By Beth, studying Medicine
Ahhhh the dreaded ‘B’ word…. Budgeting! Coming to Uni I was worried about how I would balance my finances. But somehow I’ve made it through. Here are some of the things that helped!
- Set parameters
At the start of the academic year/ new term, I calculate how much I’ll be getting from SFE/NHS Bursary and compare it to big outgoings of rent, food and transport. I think about what external support I might have – travel bursaries, and any student ambassador jobs coming up. This gives me a realistic idea of how I can spend my money that term, taking into consideration luxuries of shopping, eating out, or nights out with friends.
(And if you can’t seem to stick to this, getting a card that stops you like ‘monzo’ or second account that you transfer a set amount of money into might be your answer)
- Apps and accounts
You are a student so take advantage of student discounts (and if you are a medical related student with an nhs email -even more so). Most people are signed onto the classics – Unidays, Student beans and Vouchercodes. There’s loads of freebies and codes to enjoy but not everyone links these to relevant accounts. For example; once linked to Student beans, spending over £3 in KFC gets you a free snack box. Take a minute to Google ‘student discount’ before you shop .
Make an account if the store you are buying from offers it and check for first order discounts.
- Store cards, points and stamp collecting
Most supermarkets have some form of reward system, make an account! Not only do you get specific discounts on products that you buy personally, but you can also get ‘reward card holder only’ discounts. If a store has a loyalty card, accept it, if you don’t plan to come back, give it to a friend. And don’t forget in some places it helps to think green – take your own cup to get an extra free stamp.
- Emails and cashback apps
If all else fails there are email subscriptions that do the searching for you. These include: Latest free stuff and Save the student. With links ranging from where to get a free greggs product to how to get free Beats earphones.
And when it comes to cashback, check if your bank offers cashback and ensure that’s turned on.
For grocery shopping try : Shopmium, GreenJinn and Checkout smart apps, these have products that might already be on your list or things you want to try for a discounted price or for free.
At the end of the day attending university is a special experience, try not to allow the stress to consume you, have fun. Go talk to advice services and check if you are eligible for any help or bursaries that can support you 🙂
Useful links:
https://www.exeter.ac.uk/students/finance/studentfunding/bursariesandscholarships/
https://www.exeterguild.com/advice-finance