How to save money in Hungary

42358POSTS

9 years ago

Hello everyone,

Did you plan your budget before your move to Hungary? If so, how did you go about it?

How do you save money in your day to day life? Do you find there are any areas where you can't cut costs?

Do you have any tips about saving money in Hungary? For example, getting the best deals on accommodation, grocery shopping and dining out, the best value transportation, etc..

Are there any apps or websites that have helped you to save money?

Thank you for sharing your experience.

Priscilla

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Marilyn Tassy ViP

7254POSTS

9 years ago

Really the best way in my life is to hand over all my SS into my frugal husband's care.
Whenever I need a trip to the salon, makeup or anything I just let him know and he gives me the funds.
I know it is a very "old fashioned" way but works for us. ( Been to credit card hades in the past, all my fault! We are talking about a good $100,000 in the hole, bad me!!)Seriously in my hands we would be short within a week.
We enjoy cooking at home and really do not like eating out at all.
Always felt odd sitting there waiting to be served and not really enjoying the food as much as what we can do at home.
Unless we are trying something we never had before like a nice Thai dish etc. we can do better at home for far less.
We have the time now that we are retired to go to different shops when items are on sale.
We also do not really buy allot of snack foods, fresh fruits and maybe a slice of cake or nuts is enough for snacking.
For beauty products, well, I tend to buy high end but not every item needs to be high end. I no longer work so having a makeup that lasts for over 10 hours is not a issue. Some items I do not skimp on and others really do not matter.
When we travel to the US every other year or so, then I stock up on my faves.
Actually for me it is no fun at all to spend big bucks in Hungary and not be able to handle the products or read the labels before I get "attacked" by a salesperson.
Why spend over $100. on a item and not have the fun of touching, trying it out etc.?
Some things one can not save on like utilities , car insurance, health insurance , I have found shops here and there in which I can save a measly 50 forints here and there, it does add up in the end.
Transportation is not very pricey , we use our car but sometimes it is better to use public transport to save time and parking fees.
The second hand shops are great for buying a top once in awhile, slacks, shoes have to be new but tops can be second hand so changing ones look is very cheap. I have always been a fan of the second hand shops even when we had a good income, I loved scouting for a deal second hand.
Some items must be new but other items do not matter as even wearing them once or twice one gets their monies worth.
I usually buy 10 tickets at a time to travel and only use them when it is hot outside or if it is way too far to walk.
I like to walk actually so at one time for over a year I never used my tickets, they went bad before I used them, they changed the system and my old tickets were no good.
Made me mad because I got no refund.
We save allot in Hungary but as soon as we step inside a casino in Vegas when we visit our son, we spend whatever it took us 2 years to save. Hey, though dinner comps add up for "high rollers".
My husband has checked and double checked on prices in so called 3rd world countries such as Thailand . Over all if one takes in all expenses such as health care, travel, rent , food etc. He found Hungary to actually be cheaper. Can't do much better then Hungary for a high quality of life and standards against costs.
Of course if wages go up here and prices go up, then we may have to think over being on a fixed income,overall we may be better off as low income seniors in our home country, they still have allot of benefits for seniors in the US .
Nothing is forever anywhere, one has to be flexible and change with the situation.

mariamlilia New member

8POSTS

9 years ago

Good morning everyone

I do save money in Hungary. I usually go to the supermarkets and check their offers. Firstly, the bulk offers e.g. toilet paper, washing liquid, shower gel, shampoo etc. Secondly, I always check the prices per kg or ml since only in that way you can make a real comparison. I also visit the store Eurofamily, because it has much lower prices than the supermarkets in famous brands (e.g. Syoss, Head & Shoulders, Ariel, Lenor etc.).
Furthermore, once or twice per week I visit the section (in SPAR) with the products that are expiring in 1-2 days, their prices are very low. I do the same with bread, and then I keep it in the freezer, in plastic bags (4-5 slices per bag). In addition, I check the offers of LIDL, and most importantly th XL products that they offer every once in a while.
Last but not least, in SPAR (maybe in others too but I know it for SPAR for sure) if you go near the time that they are closing they usually have a 50% discount for all the bakery products (bread and pastries).
Another important thing when you receive your salary/scholarship, to take out the money for the basic expenses of the month (rent, utilities, monthly ticket, health insurance) and devide the remaining amount with 30. Thus you will have your "daily allowance" so you can check yourself everyday and accordingly decide whether you have to spend less the next days or not.

