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

Bryony48

My dad gave me the very best start as a student - he worked out what the parental contribution was on top of my grant (yes, it's a long time ago!) but rather than giving me a lump sum at the start of term, or even a monthly allowance during termtime, he split it equally over all 12 months, so I had a regular income which I could count on every month for paying bills etc. I still live like this today, with all my direct debits set to come out of my account as soon as possible after payday so that all the money in my account is mine to spend as I please.

If I'm having a slow month and need to budget, I work out how much I have per week for food, how much for clothes, how much for travel etc, and put that amount in an envelope for each thing. I can only spend from that envelope on each item - it's a great way of helping me budget. Whatever's left at the end of the week can be spent on treats, eg eat cheap food all week and have enough left for a takeaway at the weekend.

[Deleted User]

Gemmzie wrote: »

Do not buy every book on your reading list!

So true. I got through uni without buying a single book.

Another big tip... don't go getting all excited about going to uni and buying everything you "might need" - think a more expensive version of the "new pencil case for a new term at school" thing.

You don't need it all. All you really need for your first day is a biro or two, a pad of paper, and yourself. You can get the rest as you go along.

boldaslove

some great tips here, i'm starting my foundation year next week and these posts are very helpful. i have held off buying supplies till i get my student ID!

i've noticed this seems to be geared towards uni students... any tips for college students? i'm doing art and design and will be extremely strapped for cash (no student loan, have applied for tuition fee waiver and adult learning grant but not entitled to anything else as far as i know, having big problems getting a part time job!). thankfully i live with my mum so the financial strain is less than would be for someone living on their own, but i'm still very nervous about surving this year!

jenface

My number one piece of advice is that uni is absolutely brilliant, so DO NOT waste your time and sleep throught it all!

For many students your time is so much more fluid at uni than at school or in a regular job that it's very easy to get into the habit of waking at noon and then staying up until stupid o'clock thinking about how you haven't done your assignments yet. It's a recipe for a miserable existence. Here's what you should be doing instead:

- Get a part-time job. Not only is the money helpful, but for many of my friends from uni (and myself too) have found the work experience we've accumulated on our CVs during our time at uni has been more effective in landing us a job that the degree itself (and that's from a "top ten" uni). It's a good way of finding out what sort of employment you enjoy too - don't be afraid to think outside the "bar work" box; apply for jobs that really interest you. Job shops on campus can usually help. Universities often recruit students for various promotional and widening participation/schools liaison activities. Some of my best memories from uni I was actually paid for.

- Volunteer. It makes you feel all warm and fuzzy, and again it can be great fun and good CV experience.

- Join clubs and societies. My number one regret from university is that I thought that because I had so many good friends from my first year halls that it wasn't worth joining the kayak club or the climbing club. Now I've graduated I realise just what a great opportunity I wasted, because I could by now have some pretty good qualifications in these activities, and they're SO much cheaper to do as a student.

- If you're going to live in halls, don't buy pots and pans and microwaves and kettles and plates with you. You'll probably find your coriddor mates have already done that, they'll be grateful you haven't taken any more cupboard space, and you'll be pleased because you haven't spent money!

- The responsibility is really on you to make your time worthwhile. Ask. Email your lecturers, drop in to their offices. They love to chat about their subject, most of them are keen to help, and it's a good way of getting to know them, which may become very useful in the future.

I suppose it's an age-old motto, but work hard - play hard is really what it's all about. Go out and make the most of it.

Trillian_2

https://www.beyondbakedbeans.com has free tips and recipes for students, inexperienced cooks, or anyone on a budget.

hplfoghorn

Having not been a "proper student" myself, I am not sure I am justified to comment, but I work fo a temping agency & students are my bonus makers!

Register with your local agency, even if you don't have much experience, make yourself desirable by being happy to do anything (no I don't mean pole dancing or escorting or anything like that) I mean washing up, cleaning, waitressing etc. There are agencies that specialise in catering & this is where you will make the money. Office jobs usually are during the day, during the week & often full time, so even with experience, this does not fit around your studies. Do not be to proud to wash up! You have to do it at home, so why not get paid to do it. It is good life experience anyway as you could be starting a new job each day you work as it could be in a different location. As a temp, you will be your own best sales person as clients ask for the people that they like & do a good job. You will meet a variety of characters in this business they call catering. It can be great fun & you will make some good friends. The best thing about temping is that you can say no! Once you have proved your worth to your consultant you will get offered the jobs that are the best available first. Just remember to turn up on time & be honest if you can't or don't want to do a booking.

