{"id":257,"date":"2016-08-24T11:13:24","date_gmt":"2016-08-24T10:13:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/frugalstudent.co.uk\/?p=257"},"modified":"2016-08-24T11:19:31","modified_gmt":"2016-08-24T10:19:31","slug":"student-money-saving-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/frugalstudent.co.uk\/index.php\/2016\/08\/24\/student-money-saving-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"5 tips to avoid being a skint student"},"content":{"rendered":"

Students love spending money. Students love complaining that they don\u2019t have money.<\/p>\n

Seems like a paradox? I know I\u2019m generalising but this is my experience after 3years of uni.<\/p>\n

I get it. The student loan system sucks. But we have to play with the cards we\u2019re dealt.<\/p>\n

So here are 5 practical tips on how to have cash left<\/strong> at the end of every month.<\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Plan<\/span><\/strong> your meals
\n<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Living in student accommodation for the past three years taught me one thing. We just love fast food and takeaways.<\/p>\n

According to data collected from HungryHouse<\/a>, students spend over \u00a3900 a year<\/strong> on takeaway food.<\/p>\n

Avoid this pitfall and plan your meals. Try to make the planned meals easy to cook so you don\u2019t get demotivated.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s ok to eat takeaways too \u2013 But try to only eat takeaway food once every fortnight and give the uni meal deals a miss if you can.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ditch your habits (Coffee and snacks included)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

A few weeks back I wrote an article showing how coffee could be costing you \u00a3806 a year<\/a><\/strong>. This also applies as one of my student money saving tips!<\/p>\n

Whilst we all need that late night revision boost once in a while, grabbing a coffee every day into uni isn\u2019t necessary. Not only will it limit the boost you get from drinking coffee but it\u2019ll also burn a hole in your pocket.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll put crisps, pop and sweets in the same category. You\u2019ll be surprised at how much buying the odd snack here and there will damage your wallet and maybe even your health.<\/p>\n

Try this<\/strong>: For a fortnight, keep a log of your snacks spending. Once you\u2019re done imagine that money in your bank account instead!<\/p>\n

Complain<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

This is my favourite. Complaining can really pay off.<\/p>\n

Bad service at a restaurant?<\/p>\n

Food not up to scratch?<\/p>\n

Or\u00a0just not happy?<\/p>\n

Complain!<\/strong><\/p>\n

I often use resolver<\/a> to complain for me. It\u2019s quick, easy and rewarding. I\u2019ve gotten anything from a free coffee to \u00a360 straight into my bank account.<\/p>\n

BUT <\/strong>Don\u2019t rush straight for your nearest coffee shop! Only spend it when you would have used cash anyway.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Don\u2019t get sucked in by discount<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Marketing people are geniuses. They can make you think you\u2019re saving money, by making you spend money.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re local takeaway is offering 20% off for one weekend only, and you order a \u00a310 takeaway because of the offer you\u2019re not saving money.<\/p>\n

News flash: You didn\u2019t just save \u00a32. You spent \u00a38<\/strong>!<\/p>\n

Companies often offer \u2018student lock-ins\u2019 and all sorts of initiatives to help you \u2018save\u2019 money, when in fact they\u2019re ploys to make you spend money.<\/p>\n

Avoid this trap by only buying something that\u2019s on offer if you would have bought it anyway.<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Don\u2019t rush into any contract<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

When you get to uni you probably want to rush straight in and buy a gym membership, get a TV licence and get drunk.<\/p>\n

Going on a spending spree will leave you skint for the rest of uni. Digging yourself out of that overdraft is harder than you think.<\/p>\n

So, PAUSE before you buy anything;<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t rush into gym memberships<\/strong> \u2013 Just because a company has a stand at the freshers fayre doesn\u2019t make them the cheapest.<\/p>\n

Places at freshers fayres are sometimes even reserved exclusively for university services in some sectors. If the uni has a gym, I doubt they\u2019d be letting a competitor pitch a stall!<\/p>\n

A TV License costs nearly \u00a3150 a year<\/strong> – But if you only use it to watch catch up TV (except BBC iPlayer) \u00a0then you don\u2019t need one.<\/p>\n

If you do watch live TV or BBC iPlayer content, think if you could go without it for some cash in your pocket.<\/p>\n

Insurance \u2013 <\/strong>Probably the most important tip. At freshers events you\u2019re always going to have pushy sales people try and sell you contents insurance or mobile phone insurance.
\nShop around! They\u2019ll say they\u2019re the cheapest \u2013 but they probably aren\u2019t.<\/p>\n

Check price comparison websites such as money supermarket<\/a> before buying.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also worth noting the plethora of exceptions that sometimes make insurance virtually pointless.<\/p>\n

Common exceptions include ‘not covered’ ;<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n