From debt to freedom...

Spendless

Re the student costs, bare in mind you can do various different ways to help. It doesn't all have to be save every penny upfront. You can take student's loan and add to it for the student rent and then ask student to use their savings/get a job as their living costs. The rent may be termly, monthly or weekly so not needed to be found all at once. 

Ouch to the MOT but as you say a necessity due to where you live. Would starting an emergency fund to be ring fenced for car only reasons  be a help for the future?

I thought exactly same about blackberries. It used to be later in August before they were ready here. I've recently discovered 2 plum trees both on my street, never noticed before which makes me wonder if this is for the first year they've borne fruit.