Being a student (especially if you live away from home) – can be a bit of a shock to the system. There’s all kinds of bills that you will most likely never have encountered before.  We’ve put a list of tips that may make student life a little bit easier for you.

Make a Budget

The first thing that you should do is make a budget.  You need to calculate what your income will be taking into account any student loans you might get, part-time jobs, or other income such as money from your parents.  You can do things to save money easily as a student – such as using a student discount card, only take out the amount of cash you want to spend if going out, and only buy things you really need.

Avoid Credit Cards

Too many students can fall into the trap of getting into credit card debt.  A student bank account is all you need.  You can get some accounts that have additional benefits to help you on your way in student life, but at all costs avoid owing any money out.  A student bank account will allow you to look at and review transactions.  You will be able to see all debits and credits, so if you are outputting money that you shouldn’t be quickly.

Shop Wisely

One of the biggest outgoings you will have as a student is for food. In a busy student life, it’s easy to fall into the habit of going out for food, and not saving money cooking.  A good tip is to plan ahead your meals.  You can even cook in batches and then freeze the food.  That way all you need to do in the morning is defrost what you have prepared to make things a bit easier for you.

Don’t use your Mobile Phone

A common mistake, not just for students but for everyone is overusing mobile phones.  It’s easy to go over your contracted times or data, and it is even easier to run out of pay as you go phone credit.  There are some great alternative solutions such as Skype and Zoom which can be much more cost-effective.  That way, you can be sure to not surpass any limits.

Use Promo Codes

When purchasing things online, there are always some great promotional codes to use somewhere.  If you don’t get a discount using your student card, then make sure you do your research to see if you can get some money off.  That way when you get to the checkout pages, you can apply your discount.  This is becoming increasingly common on e-commerce sites.

Being a student living away from home can already be a daunting experience. Make it as easy as you possibly can on yourself and keep a track of your budgeting and finances.