Amaliah, a platform dedicated to amplifying the voices of Muslim women, shared a 10-Point Financial Guide to Moving Abroad from the perspective of three expat women.
Partnering with Algbra, Amaliah selected 3 travelers to thoroughly examine the financial nuances of moving abroad according to their personal lessons. The guide encompasses budgeting, expenditure and travel advice, all while considering the lesser discussed after-effects of moving abroad and setting up home in a new community.
The in-depth guide offers stories from Naima who moved from Germany to South Korea, Kareemah Ashiru who made the move from the US to Spain and Sumia Jaama who moved from the UK to the Netherlands. Expect to find all the crucial, non-romanticized details of moving abroad such as healthcare, tax, freelancing tips, safety and even a budget break down per traveler.
With remote work being more of a possibility following the impacts of COVID-19, many are reconsidering the realities of packing-up and moving abroad. Living abroad, in all of its shininess, has edged even closer into reach for former office-goers, but what about the financial aspect?
What about adjusting to a different currency? How do you calculate your cost of living for your new life across the globe? The guide, curated by avid traveler and founder of Hijabiglobetrotter, Kareemah Ashiru, presents stories, answers and alternatives for all of the above.
Packed with tips and the figure-crunching realities of moving abroad as a solo traveler, the guide also provides insight into the three travelers’ tried-and-tested experiences. When discussing back-up options while living in Spain, Kareemah shared “[b]ring a credit card or back-up card in case one gets missing. My debit card (the only form of payment I had then), was swallowed by the ATM. I had to survive on cash income for 1.5 months before I finally got a new card shipped to me from the U.S.”
Naima says a travel tip that helped her was to “[w]rite down your budget and track your expenses, even the smallest purchase and reexamine at the end of the month.”
Sumia’s words of encouragement also reaffirm the beauty of the process for those even slightly unsure: “Everyone talks about the importance of saving, but I think it’s equally important to focus on making it happen no matter what life throws at us. Create a timeline and adjust if needed but trust that the worst can happen, and you’ll figure it out.”
With COVID being a huge influence on how we travel, the guide doesn’t fail to offer wisdom in this respect either.
Check out the full guide here and keep up with Amaliah’s projects and work on Instagram.