Every Monday, firstpoint publishes five points about a topic related to life at university. This week, tips on saving and where to get help…
POINT ONE: GET SOME ADVICE…
Make an appointment with the Money Advice service. You can discuss a range of different topics including: budgeting, tuition fees, student loans and grants, NHS grants, scholarships and bursaries, support for students with children, welfare benefits, tax credits, debt management and general financial queries.
They also have lots of helpful resources on the Money Advice website.
POINT TWO: SAVE IN SMALL WAYS – CALCULATE THE COST OF CAFFEINE…
Save £2.40 a day (£12 a week!) by bringing your own hot drink to University, rather than buying a Costa or Starbucks coffee. Consider other areas you might also be able to save, such as bringing your lunch instead of always buying something on the day. If you can’t manage every day, just start with once or twice a week. Small changes can add up to large savings across the month.
POINT THREE: EARNING WHILE YOU’RE LEARNING…
There are lots of opportunities available to earn while you learn at the University, with roles like student ambassador, student receptionist, Students’ Union help desk assistant and more. Further information can be found on the University vacancy pages and the SU vacancy page.
The University’s Careers & Employability Service promote and advertise jobs specifically aimed at students. You can discover the latest local part-time and summer jobs by logging into your myCareer portal, where you’ll also find help with applying and interviewing.
POINT FOUR: SHOP SMART…
There are a variety of different supermarkets in Worcester, with one to suit all budgets. Within walking distance of both the St. John’s and City Campuses, you can find Aldi, Co-op and Sainsbury’s.
Think about how you can shop smart: make a budget and a list, avoid expensive labels and try supermarket own brands. It’s a good idea to try and avoid impulse buying and not doing your food shop when you’re hungry, as these can cause you to stray from your shopping list and budget. Keep an eye out for the yellow sticker, or reduced-price items at the end of the day and you may bag a bargain! Lots of supermarkets also offer loyalty cards with money-back schemes.
Try the Too Good to Go app, which connects customers to restaurants and stores that have surplus unsold food and offer it at a bargain price. You’ll even find the University of Worcester’s catering supplier on there!
POINT FIVE: TRAVEL EXPENSES…
You could consider the University’s bike share scheme, Woo Bikes. The University has a fleet of pedal and electric bikes for undergraduate and postgraduate students at a small annual membership cost. This can be a great way of beating the commuter costs for those students who live a little closer to campus and a helpful way to fit some exercise into your day. You can find more information on the Sustainability webpage.
For those of you who live a little further away, take a look at the First Bus webpages to see if their app can save you money and if you travel by train, visit Save the Student railcard information pages.
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