Budgeting tips for University
Hey there! Nice to meet you, my name is Siobhan and I’m a recent graduate from the University of Lancashire 🎓
Something that might worry you when starting uni is managing your finances. I definitely felt unsure about how to save money when I first started too. But after three years at uni, I’ve picked up some great budgeting tips and tricks that I’m excited to share with you!
STUDENT DISCOUNT - Sign up for uni days/student beans as you get discounts in sooo many places. You can use it online as well as in person and it adds up to save you so much money. Also, with every shop that you go to, ask if they do student discounts in general as it may not pop up on the app and there’s no harm in asking 😄
MEAL PREP - It’s not for everyone, but meal prep saved me a lot of money in second year! Get a big pan and a couple of containers, then plan ahead the meals you’re going to do. 🥘🍳Not only does this save you time and money during exam season but it also stops the temptation of buying a takeaway every night (which adds up fast, believe me 🙈)
BUS PASS/RAILCARD - If you’ll be travelling often between uni and home or around the area, I really recommend getting a bus pass or railcard! Many bus companies offer discounted student passes, perfect for shopping trip. And a railcard saves up to 1/3 on fares, which can be a big help if you travel home or to placements. Some banks, like Santander, even offer free railcards with a student account, so check online to see if it’s worth it for you! 🚝
STUDENT AMBASSADOR JOB - See when your uni will be hiring a new batch of student ambassadors when you start your course. This is typically a 0 hour contract job and because you will be working with the university, they will understand when you need to prioritise your studies. This helps you make a bit more money whilst being able to balance your work life well. I’ve done this and found it to be very flexible and helpful when managing my finances.
FINANCE TEAM - Get in contact with your university financial support team if you are wanting extra advice. There are people who can help you make a personalised budget plan and explore other options of budgeting with you. Don’t be afraid to reach out if you feel like you need help and they are there to assist and support you whenever you need 😊
Hope this helps at all and please let me know if anyone has any questions at all ☺️
If anyone else has anymore budgeting tips then feel free to add them down below!!
Siobhan (University of Lancashire Rep)
Something that might worry you when starting uni is managing your finances. I definitely felt unsure about how to save money when I first started too. But after three years at uni, I’ve picked up some great budgeting tips and tricks that I’m excited to share with you!
STUDENT DISCOUNT - Sign up for uni days/student beans as you get discounts in sooo many places. You can use it online as well as in person and it adds up to save you so much money. Also, with every shop that you go to, ask if they do student discounts in general as it may not pop up on the app and there’s no harm in asking 😄
MEAL PREP - It’s not for everyone, but meal prep saved me a lot of money in second year! Get a big pan and a couple of containers, then plan ahead the meals you’re going to do. 🥘🍳Not only does this save you time and money during exam season but it also stops the temptation of buying a takeaway every night (which adds up fast, believe me 🙈)
BUS PASS/RAILCARD - If you’ll be travelling often between uni and home or around the area, I really recommend getting a bus pass or railcard! Many bus companies offer discounted student passes, perfect for shopping trip. And a railcard saves up to 1/3 on fares, which can be a big help if you travel home or to placements. Some banks, like Santander, even offer free railcards with a student account, so check online to see if it’s worth it for you! 🚝
STUDENT AMBASSADOR JOB - See when your uni will be hiring a new batch of student ambassadors when you start your course. This is typically a 0 hour contract job and because you will be working with the university, they will understand when you need to prioritise your studies. This helps you make a bit more money whilst being able to balance your work life well. I’ve done this and found it to be very flexible and helpful when managing my finances.
FINANCE TEAM - Get in contact with your university financial support team if you are wanting extra advice. There are people who can help you make a personalised budget plan and explore other options of budgeting with you. Don’t be afraid to reach out if you feel like you need help and they are there to assist and support you whenever you need 😊
Hope this helps at all and please let me know if anyone has any questions at all ☺️
If anyone else has anymore budgeting tips then feel free to add them down below!!
Siobhan (University of Lancashire Rep)
Reply 1
Thankyou so much for this - super-helpful!
May I please add: Make the most of supermarket reduced prices. In Tescos, Waitrose, Asdas and Sainsburys the labels are yellow and in Lidl and Aldi they're red. These stickers are put on food with today's and tomorrow's sell-by date on a few hours before the shop is due to close. The prices of these items slash by 25% - 75%, and are absolutely fine to eat on the day or freeze to keep them fresh. You could save a lot of money and help prevent food waste! 🙂
May I please add: Make the most of supermarket reduced prices. In Tescos, Waitrose, Asdas and Sainsburys the labels are yellow and in Lidl and Aldi they're red. These stickers are put on food with today's and tomorrow's sell-by date on a few hours before the shop is due to close. The prices of these items slash by 25% - 75%, and are absolutely fine to eat on the day or freeze to keep them fresh. You could save a lot of money and help prevent food waste! 🙂
(edited 1 month ago)
Reply 2
Original post
by LancashireRep5Hey there! Nice to meet you, my name is Siobhan and I’m a recent graduate from the University of Lancashire 🎓
Something that might worry you when starting uni is managing your finances. I definitely felt unsure about how to save money when I first started too. But after three years at uni, I’ve picked up some great budgeting tips and tricks that I’m excited to share with you!
