Student MoneySaving Club!

ames123_2

Can't really use vouchers where i'm at uni. Those foods you make freebiejunkie look very good, a lot better than the average students!

By the way has anyone tried Lidl's wedges, they come in a green pack and are about 52p? I was addicted to them last semester!

For shops I use: Tesco at the start of the semester when I get taken to uni because it's a 25 minute walk so hard to carry stuff back, but for most of the semester I use Morrisons and Lidl with the occasion Iceland and Tesco if I get a taxi back.

Lidl's chocolate is good and their kettle type chips.
Tesco's do great tinned potatoes. I LOVE these. I just stick them in the oven for a bit to crisp up. Tesco's cola is good too, the stuff in between tesco value and pepsi, it has a dark red label.

Sorry for the bitty post! x

freebie_junkie

violetviolin wrote: »

thank you! that's really useful, i'll definitely try this as at uni i was often too tired to cook in the evening properly (not that i did any strenuous work just a bit of a long bus journey home and laziness!)

and about the other coupons, how do you get them?

you get teh coupons by signing up to the various websites. ones like pampers and l'oreal are regular coupons, you get £1-£2 worth every month or so.

i know what you mean about the tiredness! i have a day when im in uni from 9:30 till 5, then my drama group meets for 2 hours! if i didnt have that stuff in teh freezer i so wouldnt bother after that!

violetviolin

hi swirlywurly! of course, there's always room for more your member number is 21. hehe where did you set up your online banking? i'm looking for one where i can separate my savings you see, so i know how much i'm saving for each thing.

violetviolin

Tesco's cola is good too, the stuff in between tesco value and pepsi, it has a dark red label.

haha i always end up going for the fake value stuff, the one that's dressed up a bit too but for tesco lemonade it's value all the way - i think that's from habit at home too! i second that aldi chocolate is amazing! i hear their cheese and meat i think are nice too, there's a thread on nice aldi stuff on mse somewhere actually!

thanks for tips everyone! i'm feeling like i'm getting a bit more moneysaving-y every day my new tips is i like doing things like pigsback online because it adds up - especially if you refer someone - i referred my brother and got £5, woo hoooooo! i'm saving my vouchers till xmas and i'm gonna get myself a treat hehehe

pixiedust_2

Don't forget to use clubcards for everywhere you shop! I collect points at WHSmith, Boots, Tesco, Game (my weakness ), as well as a points card for Shell that I use for my petrol when I'm at home (won't be taking my car to uni). I know they don't give huge amounts of points, but they do all add up, especially when you're doing £10-£20 at tesco every week as well as buying stationary, magazines etc elsewhere. Just try not to jump in and spend them as soon as you have a quid on them! It's tempting, but just think, leave them alone and you'll have £10 to treat yourself sooner or later

Oh, and get a big money-box/jar/empty bottle - save all your coppers and 5ps, they add up!

freebie_junkie

keep an eye out on the vouchers board for those extra whsmith points coupons too, theyre brill

freebie_junkie

cards i find useful:

whsmith (1 point per £1, then regular extra 250 points when you spend £5, each worth 1p)

bite (20% off rail station eateries, handy for those of you who are away from home and visit regularly)

nectar (points can be collected at loads of places, 2 per £1, worth £2.50 per 500.)

Ikea Family (25% off certain ranges and mailer coupons for money off total spends)

Costco (so you can buy in bulk of course! cost me £17.50 to open as I'm a trader, think it costs £20 otherwise- regular extra savings vouchers both instore and by mail too)

Staples (1 point per £1, worth 1p, regular mailer extra point coupons)

Body shop Love Your Body (costs £5, 10% off all transactions, stamp each time you spend £10, free £5 item on your birthday, free £5 item after 4 stamps and free £10 item and new card after 8 stamps)

Clarins Time For Me (5 mins towards a treatment every time you spend £20 on Clarins- best combined with gift time!, can use for a free treatment once you have 45 mins)

Tesco Clubcard (1 point per £1, worth 1p, plus regular instore and miler extra points coupons, especilaly h&b and if you join all teh clubs)

Boots Advantage Card (4 points per £1, worth 1p each, regular mailer and AC extra points coupons, especially if you join teh clubs)

NUS (costs £10, 10% off in loads of shops, cheap cinema tickets etc. and other special offers from teh booklet that comes with it, includes ISIC card which can be used abroad)

&More (CC, gives 1 point per £1 spent in M&S and 1/2 point per £1 spent elsewhere, worth 1p each full point, regular extra points mailings)

Debenhams (Store card, goodie bag when opening, regular 10% off days and parties where cardholders get goodie bags)

Recognition Frasercard (3 points per £1, worth 1p each, can redeem for £10 coucher at 1000 points, 500 points when open card, regular goodie bags and 10% off days)

Lewis's (regular 10% and 20% off days- dunno what will happen with thsi now its been 'saved')

Of course remember to pay off your CC's and SC's immediately! SC's can be paid off at teh next till

pixiedust_2

Ooh, thanks for that list! I can never remember what everything adds up to, I just keep on saving it all

Just been playing with a budgeting tool from uniaid - www.studentcalculator.org.uk - nice and helpful, can put all your incomings and outgoings in, and it'll tell you whether you're underestimating in places (lots of pop-up help menus, with info like average shopping list prices, travel info etc), and then it'll let you know if it all balances out! Can also use the buget tool on MSE, which is great, but remember its designed for people with MONTHLY income, not termly, and also works over 12 months, not a 9 month student year

freebie_junkie

for students who live in shared houses or like me on their own homes, pre-paying your rent, water, gas, leccy, insuarnce on cards at the PO is really helful for budgeting. if theres a few of you, you can have a designated person who pays and the rest give them teh cash every week. that avoids big quarterly bills.

ames123_2

violetviolin wrote: »

haha i always end up going for the fake value stuff, the one that's dressed up a bit too but for tesco lemonade it's value all the way - i think that's from habit at home too! i second that aldi chocolate is amazing! i hear their cheese and meat i think are nice too, there's a thread on nice aldi stuff on mse somewhere actually!

thanks for tips everyone! i'm feeling like i'm getting a bit more moneysaving-y every day my new tips is i like doing things like pigsback online because it adds up - especially if you refer someone - i referred my brother and got £5, woo hoooooo! i'm saving my vouchers till xmas and i'm gonna get myself a treat hehehe

Don't worry i'm normally value stuff too! I haven't tried aldi, there is one but the lidl is literly across the road. I'll pop into aldi one day when i'm passing.

Oh and tesco vouchers, the ones they send you for 2.50 plus if you save them and don't spend them instore they ae worth 4x the value! Have a look on the tesco site.