There is a wide range of discounts available for students. It is worth always checking if there are any available before your purchase.
NOTE: please, before you purchase any discount cards or membership deals, calculate if the purchase price is worth it. This means you have to justify the purchasing price.
For example, if the NUS Totum card costs £24.99 per year how many times will you realistically use discounts available there? Do they offer discounts that you would use? Would you save more money than is the purchase price? Are the same discounts available somewhere else for free?
My Uni Days
Student Beans
Student Money Saver
My Student Discount
The NUS Totum card
ISIC
The cost of eating out or getting take-aways delivered frequently can seriously impact your financial stability as a student. Cooking for yourself and your housemates is cheaper and healthier. There are many free recipes available online (even for complete beginners in the kitchen and for people who need quick and easy foods).
For example, BBC has a website dedicated specifically for student friendly meals:
Easy recipes for students - BBC Food
Additionally, they offer other recipe collections, such as “£1 dinners”, “Exam-day breakfasts” and “5 ingredient meals.”
You might also try creating a meal plan that would help you stick to the plan of cooking at home and make sure you avoid situation where you’re starving with no food left to cook from in the fridge (which usually leads to ordering overpriced takeaways). Simply just write down a weekly meal plan and make a shopping list. This would help you financially but also prevent you from wasting food.
For examples and more guidance, see:
FREE Printable Meal Plan Template | Customize Before You Print (101planners.com)
Weekly meal plan: 28 cheap and healthy ideas - Save the Student
Save on energy
Energy Advice London is an advice service for anyone living in London. Funded by the Mayor of London and delivered by Energy Saving Trust, they support Londoners through the cost-of-living crisis by providing free, impartial advice to help households save energy and water, access financial support, manage energy and heating bills, get advice on installing renewable energy systems and more.
To find out more, visit Energy Advice London, or call their advice line on 0808 196 8260.
Frequently commuting to the University might take up a large proportion of your budget. Please see the following discounts available to students.
NHS Low income scheme - you might be eligible to apply to the NHS Low Income Scheme. If your application is accepted, you can get health related costs such as travel, prescriptions, dental and optician’s bills covered. This certificate lasts for a year and you would need to reapply each year.
For more information and application see: NHS Low Income Scheme | NHSBSA
NHS Prepayment Certificate (PPC) – a 3 or 12-month PPC covers all your prescriptions for that period, no matter how many you need. A prescription costs £9.35 per item, but a PPC costs: £30.25 for 3 months or £108.10 for 12 months.
This means if you’re going to buy 4 or more prescriptions in 3 months, or 12 or more prescriptions in 12 months, it may be cheaper to buy a PPC.
You can pay in 10 monthly instalments if you buy a 12-month PPC.
For more information and application see: NHS Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC)
- Preparing packed lunches and bringing your water bottle can also help you save large amount of money. At Brunel Campus, there are water fountains available in the Library and you can ask the staff in Loco’s bar for a free water bottle refill.
- Many supermarkets reduce items in the hour before they close. Visit at this time to get vastly reduced prices on baked goods, fruit and vegetables.
- Try buying value brands from stores. If you don’t like it – simply swap back.
- You can also compare products from across major supermarket chains here:
- You might find some extra deals in supermarket’s apps. For example, Tesco or Lidl app can get you cheaper prices or vouchers.
- You can also check out apps like Too good to go and Olio to pick up highly discounted or free food in your area.
- Check on comparison websites for the best deals available for SIM and insurance providers.
- Check if your bank offers cashback for chains you buy stuff regularly.
- Check if there are any other benefits available for you (O2 and Virgin Mobile Priority app, Airtime Rewards, etc.).