The great 'what I wish I'd known before I was a student' hunt

FreheitOverture

alileonard wrote: »

Only thing extra I can think of at the mo is join a sports team.
Even if you're not that great at sport, there's not just the uni teams, you can join a departmental or halls sports team. It's one of the easiest ways to make new friends, and AU nights are usually some of the best nights out you'll have.
Plus it means you're doin a bit of exercise!

Quoted for truth. I had never rowed before coming to university and now I love it. I've met loads of new people and we have a hell of a lot of fun

SavvyStudent_2

I'm in my 6th year now of uni. When I started I was awful with money: I bought every textbook on the list (some are still unopened on the shelf!) - bear in mind the lecturers sometimes put books on the list because they wrote them! I lived on starbucks coffee, took the tube everywhere, went out drinking most nights, didn't look for bargains in the supermarkets, bought loads of clothes...

Just bear in mind that none of those things are smart. Budget budget budget, plan your money ahead of time (for all the new freshers out there, you WILL need a deposit at the end of the year to put down on a flat for 2nd year, so don't spend it all!). Get textbooks from the library, use the legs you were given instead of the tube, look for bargains in the supermarket even if it means eating one thing in bulk for a week, invest in an insulated cup and BRING coffee to that 8.30 lecture, and ask yourself, do I really NEED that new pair of jeans... And definitely don't turn up to halls with a load of kitchen stuff. In most cases it's already there, if in need of a scrub. We had about 5 sandwich toasters in our flat...

Unexpected costs are out there, especially when you're just starting out, so put some money aside if you can and expect them..!!

Lx

Edit: also, I suspect as you're on this site you're probably not as naive as I was when I was 18... remember that a lot of the students out there (in london at least) are being funded by daddy and are MINTED. Don't fall into the same spending patterns as them!

silvercar

Don't try to be too independent. Just because you have left home doesn't mean you are out there on your own. You don't have to prove how independent you now are.

Remember your parents are still there for advice, support and (occasionally) money.

If your feeling lonely or need help with things, ring home.

princesslizzie

You are not alone. In my first year, I felt like the only student in the world who was missing home and feeling so uncomfortable at uni. Just because all my housemates were getting trashed and looking happy, I thought they were. It took my friend from a different uni to tell me that I wasn't alone, and a lot of people feel like that.

Don't move in with people in your 2nd year you think are nice. Chances are, they might be a slob, or be disrespectful. However, let me add, a "might" because not everyone is like that.

Get a part time job, if you can. Just to get a bit of cash and escape the uni madness.

Don't spend all your loan in the first week, it may look tempting, but you don't want to be living off beans for the rest of the year!

purplegirluk1

Hardship loans and grants are for everyone. I don't think they are called that now but any student can apply for a loan or a grant from a fund given to each universaty by the government. I had to apply three times whilst at uni five years ago. I was still living at home but costs were too much for me. You have to give them a list of your expenses and they decide if you are eligable. I think some students don't think they will get anything and don't apply but I always tell my friends to apply and some have been surprised to hear they are getting some funds.

morfoot

About to enter third year and the biggest lesson I've learnt is to be realistic about what discounts you'll actually use. I tried to be as money-savvy as possible and signed up for all sorts of discount schemes and bought the NUS Extra card amongst a few others. Realistically though I never remembered to use the discounts and whenever I did I realised I was buying something I wouldn't have bought anyway. Find the offers on the things you need and would buy anyway and stick to those.

achafi

Buy a bicycle, a sandwich box and a thermos flask.
Use them every day.

beridor

Speak to people if you do get into financial trouble - your bank manager may be a glorified salesman looking to hit all sorts of targets but he can put a hold on your account and cause you many problems unless you are talking to him if you get into trouble.

It's easy for us "oldies" to say - I'm 34 - but try and stay out of debt, I'm still suffering from spending too much in Uni and after graduating banking that I would get a good job. I have, I earn in excess of £50K a year now but the loan companies are still seeing more than their fair share of it and life gets harder when you want to buy a house, get married and have kids etc.

But most of all enjoy it - i'd go back in a minute, those student women!!!!!

