Making the most of the UK on a budget

by Nicole Clendinning

It shouldn’t be a
surprise that living in the United Kingdom can be expensive. The exchange rate
from Canadian dollar to the British pound is not in favor of Canadians, and the
closer to major cities like London, Manchester, Dublin and Glasgow you are, the
more expensive the cost of living is.

While you may not
immediately be able to get a job and balance school and work, the good news is
that as a student you are able to find many ways to cut costs as many retailers
offer discounts and sales for students.

Transportation

If you find yourself
living in a major city, look into finding your way around using the public
transportation system as they are often very well developed and easy to follow.
Many cities in the UK have tram, bus and/or tube systems that are extensive and
easy to use.

For those students
arriving in London, it is important to note that travelling via bus when you
can allows you to save, as it is significantly cheaper than taking the tube.
Both methods allow you to use pay as you go on your debit/ credit card which
not only makes your trip more efficient but also helps you save money as you
are only charged for the distance you travel. Don’t worry about being
overcharged, by using Pay as you go, your card is capped at a certain max per
day regardless of the distance you travel. Another great feature of the bus
system is that you are able to transfer multiple times within an hour and only
be charged the £1.50 journey cost once.

Transportation for
London (TFL- the London equivalent to the TTC) offers student Oyster cards that
can be ordered online. As these are available exclusively to students, you need
to provide the details of your university program and have your application reviewed
and accepted by your school. Don’t fear though, this usually only takes a day
or so and then your card is mailed to your house. This card allows students to
save 30% on rail card purchases.

Food

Grocery shopping is
relatively cheap when compared to Canada, as you should be able to do a pretty
significant shop for one person for about £20 a week. Shops such as Lidl, Aldi
and Tesco tend to be the cheaper stores to buy essential products such as
pasta, rice and canned goods. You may be able to save even more on weekly shops
if you take advantage of outdoor markets which tend to offer great deals on
seasonal produce.

Further, meal prepping
is a great way in general to save money on groceries as well as a way to eat
healthier. By preparing good meals or dinners for the week ahead you are able
to cut down on fast food or snacks on a day to day basis and also cut down on food
waste. Although they are small purchases, they can quickly add up.

This also goes for
buying hot drinks. Investing in a coffee maker and an insulated mug will go a
long way to cut down on costs, as many coffee shops offer a 10-30 pence discount
on hot drinks served in reusable mugs. In London it is easy to spend £2-3
pounds on a coffee, so investing in a coffee maker definitely works out to be
cheaper in the long run. If you are a tea drinker, it may be useful to buy tea
bags at the shop and bring them out with you as most coffee shops will be happy
to fill your re-usable mug with hot water free of charge!

For on the go lunches,
Tesco and other retailers often offer ‘Meal Deals’ where you are able to
purchase a pre-made sandwich, a drink and a side (such as chips or fruit) for a
set amount, often under £5.

Discount Cards

For retail shopping,
there are many discount cards available to students and accepted at many major
retailers. Similar to SPC membership cards, UniDays is a widely accepted
discount card and app that is very popular in the UK. This allows you to save
on clothes as well as subscriptions and experiences such as movie tickets.

If you opt out of one of getting one of these savings cards, it is a good idea to try and keep your student card on you when going out, as many places will offer student discounts and all you need to show is your card issued by the university you attend.

Interested in studying in the UK? You can find out more by contacting one of our advisors!