Living As A Student

Living as a student can be extremely tough! Especially if you don't have a part time job. While I was away at college I had to get my head around sticking to budgets, saving money for unexpected expenses and getting the best deals with groceries! It isn't easy, but it is worth it! 

Anyway I have compiled a list of handy tips and tricks to help you along your study path and hopefully you can save some money!!

1. Start a savings account. Yes, you probably already have a bank account, but I am talking about a Credit Union account or a Post Office account. Why? Because you need to go to your local branch to get your money out (some offer online services). That way if you are living away at college you will need to go home to dip into your savings. You're asking why this is handy? Well I am not saying don't have a bank account as well, you really need one as a student to get money at ATM's when necessary, but you are less likely to spend money unnecessarily if it is awkward to get! My tip is to start saving some money together as soon as possible. Put away birthday and Christmas money even small change from your wallet or purse. It all adds up! After a while you will start to see your savings increase gradually and you now know that you have some extra security! For those of you that are competitive, why not try a savings challenge with your friends? There are loads of templates online, or you could make one yourself!

The Credit Union is great. It offers loans at an a affordable rate. So if you feel it is time for buying your own transport or you need to pay off some expenses, you will probably have better luck getting a loan from the Credit Union than the bank! 

2. Plan your meals. Yes very boring and some days you will find that you don't feel like eating what you have planned. You don't need to stick to it religiously every day but it does help to narrow down your shopping list. I find it extremely handy to have a small white board and write down main ingredients that need to be used up. You can then narrow down your choices. 

3. Look out for coupons, deals and discounts! You are a student so you probably have a student card! Use it before you lose it! Lots of shops and restaurants offer students a special discount. There is no harm in asking if they do a discount for students, if not, there's no loss. But remember to ask and to have your card with you at all times. 

4. Visit the Clearance Section. Get used to the layout of your local supermarket and try and spot what marketing tactics they use, so you can avoid them! Find out if your store has a clearance section, and try to find out what times they usually move stock to them. Clearance sections are amazing at times, other times... not so much.... but it is worth checking, especially if you have a freezer! 

5. Freezer Meals If you are lucky to have a nice big freezer, make sure you get the most out of it. You can batch cook a few of your favourite meals and then freeze them to use later. This is especially handy when it comes closer to exam time and you might need to use the hours to study instead of cooking dinner!

I will be adding more to this in a later post! If you have any tips please feel free to share them!

Love,

Tina