How to budget at University

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Being a student is hard enough but being a broke student? budget at University Hell, on earth!

So, how do you save money while at uni? Let us tell you the three most important things all students should be doing.

First of all, sort out where your money is kept. Instead of having a standard current account switch to a student bank account, because majority of them offer plenty of perks, such as interest free overdrafts, railcards, Amazon Prime memberships etc!

Make sure you open an account with a bank that meets your needs best, as all of them provide a variety of different deals and offers for students. We recommend that you have a browse of all your available banks and create a pros and cons list of their offers for you to decide which one suits you most! Once you’ve made your choice, submit an application and your documents and you’re good to go! Also, if you switch banks, you may be offered an extra deal – all you need to do is ask.

Now that you’ve sorted out where you keep your money, it’s time to discuss where you spend it. Contrary to what you may think, you can’t live off pot-noodles for your entire time at budget at university, you need some healthy and filling food in your life. We found out that the top 3 cheapest supermarkets in the UK are Lidl, Aldi and Iceland! They’re never too far of a walk from your nearest town centre. They have great selection of fresh and frozen food, vegetables, pastries and so much more.

It’s better to buy more frozen food rather than fresh, because it lasts a whole lot longer, with so many assignments I promise you’ll cherish that frozen pizza at 2AM on the night before your deadline. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have your five a day! A healthy body equals a healthy mind.

Lastly, you have to start asking for student discounts in store. There is no shame in asking if they provide a student offer because, most of the time, THEY DO! Register online for UniDays and StudentBeans for free. They are the UK’s leading student discount providers, you can save money on travelling, clothes, fitness, food and much more without having to pay a penny. All you have to do is register with your budget at university email address, click the confirmation link sent to you, then just add your details and voila – you’ve got access to thousands of student discounts. Also register your email address to student budgeting blogs, updates and offers. Save The Student is great for this as it publishes new offers, deals and blogs on a weekly basis – check their website here www.savethestudent.org

All of these ways to keep, spend and save money are great but they won’t matter unless you learn to manage your money. It’s not as hard as you think! Setting weekly budgets, having spare cash for a treat-me moment once a month, finding cheap alternatives can all be great forms of sensible budgeting while at University.

University life is hard as it is when you move to a new city by yourself trying to find a leg to stand on, so take the money related stress off your mind and enjoy the moments that only happen once in a lifetime!