I hope my tips can be helpful to some of you.

3 members reacted to this post

Marilyn Tassy ViP

7254POSTS

9 years ago

Tesco also has discount veggies and meats at times. They are still nice if you cook them straight away, they put them out before their past due date.
Look at the store adds every week, sometimes there can be a big difference in prices on the same product depending on what store has what.
If you have time sometimes it helps go shop at several shops where different items are on sale.
Wines can vary allot in prices as well, Tesco has both high end , mid range and low prices on wines, sometimes even they are 20% off if you buy 2 bottles at once.
Shampoos and beauty products all depend on your needs.
I have found the Hungarian brand Kallos for very reasonable at some of the Chinese shops, I also buy at the beauty supply house but you need to be a pro stylist to buy some of their higher end products.
I am a pro stylist but find for my needs with shorter colored hair that Kallos is alright and for the price it is well worth a try.
I have even been experimenting with their colors, mix a few shades up and so far they work just as well as my old pricey Matrix tubes.
Our issue is we are big tippers when we see a doctor. Even with the NH we tip, learned our lesson the hard way, can't save on tips when seeing a doctor if you need follow up care at least.
Last couple months with my dental work tips, my husband passing his eye exam to drive and seeing a surgeon for a shoulder issue, we must of spent close to $700. last month alone. ( about $350. was in tips)
Oh well,can't always save all the time. health is important.
Another idea is to eat like the locals do, if you want to eat Italian or Mexican I would say learn to make those at home, eating out is pricey these days and who knows exactly how fresh the food is.
Learn how to use and cook the local HU veggies and meats or make a huge nice bean soup every week, could last for days and it super healthy.
We used to live in Hawaii and I cooked mainland style because I had a teenage son who was a fussy eater.
He rarely ate fish, didn't like rice etc. Had to buy mainland style foods and in the mid 90's was paying a good $250. per week and cooking at home.
Learn to eat local foods and you can save, funny thing is now he has married a Japanese lady and all he eats these days is rice and fish!
A bit too late for my wallet.

1 member reacted to this post

anns Serial expat

494POSTS

9 years ago

Even though I have got a car I leave it out in the countryside at my holiday cottage because you don't need to drive in Budapest. Most places are walkable and if not I always have public transport tickets which are very cheap. Buy them in tens. I never use taxis and I rarely go to coffee shops but my younger friends frequently use both as often as possible and then they wonder where their money has gone.
I have found a few inexpensive places to eat out in Budapest and in the countryside but its much cheaper if you just cook for yourself. I often just take a drink with me when I go out for a walk.
I only do the touristy things when I have visitors but there are some Facebook groups that often advertise free events in Budapest such as galleries, concerts and festivals and I tend to look those up before people arrive.
Also most pubs and clubs put on free music events and if not free they are often very inexpensive.
I only work part time but I find that my wages cover all of my food shopping and some bills. I live on an occupational pension from work which covers all my other needs and this was my main consideration when I decided to spend a lot of time in Hungary.
Because Housing costs, utilities and public transport is far cheaper than the uk I manage to save on an average week but when family and friends visit I tend to spend much more.
I don't do a lot of shopping in Hungary. If I need anything electrical I tend to buy phones, tablets and other goods in the uk. I also have an Amazon order for books and art materials and I have these delivered to the uk.
I have bought some good second hand furniture and rugs via Facebook sale groups but I did bring most of my household items over when I bought my home.

fidobsa Serial expat

508POSTS

9 years ago

I also tend to compare the price per kilo of different products and also think about how many meals I will get from a given pack of meat or whatever. For some years I have worked on the rule of thumb that I will spend about £1 a day (400 ft) on the meat for my evening meal. I might therefore spend 1600 ft on a chicken if it looks big enough to provide meat for 4 meals.
When I put in my central heating stove I got a cooking range type woodburner. This means I do not need electricity or gas for cooking in winter and I can use it for slow cooking of stews etc.

