How To Save Money As A Student
With the cost of living crisis impacting individuals and businesses across the country, there is a continual fear of being hungry and not being able to afford the basic essentials. Although things are looking low, there are many ways you can save money during these trying times.
Meal planning
Planning meals is an excellent way to optimize your grocery shopping and purchase only the essential items you need. To get started, grab a notebook and assess your fridge, freezer, and cupboards to determine what you already have. Next, come up with meal ideas for the week, drawing inspiration from platforms like Pinterest or TikTok. Based on your stock list, create a shopping list of any additional items you need. Toiletries and cleaning products typically don’t need to be replenished every week, so consider purchasing them from a store like B&M or online retailers like Cherryz (students get 20% off their first order!).
If you cook with your housemates, this could be a great activity for all of you to do together and share the job of cooking.
Meal prepping
A slow cooker is a student’s best friend. Batch cook meals in advance and store them in the fridge or freezer. This is ideal for when you’re snowed under with revision, or simply cba to cook that day.
This not only saves time in the future, it also offers a break from revision and uni work and allows you to experiment and focus on something completely different for an hour or so.
Cut back on Uber Eats, Deliveroo etc.
While ordering takeout is a convenient option, the delivery fees and costs can quickly add up, especially if you’re a frequent customer. One way to manage this expense is by limiting your orders to a few times per month, rather than several times per week.
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We were shocked by the amount of food waste we found left behind by tenants this summer, it’s totally avoidable! Meal planning helps, but another way to ensure you’re not wasting food is to:
- Freeze anything which is unlikely to be eaten by the ‘Use By’ date
- Don’t take ‘Best Before’ dates as gospel. Many foods are fine to eat after the best before dates, its the ‘Use By’ dates you need to pay attention to.
- If you’re heading back home for a while, look at the food you have and see if your housemates or neighbours could put it to use!
Don’t drink and cook
Many of us have been there – returning home famished after a night out, hastily popping something in the oven, only to fall asleep and forget all about it. This not only wastes energy but can also pose a significant fire hazard. To avoid this, consider opting for a takeaway meal such as a kebab or cheesy chips instead. Not only is it a safer and more convenient option, but it also eliminates the need for cooking and cleaning up after a long night out. Plus, treating yourself to a tasty takeaway can be a well-deserved reward for a night of hard partying.
