UptownOracle in University

How to Save Money at University

As a 2^nd year student I manage my money pretty well but I still get quite a few problems when I’m not firm with myself of whether I really need something or when I decide to splash out. Here’s my list of how I manage to save money at university despite these slight setbacks:

I often shop in the evening/afternoon when I’m on my way home as I can utilise the reductions of the day. Most times this just means getting a reduced meal deal offering. But sometimes I get lucky and find some mince or other meat which I can freeze for a later date. I also try to use own brands as most of these are a lot cheaper and don’t taste much different anyway. Also poundland, wilkos etc are really good for shelf products and cleaning!
If my loan comes in a lot earlier than when I need to pay rent I place it straight into my savings account so 1) I cant spend it and 2) because it may earn interest (rarely). This works well as unlike a lot of my friends I don’t go out and blow my loan and then need to use money I don’t have to pay rent.
To save money on clothes and makeup I often ask for them Christmas or Birthday presents anyway. Sometimes though you need to buy something new and so I utilise TopCashback or Quidco to save. Student discounts are also really good to save a bit of money so always ask!
Getting loyalty cards is also great. For example I use Subway a lot as it’s on my way home from work when usually I don’t want to cook. In this case every so often I get one for free which is a good as I would be buying it anyway. Don’t get loyalty cards though if you’re only using them because you have one as this isn’t really saving you anything.
You may have access to free prescriptions and dental care with a HC2 Certifcate so enquire at your pharmacist or dental practice to save!
If you’re living at home for the 3 months of Summer then don’t forget to get your TV License refunded!
One of the biggest tips though is to budget what you have coming in on how much you can afford to spend per week. Depending on whether you have a job and have a regular income this can be a bit difficult, especially if you’re living off the loan but you just have to be a bit strict with yourself.