TIPS FOR STUDENTS

Being a student never was easy... but it has a positive side!

Have a look at these tips for students!


Enjoy student discount cards

Being a student means being eligible for some discounts! This doesn't mean you should increase your spending just to enjoy them, but it does mean savings when you do go shopping.
NUS Extra cards cost £12 for the whole year, but it opens the gates to online discounts and in store with over 160 retailers. 

Now it also includes 10% off Co-Op groceries at over 3,600 participating stores, so if you usually shop there it's a winner. 

Other discounts vary, but are generally about 10-20% (some are as high as 50%), and include Asos, McDonalds, Odeon, Amazon, 16-25 Railcard, Superdrug and many more.

To get an NUS Extra card, apply online on the NUS website. Check the full list of NUS Extra discounts first to make sure you'll use it, and check individual offer terms before you go. Cards are valid for 12 months from date of purchase.

Being sure to check the list of offers before registering for a card, as it is only worth buying if you're likely to use it. 

Students travel discount

The fact that you are studying in a big city means that it may be essential to use public transport, and it’s not always cheap. Luckily, there are usually student travel discounts available.

Most cities have local bus that offer student passes, which will end up being much cheaper than buying standard tickets. These can usually be used at all times of the day, including peak travel times. Even if you don’t think you’ll use the bus that much, travelling to and from lectures as well as nights out and other trips into town will soon add up. You have to figure out the cost of single journeys and returns journeys, and a week-long travel card will work out the cheapest.

In London the 16-25 Railcard was designed for young people in full-time education, and can be purchased for one year or three, and gives you a third off of rail journeys across the UK. A one year card costs £28, and a three-year card costs £65. You can buy it online at 16-25 railcard.co.uk. 

And, instead of the expense of a travel card, why not invest in a bike? Once you've got one, your travel will be completely free and often a lot quicker than walking or waiting for a bus to show up – it’s also a great way to exercise without having to pay a monthly gym membership!

Watch TV for free and legally! 

The BBC licence fee terms stipulate that you must pay the licence fee if you watch or record the television as it is broadcast . This means you don't need a TV licence for watching on-demand TV over the net. Buy a cable to connect your laptop to your TV, and that’s a lot of free, good-quality viewing with no spend. And if you do happen to have a licence, make sure you claim one quarter back for the three summer months you're probably not in your house.

Learn to cook 

There's no need to live off pricey takeaways at uni while longing for a home-cooked meal. Take the time to learn the basics and it'll help to stretch your cash much further, and it's far healthier too.

The forums are a great place to get tips and ask questions. Read the Basic recipes for novice cook discussion to arm yourself with the essentials, while the 50p meals thread has loads of budget recipe ideas. Feel free to add your tips!

Sell, sell, sell!

You might have many staff surprisingly valuable, as your textbooks!
So when you're sure that a book's future is to sit and gather dust, head to Amazon to trade it in for a gift card. 
The same applies for your clothes. Upload them to eBay, or head to the ASOS marketplace.
You will get an extra income!