Some money saving tips

caffinated_geek

In the zavvi and HMV at merry hill and the bullring I've always been told I need the NUS extra card. Same wth most of the stores in the mall that ofer student discounts. I'm actually suprised that you don't need them in other places.
So I'd say go round your local stores and check their policy on student discounts, then decide if you need one.
I still think they're worth the money though. I brought alot of books last year from amazon and booked some tickets through ticketmaster so I did save alot.

popularfurball

caffinated_geek wrote: »

You need an nus card to get the hmv and zavvi discount cards.

If you go to the stores local to the Uni I doubt you will - I get student discounts with mine at cinemas, I have both the Zavvi and HMV cards, bus passes etc etc.

In answer to cheaper bus fares - Generally if you pay on the day then no - unless it is a special service, but on passes eg. Monthly tickets then yes.

As my two penny for the list:

1) Get lots of e-saver type accounts and online banking - This means you can structure money (yes, I think im borderline compulsive on this!!) for example, I have Money for Month (Divide up monthly allowance to weekly and transfer to C/A each week), Bills (So at begining of month I calculate rough bills costs - phone, bus etc, and transfer that accross when a bill is paid). I then have a couple spare, which covers some saving space for things like Xmas, Birthdays and now CAR .

2) Try and eat with someone else - not only is it good company its cheaper. I also find it makes me eat better as I know that if I don't cook then the other person will go hungry etc, so it incentivises us to both eat - also great for washing up

3) Check buses vs trains prices - trains are expensive generally, sometimes the cost difference outweighs the extra journey time.

4) Shop around for food - As previously mentioned, Aldi is a gem - as is Morrisons for BOGOF type deals, and ASDA for its roll backs - Also try and plan food for the week, that way it makes budgeting easier.

5) Yes... I think I'm OTT with my money spending control, but you can still have fun - its about being disciplined to maximise what you have - I managed to pay for driving lessons and test etc because I clamped down so much last year

SFX_Student

If you like them, get dreadlocks. I've had dreads for over four years, I used to get my hair cut about every five weeks and wash it everyday or two.

I DO still wash my hair, but with dreads I don't really need to more often than once a week with a specialist shampoo. In the last four years I have bought two bottles of shampoo and one bar of hair soap (totalling about £15) I trim them myself to keep them around shoulder length.

They are also a time saver, as in the morning I do absolutely nothing to my hair. Just jump in the shower and roll into uni/work. Dreads will save anyone money but especially girls, as they usually spend a fortune on hair cuts and products, compared to guys. Personally I think they look great on boys and girls.

Shaving. Buy a quality shaving brush and a traditional safety razor. Not only do you get a much better shave than super cheap disposables, the blades last longer than cartridge razors and shaving cream bars last forever.

Don't join a gym. The fact is most people who join gyms do not go nearly as often as they think they will. The fact is gyms are boring. Join a sports club and enjoy meeting new people at the same time. There are also plenty of exercises that require no equipment and if you are really motivated to get fit/lose weight, there is no difference between doing them at home or in a gym

Hope these help a few people