Our top money-saving ideas for students
1. Make a budget and stick to it
If you have a good idea of your income and monthly expenses, you’ll be able to save and spend accordingly. It’s important to manage your finances responsibly, especially when living away from home. So, work out how much you want to spend on each area of your life (eating out, rent, cinema etc.) every month, and stick to it as strictly as you can! We’re not saying to limit yourself to how much fun you can have – still, make sure you treat yourself – but if you want to manage your money effectively, budgeting is where that begins.
2. Make use of student discounts
Some of the most popular student discount apps are Student Beans and UNIDAYS. If you’re an undergraduate or college student, once you’ve signed up you have access to an extensive range of discounts from retail and food stores. This includes River Island, ASOS, JD, Schuh, Uber Eats and more.
If you’re going to travel by train, make sure to get your 16-25 railcard. You save one-third of the price of every train ticket in the UK by having one!
3. Buy from second-hand stores
Not only is this a great way to save money, but it’s also a fantastic way to shop sustainably.
Rooting through the charity shops for new clothes, shoes, jewellery, or even books can sometimes have great outcomes. Most cities have an abundance of vintage, second-hand stores so make sure you check out these too. You’re bound to find something that suits your style, and if not… go back again the week after! The great thing about these stores is that there’s always something new in them, so don’t give up if you don’t find something the first time around.
If your course requires you to purchase course materials, search eBay, World of Books, Abe Books and Vinted to find second-hand textbooks and academic sources. This can save you a lot of money! If you know anyone on your course in years above you, it might be worth asking if they’re giving away their old ones!
4. Food shop effectively
- Yellow stickers – If you shop in the evenings past 6pm, you might drop on some reduced ‘yellow sticker’ products. These items will usually go out of date the same day, but can save you more than 30% on products sometimes.
- Use coupons and vouchers – Many supermarkets have apps and money-saving loyalty cards that you can rack up points from. You’ll get coupons and vouchers from doing this which will save you money. Make sure to look out for money off on your receipts!
- Go for cheaper brands – You’re likely to save money on food by shopping at discount stores like Aldi and Lidl.