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A working holiday in Australia presents a fantastic opportunity for nurses to see the world, but saving the money for such a trip can be hard, even for those without debt. Here’s a few ideas on how to save up for your working holiday in Australia, as once you’re there you can take advantage of all the nursing job opportunities in Australia.
It’s a no-brainer, but picking up extra shifts will result in more money. Maybe offer to cover a colleague for a few nights, or plumb for those unsociable hours for the higher rates. Don’t run yourself ragged, but understand that you might have to sacrifice a few hours from your social calendar to get where you’re going.
Double-check your payslips to ensure you’ve not overpaid in taxes for the year. This is most likely to occur if the wrong tax code has been used by payroll, or if you’ve been out of work for a few months of the year and come in under your personal allowance while being taxed under the usual tax code. It might involve doing some sums, but tax adds up fast, and you can get some healthy cash injections from backdated payments.
Find out if you’re entitled to a tax refund.
Make all of your purchases in notes only, and then start a piggy bank for the coins left over. You won’t notice at first, but soon you’ll have saved a healthy amount of spending money just from the remains of other purchases. Since the money won’t be in your bank account, it’s also completely protected from your spending habits until you crack open the savings jar. Money you can’t reach, is money you can’t spend, after all.
As you’re going abroad, now is the perfect time to dig through your wardrobe and decide what you truly need. You can sell old clothes, old unwanted gifts, perhaps the nursing textbooks you no longer need. Make sure you cover all your costs for shipping, and you’ll be surprised how much extra you can make from things that would otherwise only slow you down when it comes to moving time.
Again, you’re going abroad for some time, so now might be the time to think about whether you really need your car. With a car comes the many hidden fees: MOT, tax, petrol, parking, and repairs, to name a few. Why not see if you can carpool with a colleague, or take public transport? Most forms of public transport offer fixed-period tickets that will save you money in the long run.
It may sound counter-intuitive, but if you walk into a supermarket with no shopping list and an eye for bargains, you can easily come away having spent more than you intended. Go shopping with a fixed list, and only go near the extras if there’s truly a saving to be made. 2-for-1 on toilet roll might be worthwhile (you’ll use it all eventually), but a cheap jar of Nutella sat in the back of the cupboard is still more expensive than one you never bought at all.
As you can tell, saving money is about looking at your finances in a different way. Keep an eye out for these little opportunities as they come up, and you’ll find the old saying is true: look after the pennies, and the pounds will look after themselves.
Considering nursing on your working holiday in Australia? Get registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) to make sure your nursing qualifications are recognised in Australia and apply for your visa!
To enquire further about nursing jobs in Melbourne speak to one of our team at recruitment@australiannursingagency.com[/fusion_text][/one_full][/fullwidth]
