There’s an age old stereotype surrounding students and the idea that they have to be permanently skint. But there’s no reason why, if you’re about to begin university life, this should apply to you.
If you’re pretty savvy about the pennies and follow some of these handy tips, there are plenty of ways in which you could go about saving money when you’re a student in Leicester. And here are just a few:
Westmanor top tips to save money
Fact is, the more research you put into something and the more know-how you gather about student living, the more chance you’ll get of finding ways to save. Check out just a few, with our Westmanor top tips to save money:
- Resist the urge to spend all your student loan at once.
- Budget well to keep you going throughout the term.
- Claim back tax paid on any work you do during the year, if you earned below the personal allowance.
- Know the discounts available to students – such as with an NUS Extra Card or Student ID.
- Earn tax free interest on your student loan.
- Make use of a bank account that offers a 0% interest student overdraft.
- Check out what council tax discounts are available for students in your area.
- Stop smoking or doing recreational drugs – they’re bad for your wallet as well as your health.
- Switch to the most cost effective gas and electric provider.
- Use less gas and electric, by doing things such as remembering to turn lights off when you leave a room and not leaving electrical devices on standby.
- Instead of buying them, rent, borrow or buy second hand study books.
- Buy own label products from the supermarket – they’re often exactly the same.
- Rack up loyalty points at supermarkets such as Sainsbury’s and Tesco and get money back.
- Know the difference between best before labels and use by dates. Products can be purchased at a knock down price after the best before date and still taste great.
- And, for the more urban alternative, visit food shops, takeaways and restaurants near to closing time for knock down prices.
- Learn to haggle – you’ll be surprised how many small businesses will knock the price down.
- Take a packed lunch with you to uni, instead of shelling out on costly meals and snacks.
- Become a mystery shopper and be paid to eat and drink!
- If you use public transport a lot, consider a student bus pass.
- Cancel that costly gym membership and instead make the most of the free places to exercise, such as the many parks around Leicester.
- Check out the free festivals and gigs which are going on in your area, by visiting sites such as the Free Festival Guide.
- Go for a furnished property and save on buying new stuff.
- Think beyond living in halls – there is lots of excellent cheaper accommodation available for students off campus.
- Find out if you definitely need a TV Licence – e.g. do you only watch Netflix, or could you be covered on your parent’s licence?
Get a great deal on student accommodation
There really are some great ways to save money when you’re a student and one of the best has to be to choose the right student accommodation for you.
So, whether it’s cheap bills, a great deal on rent, walking distance to your university campus, or a place that comes already furnished with all the mod-cons that you might need, get looking for the perfect place well in advance. By doing so you’ll ensure, not only find a great place to live, but you’ll already save money by just being there.
Get in touch with us today to find out more about some of the Leicester student accommodation on our books which could be perfect for you.