University of Reading

Make a budget
Creating and sticking to a budget is hard work, and can be quite a learning curve. However, I found it to be the best method to help me stay on top of my finances. Expenses can quickly add up, so keeping to a budget helps you from overspending on things you don’t really need.
Part-time work
An extra source of income can never hurt, especially at university, where social events are so common. Extra cash can help pay for field trips and other events too! I got a lower maintenance loan, so working in my spare time helped boost my income to help cover my bills. Furthermore, it looks great on your CV to have worked while studying!
Smart shopping
While you may be used to a different brand or supermarket at home, it can make a massive difference to your weekly shop cost if you change to budget supermarkets, such as Aldi and Lidl. Most of the time, there is no difference in quality, so it’s worth saving the money on each item, which makes a huge difference to the total cost.