Written by Newcastle University student David Bond, the Mystudenthalls.com money saving guide gives you handy hints and tips to making your cash go further at University…

In terms of food…

It is of course best to avoid takeaways. Having said that, a takeaway may be a good idea at three in the morning and you need to sober up. Aside from that all too frequent situation though, the general rule is that you should head to a supermarket; and the bigger supermarkets are usually the cheapest and of course have more choice. Moreover, always look out for items that are reduced in price, but don’t be fooled – just because the price is reduced it doesn’t make the item cheap. Buying items in bulk works out as better value for money too. If you’re really desperate for money you can head for the dreaded ‘reduced to clear’ section – you may strike lucky and find a premium pack of lamb or chicken, but more often than not you will find a battered tin of cat food whose sell by date ran out sometime in the last century. However, you can occasionally spot some excellent bargains. Also, the local market (if there is one) is always a good option for cheap food; especially fruit and veg.

 

Now on to drink…

My personal recommendation would be not to bother with soft drinks to a great extent. The fruit juice that actually counts as your one of your five a day tends to be expensive, and any drink that isn’t water will disappear rather quickly in a student halls fridge. It’s best (or at least cheapest) to stick to water, which you will need in first year especially as the night previous will have revolved mostly around alcohol. Which brings me neatly on to my next point – if you want to save money on alcohol you shouldn’t be too picky about brand names. Supermarket brand lager tastes absolutely fine and is noticeably cheaper. My personal recommendation would be whatever beer Aldi stocks – it tastes just like the more expensive branded alternatives and is also incredibly cheap. When I walked out with a crate it felt as if I had just robbed the place!  (Don’t worry, I paid.)

Transport.

It is best to avoid unnecessary journeys – use your car frugally and drive everywhere in fifth gear. . .  OK, maybe not everywhere. For those who use the public transport make sure you always buy a ticket. Sod’s law dictates the one time you forget to buy a ticket on the local tram system the inspectors are checking at the next station. My preferred mode of transport would be cycling – once you’ve paid the initial outlay the running costs are zero if you look after your bike well. It is also good exercise which is always a bonus. Obviously walking is even cheaper but this is not only slower than cycling, it is also boring. Definitely go with the bike!

This is by no means a definitive money saving guide but I would argue food, drink and transport are of primary concern to a student and their wallet.  I have left out rather a lot, including clothes for example. Although you will be surprised as to how long you can go without washing jeans before people start to notice. . .

 

By David Bond- Studying politics at Newcastle University