CR5 Issue 160 Sept 2018

Finance By Ann Haldon
How to Save and Make Money at University
One of the trickiest but most
important parts of university
life is managing your money.
Budgeting for food, clothes,
nights out, books and study
materials can be overwhelming
at first, but there are ways you
can help yourself.
Here are a few tips to help you
spend less, save more, and earn
money at university, so you can
stop worrying about finances
and make the most of this
precious time in your life.
WAYS TO SAVE MONEY AT
UNIVERSITY
Make use of technology
All you need is your mobile
phone to save money as a
university student. There are
apps to help you save on food,
that show you how to budget,
and that keep an eye on your
data usage.
Keep your food costs down by
making a list of your favourite
ingredients, and an app will let
you know the cheapest places
to buy them locally. You can
also track your expenses with a
budgeting app.
Just type in how much you
spend each day, and what
you’ve bought – at the end of
the month, a report gives
you a round-up of where
your money is going,
so you can adjust your
spending if necessary.
Learn how to cook
Learning how to cook
from scratch is a valuable
skill for life, but as food
is one of the highest
student expenditures,
it’s also a vital part of saving
money. Apart from the extra
cash in your pocket, you can still
be sociable without the expense
of eating out, impressing your
friends with a few gastronomic
delights.
It’s a good idea to plan your
meals ahead and only buy what
you need each week, avoiding
ready meals if possible, as
although they’re convenient,
they’re generally bad for your
health. Also, stick to buying
own-brand products that can
usually be found on the lower
shelves in supermarkets, where
you might not normally look.
WAYS TO MAKE MONEY AT
UNIVERSITY
Get a part-time job
Retail, catering, and hospitality
are just three areas where you
could pick up a part-time job
with fixed hours that fits in with
your studies. Although you may
need to forsake some evenings
and weekends, payday could
make it worthwhile to miss out
on a few social occasions.
Another idea for part-time work,
and one that’s a little more
flexible, is mystery shopping.
You sign up with a mystery
shopping agency, or directly
with an independent company,
and get paid for checking the
level of service provided in their
outlets.
Promotion work and flyers
Handing out flyers around
campus and promoting club
nights or events on the streets
of your university town can earn
you some extra money, but be
sure to find out whether you’re
working on a commission or a
‘per hour’ basis.
If you’re sociable and good at
marketing, you could even apply
to become an on-campus ‘brand
ambassador’ for a household
brand name. You might be
able to organise your own
promotions and events for the
brand, and make a name for
yourself in marketing.
www.blackbullion.com/studentblog/2018/05/08/5-tips-to-makeyour-loan-last-longer/
www.blackbullion.com/studentblog/2017/11/30/how-to-makemoney-while-at-university/
www.blackbullion.com/
student-blog/2017/09/28/
how-technology-can-help-youbudget-and-save/
www.savethestudent.org/makemoney/best-paid-online-surveysites.html
www.oncampuspromotions.
co.uk/for-students/
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