26 y/o American Expat Stranded Overseas....?

bargainbetty

Expat1 wrote: »

hoping for comments

Hi Expat,

Just a quick thought - what service are you using to make the wire transfers? Having worked for a UK/US firm I know how quickly these can mount up... Depending on the amounts, it may be worth reviewing the service providers available.

Also, as an ex-serviceman, do you have (or could you get) a USAA bank account? A good mate of mine lives in SC (she is ex-Navy) and has one of these. She uses it for all international transfers, as she gets all ATM and transfer fees refunded. She puts one amount in there, and can then pay everything out from there. She uses the card across the world,knowing she won't pay a bean.

The SOA that people refer to would give everyone an idea of where you are spending money, and therefore be able to suggest things. Basically, it comes down to reviewing all your service providers to make sure you are getting the best deals, switching your debts to lower interest rate options wherever possible, and keeping a spending diary to helpyou see where the little stuff goes.

With regard to your quality of life, why is it so bad? If you don't have much going on in your world, then think about what you like or are good at, and do something with it. As an ex-marine, you probably have some amazing fitness and survival skills which would make you a great teacher/volunteer at a youth centre or get involved in a cause that you feel passionate about in your spare time. You can really expand your social scene that way, and do something rewarding at the same time.

I hope this helps. Feel free to PM if you want to discuss in more detail.

Good luck,
BB