Thinking of travel nursing in Guam? Have you heard it’s expensive and you’re worried about your bank account? I was in the same position when I accepted my assignment there. I expected to break even or not be able to save much at best. Although I'm a saver at heart, I was okay with that for the opportunity to live in such a beautiful place. However, I stuck to my budget, managed to enjoy myself to the fullest while I was there, and was pleasantly surprised with my bank account when my assignment was over. If you're a saver like me and headed to Guam, this article will help you navigate the island while living in paradise!

Local Food

Take advantage of the local food trucks and farmers market on the island. If you don't have base access, and my assumption is you don't, grocery store prices are intimidating. Obviously food is going to be expensive because it's imported, but dang I didn't expect 2-3x as much! If you like to eat organic, sticking to your diet might be a challenge because of the prices. I know that I personally didn't eat like I normally would have because I didn't want to spend the money. Luckily, I found the local spots and was able to eat quality food and not break the bank. Make sure you bring cash to the local spots, as most of them don't take card.

Dededo Farmers Market

Every Saturday and Sunday morning, locals gather at sunrise to sell local produce. The market stays open until 10am and is located across from the Dededo Police Station, you can't miss it. Not only do they sell cheap local produce, but lots of other goods. I would typically buy supplies here as well, such as laundry detergent, dish soap, sponges, etc.. The market offers all kinds of random nick knacks that you can use around the house. The earlier you can get there, the better. You'll have many more options for produce. My friend and I went around 9am and almost everything was sold out. If you work night shift and get off on Saturday or Sunday morning, the market is only about 1/2 mile away from GRMC. Stop there on your way home from work to get all your goodies.

Chamaro Village

Every Wednesday night starting at 6, this cultural event is happening. You can't buy fresh produce here, but you can get a cheap dinner. Many locals come here to grill out and give travelers a true cultural experience. Most of the food is BBQ, as that's the main dish in Guam. This is definitely the place to be on Wednesday nights. Be sure to pick up an extra dish for your lunch the next day!

Food Trucks

Fat Boy Slims is my favorite food truck on the island. You can follow them on instagram @fbsguam to get their schedule. Everyday they have different local specials, with most of them being under $10. On Fridays, they are at GRMC until 3pm! Seriously check them out guys, you won't regret it! And when you do, order their macadamia pancakes, they're a special treat.

Max Ramen & Yakisoba

Another great eatery on the island! This healthy food truck option is located in Tamuning. The owner makes his noodles from scratch and offers delicious authentic ramen. You can find his location and hours on Google Maps.

Every Tuesday and Thursday, several food truck vendors set up behind the museum in Hagatna. There are several different options here and all of them are very affordable! If you're driving on Marine Drive in Hagatna after 5pm, you can't miss them.

Z's Green Canteen

All of the food sold here is local produce and it's amazing! They pride themselves for being 100% plant based which I think is pretty cool since it can be hard to find vegan options on the island. Check them out on instagram @zs_greencanteen for their schedule and location.`

Horse and Cow

A pub located in Tamuning that has legit happy hour food deals! Everyday they have $10 specials if you dine in. My favorite are the burger specials, you can get any hamburger on their menu (normally $15-$20) with fries for $10. Their other specials are tacos, steak and wings.

Shopping

As I mentioned, grocery stores can be quite pricey. The main stores on the island for food are Cost-U-Less, Payless, and Kmart. All which will break the bank, especially Kmart. I found that shopping at "hole in the wall" supermarkets for the basic foods were a cheaper option. These are good places to buy spices and things like that. A few of my favorite were Pacific Supermarket, Vinny's, and San Jose Supermarket. If you google "mom and pop" stores you will find a list of several other gems.

Lucky for you and me, Guam has a Ross store. This is seriously a life savor! You can find all your cosmetics, clothes, shoes, etc here for the same prices as back home. Also, side note, you can get your cooking oils and smoothie ingredients here for way cheaper than the grocery store.

Cell Service

Many people are concerned with their phone bill when moving to Guam. If you're not a Tmobile customer, then chances are your carrier charges extra fees for usage in Guam. There are two ways you can go about using your cell phone in Guam. If you don't want to lose your phone number, then you can keep your home line active while over here. The only problem with this is you're going to be paying two phone bills. If this is the case, I recommend dropping your home plan to the cheapest one available to save money. Your second option is to cancel your service back home and buy a local SIM. I recommend using iConnect because it's the cheapest here in Guam. Service is efficient and my plan only costs $35 a month. This gets me unlimited data and 1,000 minutes of calling to the mainland. I'm not sure why cell service is so cheap here compared to back home, but I'll take it! The other providers on the island offer better coverage, but the cost is $70+ per month for unlimited. Make sure your phone is unlocked prior to getting to Guam. If you're unsure, the phone stores typically have a tester SIM card they can use to check. If its not unlocked, some people end up having a second phone while on island that's just for their Guam number, and still carry around their home phone for when Wifi is available, pictures, etc.

Living on a rock half way around the world means you might not have it all, but you can definitely make the most of what you do have. Island life comes with it’s price, but when you dive a little deeper, you can make it work. Guam was one of my personal favorites after I got the hang of things. I hope sharing my journey helps you enjoy your time there on a budget. For more “how to” travel nursing, check out my blog www.travelinggypsynurse.com and keep shining!!

Guam on a Budget

Another great eatery on the island! This healthy food truck option is located in Tamuning. The owner makes his noodles from scratch and offers delicious authentic ramen. You can find his location and hours on Google Maps.

Every Tuesday and Thursday, several food truck vendors set up behind the museum in Hagatna. There are several different options here and all of them are very affordable! If you're driving on Marine Drive in Hagatna after 5pm, you can't miss them.

A pub located in Tamuning that has legit happy hour food deals! Everyday they have $10 specials if you dine in. My favorite are the burger specials, you can get any hamburger on their menu (normally $15-$20) with fries for $10. Their other specials are tacos, steak and wings.

Lucky for you and me, Guam has a Ross store. This is seriously a life savor! You can find all your cosmetics, clothes, shoes, etc here for the same prices as back home. Also, side note, you can get your cooking oils and smoothie ingredients here for way cheaper than the grocery store.

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