Top 10 tips for saving money as a student

An undeniable perk of being a student is the abundance of discounts available at thousands of retailers both online and in-store. We took to Campus to find out how our very own students save money.

1. Loyalty Cards – With almost every shop offering some form of loyalty scheme, it’s very easy to collect points, save money and even earn freebies
2. Restaurant vouchers – Numerous websites online offer vouchers for a vast range of restaurants, which can sometimes save you up to 50% on eating out
3. Go to the supermarket at the end of the day – This is a good way of stocking up on food for less, since reductions tend to be made at the end of the day
4. See what your bank is offering – Some building societies offer services which can either help you to save money, or provide you with money off certain purchases when using your debit card
5. Own brand food – Sometimes its the simple packaging which allows supermarkets to lower their prices on their own brand items, and not necessarily the quality of the food
6. Shop at the weekly market on Campus – You could potentially save money by buying your fruit and vegetables here. Besides anything else – you can do it in between lectures
7. Invest in a flask – We all know that coffee can be expensive, yet that doesn’t necessarily stop us from buying it on a daily basis. Invest in a good flask, and bring your own coffee to lectures
8. Plan and cook meals for the week – Not only does this save time, but it also stops you from buying unnecessary items when doing your weekly food shop
9. Look out for Student nights at West Quay – West Quay often host evenings which are solely intended for students, where nearly all stores offer a certain discount for those who attend
10. Invest in ‘the Key’ card – Unilnk and Blue Star have teamed up to offer ‘the Key’ card, which can be used on either service. It is a re-useable card which can be topped up online, and which offers discounts on journeys when they are purchased in a bundle. The average saving on a single journey is 60-70 pence.

Student lifestyle posts which reflect the interests of our students are written by Student Communications Assistants and do not reflect the research, guidance or opinions of the University of the Southampton. If you have feedback or want to suggest ideas for this section, please submit an email.