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Living by yourself and being in charge of your own money can be daunting. For most students, moving out for university will be the first time that they are fully aware of their finances. So in this blog post we’ll share with you how to save money as a student!
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As soon as you get your student email address and ID, sign up for student discounts. This will save you so much money with a lot of retailers online and in store. These are the three apps that you should definitely download:
Uni days and student beans are specific to students, but Voucher Codes is open to anyone, but with a student account you get access to more discounts. You will get tons of discounts with these companies, from high street shops to ordering weekly takeaways, saving you a lot of money.
The next best way to get student discounts is to get a Totum card. This is the National Union of Students student discount card. You can get a one year membership for FREE, or pay £24.99 for a three year card, which can also include a Tastecard and a Pass ID which is an official proof of age ID. When out and about it’s always worth asking the cashier or waiter if they offer a student discount, as they may not advertise it in store, but they may still accept it.
Other than using that student discount that I just earlier, to save money on clothes you can shop second hand. Purchasing clothes off Depop, Vinted and Ebay not only saves you money, but it also contributes to sustainable fashion, and saving the planet – which we love! You could also try making money off these sites by selling your own clothes on them too.
One of the best ways to save money on food is by meal prepping. Set aside time each week to work out what meals you want to have that week, buy the ingredients (and don’t forget to show your student ID for that sweet student discount), and then bulk cook all your food for the week. You can then keep the food in tupperware in the fridge for the week, or in the freezer if you want to make it last even longer.
The next way to save money on food is by using the Too Good to Go app. Download it for free, and find your nearest participating restaurants, cafes, bakeries or corner shops. The idea is that you will purchase a mystery bag full of tasty goodies that the company would’ve otherwise thrown away. So you’re helping reduce waste! Once you’ve selected the venue that you want to pick up from, pay for the discounted products, and they will give you a specific time that you need to go and collect the items.
Every student needs coffee to keep going through exam season, so why not save money and get a free coffee! Sign up to the Costa and Cafe Nero rewards app and after several drinks, you’ll get a free one! You’ll also be given a free sweet treat when it’s your birthday!
You can also sign up to our newsletter, Savvy Sunday! Every Sunday we send an email out with the latest weekly deals!
We know how important it is to have a social life when you’re at uni, and it’s even better if you can find ways to make it cheaper. One way to do so is by utilising your student union bar – if you have one. On campus bars will be a lot cheaper than the ones in your local town
Another way to save money on nights out is by pre drinking. Use that amazing student discount of yours to get money off alcohol at local supermarkets, and spend less money at the clubs themselves
One last way to save money on nights outs is by attending specific student nights at the local clubs. Student nights will offer cheaper entry, and cheaper drinks than if you were to go out on a regular night.
If you are living in London, make sure you get an Oystercard. You might not look as cool as tapping your phone for Apple Pay, but it is slightly cheaper!
Buying a 16 – 25 railcard will save you a third on all train travel around the UK, so it’s helpful to invest in one of these! You can even add your railcard to your Oystercard, saving you even more money. A 16 – 25 rail card can be purchased at £30 for 1 year, or £70 for 3 years, or you can save money and open a Santander Edge Student current account, and you’ll get a 4 year railcard for free! Or download the Trip.com app and use the code RCD001 to get 34% off a 16 – 25 railcard, but be aware, to activate this card you also need to purchase a train ticket through the app within 30 days. This voucher code ends on 31st December 2024.
If you’re looking for ways to save money on your utility bills you can join Resooma. We bundle gas, electric, wifi and water into one monthly bill split evenly between you and your housemates. You can get a free no obligation quote, and once you’ve signed up you’ll also receive a free 12 month Tastecard, and a £10 gift card to a choice of 6 retailers.
Every Sunday at Resooma we send out a FREE newsletter that has amazing discounts for the week! One week you could get free food and sweet treats, the next it could be discounted flights to Europe! To get all theses deals and stay up to date with Resooma’s content make sure you subscribe to Savvy Sunday. Subscribe to the newsletter by submitting your email address at the very bottom of this page!
Amazon offers a 6 month Prime Student account for FREE. This gives you access to Prime video and next day delivery for no extra cost. After your 6 month trial, you’ll automatically be put on a paid student prime account, which is 50% off of a normal Prime account, costing only £4.49 a month.
One last thing that will certainly help you save money as a student, is by budgeting correctly. We have a free student budget calculator that can help you figure out how much you’re going to spend each month. Simply type in your location or university, enter any payments you already know you’ll need to pay like your phone bill, and Resooma will calculate how much you will spend each month, helping you track and budget your money correctly.
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All your utility bills in one monthly payment, split between housemates
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