As we all know, living at university isn’t the cheapest, and with the added cost-of-living crisis, students are struggling financially now more than ever. However! There are certainly ways to reduce some of those financial strains, so here are some of my top tips to save/earn a little bit more money on top of any part-time jobs that I used whilst at university.
University-funded bursaries and scholarships
Have you ever looked around your university website to see what you might be eligible for? Each university has a section on its website showcasing all the available bursaries and scholarships, but what’s the difference?
Bursaries
Bursaries are a type of university fund with a specific set of criteria you need to fit before you can apply. Typical bursaries include funding for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds or those studying particular subjects to assist in their studies. It is important to note that these applications are often a lengthy process with extensive checks to ensure your eligibility, but are worthwhile if you can apply. Additionally, some of these bursaries can stack, and you may be able to apply to multiple within the same academic year, or reapply in the following years should your circumstances stay the same! Finally, unlike loans, bursaries are schemes that don’t need to be repaid, so make sure to check your eligibility and take advantage of all the resources available to you.
Make sure to check out other websites that monitor bursaries, such as The Scholarships Hub to extend your search and increase the chances of securing a bursary.
Scholarships
Scholarships, on the other hand, are grants paid to support a student’s education, often awarded on the basis of academic achievement. Notably, these are harder to obtain as they are based on the accumulation of overall grades, but a great opportunity if you are eligible! The same principles apply; make sure to check your university’s page on whether there are any with matching criteria and apply. You could also check out scholarships based on your subject, socioeconomic background, and brands such as the Santander Scholarship Award.
Paid survey websites
One of my favourite and easiest ways to side hustle some extra money! If you have a couple of hours to dedicate to completing some surveys, then this is perfect for you (or if you ever get bored during some of those lectures…)
Prolific
Funded by university researchers, this website has potential for you to earn a lot in a short amount of time. I recommend signing up for this early, as there is currently a waitlist to be accepted, which can range from a couple of days to a couple of months. Once you are in the programme, things are super straightforward with a homepage to accept studies and start straight away! You could also download the browser extension which notifies you of any new studies that you automatically qualify for to complete, and you are able to cash out once you hit £6 via PayPal, super convenient and fast.
Do note that the total earned you see above was accumulated by me over 2 years, so whilst it is not the fastest method to earn money, it can be highly rewarding for minimal effort.
Attapoll
Another great survey app, this time on your mobile, available to download on both IOS and Android, you are presented with a similar set of surveys to accept. The rewards will be displayed to you as you are taken through screenings to test your eligibility. Once agreed, you can proceed to the main surveys. Although this method is slower than Prolific, you can cash out at a much lower amount of £3. Compared to Prolfiic there are more options to withdraw your money, such as through gift cards for your favourite stores or other apps such as Revolut.
To help you get started, enter the code ‘LVUET’ to get 40p when you complete your first survey!
Survey spin
Similar to Attapoll, this is another app to download on your mobile. Generally, it works exactly the same as Attapoll, sometimes with the exact same surveys from the same providers (which is always handy for earning double the rewards for half the effort). These mobile surveys are great to complete just on the go on public transport, whilst you wait around, or whenever you get bored and need some extra cash.
To help you get started on this app, enter the code ‘PCURZA’ to get 80p when you complete signing up!
Transportation
We all know that besides the usual travel to university that there’s going to be a lot of clubbing, nights out, and just overall socialising. Now, when you account for all the buses and Ubers, that quickly adds up! Which is why I can’t believe it took me 3 years to come across some of these tips to save on my daily travels.
Birthday bus pass
I bet you haven’t heard of this one before. For the lucky ones in the West of England, the council sometimes runs a scheme called, you guessed it, the Birthday Bus Pass. This scheme can be applied for through the council website and allows you to travel for your entire birthday month on certain routes for absolutely free. Banging! Literally, no strings or hidden fees, once you are signed up a card is issued to you in the mail, and you just tap as you normally would with your phone. Even better, if you are under 21 when applying, you might even be eligible for 2 months of free travel too!