STUDENT DISCOUNT - Sign up for uni days/student beans as you get discounts in sooo many places. You can use it online as well as in person and it adds up to save you so much money. Also, with every shop that you go to, ask if they do student discounts in general as it may not pop up on the app and there’s no harm in asking 😄
MEAL PREP - It’s not for everyone, but meal prep saved me a lot of money in second year! Get a big pan and a couple of containers, then plan ahead the meals you’re going to do. 🥘🍳Not only does this save you time and money during exam season but it also stops the temptation of buying a takeaway every night (which adds up fast, believe me 🙈)
BUS PASS/RAILCARD - If you’ll be travelling often between uni and home or around the area, I really recommend getting a bus pass or railcard! Many bus companies offer discounted student passes, perfect for shopping trip. And a railcard saves up to 1/3 on fares, which can be a big help if you travel home or to placements. Some banks, like Santander, even offer free railcards with a student account, so check online to see if it’s worth it for you! 🚝
STUDENT AMBASSADOR JOB - See when your uni will be hiring a new batch of student ambassadors when you start your course. This is typically a 0 hour contract job and because you will be working with the university, they will understand when you need to prioritise your studies. This helps you make a bit more money whilst being able to balance your work life well. I’ve done this and found it to be very flexible and helpful when managing my finances.
FINANCE TEAM - Get in contact with your university financial support team if you are wanting extra advice. There are people who can help you make a personalised budget plan and explore other options of budgeting with you. Don’t be afraid to reach out if you feel like you need help and they are there to assist and support you whenever you need 😊
Hope this helps at all and please let me know if anyone has any questions at all ☺️
If anyone else has anymore budgeting tips then feel free to add them down below!!
Siobhan (University of Lancashire Rep)
Something that might worry you when starting uni is managing your finances. I definitely felt unsure about how to save money when I first started too. But after three years at uni, I’ve picked up some great budgeting tips and tricks that I’m excited to share with you!
STUDENT DISCOUNT - Sign up for uni days/student beans as you get discounts in sooo many places. You can use it online as well as in person and it adds up to save you so much money. Also, with every shop that you go to, ask if they do student discounts in general as it may not pop up on the app and there’s no harm in asking 😄
MEAL PREP - It’s not for everyone, but meal prep saved me a lot of money in second year! Get a big pan and a couple of containers, then plan ahead the meals you’re going to do. 🥘🍳Not only does this save you time and money during exam season but it also stops the temptation of buying a takeaway every night (which adds up fast, believe me 🙈)
BUS PASS/RAILCARD - If you’ll be travelling often between uni and home or around the area, I really recommend getting a bus pass or railcard! Many bus companies offer discounted student passes, perfect for shopping trip. And a railcard saves up to 1/3 on fares, which can be a big help if you travel home or to placements. Some banks, like Santander, even offer free railcards with a student account, so check online to see if it’s worth it for you! 🚝
STUDENT AMBASSADOR JOB - See when your uni will be hiring a new batch of student ambassadors when you start your course. This is typically a 0 hour contract job and because you will be working with the university, they will understand when you need to prioritise your studies. This helps you make a bit more money whilst being able to balance your work life well. I’ve done this and found it to be very flexible and helpful when managing my finances.
FINANCE TEAM - Get in contact with your university financial support team if you are wanting extra advice. There are people who can help you make a personalised budget plan and explore other options of budgeting with you. Don’t be afraid to reach out if you feel like you need help and they are there to assist and support you whenever you need 😊
Hope this helps at all and please let me know if anyone has any questions at all ☺️
If anyone else has anymore budgeting tips then feel free to add them down below!!
Siobhan (University of Lancashire Rep)
Hi!
This is a great idea so I thought I'd add a couple of my own tips!
•
Make the most of apps like 'too good to go' where you can rescue food that was otherwise going off! They can be a bit random sometimes but you can get some good things out of them which are a great saving and can go win your freezer. I like getting them from Aldi and I have got some good ones from there, or I like getting a sweet treat one from Krispy Kreme too!
•
Freeze food! You can freeze lots of things, like chicken, salmon etc and then you can also freeze meals which has really helped me to save money as it is often cheaper to buy things in bulk but I often don't use them all just cooking for myself so freezing them has really helped me to save some money!
•
Buy some own brand things! I have some things that I don't like the own brand of and so will buy the branded version, but most things are just as good and so much cheaper! Work out which ones you like and which you don't want to sacrifice so you aren't buying own brand things you don't actually like just for the sake of it, but you are still saying money where you can!
