Money Saving Tips for Savvy Students

We all know that too many nights on Call Lane can take their toll on your bank balance, not to mention the constant allure of not one but TWO Topshops whenever you walk through the city centre.  Throw in the convenience of takeaways vs. home cooking and having to top up your library print-credit every other day, and you’ve got a sure fire recipe for debt. This may be where overdrafts come in, but it’s just not worth getting too deep into the red.  Your parents have probably told you to budget, budget, budget so much that now you’ve got the word coming out of your ears. But how are they supposed to understand that certain things (unhealthy chocolate cereal for instance) just CAN’T be skimped on? 

Instead, here are some practical, effective, and enjoyable ways to save a bit of spare cash whilst at uni.  I don’t promise that looking after the pennies will have you rolling in the pounds, but I do promise that you’ll be able to afford that extra Malibu and coke next time you’re in the Terrace.  And if none of this works, there’s always the tried and tested money-saving method… go out there and get yourself a job!

Cook big portions. Cooking for one can take a real toll financially, especially when buying meat and veg.  If, like me, you can never find enough freezer space to buy chicken fillets in bulk, and you don’t live next door to a fresh fruit and veg market, there is a solution.  Remember back in the day when you occasionally cooked for the family at home?  Stick to that sort of quantity when cooking and offer it around to your flatmates.  All take it in turns to cook for the whole house and you’ll notice the savings immediately.  Or, if like me your flatmates aren’t quite into the idea of communal meals, invest in some decent Tupperware and stick any leftovers in the fridge for tomorrow’s dinner.  Less washing up is a big bonus of this!

Orange Wednesdays. Too many nights at Tiger or 02 leaving you penniless, but you don’t want to be stuck in your room all night?  There’s nothing wrong with a sober, quieter night out, and what better way to be sociable than a girly trip to the cinema to see the latest chick flick? Orange customers simply have to text “FILM” to 241 and they can get, you guessed it, 2-4-1 entry at most mainstream cinemas.  Orange have also added 2 for 1 meals at Pizza Express, so now you have a double reason to take advantage of this great offer!

2 for £10. If a cosy night in is more your thing, why not take a trip to HMV to stock up your DVD collection?  This doesn’t need to break the bank if you avoid the new-releases.  Two films for a tenner is a pretty decent deal, and you can usually find some absolute gems on offer.

Primark. Whatever preconceptions you had about the store before you came to uni, it’s time to swallow your pride and admit to yourself that as a student you WILL shop at Primark.  Embrace this, rather than still desperately trying to look like a Topshop mannequin.  If you buy all your essentials (cotton cardigan, patterned tights, black mini-skirt) from Primark and team them with a few pricier pieces (I’m talking Miss Selfridge, not Gucci) you’ll have the “student look” down to a tee, with a few extra pennies to help you save for those £90 heels you’ve got your eye on. 

Pound-shops. As with Primark, this is all about pride-swallowing.  If that gorgeous Cath Kidston mug your mum bought you gets smashed, as it most likely will by one of your housemates, don’t rush out to replace it with the same thing.  If it’s likely to get broken all over again, buy a cheap £1 equivalent from a pound-shop instead.  You can get most kitchen essentials for a fraction of the normal price, and often just as good quality. 

Voucher codes. There are a range of voucher websites out there offering money off at a variety of high-street chains.  A personal favourite of mine is www.vouchercodes.co.uk, who not only got me a 2 for 1 meal on my birthday, but also saved me 25% in New Look the other day.  Make sure to scour the internet for vouchers before any big shopping trip or whenever planning a meal out, as there are massive savings to be had!

Rewards cards. Signing up for a Boots card is something every girl should do as soon as she starts buying her own cosmetics.  Until you start to add it up you never realise quite how much you spend there, and when gaining 4p per £1 spent, the pennies soon start to add up.  There’s nothing like treating yourself to that fancy new mascara with £11 of free money!

Two for Tuesdays. As a student, you can be forgiven for wanting to eat takeaway.  Not only will it taste better than a lot of our cooking, but it also means you can avoid having to actually use your kitchen!  Take it from me, the cheaper takeouts won’t always agree with your stomach, so sometimes it’s nice to splash out a bit.  Grab a friend and make Tuesdays a regular pizza night.  With Domino’s offering 2 pizzas for the price of 1 everyday Tuesday, you can probably feed yourself for the next day or so off the leftovers as well.  Cold pizza actually makes for quite a tasty breakfast!