How do you manage financially as a student??
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Re: How do you manage financially as a student??How??(Original post by KJane)
my friend blew £600 in 3 nights out.
I cannot imagine how anyone would have the opportunity to spend that much on a student night out!
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Re: How do you manage financially as a student??I have a job every half term and in the summer holidays. My grandparents pay me to help out with their stuff and I work for a gardener outside the holiday breaks. My parents give me £40 a week and obviously I get some from the grants and loans but not a lot because I live in the most expensive accommodation. Be sensible; pre-drink lots and you don't have to buy anything when you're out.
Last edited by RobertWhite; 31-05-2012 at 00:37. -
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Re: How do you manage financially as a student??Either get a job or start budgeting. We never tend to spend much money when we go out (max £10 for a round of shots) because we pre drink a lot for a long time.
Worst case scenario: You've spent all your money on alcohol and have no money for food, live on tescos value supernoodles (11p) -
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Re: How do you manage financially as a student??You need to change your attitude towards budgeting.
Look how much money you have, then see what you can do with it.
Not decide what you need to do, then try by force of will to make the money stretch that far. It won't.
As everyone else has already said, in your case this means spending less on booze. -
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Re: How do you manage financially as a student??I got minimum loan but I have a job in McDonalds I can work at between holidays. For freshers I raised about £200, but Essex is pretty cheap for nights out (Usually can go out on £20 and get a good level of drunk, including predrinks) so for people who it costs more, I am unsure.
The best way to save money is to convince your flat to do a cooking/cleaning router. It costs me £7 a week for my dinners, that's a pound a day. We have burgers, a sunday roast, chicken curry etc. and it works out amazing for all of us, 7 people cook and only one or two have any sort of cooking experience.
I wasted my overdraft of £1400 this year, I do regret it. I didn't realize that my increase would only be by £300 next year, so that'll be my new overdraft should I fall on hard times. I can make a good £500 during the holidays and my rent next year should come to £250 a month so I should have an extra £100 or so to add on that should help my end of the bills.
My advice is to cook together as a flat/house, you save a lot of money and get a good diet if you do it properly. You will as a student go cheap as possible on nights out, £3 bottle of Chekov vodka for predrinks and a mixer then hit the better stuff when you get into the club. You'll manage, you may have to learn to enjoy Tesco's 17p super noodles, but you'll be fine. -
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Re: How do you manage financially as a student??Not sure, he goes off on his own and ends up buying rounds for the friends he meets or something. Bad habit for the bank balance.(Original post by -honeybee-)
How?? I cannot imagine how anyone would have the opportunity to spend that much on a student night out!
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Re: How do you manage financially as a student??what are you drinking, grey goose vodka and talisker whiskey? you gotta get used to the cheaper brands my friend! also, stop being so generous. My friend who works full time often buys lots of drinks on a night out for people, usually spends around £30 even on a student night, and yes even with pre drinks! my biggest triumph was when I went out in manchester: pre drank, walked to the club (10 minute walk) 1p entry, bought a bag of crisps for 70p from the shop on the way home...
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Re: How do you manage financially as a student??£1 promo bottles and 50p shots
You just have to get a job, it may be hard to find one but if you try hard enough they are always within reach. My boyfriend went to Uni with his parents supporting him, and after having never worked his CV was bare. I nagged him to start volunteering which he did (and loved) and after 2 months of that he got 4 job interviews within a week, and has been at GAP for a year now! -
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Re: How do you manage financially as a student??A lot of internships with software companies will pay ~200-300 a week.(Original post by WarriorInAWig)
Half agreed. I'd be very, very interested to know which employer will give you so much money for 3/4 months work supposing we're only talking about full-time jobs here.
My advice, whilst at uni, be a tour guide like I was, work at a local shop or bar, work for your uni as a part-time catering staff, or if you're inclined to teaching, take part in the Students Associates Scheme if there's one near you.
