If you want to save money, you need to know where to shop. It's better to go to Aldi than Tesco or M&S. Though it can sometimes feel a bit more of a hassle, you can easily get to an Aldi via either the metro or a£1 bus, and the amount you save is worth it.
"If you want to save money, you need to know where to shop."
The app 'Too Good to Go' is an excellent opportunity to get food and save money. The app is designed to reduce food waste, so well-known supermarkets, cafes and restaurants provide "Magic Bags "at a reduced rate. Though you won't know what you're getting, often you're paying about £3 for up to £10 worth of food.
Another great offer is from the beloved Grainger Market, popular amongst students because of the great deals and stalls where you can buy local fish, meat, fruit, and vegetables. Within the market is 'Oliver and Eden', a local family butcher with a deal to get 3 portions of meat for £5. Only a fiver for some mincemeat, chicken wings and even a thin steak!
Look at places that offer 'pay as you go'. Big River Bakery offers baked goods, and you can set the price depending on what you need it to be. The student union has mechanisms installed to help students, including the £1 Food Fob. Also, the food pantry, which is stocked up three times a day, provides products such as fruits and vegetables, toilet paper, toothpaste, yoghurt, etc, which can help carry some of the financial burden of buying essentials if need be.
Being a student means you are also privy to student deals… so use them! Download and make use of apps such as UNIDAYS and StudentBeans, where you can visit shops and get up to 50% off—with this in mind, knowing when and where to find student deals is vital. For instance, the Hancock does student deals every Monday, offering discounts such as £4 cocktails and £2 pints. Similarly, if you want to go out and do something a little different, Junkyard Golf provides 50% off during the weekday.
"Being a student means you are also privy to student deals... so use them!"
Generally, the gateway to financing the university lifestyle is DIY. Find costumes in charity shops if you've got a themed party to dress up for, or it's a Wednesday society night. If you're feeling down, then often the solution is a bit of creativity – maybe paint some wineglasses with your flatmates. If it's one of your friend's birthday and you've got £10 to your name, think about a handmade present – maybe a photo album of the two of you.
Being a student is not always easy; sometimes it can be challenging because you want to do so much, but have so little. But, if you're willing to adapt and think innovatively, it can become easier to aestheticize the broke lifestyle and learn to survive on such limited resources. At the end of the day, you learn to appreciate the little things; whether it is your mum's homecooked meals, your flats' Christmas tree (which is just a stolen cone with some tinsel) or how much you used to eat cheese without having to cry whenever you see how much it costs.
