Student life can be hard work, especially when you have a tight budget to work with but still want to enjoy yourself at the same time. You don’t have the luxury of a full time income, so it is essential to be careful with every penny so that you get the most out of your money. There are many ways you can stretch your money and still have a great time.
Plan and Budget
When you are looking after your cash flow, it is important to plan ahead and budget your costs for food, travel, accommodation and all the other essentials. It can be a bit of a tedious task but it will really help you to get the most out of every penny. You may need to consider cash loans at times of emergency, but if you pay these back as soon as you have the funds, it can be a bit of a life saver for cash emergencies.
Part Time Job
It can be difficult to combine a part time job with a full time course, but it is worth it for those extra pennies which will allow you time to relax and enjoy some leisure time. There are many part time jobs designed to suit around the life of a student as long as you are willing to work. It is a good idea to try and put some money away so that you can use it for all of those student events that you don’t want to miss out on!
Shop in Bulk
It is much more cost effective to buy shopping in bulk rather than making daily purchases, so make sure you do a weekly shop with all the essentials. You can stretch your budget quite far if you buy all of the essentials and make sure you take a lunch in with you every day, rather than spending a fortune on a daily shop.
Share Costs
If you can find someone to share living costs with you, it will save you a lot of money in the long run. The cost of accommodation on your own can be hugely expensive, so it is well worth asking around to find out if anyone else is looking for a place. It also means you can split the costs of food and bills so it is well worth looking into. As the student year kicks off, there are always lots of people on the lookout for accommodation, so you are bound to find people who are only too willing to share.
Student Discount
One of the big advantages of being a student is the student discount, so make full use of this luxury while you can. There are many big retail names who will offer as much as 25% off, which will save you a fortune if you like to buy new clothes quite a lot. You can also get free entry to lots of different clubs with the student discount and money off drinks, which is what every student loves!
Cut Travel Costs
If it costs a lot to get to and from college or university, there are ways you can cut these down. You may be cheaper to cycle or try and find someone else who is travelling from your home and share the costs together. The cost of travel can be extensive, so any ways of trimming these down will always go a long way to ensuring you can cut back on overall costs and help to keep money for more enjoyable activities.
Jasmin Blunt is a blogger who understands that student life can be expensive and sometimes the money you have won’t stretch as far as you would like. Therefore she recommends that during your studies, cash loans can come in handy for emergencies.