comment below! Thanks! 🙂
10 Comments
Save on getting an internet connection at your apartment, tether your phone to your computer via wifi or USB and use that instead.
One can save a ton of money by simply taking the Express bus instead of the train. 😀
(For example, it costs me only 12200 KRW one way to Seoul from Jeonju instead of an upwards of 30,000 KRW for the train.)
14. Shop at traditional markets or farms instead of grocery stores for veggies and fruit. More organic, fresher, and cheaper!
15. Know Korean and chat up (being friendly) the 아추머니 at a smaller place and you can get a better price.
16. Use your newly found Korean knowledge to haggle.
17. Make friends in Korea. It’s cheaper to split meals.
18. Eat kimbap. That will fill you up and it is so cheap to buy it at a G24 or make at home. It’s a good breakfast
19. Avoid anything targeting foreigners and/or tourists. They will usually be more expensive services/items.
20. NEVER TAKE KTX! Take the bus. So much cheaper.
How much would a gym membership cost you in the Seoul area? I’m sure there’s a wide range of prices but how much would a more low-budget option be?
…
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