Apply here or Click to learn more information about the Birthday Bus Pass
When travelling back home from university during holidays or even on the weekends, try comparing the coach travel to the train. Although the journey might take a couple of hours longer, the price difference might make it even more worth it. Make sure to take the extra time to compare prices across different apps such as National Express, Trainpal, Flixbus, Uber (Yes, really, you can book trains and coaches here), as well as any others. You might find that one app has a special coupon, one-time code, or new user benefits that significantly reduce the cost! Make sure to also stack this with any student discounts and cashback sites, which is just a little further down this page to fully maximise all your deals.
Stride
A new addition to my phone, but definitely a good one! This app runs very similarly to the previous survey apps, except you can exchange these for vouchers on both Uber and Uber Eats, which is very handy for those drunk nights out… You can also earn Strides for completing surveys, which is a separate reward system that can be redeemed for a multitude of other travel options like Flixbus and Gett. Not to mention, the creators sometimes send out rewards to active users as motivation and thanks to those using the app, which just goes to show that if you keep at it, there are only benefits and no drawbacks!
To help you get started, use the code ‘UMDGV’ to receive £2 upon completing your first survey!
Facebook groups
This next one might be a shocker and bring Facebook back into fashion, or it’s a sign of my showing age as I redownload Facebook and join the adults. Don’t knock it till you try it, because I have most certainly found some great deals through Facebook that I wouldn’t have known about elsewhere!
Facebook groups are a great place to stay constantly updated on fresh deals or offers that you don’t even need to put in the effort to find! Simply request to join some local Facebook groups for your area, or even groups about ‘Yellow Stickers & Discounts’ and ‘Latest Bargains, Deals, Freebies & More’. Not to mention, did you know that any yellow stickers you find in Tesco after 9:30 pm are considered free as their new policy to reduce food wastage!
Freebies and free samples?
Now, who doesn’t love a good freebie? I know that I do, and I have had my fair share of running into free samples on social media. This is a great way to stock up on random niche products such as makeup, perfumes, skincare, and more! You might have heard it as ‘sampletok’ and wonder how so many people get such great hauls – try following some of your favourite brands on social media to see if targeted ads pop up for free samples. Once you sign up for one, more will start to follow, and I tend to find that TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram are the best apps to search for these targeted ads.
Be sure to follow accounts on social media that regularly post about free popups or freebies to sign up for, some of my favourites are @catchagem on Instagram and TikTok, and LatestFreeSamples on WhatsApp.
On a similar note, companies often offer gifts on your birthday if you are signed up beforehand and enter your birthday to let them know. This is a great way to grab free food on your special day, as well as potential skincare from brands that you already love! Do make sure to check if a prior purchase might be required for you to be entitled to a gift on your birthday; this might mean a purchase throughout the year or accumulating a certain amount and reaching a specific reward tier.
Here’s more information on birthday freebies and samples you don’t want to miss either.
Product testing and recycling schemes
Another great way to get free products is to simply join product testing sites, such as Supersavvyme, Boots Beauty Club, and Superdrug trials, among others. You won’t be guaranteed a spot on every product trial posted, but the more you apply, the higher your chances become, and all you need to do is simply review the product after receiving it! The process is quick and easy, clicking apply and giving several reasons as to why you might enjoy using this product, and a few sentences about your opinions on the brand.
You might have also heard of companies such as Boots and Lush having recycling schemes where you can simply scan empty products onto their apps or bring them to the store to deposit. In exchange, you may get some points added to your loyalty card or money off the next time you buy something in store. For boots, the scheme has now changed so that you must spend the voucher within the next 30 minutes of redeeming and depositing your empties.
Cashback websites
Many websites can offer you cashback on online purchases, but for me, Topcashback has been the easiest to use. Before you make an online purchase, try searching up the site through Topcashback first, and if it appears, simply click through and you will be redirected to the site where you can continue shopping normally. In doing this, the site earns a small percentage of commission, which is paid back to you and can be withdrawn after a period of time. Although this isn’t the fastest method to obtain money, a little can go a long way, especially with how it can stack with other discounts!
To help you get started, get an extra cash reward when you cash out £10 within the first month of creating a new account.
One final note…
With all this being said, there are so many ways to be savvy whilst living as a student away from home. Hopefully, these tips and tricks can help you to budget better, and don’t be afraid to ask in stores whether they do a student discount or not, even if not displayed on the usual apps such as Unidays or StudentBeans. As a recent graduate, I already miss my student discount and advise people to make the most of it whilst they can!