It's no secret that Flight Attendants don't earn a lot of money in the beginning of our career, which is why it's important to learn to budget to save the little money we do have. Here are my Top 4 budgeting tips to stretch your Flight Attendant dollar:
1. Cut Unnecessary Expenses i.e. Spotify, Apple Music, beauty subscriptions Start by cutting all those unnecessary expenses. When I first became a Flight Attendant and realized I needed to start budgeting because of the cut in my salary, I decided to start by getting rid of my Spotify, Apple Music, Hulu, and Netflix. That's easy money to save and well worth it. This is a great place to start so take inventory and add up those monthly subscriptions you can get rid of. Any little bit of saving helps and every dollar adds up.
2. Get a Roommate or Crashpad
Having someone to split the bills with will be the most effective way to save money. If you want to save on rent, you can either get a roommate(s), live in a crashpad, rent a room, or stay with family. You can usually find a few classmates in training to share a place with at your base. A crashpad, which is a shared-living space, is also a good alternative to an apartment. Rent is cheap and there are no contracts which makes crashpads very flexible.
3. Save Money Before Going to Training
The more you're able to save prior to starting training the better off you will be financially as a Flight Attendant. To start, training is not usually paid so you won't be earning an income for 5 weeks. You may need to start making large purchases such as new luggage or uniforms, and even put a deposit down on a new place. The airline will even send you a list of all items you are required to bring to training. Your savings will give you a good start and lessen the stress of starting this new career.
4. Meal Prep and Pack Your Lunch
All the smartest Flight Attendants meal prep and pack their lunches for layovers. Unfortunately because of laziness I'm not one of those Flight Attendants (lol) but I do understand that it's best and I recommend you do it. Before you trip, you can plan and pack your own meals. Not only does this save you money, but it will also keep you healthy while traveling. Avoid buying fast food in the airports. Even with our crew discount, which is usually 10%, the food in airports is expensive because of the premium they charge. Instead, buy an insulated lunch bag, ice pack, tubberware and you're good to go with your food from home!