Cost of living

Contactless payments are very handy but it can be hard to keep on top of what you’re spending. So why not go old school and use cash instead.

Set yourself a weekly cash limit to spend on food or socialising and take the money out at the start of the week. This will make it much easier to keep track of your outgoings.

• Create a meal planner each week and have a go at cooking from scratch – it’s easier than you think and much cheaper than buying ready-made meals or takeaways.

• Don’t go food shopping when you’re hungry because you will buy more than you need. 

• Shop around for the best prices. Budget supermarkets will save you lots of money so it can be worth spending money on a shared taxi even if the supermarket is further away. 

• Do an online food shop with your housemates and share the delivery charge. Collect points while you’re at it and you could get money back or money off vouchers. 

• Cook meals with your flatmates rather than cooking individual meals. Batch cooking is much cheaper. 

• Have a Deliveroo/Just Eat as a treat or special occasion when you can afford it.

There are lots of free budgeting apps which let you easily manage your money. Make sure the app is reputable as you’ll be sharing your personal information. Do some research to find recommended apps with good reviews.

Put dates in your calendar when bills are due to be paid for halls fees, mobile phone contracts etc. This will help you avoid any late-payment fees.

Many UK banks offer incentives when you sign up to their student accounts. These could include freebies such as free railcards or even cash. It’s worth shopping around to see which one is best for you.

It may sound overly simplistic but it really is the key to budgeting properly. Work out how much money you have in your pot and deduct your bills and essential payments. The rest is yours to spend as you like.

Try to avoid going into your overdraft. Remember, if you can’t afford it, don’t consider buying it.

• Driving can be an expensive way to get around so consider cheaper alternatives. Cheltenham and Gloucester have a good public transport infrastructure with buses, trains, e-scooters, as well as safe walking and cycling routes.

• If you frequently use the bus, you can save money by buying a weekly, monthly or annual bus pass. You can use the pass on journeys in Cheltenham and Gloucester 24/7. 

• If you travel by train, you can save a third on journeys with the 16-25 Railcard.

It’s difficult to plan for every eventuality so keep a little money aside for unexpected emergencies, course trips and materials, or special occasions. 

Try the Money Saving Expert’s Spending Demotivator tool – it will help you see how much you spend on non-essentials, and stop you spending when you can’t afford it.

It’s an eye-opener.

Avoid buying new textbooks if you can. Not only will it be a lot cheaper, but it’s also better for the planet.

You may be able to borrow your textbooks – the University library is well stocked so ask the librarian if you can’t find what you’re looking for.