Got my RP...now practical matters

[prabhatdreamz]

Hi, there. This is Prabhat Ram from India, enrolled at University of Oulu for my Master's. Got my Residence Permit and plan to land in Finland in the last week of August. Following are some of the practical matters I hope you generous lot will be able to help me out with.

1. How much hard-cash can I carry with me when coming to Finland? Minimum amount that a student must have in his/her account is EU 6,720. So can I carry the equivalent amount in hard cash? If yes, then is there any declaration procedure required at the airport? If not, then what other viable and affordable alternative do I have?

2. Recently, I came across a student's monthly expense sheet (fortunately, he, too, was from Oulu). The guy used to spend around EU 160 - EU 170 per month on his food (naturally relying on food from Uni cafeteria). So is that a fair figure one should expect to shell out on food, or is it a gross underestimation?

3. What about during holidays? Is it incorrect to assume that Uni cafeteria won't be open, and that a student would need to visit a typical restaurant for his meals, thereby spending, perhaps, more than double the amount he would on food?

4. Barring Rent, Food expense, and Bills, what other expense should a student keep an eye out for. Presuming the student isn't a party animal, nor does he drink/smoke/shoot.../whatever?

5. Any other practical advice you guys could impart to me?

[betelgeuse]

1. How much hard-cash can I carry with me when coming to Finland? Minimum amount that a student must have in his/her account is EU 6,720. So can I carry the equivalent amount in hard cash? If yes, then is there any declaration procedure required at the airport? If not, then what other viable and affordable alternative do I have?

With more than 10 000 euros you walk to the red line (something to declare) and take care of the paperwork. I don't know how much a wire transfer from your Indian bank costs but I would use that route if we are talking about for example tens of euros.

2. Recently, I came across a student's monthly expense sheet (fortunately, he, too, was from Oulu). The guy used to spend around EU 160 - EU 170 per month on his food (naturally relying on food from Uni cafeteria). So is that a fair figure one should expect to shell out on food, or is it a gross underestimation?

Lunches are cheap with student prices (well under 3 euros). Sounds frugal but probably possible to pull it of with that range.

3. What about during holidays? Is it incorrect to assume that Uni cafeteria won't be open, and that a student would need to visit a typical restaurant for his meals, thereby spending, perhaps, more than double the amount he would on food?

At least in Helsinki, you can find student places also during summer (when one place is closed, something else is open).

4. Barring Rent, Food expense, and Bills, what other expense should a student keep an eye out for. Presuming the student isn't a party animal, nor does he drink/smoke/shoot.../whatever?

Public transportation popped to my mind.

[prabhatdreamz]

First of all, WOW. Very thankful to the two good Samaritans above who replied, and replied in such a comprehensive fashion.

@ betelgeuse

Thanks a lot, friend. I hope Indians allow me to carry that sort of cash, but even I doubt it. Need to do a little more digging. Bank transfer is an option, but about 1/30th of the cost would be lost in commission and other surcharges. Hope, Oulu, too, has one of those student places that Helsinki does. Thanks for reminding me about the public transportation cost. Gotta reserve some moolah for that as well.

@ anna.g

Thanks a ton, Anna. Really appreciate your precise and detailed reply. Can't imagine the time and effort you put in for that. Really grateful for that.

All your pointers on things to save on and things to prepare for, I'm certain, will go a long way in making my stay in Finland manageable and, relatively, "event"-free. I'm gonna make a list of all the "lookouts", "substitutes" and "cautionary tales" you've mentioned, as I'm sure they're gonna help me a lot in making my life, a tad, comfortable there.

Again, I'm really grateful to the two of you for your elaborate and patient reply. The information and experiences you've shared will equip me to tackle these practical matters with relative ease.

[Upphew]

Hi, there. This is Prabhat Ram from India, enrolled at University of Oulu for my Master's. Got my Residence Permit and plan to land in Finland in the last week of August. Following are some of the practical matters I hope you generous lot will be able to help me out with.

1. How much hard-cash can I carry with me when coming to Finland? Minimum amount that a student must have in his/her account is EU 6,720. So can I carry the equivalent amount in hard cash? If yes, then is there any declaration procedure required at the airport? If not, then what other viable and affordable alternative do I have?

2. Recently, I came across a student's monthly expense sheet (fortunately, he, too, was from Oulu). The guy used to spend around EU 160 - EU 170 per month on his food (naturally relying on food from Uni cafeteria). So is that a fair figure one should expect to shell out on food, or is it a gross underestimation?

3. What about during holidays? Is it incorrect to assume that Uni cafeteria won't be open, and that a student would need to visit a typical restaurant for his meals, thereby spending, perhaps, more than double the amount he would on food?

4. Barring Rent, Food expense, and Bills, what other expense should a student keep an eye out for. Presuming the student isn't a party animal, nor does he drink/smoke/shoot.../whatever?

5. Any other practical advice you guys could impart to me?

1. iirc 10k must be declared.
2. that is tight budget
3. one learns to cook...
4. study materials, moving around, other groceries than food
5. unless you are from mountains, be prepared for cold. Yeah it was over 27°C today, but it will be minus that in six months.

[prabhatdreamz]

Thanks, Upphew.

I agree that EU 160 - EU 170 is a tight budget. I've reserved around EU 200 for my food business. Hope that will be enough.

Cooking is definitely an option, but buying things to cook, especially on only occasions, may turn out to be an expensive prospect, when compared against eating at the Uni.

Yeah, study materials are another expense entry I should plan for.

Unfortunately, I'm not from the mountains. So those temperature drops are definitely gonna hit me hard. I'll do whatever I can to prepare for that.

[priki]

Long ago when I studied about everybody made their own breakfast and dinner, uni restaurants served lunch. It is possible that nowadays some of them also serve breakfast and dinner, too. In case they don't, prepare to cook your own meals. You can get simple cooking utensils second hand if needed, or visit Ikea. Does not cost much. Cost of food, well, potatoes, cabbage, etc are usually relatively cheap. And of course macaroni and rice.
(Oulu used to have cheap pizza places, so another option is to buy a 4€ pizza and split it for two dinners.)

About Oulu temperatures, because it is coastal city, it will not be as cold as inland cities, but it will be very windy, which makes it worse. When it winds, mild -10 degrees may feel like -20 and so on. And pavements will be icy, and the ice is polished by the wind from the sea. Very slippery.

[prabhatdreamz]

Thanks, priki.

You're right. I'll have to invest a little in cooking by myself, as it's highly likely I'll be doing that more often. So thank for your inputs in this matter. But I hope the Uni provides breakfast and/or dinner as well.

Those extreme temperatures and the slippery season are what concern me as well. All I can,do is wrap myself in as many warm clothes as possible, keep the blood flow running, wear rubber spoke soles on my shoes during slippery days and walk using baby steps

Thanks, again.