Please Login to view "member only" content

How can I spend less?

Shopping….

  1. Never shop for food when you’re hungry – you’ll end up buying more.
  2. Go to the supermarket late at night when food is often reduced in price. 
  3. Share food and household cleaning items with your housemates.  Take it in turns to cook for each other – you’ll save money and have fun as well!
  4. Take advantage of point cards – the points can really save you money.
  5. Look for ‘buy one get one free’ offers – they can considerably reduce your bill.
  6. Take advantage of money off coupons and vouchers – lots of 50p’s make £££’s.
  7. If you like wine, buy it by the bottle in pubs and clubs – it’s cheaper than buying individual drinks.
  8. Shop at cheaper supermarkets for beans, bread, etc.
  9. Plan your meals prior to going shopping so you only buy the ingredients that you need.
  10. Invest in a water filter instead of buying bottled mineral water.
  11. Only take the amount of money you want to spend to the supermarket – don’t pay by card.
  12. Cut down on junk food – chocolate bars and crisps are expensive and you don’t need them – you’ll lose weight, get healthy and save money.
  13. Get to know your local shops – always shop around for bargains – don’t just buy in one place because you can’t be bothered to go elsewhere.
  14. Learn to love pasta and sauce!
  15. Raid mum’s food cupboard before coming back to Uni.
  16. Buy your make-up at the market.
  17. Darn your socks instead of buying new ones.
  18. Wait for the sales before buying things.
  19. Don’t eat out!
  20. Smoke roll-ups instead of ready-rolled fags (if you must smoke at all).
  21. Use your NUS card as much as possible to get discounts.
  22. Buy text bundles from your mobile phone provider – they work out cheaper.

Travel….

  1. Buy a young persons railcard.
  2. If you’re by yourself, then walk (unless it’s late at night) or get the bus.  However, if there’s a few of you, get a taxi and split the fare if that’s cheaper than you all getting the bus.
  3. Use a bike instead of public transport.
  4. If you have a car, start walking the short journeys as you’ll save petrol.
  5. If you travel by bus a lot, then buy a weekly/monthly bus pass.

Home and bills….

  1. Have a separate account for bills so you know how much they are each month.
  2. If you can, pay household bills by direct debit as this often saves money.
  3. If you can, pay for house/car insurance in a lump sum to avoid monthly interest charges.
  4. Shop around for the cheapest mobile phone contract (or use ‘pay as you go’), the cheapest gas and electricity (you can get price comparisons from Ofgem) and the cheapest home/travel/car/life insurance.
  5. If you have a mortgage, then check you’re getting the best deal.
  6. Buy energy saving light bulbs.
  7. Save electricity by turning the TV or CD player off when they’re not in use.
  8. Make sure you give regular meter readings to gas and electricity companies so you don’t get an estimated bill.
  9. Put a jumper on before turning the central heating up.
  10. Put only the water you need in the kettle.
  11. Take showers – they cost less than baths.
  12. Switch off the light when you’re not in the room.
  13. Defrost your freezer regularly as it will run more efficiently.
  14. Use a landline to make phone calls as it’s often cheaper.
  15. If you’re already with BT and are having difficulty paying your phone bill, sign up for BT’s pay and call pre-pay service where your calls and line rental are deducted from money you pay into an account.  It’s like pay as you go but on a landline. 

Credit….

  1. Don’t get a credit/store card/personal loan unless you have the resources and discipline to pay it off promptly.  If you decide to take out credit, read the terms and conditions before you sign and make sure you understand what the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is as well as what you’ll be repaying and for how long.
  2. Use your interest free overdraft on a student account instead of a credit card.
  3. If you have a credit card, be aware of the interest rate charged on it.  There may be cheaper ways to borrow money.
  4. Don’t take your card out with you when you’re shopping or on a night out as you’ll be tempted to use it.
  5. If you’ve already got credit cards and have a good credit rating, look out for credit cards that are interest free for a certain period. You could apply for one and then use it to clear the balance on the other cards.  However, beware of small print that ties you into spending/repaying a set amount each month.  Also think about whether you’d be able to repay what you owe by the end of the interest free period on the card.

Cheap nights out….

  1. You don’t need to go out EVERY night!  Think of some activities you can do at home.
  2. Don’t get sucked into buying rounds at the bar – buy your own drink.
  3. Go to the Student Union bars – they are cheap and you get value for money.
  4. Try and get to the nightclub before they start charging on the door.
  5. Set yourself a limit as to what you’ll spend on a night out.

If you have children….

  1. Set up a babysitting circle with your friends to help one another out and save money.
  2. If your children aren’t entitled to free school dinners, make them sandwiches instead.
  3. Make your own baby food in bulk and freeze it in ice cube trays.
  4. Buy second hand school uniforms.
  5. Buy children’s clothes in the sales.
  6. Buy second hand computer games.
  7. If you’re buying things for a baby (such as wet wipes), supermarkets own brands are cheaper.
  8. Check the local papers for second hand goods such as cots, toys, etc.
  9. Find a mobile hairdressers or if you have a boy, buy a clipper.
  10. Don’t ever buy child paracetamol or nit lotion – get a free prescription from your Doctor.
  11. Set a budget for kids birthday parties (if possible, have them at home) and Christmas – stick to it!
  12. Make sure you’re getting all the social security benefits and tax credits that you’re entitled to by seeing the Student Advice Centre within the Students Union.

And finally….

  1. Don’t’ spend what you haven’t got, or buy on impulse.
  2. Don’t buy what you can borrow, don’t buy what you don’t need and don’t buy what will break and need replacing in a year.
  3. Don’t be dazzled by new developments in technology that you don’t need.
  4. Give up smoking – if you qualify for free prescriptions the NHS will foot the bill to help you give up!
  5. Stop texting people and go out and see them instead!
  6. Get a part-time job and if you do work part-time, ensure you’re not paying too much tax and fill in your P50 as you may be entitled to a tax rebate.
  7. Sell videos, CD’s and other items that you don’t want anymore on E-bay or the Students Union website.
  8. Consider re-cycling stuff you can use again such as cards and envelopes.
  9. Buy CD’s sparingly (one a month?) – listen to the radio instead.
  10. Share clothes.
  11. Only buy a book if you’re going to read it and don’t buy every book on the reading list – borrow it from the University or local library instead.
  12. If you’re looking for activities that are free, why not do some volunteering through the Union’s volunteering scheme, or join a Student Union club or society.
  13. Retain receipts and check you haven’t been charged for something twice when your bank statement comes through.
  14. Don’t ever spend money just because you have it.
  15. If you need a computer, ask the University IT Services if they will allow you to hire one.
  16. Make sure you open a student bank account before you arrive.
  17. Keep a list of what you spend and check this regularly against your budget.

 

Smartphone App

Get the student experience on your phone. Staffordshire University Students' Union presents a handheld guide to your hottest news, photos, videos and events. You'll also find details for a range of clubs and societies you might enjoy.


App Store

Android Market

We Tweet

    Social Media

    Facebook Twitter YouTube

    Your Opinions Count!

    If you have any comments, suggestions, requests or feedback, please visit:

    www.staffsunion.com/feedback

    Useful Links

    Students' Union


    Related Sites



    University


    Faculties