Students aren’t usually known for their expanding wallets. Expanding waistlines, maybe, but not expanding wallets. While we all strive to budget here and there, the start of term is always a danger-trap! With the arrival of the student loan, potential pocket money from doting relatives and the leftovers from a summer job, your bank balance may be looking higher than ever before! But don’t forget how long that money needs to last you! In Freshers’ week alone, hundreds of pounds can disappear from your account in a matter of seconds. And who really wants to be living off baked beans on toast until the next instalment arrives in January?
If, like the travel section at HCX, you can’t wait to start planning your next holiday – look no further! It may currently seem like light-years away and maybe you’re umming and ahhing about how you’re ever going to afford it! But do not fret because HCX is here to give you their top 13 tips on how to save up for that perfect holiday:
1) Get yourself a travel piggy bank! Not only does it add some decoration to your room but putting loose change into the piggy bank every now and then will add up! Every little helps!
2) Trade one of your regular nights out for an evening in with your flatmates! Sharing a couple bottles of wine will keep the price down significantly. With some music playing in the background, great company and a pack of cards…What more could you want?
3) Ask family to give you money for your birthday and Christmas! While new clothes and swanky gadgets may seem tempting, holidays won’t pay for themselves and you’ll always have life-long memories which make it totally worth it.
4) Think about getting a part-time job on campus or walking into a few bars, coffee shops or clothing outlets in town with your CV. Doing this as early as possible in the term will put you a cut above the rest. Even if it’s only 5 hours a week – £25 a week times 40 weeks will make you exactly £1000 richer! Also check out these five jobs you can apply for on campus now!
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5) Do you have a skill? Are you a brilliant masseuse or cupcake baker? Market your “thing” amongst friends and on social networking sites and if you’re good enough, you might be able to make a little extra money on the side while doing something you love!
6) Apply to be a student representative or brand ambassador on campus. Companies will always be looking for eager individuals to be their voice to other students.
7) Go to your bank and set up an ISA savings account which will be separate from your current account! That way you can transfer any money you earn or have spare into it (while making a tiny profit) to stay safe until you book your dream holiday.
8) BE ORGANISED! This might sound obvious, but booking train journeys or airfares to go back home does come with a price tag so booking in advance is always much more cost efficient. Think about planning your foreseeable travel plans ahead of schedule so that you can maximise money saving!
9) If you’re not in catered halls, think about meal sharing as much as possible with your flatmates. This will minimise food waste and will work out so much cheaper. It might also encourage you to be more adventurous with your cooking and stops you from having to have the same dreaded meal 4 nights in a row!
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10) Stay away from après-clubbing food places! It’s not only bad for your waistline but also your wallet! Drunken spending is never advised so make sure you keep that debit card firmly tucked away at home and only bring out with you a specific amount of cash. Remember: £10 can go a long way if you’re strategic.
11) Don’t feel like you have to buy every single person on your corridor/in your house an expensive birthday present! You’re only students so no-one expects Tiffany’s and diamonds. If each person contributes up to £5 on a gift, this means you can buy something really nice together without the pressure of splurging individually.
12) Bring packed lunches into uni! While the campus cafes and bars are decently priced, nothing beats the price of buying the ingredients and making it yourself! The £5 you spend in the supermarket can cover up to 5 lunches while an average meal on campus costs about £5, so you’re already saving yourself £20 a week. Also – packed lunches almost always work out healthier! Some shop-bought sandwiches can pack up to 700 calories!
13) And finally, why not buy yourself a world map? This should encourage you to keep your eye on the prize while you put stickers or pins on the places you want to visit!
Stay tuned for some exciting travel stories to come! But in the meantime: make sure you save up those pennies because we have some wonderful suggestions in store for you!
Photo credits: www.pinterest.com