‘Watch your spending, use free perks’: an insider’s tips on student money

A student at the University of Nottingham shares practical ways to manage money, earn extra income and maintain a social life while studying.

– Erin advises students to budget, track spending and treat savings as unavailable except when genuinely needed. – She warns that student loan payments can feel like “free money”, making small purchases and overdraft use easy to justify. – Working before university and during holidays helped her understand everyday costs and build savings. – She uses student-bank incentives and pools monthly £10 Just Eat vouchers with friends for shared takeaway meals. – She earns money by selling secondhand clothes, including £200 in one weekend. – She accesses race days and other events free or cheaply through promotional work and volunteering, sometimes earning commission on ticket sales.