How to Save Money at University

Some easy tips for how to save money at university for new students, and old. If you’re looking to pinch the pennies and still afford a night out, here are my top tips.

Buy everything second-hand and make it your own

I have clothes, books, shoes, handbags and even perfumes second-hand and most of it is really good stuff! I got a designer handbag for £6 and a really comfy Jumper for £2. My university books were all under £10 and my normal reading books were generally free (Books for Free).

EBay, Books for Free, Oxfam Bookshop, World of Books, Amazon, and charity shops are your friends people!

NUS card

A lot of students don’t get an NUS card and that’s fine, but I found the savings to be worth it. An NUS costs £12 a year – you pay in one go and they send it to you. You get a discount at various shops. The best discounts for me were from Superdrug (10%) Co-Op (10%) and more recently Starbucks (10%) I am going to miss my NUS card when it runs out in a few weeks!

16-25 Railcard

If you have to take long train trips – be it to get home or to get to London or internships – then a railcard is a good saver! I had to commute home on weekends to get to work and I also had an internship in London that cost a bomb. This card probably saved a minimum of £10 on each of those journeys and was really useful! It’s £65 for three years (roughly) but you can buy it year by year as well.

Amazon Prime Student

If you’re going to get it, get it as a student! Instead of £89 a year, it is £39! So much money is saved and the delivery is the bomb! I love it – and so does my family who use it, mostly without asking first. You get next-day delivery, Amazon Prime Video – which is the same as Netflix but comes with this annual service – and the first 6 months are free. It is well worth it!

Utilise the Student Discounts

UniDays, the Concession prices at Cinemas. Flash the uni-card wherever you can! Particularly if you – like me – have to travel to museums and archives for University. You can get in free to these places all because you are in ‘education.

HC2 Certificate

In all likelihood, during your 3-4 years of university, you will need a prescription for something and it will cost you £8.40 for each prescription you buy. This does not include the pill or contraception, FYI. Filling out an HC2 form and actually sending it out (I kind of didn’t and I wish I did) could save you a lot of money!

Food – so many ways to save!

You don’t have to buy everything from Sainsbury’s Own. You also don’t need to buy it at the Student Union shop where a box of freezer chips for 1 meal will cost you £1.80! You can double up the shopping with your housemates – if you like them – or plan meals in advance. Go shopping at 6-7ish in the evening in order to pick up the sell-by-date food which is freezable and so much cheaper!

There are some tips on how to save money at university. Perfect for getting you through when you’re searching for a 20p for the Fredo bar you’ve been craving since a 9 am lecture!

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