Living on a Budget

Being able to survive in Paris on a meager au pair salary is a skill that you will quickly learn.  Check out the "Student guide" at the bottom of the page,  pages 9 and 19 are particularly helpful!

FOOD SHOPPING:
When grocery shopping from your own wallet, there are a variety of inexpensive supermarkets to choose from:

• Leaderprice is a great place to find a bargain
• Carrefour, Auchan, Geant, Casino, Leclerc are usually cheap when found in the outskirts of Paris
• Franprix and G20 tend to be in the centre and a bit more expensive

Also, you will want to consider buying fresh produce from your local market, it is usually cheaper and fresher (on Sunday mornings and once during the week) and will support local farmers. Buying your bread from local boulangeries also helps support small business owners.

Check out the below link it lists all markets in Paris by arrondisements:
http://www.paris.fr/portail/marches_parisiens/Portal.lut?page_id=5675&document_type_id=5&document_id=10926&portlet_id=12148


CLOTHES SHOPPING:

Clothes shopping can be difficult in Paris when you’re on a budget. Flea markets are a great place to find good deals, and you can always bargain with the vendors if you don’t find the price agreeable. Major flea markets in Paris include:

• St. Ouen, found at the end of metro line 4 (Porte de Clignancourt). This is a huge flea market being divided into types of goods you’re looking for. When exiting the metro, simply follow the signs for ‘Marches aux Puces.’
• Port De Vanves is a short walk from the Porte De Vanves metro stop on line 13
• Porte de Montreuil is a short walk from metro stop Porte de Montreuil on line 9

Cheap clothing stores and areas within Paris are hard to find, but definitely exist.  we suggest:

• H&M store
• C&A store
• La Défense shopping centre
• Châtelet/Les Halles area

EATING OUT:

Eating out cheaply in Paris can be a challenge. Instead of dinner, dine out for lunch and choose from the ‘menu midi.’ Instead of beer or cocktails, choose wine as this will be one of the cheapest options. We will be uploading a list of places to eat for cheap soon, so keep an eye out.

Also when getting lunch check out the Midi Menu at the boulangeries. This will include drink, dessert and sandwich for around 5-6€.  Prices will vary depending in which arrondissement you are in!

Also most universities provide student lunches in their canteens at amazing discounted prices. Technically, you should be a student at the university, nevertheless you should be able to get in to take advantage of a cheap lunch. Lunches are 2€90 for a starter, main course and dessert.  The largest cafeteria (canteen) is at Mabillon. Restaurant Universitaire Mabillon, 3 rue Mabillon, 75006 Paris (6th). It is 3 floors of canteen.

For a list of student restaurants, click the link below:
http://www.paris.fr/portail/Education/Portal.lut?page_id=7910




MUSEUMS
Paris is well known for it's amazing museums. If you're under 26 and a student, you can visit any museum in Paris for free (thanks Sarkozy!). If you're over 26 or not a student, you can still visit museums for free on the first Sunday of the month. Here is a list of museums that are always free:

Musée d'art Moderne de la ville de Paris - M° lena
Maison de Balzac - M° Passy
Maison Bourdelle (Atelier du sculpteur) - M° Montparnasse-
Musée Carnavalet (history of Paris) - M° Saint Paul
Musée Cernuschi (art asiatique) - M° Monceau
Musee Cognacq - Jay (18th century works of art)- M° Saint Paul
Musée Curie (Institut du radium) - RER B Luxembourg
Musée du Parfum Fragonard - M° Opèra
Petite Palais, Musee des Beaux Arts de Paris - M° Champs Elysées-Clemenceau
Maison de Victor Hugo - M° Saint Paul
Musée de la Vie Romantique (Souvenirs de G Sand) - M° Blanche
Musée Zadkine - M° Vavin

The following are museums that are free on first Sundays and for young students:
Musée des Arts et Traditions populaires - M° Les Sablons
Musées Guimet des Arts Asiatiques - M° Iéna
Musée Delacroix - M° Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Musée Gustave Morceau - M° Trinité-d'Estienne d'Orves
Musée du Louvre  - M° Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre
Musée du Moyen Age (Thermes de Cluny) - M° Saint Michel
Musée de l’Orangerie (Monet's Waterlillies) - M° Concorde
Musée d'Orsay - M° Solférino
Musée Picasso - M° Saint Paul
Musée Rodin - M° Varenne

On Wednesday evenings you can visit Maison Européene de la Photographie at M° Saint Paul for free.