Preparing for (mature) student life

minxystar

Some of you may remember my post back in January (http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=691193).

Well I was accepted at Uni back in May and am now just over 1 month off leaving my fulltime job - exciting but very scary!

Now, I am just trying to get my last few ducks in a row ready for Uni, so I wanted to ask for suugestions feedback on areas I might still need to consider.

My finanancial preparations so far are:

- Cancelling all charity subscriptions, magazine subscriptions etc
- Getting the relevant forms for a council tax discount
- Signing up for Quidco for any online shopping I do
- Cancelling the redundancy part of my mortgage protection
- Capping my Gas & Elec with the Scottish Power fixed price deal (now closed)
- Getting my credit card debt down to £0 (was around £4000, currently £600) plus getting my credit reports in case I need a new card during my studies (I also need to remortgage next summer so need to make sure my credit report is excellent)
- Saving a fall back fund in case of emergencies
- Diarising all insurance renewals and then using Martin's tips to get the best possible rate
- Signing up for the student consumer surveys website (I don't recall the name off the top of my head)
- Getting the relevant forms to claim back the excess tax I have paid so far this year
- Renewing my mobile at the same rate as prev (£10 a month) but with twice as many minutes and texts as I didn't take a new phone.
- Getting another lodger in so I have a bit of extra cash coming in (my boyfriend is also a lodger so I now have two rental incomes)

I've also been stocking piling toiletries, stationary, loo roll, noodles and lots of other things I have seen on special offer that will keep for a good long while!

Anything else I should do? Anything I have forgotten?

Thanks,

Minxystar

clairec79

If you have two lodgers there's no point sending in the student discount for council tax (unless one or both are also students)

minxystar

One is only staying till Nov, and then she's off travelling for 6 months. I will claim once she's gone.

sillyvixen

well done for taking the first step to changing your career, all the best for your course and future.

bestpud

Well done for getting onto the course! :beer:

I think you have things pretty much covered tbh!

One tip for when you start though: make friends with the library staff! They are an invaluable source of information and may save you hours of fruitless searching. There should be a subject specific one - for nursing in your case, so seek them out asap. It's their job to keep up with all the sources out there and, apparently, they like students to approach them, as that is what they've trained to do!

leeleesavesalot

Congrats on getting onto the course! :beer: I've read your post with great interest as i'm planning to do the same next year.... Any advice on what I need to start doing???

marsupial_mama

Get a student card with photo! You can get all kinds of discounts with it And an employee at Gamestation told me to always ask for student discount everywhere I buy as they do not always display it and the worse tehy can do is say no You can get all kind of discounts!

Good luck with your studies!

Noctu

Firstly - Very well done!

The only thing I can think of which hasn't been mentioned is to look into any possible help towards prescriptions, dentist checkups etc. I think it's the HC1 form or something?

Also if you use the train even semi-regularly, it's a good idea to look into a student railcard. You can order one online.

You could also look into seeing if you could stop paying tax on your savings, if you've earned under the personal limit from this tax year, £5300 ish? I'd suggest looking this up further though as I'm not an expert on it :-)

If your course involves a lot of powerpoint presentations/handouts which you might not get given, you could look into buying a printer if you don't already have one - uni libraries tend to be quite pricey for printing stuff off, so if you've laid out the money for a printer at the start of the course you can reap the benefits throughout, compared to shelling out every time you want a print out. Obviously doesn't apply if you already have one though!!

belfastgirl23

Good for you! you sound really well organised.

I'd just add in that it's worth checking your union to see if they have a student financial advisor. They normally know about any extra grants or endowments available within the uni or eg essay writing competitions that you might like to enter for. It's also worth trying to set up a study group with other students in your course so that you can share out book buying etc (personally I'd go with mature students though much more reliable). Oh and go along to freshers fairs etc, you normally pick up a few freebies.

And relax and ENJOY it!!!

edited to say, don't take out endsleigh insurance it is c**p

minxystar

I have been really touched by the number of people (both online and offline) who have been so positive and supportive about my change of career. It really means a lot to me and will be something I can think back to when I have those inevitable moments when I wonder what on earth I'm doing!!

bestpud - thanks for that info. My mum is a former librarian so I should know the value of library staff, but actually hadn't thought of that!

leeleesavesalot - apart from the finance stuff, I would suggest you join the Student Nurse forum (fab site), get a copy of the Student Nurse handbook by Bethan Siviter and also try to get wither some voluntary or bank work at your local hospital (presuming, like me, you have no healthcare experience ).

marsupial_mama - yes, I should get an NHS card as well as joining the RCN and Unison unions so I should have a nice selection of discounts to choose from!

Noctu - I won't get the prescription discount as my partner earns to much (it seems to be income dependant unfortunately). Also, don't tend to use trains very often. Unfortunately I have earnt over my personal allowance this year, so no savings there, but I have been lucky enough to get given a brand new printer from my current employers so that saves a bit of dosh (just need to stock up on paper and cartridges now).

Mandy - I have my own home and lodgers, so don't think the normal student insurance will be suitable for me unfortunately.

belfastgirl23 - good idea about the student financial advisor - I have had a look and don't think I can claim anything else but its always worth an ask! A study group also sounds good and sharing books is an excellent idea (have bought some on amazon already, including some great second hand bargains!) I will also go to freshers fair and see what freebies I can find...

Thanks all for you help - I will let you know how I go.

Minxystar

belfastgirl23

minxystar wrote: »

I have been really touched by the number of people (both online and offline) who have been so positive and supportive about my change of career. It really means a lot to me and will be something I can think back to when I have those inevitable moments when I wonder what on earth I'm doing!!

bestpud - thanks for that info. My mum is a former librarian so I should know the value of library staff, but actually hadn't thought of that!

leeleesavesalot - apart from the finance stuff, I would suggest you join the Student Nurse forum (fab site), get a copy of the Student Nurse handbook by Bethan Siviter and also try to get wither some voluntary or bank work at your local hospital (presuming, like me, you have no healthcare experience ).

marsupial_mama - yes, I should get an NHS card as well as joining the RCN and Unison unions so I should have a nice selection of discounts to choose from!

Noctu - I won't get the prescription discount as my partner earns to much (it seems to be income dependant unfortunately). Also, don't tend to use trains very often. Unfortunately I have earnt over my personal allowance this year, so no savings there, but I have been lucky enough to get given a brand new printer from my current employers so that saves a bit of dosh (just need to stock up on paper and cartridges now).

Mandy - I have my own home and lodgers, so don't think the normal student insurance will be suitable for me unfortunately.

belfastgirl23 - good idea about the student financial advisor - I have had a look and don't think I can claim anything else but its always worth an ask! A study group also sounds good and sharing books is an excellent idea (have bought some on amazon already, including some great second hand bargains!) I will also go to freshers fair and see what freebies I can find...

Thanks all for you help - I will let you know how I go.

Minxystar

Just to say sometimes there is the odd university specific endowment available. I know at my old uni there was a university women graduates association endowment. Also every now and again some former graduate died and left a bit of cash towards funding a scholarship in their academic area. Often only worth a couple of hundred quid but this means not many people go in for them...

Do let us know how you get on though. I used to love being around uni at the start of term, there's such a good energy there