5 ways students can save money this semester

The term is about to start and so we start to feel the pinch to our wallets that is College. The average UK student spends £735 a month on living expenses and that goes up significantly in many cities such as Oxbridge and London. Plus there is the cost of tuition to factor in. I've previously written about not taking out more student loan than you need and one of the ways you can help this work is by using money saving techniques to allow the money you have borrowed to go further. 

Use free transport
Consider walking or cycling to class or if you live in a city with free pubic transport use it rather than driving. Driving to school, unless your commuting from home is usually unnecessary and costs you in both fuel and in parking (parking at my College is £400 a year!!). Plus the benefits of walking or cycling everyday to your health are great. If your going to use public transport you have to pay for try to buy a season ticket as this significantly reduces the price.

Get textbooks on the cheap
Consider buying your textbooks secondhand, often the best way to do this is if your faculty has an annual book sale. Other options are to look on amazon and eBay. Don't forget you can also use options to sell you text books. You may also want to consider renting your text books, Amazon Book Renting is a great option. Or consider working as a book reviewer for a large univeristy book press for the chance to get free textbooks that are new.

Keep the dorm low cost
There is the temptation to want to buy everything brand new for your dorm but there are a lot of thing you can cut back on. Firstly there are plenty of items that you probably already have i.e bedding and that you can bring with you. Keep an eye out at yard sales for cheap pots and pans and kitchen items as though used you can pick up higher quality items for a lower price than shops like WalMart.

Keep fitness free
We've already mentioned how great walking/cycling everyday is for fitness and there are lot of free or almost free fitness options at college that are so much cheaper than a gym membership. In Brighton it is only a £1 to swim as a student and so I love to use this option (plus I get a free shower after so I save on water at home). There are also a number of outdoor gyms which offer similar equipment for absolutely no cost. There are also lost of societies on campus for sports which offer free or very low cost training. One of the most popular at my college is the walking society where they organise regular walks and hikes in the surrounding area. There are also shops such as Sweatshop which organise free running classes. 

Skip the meal plan
It it generally cheap and healthier to cook your own food rather than living in catered halls. This way you only pay for food you eat not the meals you miss. This is especially the case if you eat out a lot as if your on a meal plan and you eat out you are essentially paying twice for one meal. Cooking your own gives you the opportunity to cook more budget friendly meals and if your looking for convenience then consider bulk cooking and taking advantage of your freezer.

How did you save money whilst in college?

Back to School on a Budget

Back to School doesn't have to break the bank but sometimes it feels like it will. From uniforms, sports kits to books and stationery, the list of things to get can feel overwhelming.
But don't fret, back to school doesn't have to cost the earth. There are a number of ways you can save when preparing for the new academic year. Today we are sharing 3 simple tips to help ease the cost of returning to school.

1. Re-Use last years. 
A culture has developed of needing a whole set of brand new school supplies each year. Do you really need to get a new pencil case, binders and bags every year? Look at what you have from last year much of it should still be in reasonable condition (provided you/your children are respectful with their property).
This becomes more so the case as children get older as they damage things less. When purchasing try to invest in good quality items so that they can last a number of years.  This can especially be the case with items such as backpacks which can last many years. 

2. Buy used. 
Over in England most children wear school uniform, and often it may be specialised for your school with their logo making it expensive. See if your school has a second-hand sale for these logo items as there are always parents with children who have out grown them looking to sell their's on. For the generic items (i.e. those without the school logo) look in charity shops and thrift stores can be a great place to start. Don't be afraid to talk to your parent friends who also have children at the same school, setting a hand-me-down system can be a great way to get your hands on second hand uniform. 

For those in schools without a uniform the burden is less, kids don't need a while new wardrobe just to go to school. Remember they have managed to wear normal clothes all of summer. Once again look for affordable second hand clothing as children will grow out of them so quickly.

3. Wait for the sales. As a college student my term dates are different to schools and so by the time I start term all the back to school items are on sale. If you wait a couple of weeks after term has started stores have great sales on school supplies. This is because they know most people feel compelled to buy everything super early. 
These are also a great opportunity to stock up for next academic year, if buying early is your thing, is you see some super deals. Use this chance to buy items a cut prices yet they are the quality of buying new. We also love using Amazon outlet for reduced priced stationary supplies as you can pick up some super bargains of brand new items. 

4. Don't be afraid to compare. 
The bookshop on campus or the school uniform supplier is never the cheapest option when it comes to buying supplies. Don't be afraid to shop around to try and find the cheapest deal, as it may not be the store you expect to be the cheapest. 
Talk to other parents or upperclassmen to find out where is best to buy and don't be afraid to tap into their experience and expertise, it will pay off in the long run. 

How do you save when its back to school?

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