What to Spend Money on at University

There are thousands of articles out there telling you how to save or make money while a student at university. This is of course important but being told about it from your mum and then seeing the same ‘student finance guides’ everywhere, from newspapers to websites and when you finally arrive at university, can get tiring.

These are supposed to be some of the best years of your life and, believe it or not, shouldn’t be spent worrying about money all the time. Through savings, earnings, student grants and loans you will have enough to get by and to spend on a range of important things.

Travel

Investing in a railcard is a must for every student. The initial cost is soon recouped in savings on just one or two tickets. Even if you live at home while studying it’s likely you’ll make the odd trip to visit new friends, go to festivals and weekends away. Depending where you live paying for regular transport to and from university is essential too. Whether it’s daily bus or train fares to buying a bike, this is a vital area to spend your cash.

Socialising

There’s no point missing the obvious, a lot of your money will be spent on socialising. University is probably the only time socialising will make up one of the largest portions of what your ‘income’ is spent on. It doesn’t just have to be on alcohol though. Eating out, going to the cinema and other activities will all create the best memories of student life. Just try not to waste it all in one go on a stupid purchase or one big night out you’ll never remember.

Course Materials

Specialist textbooks can be expensive so it’s best to check whether they can be borrowed from the library before purchasing. If not, look online for second-hand versions as they don’t need to be brand new to get across the important information. Depending on your subject there may be further items required, which need budgeting in such as trips and stationery.

Food

Poor financial planning has been known to leave many students eating poorly come the end of term. There are many ways you can eat healthily for cheaply with a bit of thinking ahead. This is a great use of money as a poor diet will lead to tiredness and illness, distracting you from studies and socialising. Spend your money in the right places and you won’t need to think about cutting back.

Tags: money, student spending

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