20 simple ways to save money
1. Try to not spend any money on at least one day of the week
Put aside one day of the week when you do not spend anything. It’s actually really hard to do, but just one day a week will really make a difference.
2. Search for those discounts
Whenever you buy anything online, before clicking confirm, open up another tab and have a quick google for any available vouchers or discounts. You might be able to find a code which you can tap into your order for some money off.
3. Get more money from your loan
Whenever you get a big sum of money like your student loan, take some of it and put it in a high interest ISA account. You’ll be making free money!
4. Save on bus fares
To save in the long run with bus fares, pick yourself up a student annual bus card. It can be pricey but it will save you money over the whole year.
5. Get 2 for 1 cinema tickets and make the most of student deals
You can get two for one cinema tickets through using compare the market, which you will probably have to do when moving into your student house for your bills! Also, the majority of cinemas offer student deals which mean that you can get tickets for under a fiver!
6. Scrap your TV license!
No, not in the illegal sense. The only reason that you need a license is if you have cable TV or you watch BBC iPlayer, anything else is fine! If you keep getting the scary letters, then you can head over to the TV licensing site to sign a statement saying that you do not use either and they stop sending them.
7. Quit the gym and try some YouTube videos
If you are really feeling the effects of an expensive gym membership, then a good idea is to quit the gym and try working out at home through YouTube workouts. Fitness Blender does some fantastic workouts that are usually a lot more tiring than the gym. It’s like you have your own personal trainer with over 500 videos to choose from!
8. Shop at the cheapest supermarket
Out of all the main supermarkets, the cheapest one of all comes up each year as ALDI. With little to no difference in terms of quality, shopping at ALDI can save you hundreds each year.
9. Hit up the supermarkets at the best times
It’s always best to go shopping in the evening or early morning as this is when the largest amount of reduced items are available.
10. Head over to voucher codes to never pay full price for a meal again
Head over to vouchercodes.co.uk for the all the best deals on meals out. You can get up to 40 percent off main causes at Bella Italia or a £12 three-course meal at Zizi’s, you just have to give it a search and bring your code along with you to the meal.
11. Up-cycle!
If you are moving into a new flat or student house in September and you are in need of some furniture, the best and the cheapest thing to do is to up-cycle! Not only is it good for the environment but it will save you lots of money. You can find buy and sell sites on Facebook or you can ask around your local community for anyone who is getting rid of furniture. Likewise, you can head to charity shops where you can find some nice items. There are plenty of YouTube videos and tutorials on how to up-cycle safely and effectively.
12. Don’t bring your card on a night out
Avoid bringing your debit card on a night out as it is always far too easy to tap away and spend far too much money. Grab some cash before you head out and spend only that.
13. Always make a packed lunch
Buying your food each day can really add up, with meal deals and drinks sometimes coming to five pounds. The easiest way to get around this is to make a packed lunch each day. It can be quite an effort to make it in the morning so the best way is to make it the night before alongside your evening meal.
14. Meal plan
The average household wastes nearly £700 on food. The best way to around food wastage is to meal plan, this way you only buy what you need and you won’t be throwing away food all the time.
15. Don’t shop when you’re starving
Never shop when you are hungry. You will usually buy lots of ready meals and processed food which tend to be much more expensive than fresh. Have a good meal before you do the food shop and then hopefully you will make the right choices.
16. Write down every spend on a notepad
A great idea to stop any extravagant spending is to write down everything that you buy in a notepad. It’s a great way to keep on top on what you are spending, it’s also quite painful to write down the sums so can really help you to cut back.
17. Try out the click and collect option
If you would like to save on postage and packaging then give the click and collect option a try. You can find out your closest collection point and head over to pick up your parcel for free. Popular pickup points are supermarkets and local post offices.
18. Only take cash for your weekly food shop
Take out the cash that you would like to spend for your weekly food shop, that way you won’t go over your budget, any change that is left over you can pop into a savings jar for an end of month treat.
19. Opt for part-furnished flats
If you are searching for flats or a new student house and would like to save some money, then the best thing to do is to look for partly furbished properties. You can always grab some up-cycled pieces!
20. Skim your student loan
Each time your student loan comes in, skim some off the top and place it into a savings account. You can do this for each installment if you can spare the cash.
