7 Tips to save money as a Student

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Posted: 15th March 2024

Courtney Evans

Last Updated 16th August 2024

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Whether you are going to University this year or you are already there, the financial side of things can be difficult to manage.

Find some helpful tips you can use if you are trying to save or just make your money go further as a student.

When starting at University or as a college student you can take advantage of the student discounts on offer and spend less for more.

Many places will offer a student discount so make sure to always ask if this is an option.
Sign up to as many loyalty cards as you can such as, Tesco Clubcard, Sainsbury’s Nectar card and more.
Student beans and Unidays are great sites to sign up to and get a discount on hundreds of brands, use this when doing your Christmas and birthday shopping!
Get a railcard, the 16-25 railcard will save you money on your transport, whether you have to travel for placement or when you go home for a weekend.

If you need extra help your university will offer a bursary to people under conditions. If you are disabled, are a carer, have a child or come from a disadvantage background you could be a candidate for this. This will be a little extra money you can receive each year and will really help you out.
A scholarship can be applied for too and you will be a candidate if you excel in your subject or a sports usually. There are often not many places for this at each University, so apply early and check if you would be considered.

Make sure to try and plan your meals, this will help you stick to a list and not get distracted in the shop. This is also a helpful way to make sure you are healthy whilst on a budget, look for the deals and in the reduced section too.
Split costs with housemates. If you all drink tea then you could alternate who buys it each week, you will be surprised how many duplicates of food items you have in a 5 bed house. You could go further and split the cooking too, if you have someone you could take turns with this will cut down costs and make dinner a much more fun job.

You can find great deals on second hand apps like vinted or depop if you need something new, this can be especially helpful if you have a themed night out at Uni.
You can also find your course books second hand using Ebay.

Having a student overdraft can be super helpful when making big payments like your rent however it is important not to see it as extra money. Getting into debt at a time you don’t have the money to pay it back can be risky and you don’t want to be worse off financially when you leave University.

Often at University the culture revolves around drinking and the nightlife, which can be expensive, however there will always be other things to do and other people will want to do them too.
Most University cities are full of fun things to do, this could be a fun activity, a museum or finding a new walking trail.

There many budgeting apps available, most you can download for free.
Using an app to track your finances can help you gain control of your spending and highlight where you can cut back.
Make sure to use a safe app you can trust before inserting any information
Using an app means you can keep track anywhere you are and many will help you set yourself a budget and remind you to stick to it!