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.