Look After Your Pennies This Term

It’s difficult not to get carried away when you see a huge lump sum landing into your student bank account, but it’s important to look after your money!

• Budget, budget, budget! This is the most important thing you can do when it comes to your money and you’ll be in trouble if you don’t. Think about your rent, bills (if not included) food shopping, going out, university supplies and the extra left over.
• Use cash instead of cards – it’ll seem a lot more important when you’re handing over hard cash, especially for things you don’t need! And definitely don’t get a credit card – they can be especially dangerous for students.
• Go food shopping later at night – this is when you can pick up lots of bargains. Get into the habit of freezing discount food too – when you arrive late back from the library, you’ll be grateful of a delicious bolognese or veggie stew all prepared in the freezer!
• Keep an eye out for all of the best deals – whether it be your student bank account or your phone contract, it all adds up in the long term!
• Use your student discount everywhere you can! The majority of the high street stores offer student discount and if you’re splurging on some clothes shopping, it can be a huge help.
• Don’t blow your student loan as soon as you get it. Pay your important bills; your rent, phone contracts and any other vital outgoings first. Getting into debt from going out too much or splurging on luxuries will come back to sting you.
• Now we don’t want to be the first ones to mention the festive season BUT if you’ve got the spare time and are looking to earn some extra money this year, now is the time to start applying for Christmas jobs. They’re perfect for students, allowing you to work lots over the Christmas break but finish just before you need to start revising for January!