Student life at university or college is an exciting time with many opportunities arising and lots of activities and events filling up your social calendar. However, these things don’t always come cheaply and as a student you don’t always have the biggest cash flow.
Ozford understands the hardships that come with being a full-time student, so we have an abundance of free facilities and services on campus to offer our students and we recommend students make full advantage of them. From free support workshops to a spacious social area to rest and eat in, we can make student life easier and stress-free.
Here are some of our money-saving hacks to support you during your studies.
- Buy second-hand
It is often the case that for each year and course you enrol into, your school will need you to purchase a set of textbooks as reading requirements to supplement your studies. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to fork out the full cost of these textbooks if they are only for short-term use. Consider cheaper options such as buying second-hand online, or check out your school’s student services and see if they have the book in the library for loan. You could also enquire about whether your school does a book exchange program. Alternatively, you could purchase the eBook option which is more sustainable and you can always sell your textbook or eBook on after you have finished with it.
- Discounts
One advantage of becoming a student are the amazing student discounts. Make sure you get your student ID card from your school and utilise those discounts around town and online. Certain venues will do student discounts such as happy hours at local pubs and bars, student cinema tickets and student discount on haircuts. Additionally, here in Melbourne you can get a student Myki pass to travel with concessions on public transport, check out your eligibility here https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/tickets/myki/concessions-and-free-travel/children-and-students/
- Prep and go
Attending lectures and tutorials frequently can surely build up an appetite. It’s easy to be tempted by the campus café or grabbing a sandwich from the 7eleven across the road but these small purchases rack up your weekly expenses. It’s not hard or inexpensive to prep your lunch for the day. You’ll be sure to save a buck or two that you can spend elsewhere or put to better use and you are more likely to be preparing more nutritious and healthy meals which are ideal to sustain a hard-working brain.
- Plan out your week
Being organised is key to saving money. Plan out your weekly schedule and budget for each event that you attend. Plan out your weekly meals by doing a grocery shop and stock up on items when prices are reduced. You can always freeze food or prepare your meals in advance to ensure that your groceries last longer.
- Use your school’s free services
University and college facilities are an excellent opportunity for students to utilise their free resources and services. Check out what student clubs and events your school runs. See if they provide any special memberships for gyms and health clubs. Often schools provide free counselling and health services.
- Get a piggy bank
Although these days most people do cashless spending, it’s worth collecting any loose change you have and putting it away in a container. You’d be surprised how this builds up over time and you can decide how to spend this later. Alternatively if you’re a cashless student, you can always budget your spending as mentioned before. If you have a part-time job or any sorts of income, ensure that you put away a part of your weekly or monthly salary into a savings account. Anything you save now as a student, you will be thankful for after you graduate so that you can comfortably afford to enjoy your freedom once the day comes.
Check out Ozford’s student services and facilities on our website https://ozford.edu.au/support-services/.