Five ways to save cash when you go to a capital city university
Moving away for university can be an exciting and transformative period in our lives. With the move comes new friends, a new city and an opportunity to find out who you really are. Now though, more than ever, the financial burden of higher education is beginning to become a huge factor in the students’ decision-making when choosing where to study, with some considering the cheaper locations or even opting to remain at home, and go local. But what if you’re living in a capital city, how do you ensure that you’ve got enough money to pay the bills in these vibrant, busy, and exciting locations?
Contact student finance
Although student finance will often be your first point of contact when looking to get some figures for your student funding, many students aren’t receiving the maximum amount of money they’re entitled too. Since government changes meant that the non-repayable maintenance grant was scrapped, students are pessimistic about the benefits of Student Finance towards their education – with some choosing to ignore the maintenance side of it all together to reduce further expense down the line. This is great for those who can afford it, but what about everyone else?
If you live in a capital city, like London, for instance, it’s well worth contacting Student Finance to ensure you receive the correct entitlement. Students studying in London are entitled to a higher maintenance loan than students studying elsewhere, because of the added costs that come with living in the capital. It’s also worth checking if your parents’ financial information has been taken in to account and you’ve been means tested accordingly. Getting all this information prepared can mean a couple extra thousand pounds in your pocket over the coming terms.
Look to save on travel costs
When you’re living in an unfamiliar city, especially a capital city, it can be very easy to misjudge distances and get an UBER or a taxi to destinations where it was perhaps better to walk. Students are also entitled to a discount on their Oyster and railcards, meaning that they travel during off-peak hours they can enjoy greater reductions. Additionally, students looking to commute to their capital cities to study should look into insuring their cars or vehicles with adequate student-friendly insurance – and choose the right method for making the move into the city.
Of course, there are many more methods of saving money while in the capital and these are just some of the starting points to help you plan your future. Whether it’s cutting costs by cooking from home, improving your efficiency on public transport or simply choosing to stay with a family friend, living in a capital city as a student can be one of the most liberating experiences of your life.
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