My best friend is getting £300 a week at MetaSwitch, £1300 per month, so £4000 in the 3 months he is working there. -
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Re: How do you manage financially as a student??Good stuff here, realistic and do-able! Cheers(Original post by Aeschylus)
Part time job - first week when everyone is hungover go hand in a CV everywhere. If you stay over summer there's always jobs going. Blag on your CV - don't be afraid to 'big up' yourself. Working 2/3 shifts a week is manageable if you are organised and compartmentalise your time.
Cheap phone contract. Don't need the latest fancy iPhone you need something that can take calls
Cheap computer. You can get a computer with 500MB hard drive for under £200 if you search around
Pre-drink
Morrison's savers range (or equivalent) for everything. Make big batches of meals (curry, chilli, stew, etc). Pad them out with vegetables and use meat sparingly. Go shopping before closing to buy knock down stuff - don't buy chicken breasts and fine mince, use other parts of the animals that are cheaper. I know some people who forage in bins but I can't bring myself to do that. Buy lots of things like tinned tomatoes and invest in basic spices and chilli powder for taste. Do not buy takeaways.
Buy your books second hand
Walk/cycle everywhere walk into town with friends - share taxis back if you have to (never paid more than £2 for a taxi home as have shared with many)
Take a packed lunch. It's amazing how much I spend on sandwiches and a waste really.
Find a cheap gym that does everything you need though student sport is often subsidised
Inquire about poor/hardship funs and what student loans are available.
Get looking for houses early - if you decorate a cheap bolthole can feel just like home
Good luck! -
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Re: How do you manage financially as a student??Easy, 70cl Smirnoff Vodka is £14? Mixers a long with that. Call it £15(Original post by wilko1991)
How on earth would you spend £10 to £20 on pre drinks? Buy Glens vodka for £9 and use that for 3 nights. Go to places that sell £1 drinks. You can go out for under £20. -
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Re: How do you manage financially as a student??Nah hahaha, usually smirnoff vodka, jagermeister, korona etc. I just drink a lot, if I'm getting drunk I really want to get drunk not just tipsy haha. ALSO I'm planning on going to NTU, and your signature says you go there..so you can give me some tips on Nottingham night life haha.(Original post by rosee92)
what are you drinking, grey goose vodka and talisker whiskey? you gotta get used to the cheaper brands my friend! also, stop being so generous. My friend who works full time often buys lots of drinks on a night out for people, usually spends around £30 even on a student night, and yes even with pre drinks! my biggest triumph was when I went out in manchester: pre drank, walked to the club (10 minute walk) 1p entry, bought a bag of crisps for 70p from the shop on the way home... -
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Re: How do you manage financially as a student??Where did he volunteer?(Original post by Billton)
£1 promo bottles and 50p shots
You just have to get a job, it may be hard to find one but if you try hard enough they are always within reach. My boyfriend went to Uni with his parents supporting him, and after having never worked his CV was bare. I nagged him to start volunteering which he did (and loved) and after 2 months of that he got 4 job interviews within a week, and has been at GAP for a year now! -
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Re: How do you manage financially as a student??At an independent charity shop for young people(Original post by krussel)
Where did he volunteer?
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Re: How do you manage financially as a student??I'm guessing you don't drink a bottle of vodka before you go out though? Or if you say you do you are bull ****ting.(Original post by krussel)
Easy, 70cl Smirnoff Vodka is £14? Mixers a long with that. Call it £15 -
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Re: How do you manage financially as a student??Hahaha, it seems a lot but its really not!! I don't finish the whole bottle clean, but 3/4 at least, when you're making mixers and you are doing shots within say 4 hours its easily done. A 10 pound bottle isn't enough on its own, maybe with a few beers though. There is a bottle in between I think but I can't remember how much it is.(Original post by wilko1991)
I'm guessing you don't drink a bottle of vodka before you go out though? Or if you say you do you are bull ****ting. -
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Re: How do you manage financially as a student??True, but surely we don't want to give up the lifestyle of getting drunk especially when we are students?!(Original post by chinaberry)
Aren't we supposed to be poverty-stricken, down and out thrifty students, though? There's a difference between managing and giving up up a certain lifestyle.