SpaceMagic

1) Don't just go with your current bank account, shop around for the best student deal. Free cash or a CD player is worthless compared to the Rail Card Natwest offer if you're a frequent traveller. They also have a relatively good overdraft facility and a very fair graduate policy.

2) If you can't afford saving your whole loan in an ISA, save some of it. In the first year I took 333.33 pounds of each loan payment (under a third of what they gave me each term) and put it in high interest savings. At the end of the year I had a 1000 saved. Now, the end of my third year, I have 3000 saved and I don't need the loan for my forth and final year! It means my balance will be under 10,000 when I finish (exc. interest).

3) Budgeting is boring. It's as simple as that. Unfortunately we have to do it, especially when our outs heavily outweigh our inns while studying. My best tip would be to go to the cash machine every Monday morning and take out your limit. £60 for example. Then you can at least see your money going. If you need a bit more, limit it to £20 each time. I find, the fewer notes in your wallet, the less the urge to spend them.

4) You don't have to eat badly while a student. I eat very well. Just remember some 'value' foods are only cheaper because they haven't spent their revenue on marketing. A fine example which most students will love is Custard Creams. Buy yourself a value pack and a Sainsbury's standard label pack. They're identical biscuits, yet the former is only 19p!

4b) If you are a foody, treat yourself during your weekly shop. That way it wont get boring quickly. I'm not talking Truffle oil, but pick something you like which would normally be a bit out of your budget, and buy it. Save by having one less beer that week or not buying those really expensive cereals.

4c) Alcohol is hard to resit. After you've had one drink, you want another. It's hard to resit and many students spend their life savings on a liquid which will only give you a headache in the morning. I'm not saying don't drink, but sensible drinking most nights is going to get you a good nights sleep and please the bank. If you want to 'go hard', why not buy your bottle of Vodka and drink before you make it out to the club. Not sure if alcoholism is endorsed on these forums, but this is simply a fact of student life. It would be irresponsible not to mention it!

5) Costa, Starbucks, Nero, etc are a no no. Treat them not as a coffee but an outing to a posh restaurant. Once you have had the £3.50 coffee and the £2.50 cake, you've reached 'too expensive'. This is easily one of my main weaknesses.

6) Be enterprising. There are often jobs around campus which offer a little money, book vouchers, Amazon credit, etc. Take advantage of this. My Uni offers £20 for just standing in front of a group of potential applicants and telling them how great uni life is. Simple money I say. If you can't find anything around campus go slightly further afield. You may not have the time for a fixed part time job, but there are always people looking for a little help around their office a few Saturdays a month.

7) The library has to stock your course books. Why not do your homework there using these books rather than spending a lot buying them yourself. One nifty tip: the longer you spend in the library, the less you'll waste on heating bills and electricity at home!

8) As a student you are still usually allowed to shop around for your Gas and Electricity. Check your contract. Use this site's price comparison link. Do this as soon as you get in your house, as contracts can lock you in for one year.

8b) Remember to warn utility providers that you are leaving early. Pay your TV licence quarterly, that way you wont need to reclaim your money later saving you the hassle. Water is the same. Don't pay for the whole year, tell them you're all leaving the house in June so you don't have to pay throughout the summer when you're not there.

8c) Do you really need a telephone line? With mobile phone contracts including so many free minutes, you wont really need the telephone. Likewise, internet is free at university so do you really need that unlimited line at home? If so, consider going with your mobile phone network as your ISP - they usually offer heavy discounts to their existing customers.

Hope this helps you all, I'll add some more later I suspect!

clairep23

I'm a big vegetable fan and found that often my shopping bill would be over £15 when buying my regular food in a supermarket. I tried the local farmers market and could get a weeks worth of food including veg, meat, fish and sometimes a little treat for less that £15, more often than not less than £10. Although you cant get everything at the market eg milk, cereals etc you would most likely be saving money splitting your shop this way.

HOwever this may not be true for all farmers markets as the prices vary at every single one and the way the economy is at the moment I would say shop around.

I went to the farmers market in Cardiff, every Sunday 10-2 over the bridge next to the Millennium Stadium. I really would try it and see.