Future plans for saving on electricity include putting one of the liquid solar panels on the roof, to provide hot water in summer.

missustoad Active member

66POSTS

9 years ago

1. Don't spend like an American. It takes effort to spend that much. Remember the sales tax as motivation. Don't eat out as much.
2. The grocery stores have bonus cards or points. Use them.
3. Rely on friends locally for advice.
4. You don't have to live in central Budapest. There are many nice, affordable places and good public transportation.
5. Save on trips using Hungarian agencies or joining a local tour.
6. Tutor in English for money or in exchange for help with cooking using local ingredients.

Those are just a few ideas.

GuestPoster279 Guest

0POSTS

9 years ago

fidobsa wrote:
When I put in my central heating stove I got a cooking range type woodburner.

Yes, have one as well. Love it. It only has one "hot plate", but has a very nice, always "on" cooking oven in the winter. Have a hankering for muffins, cookies, or a lazzana, any time during the day, no preheating needed.

fidobsa wrote:
Future plans for saving on electricity include putting one of the liquid solar panels on the roof, to provide hot water in summer.

Always wondered if those were really cost effective. I guess it would depend upon need. Currently spend about 15,000 HUF a year to heat household water. That is about 1,200 HUF a month. Or about 4 Euro a month. Really not much of our total monthly expenses. And the new water heater we just purchased is rated at about the same cost (about 17,000 HUF at current power rates), even though it is larger than what we had before (it is an eco-friendly "smart" appliance).

fluffy2560 Hungary Expert

15092POSTS

9 years ago

#10

Klsallee wrote:
..Always wondered if those were really cost effective. I guess it would depend upon need. Currently spend about 15,000 HUF a year to heat household water. That is about 1,200 HUF a month. Or about 4 Euro a month. Really not much of our total monthly expenses. And the new water heater we just purchased is rated at about the same cost (about 17,000 HUF at current power rates), even though it is larger than what we had before (it is an eco-friendly "smart" appliance).

It's probably not worth it. I've been thinking of that and I was weighing up water vs electricity. What I think I will do is put solar panels for electricity and try and use the electricity to charge a car (if I ever manage to get an electric car). If you look at the cost vs petrol, it's a big saving as vehicle fuel is so heavily taxed. The other thing is that you can also get a FIT (Feed In Tariff) to the power company but from what I understand it's very low in Hungary - not comparable elsewhere in the EU. I believe the payback period is 20-25 years on solar but could be shorter if it is used in the right way.

The other thing I'm considering is to have independence from the grid to some extent because Putin will have more and more control over the energy supply in Hungary.

Vicces1 Serial expat

457POSTS

9 years ago

#11

My friends put in solar panels with the intention of becoming a "net exporter" of energy back to the utility company. He's an electrical engineer, so he does some of the work himself, but most of the installations (panels and new electrical panel to increase the rating and to gather the info needed to sell back to the utility company.
You are correct in that it would take many years for an economic payback. They are doing it because they want to be energy independent and out of a sense of environmentalism. The money they receive is small (if any) -- mostly they simply break even every month.
For comparison info, they have 36 panels generating about 10kw.

fluffy2560 Hungary Expert

15092POSTS

9 years ago

#12

Vicces1 wrote:
My friends put in solar panels with the intention of becoming a "net exporter" of energy back to the utility company. He's an electrical engineer, so he does some of the work himself, but most of the installations (panels and new electrical panel to increase the rating and to gather the info needed to sell back to the utility company.
You are correct in that it would take many years for an economic payback. They are doing it because they want to be energy independent and out of a sense of environmentalism. The money they receive is small (if any) -- mostly they simply break even every month.
For comparison info, they have 36 panels generating about 10kw.

Yes, the payback is terrible - 20+ years - unless you use to to charge a car. The installation costs of about 4-5kW is around 8-10K EUR depending. That's about 20 panels. That's an awful lot of panels to pay for. 36 panels needs a large area. I'm considering roofing my outbuilding entirely in solar panels. I reckon the maximum output is 250W a panel (exceptional!) so this fits nicely with the 36 panels vs 10kw calculation. Sound like the sunny day output though and one needs a huge number of batteries - Tesla box perhaps.