Surviving in Egypt with a basic salary is one of those things capable of making a person lose sleep overnight. Mostly because everything is very pricey and there isn’t much that we can do with our minimal pay wage. But just because we earn so little, doesn’t mean we should have little fun. Here isย a list of things you can do with a basic 3K monthly salary!
1. Go on a backpacking trip to trek Saint Catherineย
These days, Facebook is flooded with events that could take you on trips to different areas like Nuweiba, Taba, Saint Catherine and Ras Shitan forย as little as 200 LE per person. And the best part is, they are usually weekend trips so you don’t have to take days off your work and lose from your precious salary.
2. Ditch the cafes and go to any of old Cairo’s “Ahwas”
Most cafes nowadays have adopted the minimum charge policy even though it has been outlawed, but it’s not like anyone follows the laws here in Egypt anyway. What you can do about it is not be a prey to these kinds of cafes and restaurants. Why drink Pepsi for 20 LE when you can get one for 5 LE in any “Ahwa” in old Cairo? As for girls, don’t worry. It’s a touristic place, so gender segregation doesn’t really apply there. You can sit in “El-Ahwa” and enjoy your Sahlab in the cold weather. Imagine the amount of money you guys will be saving. Instead of paying a minimum of 50 LE in any cafe, you will end up just spending a maximum of 10 or 20 LE having enjoyed a better view and definitely the same amazing company you would’ve had in your go to cafe!
3. Ditch the gym and become a regular in one of those events that are all aboutย exercising
A gym membership could literally take up half your salary with a monthly rate of 850 to 1500 LE and sometimes more. All that because you actually care about your physical health and wish to be fit and healthy. Well, you don’t have to sell a kidney to be fit anymore. Join Cairo Runners every Friday and run your feet off, or better yet, go cycling with Besceletta . You’ll tone your whole body and improve your heart rate and physique all for FREE! Need I say more?
4. Forget about paint ball, panic rooms and bubble soccer, Walk Nย Yoga is there for you
Bubble soccer, paintball, laser tag and escape rooms are activities that are all a tad expensive for people who wish to get the most out of their salaries. We don’t want to spend a minimum of 100ย LE to 200 on each activity and wind up crying mid month because we are broke as hell! At the same time, we could use a little fun activity every now and then, which is why we recommend you Walk N Yoga where you’ll be able to take a refreshing and inspiring hike amidst natureย and maybe catch a stress-free yoga session on the mountain top! The whole thing is free; all you need to pay is 3 LE entry fee at Wadi Degla Protectorate’s gate.
5. Ditch the expensive hotels day use and posh dinners and go on a one day trip to El-Fayoum
Paying a minimum of 500 LE to enjoy a day in a hotel in Cairo is hardly the way to save up on your money. If you take a trip to Fayoum for an approximate 200 LE, it could be worth it because at least you will be enjoying the desert along with the sand boarding experience, campfire and a fine dinner with your friends and family. It’s just one of those things that you can do on a weekend and not feel like you spent much, because there is hardly anything you can do on a weekend without spending a minimum of 300 LE in average outings like going for lunch and then going to a cafe to grab a coffee or two.
6. Ditch the clubs and dance your feet off in a Felouka
Clubbing has become one of the most expensive things that you can do in Egypt. They literally eat up all your salary, when sometimes all you need is a good dance and a night chilling out with your friends. You can totally do that, however, in a felouka without spending half your salary in one night. All you need is 75 LE an hour for the whole felouka ride and a really good playlist.
7. Switch the expensive hotel concerts for EL-Sawy Culture Wheel concerts
Instead of spending 1500 LE a night on a really expensive concert in a posh hotel where you have to wear tuxedos and dresses, go listen to the same bands in El-Sawy Culture Wheel for a very little price and double the amount of fun!
We realize that this doesn’t begin to cover the things you can do with your salary, but we thought it might be a start. If you have any tactics that you feel are crucial to live it up this month, please let us know in the comments. We could use some help saving up too ๐ย
