The issue that most students take time to get used to is having a huge amount of money suddenly arrive in their bank account at the start of an academic term.
This might sound great for you, but it’s a huge responsibility. For lots of parents, this is the biggest concern as they pack their little ones off to start their new lives and believe me, they will not be impressed if you ring up a few weeks into the term to tell them that you’ve “had a great first few weeks, but I’ve run out of money. Can you sub me until my next loan instalment?!”
What you must remember at this point, is that although the sum of money is large, it needs to last you for everything you do during that 12 week term, plus you’ll need some money for the Christmas Holidays (and indeed Christmas itself).
So, here is the most important rule of money management: BUDGET PLANNING!
We have some handy tips to try and help you ensure your funds last:
Don’t eat out every day: try bringing food from home
Try lots of supermarkets and do your own price comparisons
Don’t take taxis everywhere, it’s a very expensive habit!
Check on the internet for deals and vouchers before going out
Sign up for student offers such as Student Beans, Groupon and Voucher Cloud
If you’re eating out, there are always deals to be had, so make sure you find them
When doing your shopping, think about shopping for the term. Although you’ll need ‘top-up shops’, you can buy all the bulky items in one and try and get deals
Don’t be afraid to try the supermarket own brand. Why spend £1 on baked beans that you can get for 17p?