Student Support
Helpful hints to save money
Here are some great ways to cut down on your living expenses:
- Estimate how much rent you can afford by doing a budget for food, books, stationery, printing, transport, calculators, CSU fees, entertainment, personal needs etc.
- Remember you may have to go on practicums. Ask if you pay full board or rent at these times? Also negotiate prices during holiday periods if you are not going to be there.
- When negotiating accommodation, ask if you will need sheets, towels and pillows or cooking utensils, plus stationery and personal effects. These items will add to your costs.
- Plan to take your lunch to University at least two to three times a week. This saves at least $15 a week which translates to almost $800 a year.
- Take away your main temptation; access to money. Withdraw a certain amount of cash and leave your cards and cheque book at home, perhaps even leaving $10 in an envelope for taxi fares.
- When you are in the supermarket think twice about reaching for the more colourful and more expensive name brands. Try a few no-name labels to compare quality – often for half the price the quality is just as good. And don’t go food shopping when you are hungry!
- Plan meals in advance and prepare a shopping list before you go shopping. Studies prove that shoppers without a list buy more items than those who come prepared.
- Think about buying goods second hand. Check opportunity shops, second hand shops, community newspapers for furniture, bedding, cutlery, crockery. Auctions and garage sales serve up budget-priced quality items to the trained eye.
- Do not buy a heater that is cheap to buy but expensive to run.
"Some helpful hints" are drawn from "Budgeting: Making it Easy" by the Credit Union Services Corporation.