7 Ways To Hack Shanghai As A Poor College Student

We made this list for all of the poor college students at there-- the globetrotters, the unpaid interns, and of course, those studying abroad. Use these hacks to go forth and prosper **May the odds be ever in your favor**

7. Free Lunch (well snack)

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The malls are a great place to put a dent in that bottomless pit you call a stomach. Search for free samples! Ask the lady behind the counter. Eat the food, it’s probably delicious, but don’t smile. Always act like what you ate wasn’t very good. They’ll offer you more OR at least won’t feel bad when you don’t buy anything.

6. First Class Treatment at Luxury Stores

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Stroll into your dream luxury store (may I suggest gaudy Versace) and window shop to your heart’s content. Wear your best/most fashionable outfit (forgot to pack one, may I suggest the black market) **think oversized hat and glasses** and put on your thickest American accent and stroll through the doors. Beware the carpets are plush!

5. Free Manicure (overall life hack)

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Walk into any cosmetics store (ie innisfree) preferably when it’s busy & begin testing out the free samples of nail polish. (If sales clerk asks what you’re doing 1—saying you need to polish both hands to get the full effect OR 2—Run, Quickly!

4. Haggle for Everything!

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Whether it's fruit on the corner or a 'Louis Vuitton' bag in the black market, never pay the original price. In fact, shoot for 50% of the original asking price. Don't enter the store together if you're with friends (that jacks the price up). And above all else—be ready to walk. Yep, that's right! Walk. If you're right about the price walk away and they'll chase you down willing to accept your price.

3. Cheap(er) Food

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Restaurants that speak English/ in more tourist-y areas have a tendency to be more expensive. Find a small local shop (yellow face or better) and pick from a picture! Yep, a picture! If you’re more adventurous than me, then something random on the menu works as well.

2. Le Myth of Le Metro

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Rush hour in Shanghai is not for the faint of heart.It is certainly not for those who are claustrophobic.It is however the daily commute for roughly 8 million people. Thus, the basic rule is this:you can fit on the metro!If it looks like there's no more room, there is-- THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM ON THE METRO!

1. A Fancy Hotel is the Holy Grail to Navigating Shanghai

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For one thing your American accent will take you far, like to the moon and back far: Take the brochures and find out all of the cool free places to go, sit in the lounge and enjoy the free air conditioning (if anyone asks, say you’re in room 319 and the room is under your father’s credit card—they won’t check **fingers crossed**) use the concierge as a resource to find out all of the hotspots around the city!