Studying full-time as a student can be difficult at times. You might wonder how you can juggle between work and academic work and still have enough money to last you for the next semester or for when your maintenance loan arrives. Fear not, here are some money saving tips and tricks that have helped me during my time as a university student.
1. Make a list
Sometimes, when we shop, we can get carried away. We might buy things that we originally did not mean to buy or need. I for one am guilty for this as I fall into the trap of aesthetic and unique things that are presented in shops and get side-tracked. Shops are good at advertising their goods and so, many people can fall into the trap of buying unnecessary things. Making a list before you head to the shops can help you to not only remember the purpose of your shopping, but also, help limit the number of things that you buy. I like to make it into a game and think of the list as a quest and so, I end up ignoring the flashy goods that once distracted me.
2. MAKE USE OF sTUDENT DISCOUNTS
The beauty of being a university student is the student discounts. There are lots of offers and great deals that shops and restaurants offer to university students at a lower cost. Apps and websites such as UniDays and StudentBeans are great for helping students find the best discounts that shops and restaurants have to offer. These can also include theme parks, entertainment services, health, and fitness and many more. I have enjoyed using these discounts and it has helped me save money. Be careful when using these as it is easy to fall into the addiction of shopping with discounts, with the falsehood of saving money. It is a good marketing technique for businesses that trick the buyer in to buying more than they need, giving an illusion that the buyer has saved money For instance, buying six cans of beans for a bulk discount when you only need one.
3. Learn to cook
Cooking your own food is a great way to save money. Buying ingredients for a meal is cheaper than ordering takeaways or eating out.
You may think that cooking takes time and effort, which can be true, but there are types of dishes that do not require too much time and energy, such as sandwiches. Moreover, there are benefits of cooking your own food and that isn’t just relating to cost. For instance, when you cook your own food, you can control the contents of the food. Takeaways can be very high in salt and fat, so when you cook for yourself, you can measure how much salt or sugar you add, and so it can be healthier.
4. Take the time to hunt for good deals
Good deals can be difficult to find as sometimes retailers like to keep them slightly hidden from the buyers so that they can make more profit from non-discounted goods. Getting good deals requires research and effort. Once you know what you’re going to buy, calculate exactly where the best bargains are, this may mean that you may shop online or look at certain stores that sell the item that you are looking for. Remember, cheap items do not always mean good value for money. Look for possible reasons why the item is cheap, don’t get ripped off. If it is too good to be true, there is a possibility that it is.
5. Buy second hand
Looking for cheap goods whilst doing good? Behold, I present to you thrift shopping. There are tons of charity shops around Worcester that will not only help save you money, but also help fund non-governmental organisations. You can get many interesting and fashionable things. These thrift stores hold a variety of goods, from clothes, books, music players, tea sets and many more. All for a cheap price. You never know what interesting things that you may find. If you don’t mind second hand goods, then these are shops that you may try. These shops are so great that even the rapper Macklemore made a whole song about the savings you get from these shops.
Worcester Student Life 