Heading off to university and becoming a student can be daunting, especially with all the loans and the hefty expenses of essentially filling a new household that are paid out before you have even arrived. Taking the cost of the university experience into account, it really is no wonder being a student is most commonly associated with living cheaply and in your overdraft. However, this does not go to say that in order to keep your finances and studies in check you cannot enjoy the whole university experience - take these tips to get the most out of being a student and enjoy a social life as well as a healthy bank balance!
Budgeting is one of the biggest issues faced by students, with many left counting their pennies by the end of the week debating whether to sacrifice their washing for another week so they can go out to the local night club. However, much to the surprise of many people, being a student actually comes with a handful of financial benefits: as well as giving you access to all of the books and resources you need for your course, your student identity card can also get you discount in the majority of your favourite high street shops so you can get the grades and still be stylish! To get even more out of your student status and get discounts at places like Amazon, you can also sign up for an NUS extra discount card for the year for only twelves pounds.
Many students arrive at university with little to no cooking experience and so they befriend microwave ready-meals and toast to both save money and because cooking a decent meal for one is a difficult portion to crack, especially if you are not a fan of eating leftovers for the rest of the week. Again, your student identity card can help you out by offering you discount at a wide range of restaurants or even by entitling you to a free burger, fries or McFlurry at McDonald's. As well as benefiting from the financial aspects regarding food, cooking as a student is also a great social activity and a great excuse to get everyone round and cook a big meal that will leave you with no leftovers and more confidence in the kitchen.
