The joys of budgeting

Christmas is an expensive time- now I’m home I can appreciate the joys of living at home with my parents, but before term ends there is so many other things to spend your money on- presents, Christmas celebrations and very soon the rent for the start of next year.

At uni it’s a very weird feeling to get control over more money than you ever normally have, but also so many more things to spend it on. When that first student loan payment comes in, it’s so tempting to spend it straight away, but do you want to be living on super noodles and baked beans come December? It is really important to make a list of things you need to spend it on . In fact, I actually wrote down everything I spent for the first term, until I realised I was staying within my budget. Not that I’m suggesting you go that far, but it really does help to plan when you realise where your money is going.

I will leave you with my three top tips for budgeting and still having a good time at uni.

1. You might feel like you can’t be bothered, and I often can’t, but making your own lunch saves a huge amount of money if you can find the time. I tend to eat at university maybe once a week, but the rest of the time I try to make a sandwich or something to save money for better things.
2. It’s a similar story with coffee. I often want a hot drink when I’m studying especially during the winter, but it’s surprising how quickly they can add up if you have one more than once or twice a week.
3. It’s not just Christmas- the end of term can always be really expensive, as most sports and societies have  an end of term social or meal, some even have tours or holidays abroad, and they all add up. It is definitely a good idea to keep a little bit of money by for this time , even if it involves going out once or twice less during the term, so that you don’t miss out on final celebrations.