Simple Ways to Save Money on Daily Expenses as a Student

Managing your budget while studying at university isn’t easy, and unless you manage to find a well-paid part-time job, it’s likely you’re going to struggle for the three or four years that you’re there.  While there are certain things that you have no choice but to pay out for – course fees and accommodation to name just two – there are some areas where you can lower your costs.  We have described these in this article.

Be Smart with Food Shopping

After rent, food is likely to be your biggest expense.  And while it can be tempting to grab a takeaway every night, this is only going to deplete your savings.  Instead, cook from home and buy supermarket home brands instead of the premium brands.  In many cases, these are even made in the same factory and taste exactly the same.  You will also save money by making your own lunches rather than buying a sandwich and a coffee every day.  If your family want to help out, ask them to buy you a cookbook and learn to make your own meals from scratch every day.

Consider Transport

Most universities are located in big cities that have a good public transport network.  Because of this, you likely won’t need your own car while you are studying, which could save you a lot of cash.  If you plan on getting the bus or train regularly, look into student cards which will make transportation easier.  And, if you do need a car for travelling home or commuting, consider leasing a car instead of buying one outright.  If you have got some spare cash to spend, you could go for one of the Jaguar e-pace leasing deals that are available. Opting to lease a Jaguar from Vantage Leasing will cost you as little as £200 a month, and you won’t be responsible for repairs or maintenance like you would with regular car ownership. If this model is out of your price range, you can just have a look at what cheaper options are available to lease.

Look Into Student Discounts

Many food outlets and shops provide student discounts, and NUS Extra Card could help you save hundreds of pounds throughout the year.  The NUS card costs £12 and then can be used to claim a discount at shops like ASOS, Zizzi, Pizza Express, and even The Co-op.  If there’s one shop you buy from a lot, getting a job there could also lead to further discounts on items.  Remember, you can also receive software like Microsoft Word for free while you are in education as well.

Buy Books Second Hand

There’s no need to buy all of your course books brand new, and there’s probably no need to buy every item on your suggested reading list either.  Where possible, you can purchase these second-hand or see if you can borrow them from the library.  Depending on what you are studying, it may be worth signing up with Amazon Student or taking out a Kindle Unlimited subscription too.  This will save you a lot of money, and also save you from carrying heavy books around.

Can you think of any other ways to lower your daily expenses as a student?  Let us know in the comments.

Tags: save money, student finance

Category: Finance