The future doctor now has more than 12,000 followers on social media. He shares that this special habit not only helps him save money but also makes his hair “smoother than ever”.

Previously, after graduating from medical school in China and saving about 300,000 yuan (more than one billion VND) while working in Shanghai, he decided to go to Switzerland to study for a medical doctorate - a place with one of the most expensive living costs in the world .

He told Meiri Renwu that an international PhD student in Switzerland typically needs 1,000-1,500 francs (about 30-45 million VND) per month for living expenses. Since international students are not allowed to work part-time, many have to drop out due to lack of money. He chose to “save every penny” to survive.

Future PhD must eat cat food for protein, donate blood for free meals

In a viral post, the graduate student said he often buys cat food at the supermarket to get his protein.

“A 3kg bag costs only 3.75 francs (over 100,000 VND) but contains up to 32% protein. So, each franc can be exchanged for 256 units of protein - cheaper than any other food here,” he explained.

However, he also gave a tip on how to eat it well: “Never mix it with milk because the smell is terrible. I usually eat it with roasted peanuts, which both mask the smell and make me feel full longer.”

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PhD students do everything they can to save money while studying abroad in expensive countries. Illustration: Unsplash

The young man also humorously said: "All my friends who are studying for their PhDs are losing their hair, but my hair is getting thicker and smoother, probably thanks to the cat food that has ingredients that help make cat fur shiny."

In addition to eating differently, the graduate student also regularly donates blood to take advantage of free food.

“Here, blood donors are served attentively: soft drinks, chocolate, sandwiches, hot soup, chips, marshmallows… I usually make an appointment at noon, and on time there are enough dishes like a free buffet,” he said.

Thanks to his “creative frugal” lifestyle to maintain his studies, he recently received a scholarship and is preparing to go to the US to study at Harvard University. He said he will continue to maintain his frugal habits while living in Boston.

Chinese netizens heated debate

According to SCMP , the story of the PhD student quickly spread, attracting many mixed opinions.

One person commented: “You are a legend. I tried to buy cat food to eat, but the smell was too fishy, ​​I couldn’t swallow it.”

Others commented: "Why bother? It's better to go to Germany this weekend to buy cheaper meat."

Another account humorously commented: “You should livestream eating cat food, you will definitely make a lot of money. Oh, there is also free food at Zurich station!”

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/du-hoc-tien-si-y-khoa-o-nuoc-dat-do-chang-trai-dung-thuc-an-meo-de-tiet-kiem-2446167.html