•
Try to take lunch to uni, or work rather than buying it. It is a lot easier to buy a meal deal but they can quickly add up and it is probably nicer to bring something homemade anyway even if it is just a sandwich.
I hope some of these help! 🙂
Lucy -SHU student ambassador.
Reply 3
Original post
by LancashireRep5Hey there! Nice to meet you, my name is Siobhan and I’m a recent graduate from the University of Lancashire 🎓
Something that might worry you when starting uni is managing your finances. I definitely felt unsure about how to save money when I first started too. But after three years at uni, I’ve picked up some great budgeting tips and tricks that I’m excited to share with you!
STUDENT DISCOUNT - Sign up for uni days/student beans as you get discounts in sooo many places. You can use it online as well as in person and it adds up to save you so much money. Also, with every shop that you go to, ask if they do student discounts in general as it may not pop up on the app and there’s no harm in asking 😄
MEAL PREP - It’s not for everyone, but meal prep saved me a lot of money in second year! Get a big pan and a couple of containers, then plan ahead the meals you’re going to do. 🥘🍳Not only does this save you time and money during exam season but it also stops the temptation of buying a takeaway every night (which adds up fast, believe me 🙈)
BUS PASS/RAILCARD - If you’ll be travelling often between uni and home or around the area, I really recommend getting a bus pass or railcard! Many bus companies offer discounted student passes, perfect for shopping trip. And a railcard saves up to 1/3 on fares, which can be a big help if you travel home or to placements. Some banks, like Santander, even offer free railcards with a student account, so check online to see if it’s worth it for you! 🚝
STUDENT AMBASSADOR JOB - See when your uni will be hiring a new batch of student ambassadors when you start your course. This is typically a 0 hour contract job and because you will be working with the university, they will understand when you need to prioritise your studies. This helps you make a bit more money whilst being able to balance your work life well. I’ve done this and found it to be very flexible and helpful when managing my finances.
FINANCE TEAM - Get in contact with your university financial support team if you are wanting extra advice. There are people who can help you make a personalised budget plan and explore other options of budgeting with you. Don’t be afraid to reach out if you feel like you need help and they are there to assist and support you whenever you need 😊
Hope this helps at all and please let me know if anyone has any questions at all ☺️
If anyone else has anymore budgeting tips then feel free to add them down below!!
Siobhan (University of Lancashire Rep)
Something that might worry you when starting uni is managing your finances. I definitely felt unsure about how to save money when I first started too. But after three years at uni, I’ve picked up some great budgeting tips and tricks that I’m excited to share with you!
STUDENT DISCOUNT - Sign up for uni days/student beans as you get discounts in sooo many places. You can use it online as well as in person and it adds up to save you so much money. Also, with every shop that you go to, ask if they do student discounts in general as it may not pop up on the app and there’s no harm in asking 😄
MEAL PREP - It’s not for everyone, but meal prep saved me a lot of money in second year! Get a big pan and a couple of containers, then plan ahead the meals you’re going to do. 🥘🍳Not only does this save you time and money during exam season but it also stops the temptation of buying a takeaway every night (which adds up fast, believe me 🙈)
BUS PASS/RAILCARD - If you’ll be travelling often between uni and home or around the area, I really recommend getting a bus pass or railcard! Many bus companies offer discounted student passes, perfect for shopping trip. And a railcard saves up to 1/3 on fares, which can be a big help if you travel home or to placements. Some banks, like Santander, even offer free railcards with a student account, so check online to see if it’s worth it for you! 🚝
STUDENT AMBASSADOR JOB - See when your uni will be hiring a new batch of student ambassadors when you start your course. This is typically a 0 hour contract job and because you will be working with the university, they will understand when you need to prioritise your studies. This helps you make a bit more money whilst being able to balance your work life well. I’ve done this and found it to be very flexible and helpful when managing my finances.
FINANCE TEAM - Get in contact with your university financial support team if you are wanting extra advice. There are people who can help you make a personalised budget plan and explore other options of budgeting with you. Don’t be afraid to reach out if you feel like you need help and they are there to assist and support you whenever you need 😊
Hope this helps at all and please let me know if anyone has any questions at all ☺️
If anyone else has anymore budgeting tips then feel free to add them down below!!
Siobhan (University of Lancashire Rep)
Hi @LancashireRep5
This is a great idea!
Lots of great responses already, so just thought I would add a couple posts I have previously done in case anyone is looking for more tips
How to Save at University - The Student Room
How to Save on Transport (London/UK) Add Your Tips! - The Student Room
Weekly Food Shop Inspo - The Student Room
Top tips would definitely be
•
Meal planning
•
Working as a student ambassador
•
Using student discount
•
Shopping at Aldi/Lidl and using Lidl Plus, Nectar, Clubcard etc
Hope this helps
-Grace (Kingston Rep)
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