The other thing for me to say is check out the "whoopsed" section of your local supermarket every time you go in there. You can find some real bargins, even if you jsut stick them in the freezer for another time (just remember to do it as soon as you get home!!) Also cook in bulk & freeze in portions. I went to visit my brother at uni & cooked him a HUGE lasagne, that he froze on portions to have ready when he finished a late shift or didn't have time to cook between lectures & work. (I found out later that the cheeky monkey sold them round campus at a profit, but hey, he has always tried to make money!)

Most of all enjoy yourself, but do keep an eye on your finances. There are some wicked tools to help budget, use them. If I had learnt it earlier in life, I wouldn't of got myself into the mess I did!

julyweezer

After completing my first year of Uni, I've found a few things that may help...

-Do join societies, but if they ask for a fee, hold off, and go to the introductory meeting most groups have. This way you can get a feel for it, and whether you need to give a fiver here, a tenner there, for societies you will never go to.
-Before buying textbooks, which I find, the two I have bought have been quite useful, but they are available from the library so I didn't need to pay the £65 :eek:. But if you do need books, Amazon is best, as they have books at far less than RRP, and if you have an NUS card, you can get an extra 5% off
-Make course friends. It is easy to just turn up to lectures as and when, but if you have a few good friends on your course, you have people who won't mind you copying up their notes if you nod off in a lecture or miss it........ Also, on my course, we do experiments in which you need to be in a group for, so it helps to work with people you get on with, and you'll have some brains to pick when you are struggling with assigments
-When moving into halls, check first what appliances there will be, if they have kettles and toasters that saves a few quid. Also cutlery/crockery/pots and pans, BUY BASIC. Hate to be a killjoy, but you are moving into a flat with strangers, and nice things are known to go walkabout. Also, only buy the minimum of what you need, chances are someone you're living with will have that cheese grater/garlic peeler, and if they don't you can live without it for a week or two before getting your own.
-Connected to this, get onto Facebook/MySpace, see if your University/halls has a group, so you can get to know people before you go, see who has what appliances etc. If you dan't have Facebook GET IT! Seriously, to keep in touch with friends from home and friends from uni, it has to be the best and easiest way|.
-Sign up at websites to get free samples and stuff. I did this, registering with my halls address. Best thing about this is, any unsolicited mail won't get to you after a year, seen as you will have moved on! If you don't mind junk mail, sign up twice, once with home and once with term, meaning you get twice the fabric softener/chocolate/coffee etc.
-See if your department needs help for Open Days. Thus can be easier to get onto than the whole University trips, seen as you should know the area you have lectures in......
-Don't be afraid to ask for discounts in shops, you might look like a cheapskate asking for money of that £1 pad of paper, but 10p off here and there can add up to a nice pint in the bar later . Get an NUS card aswell, they're only a tenner, and are the most recognisable student card, some places will only accept that as the discount card. In some clubs, you can get a quid off entry with an NUS card. I don't know whether that's everywhere, but I live in a smallish town when I'm at home, and they don;t have student nights, just offers discounts off the usual rates in possession of valid NUS card.

If I think of any more I'll post them hope they help!

Shoegal31

One of the things that a couple of my friends did was (and you have to be really good with this:A !!!!!) was take out £1000 more on a student loan than they needed and put it into either a high paying ISA/ Savings account with no access (or enough hassle to withdraw so you won't be tempted!!!) and let the interest mount up, the interest they received was higher than the interest they have to pay on the loan so if you search hard enought you can effectively make money from nothing!! :T

paulmarks83

People will use the number of maxed out credit cards, and the size of your overdraft as a badge of honour. Don't fall for it, I did and spent many many years paying off over £20k of debt!

misscomickat

You will need a lot of passport photos when you start uni for various ID cards. Rather than pay for the machines, which cost around £4 now, do it yourself using an old photo, and photocopy it many times on a colour photocopier. I did this today and it cost me 25p instead of £4. (If you've got a printer, use that!)