A weekly budget of as little as £75 per week to cover all major expenses may leave students feeling that they have no choice but to retract their UCAS applications and find shelter under the nearest duvet cover.
But although a student menu will always feature beans on toast at least twice a week and the bank of mum and dad will see regular withdrawals throughout the year, students can finds ways to make the most of their lowly spending pots.
Just think of how well Ray Mears does in the wild with nothing but a packet of instant soup and a Swiss army knife for company. But don’t fear, you won’t have to forage the campus for wild berries to liven up your bowl of economy ice cream, here are some tried and tested ways to live like a king on a budget more fit for a foot servant;
Live with the folks: It may sound more glamorous to ‘party it up’ in University Halls, but savings of £100 a week or more on rent could see you smiling from ear to ear.
Club together: Cook meals with your flatmates, share their ride to the local supermarket, or take turns buying cleaning products so you can stretch your budget just that little bit further.
Travel cheaply: Get a Young Person’s Rail Card and you could get a third off all off peak rail journeys. If you’re quick enough you can also get your hands on those prized £1 Megabus tickets.
Get a part-time job: Try a stint at the campus bookshop or offer your services as a tutor to earn a quid or two. If your term-time timetable is too full, try getting work in the holidays when you head home and put it away in your savings account for a rainy day.
Eat cheap: It feels a tad sad, but visiting a supermarket just before closing on a Sunday could save you a fortune and see you grabbing more than just a handful of bargains. You can also buy fresh fruit and vegetables from the local market to cut your shopping spend or visit supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl.
Have you tried any of these money-saving tips? Are you willing to make sufficient sacrifices to land your dream graduate position in the future?