Tips for a new student?

suse*

Don't buy all the books on the book list. Try and get them from the library or second hand from amazon etc or people in the year above. You can check with the lecturers which are the course texts you have to have and which are just nice to have. You will end up spending a fortune on books and might end up not even reading half of them if you're not careful.

Get the freshers newspapers for offers for things with vouchers in. Get an nus card and always ask everyone if they do student discount. If you need to get a train or bus a lot you might be able to get a rail card, or discounted season bus ticket. Again your student union can advise. Look at the clubs but don't join them all just pick one or two and see how you get on as you can always change later.

Come results time next year you can work answering phones for the uni for people trying to get on through clearning. Also you might be able to get a job in a computer lab/ room helping people login and changing printer paper etc at the same time as when you'd be studying anyway.

scoot7

TBagpuss wrote: »

JackieBlacks tips are good.

Also - eat less (or no) meat.

This is the most expensive thing in my diet, I wish I could cut down on it!!

CharlieRabbit01

A common thing our students do is shop at the nearest supermarket in this case Waitrose (5minutes walk), find out which other supermarkets are within walking/driving distance, a further 10 minute walk here would get you to sainsburys and another 5 minutes a lidl.

martinnathalie9

Indie_Kid wrote: »

Don't go shopping hungry.

This is an incredibly useful tip! I still stand by this now, if you do chances are you will end up with a very strange, probably unhealthy and inconsistent shop!

I always try and make a list of ingredients I will need that will contribute to several different recipes throughout the week. Things such as spinach, tomato puree, pasta, garlic, pesto, frozen peas and quorn chicken are all very versatile and can go in many different things.For instance, I often add garlic and cashew nuts to some steamed vegetables for a quick tasty and very cheap lunch!

Nat

Change4Life

stagebright wrote: »

Hi guys,

New student here, what tips do you have for living frugally? Looking particularly for saving money with food, while still being able to eat healthily.

What do you recommend MSE?

Hi stagebright,

Eating healthily doesn’t need to be expensive. Buy fruit and vegetables that are in season and look for good deals on frozen, dried and canned fruit and vegetables, such as frozen peas, dried lentils and pulses and canned fruit in their own juice.

Using more vegetables and less meat/fish as part of your meals is a great way to eat healthily while keeping the cost down. Another helpful tip is to buy cheaper cuts of meat, such as shoulder of lamb instead of leg of lamb. Remember to try and buy lean cuts and trim off any visible fat.

If you're stuck for healthier meal ideas and need some help getting started, Change4Life's Meal Mixer can help! Most recipes feed up to four adults and only cost around £5 to make, giving you the option to feed your friends or freeze portions for another day.

- GS, Change4Life

[Deleted User]

I have a student grandson whom we went to see at his Uni on Saturday (Norwich) and I took a big box of tinned stuff and lots of 'goodies' for him plus t/paste,soap,shampoo,shower stuff and deoderant,even loo rolls .His grin was as big as Texas bless him, and its enough to get him through until December.So if you have a Grandma who loves you to bits see if she can do you a (in my case a 'Ben Box') and when I shop I stick odds and ends in I think will come in handy for him One of the girls there is a veggie and she makes sure the 6 other boys sharing with her have their vegatables

Noonar

Google 'a girl called jack'. This lady creates the most amazing dishes for pennies and she is also very inspirational. I pointed my daughter to the site when she started Uni last year.

underwood9

batch cook with your hostel mates! avoid outings that cost a lot - birthday dinners, coffee at expensive cafes etc.