Tips To Navigate The Cost of Living Crisis:

The Cost of Living is very topical at the moment and is definitely playing on the minds of many students, whether currently studying or thinking of applying. Having been a student at Swansea University for 7 years now, hopefully I can share my Swansea specific tips with you, comparing my knowledge of both before and during the Cost of Living Crisis.

Reply 1

Swansea Students

Official Rep

You are not alone.

Everybody is struggling with the Cost of Living at the moment. Yes, some more than others, but from the people I have spoken to, it seems to be playing on everyone’s minds. If you are feeling anxious about budgeting or money, I can guarantee at least somebody you know will be feeling that way too. Each student at Swansea is assigned a personal academic mentor, who stays with them throughout their degree. These members of staff can be really good people to confide in and talk through your struggles with, and they will often know who to signpost you to, to try and help things.

(edited 5 months ago)

Swansea University

2. Budget Well and Shop Smart.

In the 7 years that I have lived in Swansea, most supermarkets have definitely got more expensive. Big companies putting up individual items by a few pence here and there can make a big difference to the increasing costs of food shops. My tip would be to make a budget and stick to it. I’d also recommend to shop around and work out which things are cheapest at which supermarkets. It may be that you need to do a food shop across two different supermarkets, but all the shops you could need are easily accessible by bus in Swansea. In my experience, Aldi and Lidl are the cheapest around, but it is also worth bearing in mind initiatives such as Tesco Clubcard Prices, and Nectar Prices at Sainsbury’s.

Price Comparison websites can also be good for getting the best deals on things like car insurance.

For budgeting advice, Money@CampusLife at Swansea can be a great help.

(edited 5 months ago)

Reply 3

Swansea Students

Official Rep

3. Part Time Jobs.

If you have time around your studies, there are plenty of part time jobs in and around the local area to boost your funds. For example, in local bars and restaurants, in supermarkets (which can also then give you staff discounts), in the local health board or within the university itself.

Part-time jobs at the university include becoming a Student Ambassador or working for the Students' Union. Swansea also has a great opportunity in a specialised service called ‘Employment Zone,’ which can help students with aspirations to start their own businesses, if we have any aspiring business owners amongst you.

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Reply 4

Swansea Students

Official Rep

4. Turn down Thermostats and Turn off Lights.

Even simple strategies like turning the heating thermostat down a notch or turning plugs off at the wall rather than leaving the dreaded red standby light on can help save small amounts of money here and there. By making small changes, these can amount to a big saving. I’d also recommend turning off lights when you aren’t in the room, again, a small saving contributing to a bigger change.

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Reply 5

Swansea Students

Official Rep

5. Swansea University Initiatives.

Swansea University and Swansea's Students' Union are really great at helping students with little initiatives to help us save money. For example, a discounted meal in ‘The Kitchen’ at Swansea University, free period products in some of the toilets on campus, Study Aid refreshments during stressful exam periods and free cost of living breakfasts once a week. There is also access to financial services such as Hardship Funds for the more extreme circumstances.

Check out our other TSR Post on ‘How to save pennies when going to University,’ and ‘Part Time Jobs - Boosting Your Employability’ for more information.

We hope those tips help! Let us know if you have any questions.
Hope Henry - Swansea Student Ambassador and Third Year Graduate Entry Medicine Student.