How to handle your money at university

Hey guys,
Handing your money was difficult anyway, but then the cost of living crisis hit! And now you’re going to university?!
Does this sound like you?
My names Emily and I’m a first year at Manchester Met and the cost of living crisis has been tricky to manage. I am such a home girl and going to university was such a huge leap for me. I don’t think I was quite ready for the epic level of independence university gives you. So, if this is you, stay tuned, because you’re not alone!

Although I’ve done food shops with my mam when I’ve been at home, it took me a while to decide how to best budget my money when food shopping. All of a sudden you are faced with planning or organising and independently every element of your life. And you think buying food is going to be the easy bit… BUT ITS JUST NOT!
The first time I did my food shop, I didn’t quite clock I wasn’t in a family of five anymore, and bought food enough for five people. So, that comes to my first top tip. Plan your meals! A quick way to burn through the budget is to buy more food than you need, and end up wasting it and your money because it goes off. Planning your meals for the week therefore helps you to not go crazy buying everything when your shopping, and helps balance that weekly budget.
Another food tip I’d suggest is embracing the joy of freezing your food. I know it sounds like the most simple thing ever but so many things can be frozen and saved. I enjoy making soup at the start of the week (5 portions cost me approx £2.00) . As I don’t want soup everyday I’ll freeze it until I fancy it for lunch or dinner. I found this similarly with veggies. If I buy them fresh and then dice them and freeze them all I have to do is chuck them in a pot when I cook pasta … and voila x
To further do uni life with the impending doom of the cost of living crisis, I have begun to do my nights out differently. Instead of doing pres at a bar, I’ll do pres at home with the flat or whoever I’m going out with. This will save me about £10 or £20 on my night out, which is if your budget for the week is £80 is a quarter of your budget. And that’s only on one night out! So if you can do this, it saves a fair bit.

Here are a few top tips for now!
I’ll keep you all updated with all the other money saving uni hacks I find!

Best wishes,
Emily <3