Budget & Save
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How Much I Spend – Student Spending Diaries #1
The one thing I wanted to know before going to university, was how much I would need for spending each week. This number was hard to find online, so I wanted to create something that I would have gained value from. From this thought, this series was born; Student Spending Diaries. Each entry will go through a week’s worth of spending, starting with this week – where I threw a mini party, got an allergic reaction and watched hours of Grey’s Anatomy. Monday Monday was a pretty routine uni day, meaning I spent the majority of the day doing research reading for my dissertation. I finally left the flat at…
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How To Save Money and Still Have Fun
You don’t need to sacrifice everything to save money! But you do need to get real with your spending and reevaluate where your money is going each month. First things first you need to realise that having fun and amount of money spent are not related. You could spend hundreds on a day out and absolutely hate every minute of it. Or you could spend an afternoon on a hike (free!) and love every minute of it. In this post I will go through 5 tips to help you save money and still have fun at the same time. Embrace Free Activites Having fun doesn’t have to cost a fortune!…
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5 Ways To Improve Your Credit Score As A Student
Having a good credit score is important when it comes to applying for credit in the future, such as a loan or mortgage. Your time at university is the perfect to start looking at building up your credit score. In this post we will go through what a credit score is, how to improve your credit score and where you can find out your score for free. What is a Credit Score? Investopedia perfectly defines a credit score as “a number between 300–850 that depicts a consumer’s creditworthiness. The higher the score, the better a borrower looks to potential lenders. A credit score is based on credit history: number of open…
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2020 Money Review: How I Saved 54% Of My Income
2020 was the first year that I tracked all of my spending – and I mean ALL of it to the penny! In this money review, I will be sharing all the figures and how I managed to save the majority of my income. At the end of 2019, I was fed up of not knowing where my money was going. I hated the feeling of having no money left at the end of the month. So, I made the pledge that in 2020 I would track everything I spend to see what I’m actually spending my money on and how I can save more. I’ve decided to share all…
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8 Cheap Ways to Practice Self Care For Students
Self care doesn’t have to be expensive, but it is important. Looking after yourself and trying not to burn the candle at both ends will keep you sane whilst juggling everything life throws at you. During university is the perfect time to get into the habit of regularly practicing self care. It will be second nature by the time you graduate. Below are 8 ways to practice self care that will cost you next to nothing. These are applicable to everyone but work really well for students. Have a Pamper Night Cost – £ Put your laptop away, forget about everything you still need to complete, put on some calming…
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Your Ultimate Guide to Student Finance
When I started thinking about applying for university I had no idea how student finance worked. My biggest worry about going to university was taking on this huge amount of debt, for my case it was going to be around £55k. I spent so many hours researching and trying to understand how it all worked. This post will save you all of that time because I am going to explain everything you need to know about student finance in England. And yes they are slightly different to student loans in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. All figures are accurate as of December 2020 HOW DO I APPLY? Applications usually open…
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3 Simple Budgets to Try
Have no idea where to start and how to adopt a budget – read on and try one of these simple budgets. Budgeting may seem like a mindfield to some, but it doesn’t have to be. Most people see budgeting as restrictive and boring, I want to change this misconception. Budgeting is a great way to make sure you are spending money on things you actually value rather than getting to the end of the month having no idea where all your money went. Below are three simple budgets to adopt to make sure you are getting the most out of your money. Already got your budgeting down? Why not…
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5 Easy Money Challenges To Do
Money challenges are a great way to save money without even thinking about it. Most of these challenges include saving such a small amount at a time that you won’t realise it’s gone. Then at the end of the year it will come as a shock to see how each tiny amount has added up. You will have quite a nice sized amount. Related Articles: These are five of the easiest money challenges for you to give a go. THE PENNY CHALLENGE This is my favourite money challenge! Such a simple but effective way to save extra money – even on a low income. The concept of the penny challenge…
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5 Easy Ways to Save Money on Food At Uni
For most people, moving to uni is the first time they’ll do a food shop. Or if you’re like me and have done the food shop before, you probably haven’t actually paid attention to prices. Doing your own food shop can often be very eye opening. Food can be so expensive! Especially if you don’t pay attention to what you are buying or how much each item actually costs. After rent payments, food will most likely be your next biggest expense. Yet it is one area you can be super frugal on and keep it low. For context, my current food budget is £40 a month – which works out…