If money is a bit tight this year then don’t worry, you do not need to cut off your hair or sell all your belongings. In fact, there are many ways you can save money by using things you already own. I am sure that you have had considerable valuable advice prior to or during your time at university. Whether that was from your parents, grandparents, older siblings (who think they know best) or in fact from searching the internet for advice. Personally, I am forever trailing the internet trying to find ways to creatively save money and hinder from wasting things unnecessarily. Therefore, I hope these small ideas will positively impact your financial state because I have certainly found them to be beneficial techniques in my wise old age of a third year.
One of the main ways which people waste money is by throwing food away. Though it may not seem that costly when it is just a soggy cucumber and half a loaf of mouldy bread, but in fact this can easily snowball into a pretty costly sum. However this can very easily be avoided! Try to plan your meals wisely by first eating those foods that expire the earliest and then freezing anything near to its expiration date.
Moreover, if foods are about to go off, particularly fruits and veg, try using them in baking (such as in banana bread or blueberry muffins) or even mix them together in a smoothie because then they will be mushy anyway. I even made gin smoothies recently with mushy mango and frozen berries and they were delicious! Make sure you make the most of your freezer space (all that there is of it anyway!) because freezing food is an absolute safety-net and saviour throughout uni. For example, I definitely do not eat enough bread to finish it in time before it gets mouldy, therefore I freeze the loaf then only defrost what I need i.e. 2 slices at a time. This is a much more efficient technique and does not waste any!
Another fab food-saving tip is to make a few portions of food then freeze the extra portions. So for example, when making pasta instead of using half a jar of pasta sauce and leaving the rest to go mouldy, use it for the full 4 portions and freeze it. This also means a quick and easy heat-up in the microwave which will save you time and it still has all the nutritional value compared to buying a microwaveable meal.
Another handy hint to save some pennies this year is to create your own room decorations. A great way of doing so is by recycling objects that would normally be thrown away. So for example, one thing any student will find lying around the house is empty alcohol bottles. These work great as flower vases, candle holders or even jewellery stands- you can go as wild as you want! Another useful creation has been to use perfume bags and boxes as storage- the amount you pay for perfume you may as well get full use out of the whole purchase right? In this way your room can look neat, tidy and organised without spending an extra penny. By recycling and altering the purpose of objects you can turn used items into innovative décor which will have all your other housemates wishing they thought of it first!
And finally, one investment during my time at uni which has preserved my cash was buying a flask. If, like me, you can’t live without a cuppa or few during the day then this is an investment you need in your life! A flask came in particularly useful (life-saving) for 9 am lectures and has saved me from purchasing so many unnecessary cups of tea and coffee in between lectures. Why spend £1-4, dependent on your favourite café, when you can have about 50 flask-made beverages for the same price. Also, there are so many quirky flasks to choose from nowadays therefore, you can sip your drink in style. However, I must say, the Christmas selection at Costa certainly wins in comparison to a flask-made version- but we all need a treat sometimes!