Key monthly expenses

Rent & bills (£525)

Food shopping (£120)

Spotify (£5.99)

My money

Living costs

Were there any costs that surprised you when you came to university? 

Food is more expensive than I thought it was going to be, especially snack-type food. Train tickets are expensive too.

Birthdays can catch me off guard, especially if there are a few within a short amount of time of each other.

Also, there are a lot of random costs that occur that you may not expect. For example, I just had to spend money on a letter from the doctor.

Managing money

How does your lifestyle fit in with your money management? 

Luckily, I don’t drink and go out too often, so I think I save a lot of money there.

I’m more likely to overspend on spontaneous activities like the cinema and eating out.

I walk to the campus and take food in with me, which is a way I’m saving this year that I didn’t do last year.

My spending fluctuates a lot week by week based on what’s going on, and I feel more inclined to spend less after a week where I spent a lot.  

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Relationship with money

How do you feel about your relationship with money? Does it ever worry you? Does it affect your day-to-day life? 

Usually, I feel okay about money. However, there are times in the year that are particularly difficult, and it can be worrying. For example, right now I am struggling to find shifts that I can actually work, and my bursary doesn’t come in until December so the next month-and-a-half will be pretty tight.

I definitely think about money every day, but I try not to let it consume me because I have a tendency to think that I am in a worse position than I am.

When I sit down and figure it out it is often not as bad as it seems. 

My top tips

Being sensible

Evaluate whether or not you can afford to do the thing all of your friends are doing. It is hard to say no, but sometimes it's necessary. 

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Planning ahead

Try and work in the summer and also separate out the money that’s for rent and not for rent

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Getting support

Things are not always as bleak as they seem and there are quite a lot of places you can go for extra support.  

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