Need a little help managing your finances? look no further, we’ve got you covered.

The cost of living crisis is affecting many people, especially students, in lots of different ways. It may feel overwhelming for some of you, especially taking control of your finances by yourself for the first time, but we’re here to show you how small changes and steps can help reduce your costs and stretch your money.

Set a budget and stick to it! -

Work out your collective monthly earnings from Student Finance, part time jobs, grants and any other income. Once you have that total number, begin to work out how much money you’ll need to live, play and save. Take a look at this budget calculator or search up your own for a little help. Budget Calculator

Prioritise money for essentials (rent, bills, food etc.)

Before spending on other leisurely items. We all need to get out of the house and have a social life and who doesn’t love a shopping spree? But you need to enjoy leisure in moderation and make sure you have enough money in the bank to live.

Browse through the Student Hub

A central space from the university for Money advice and support and Fees, funding and money help

Take advantage of student discounts 

Make sure you sign up for TOTUM to get exclusive student deals and discounts on local and national brands. You can buy a physical TOTUM card or just take advantage of the free TOTUM Digital app. Student Beans and UniDays also offer a range of national discounts and are free to join with your university email address.

Ditch your regular gym membership and visit the University gym for FREE.

Thanks to the Students’ Union, the Preston university gym also offer inclusive sessions for women and those who identify as non-binary, you can find these sessions by searching for “Claim Your Space” on our website.

Free Period Provisions

We know access to menstrual products can be challenging at times but we provide free period products dotted around campus bathrooms - and if you can’t find any, you can always head to our Welcome Point and ask for some. No shame and no judgement.

Switch to Save

Do you really need that £4 cereal box or £8 pack of cans? No you don’t. If you can, switch your weekly shops to the budget supermarkets like Aldi or Lidl where you can save on a fraction of the price and make your money go further. Whilst we’re on the topic of shopping here’s a few more quick tips: Make a list and stick to it, don’t fall into the trap of bulk buying unless you know you’ll use it, do one big weekly shop, plan your meals in advance so you know what to buy.

Be wary of loan sharks and if you haven’t already, set up a student bank account

Loan companies target students usually with huge spending amounts but worrying and unrealistic interest rates and pay back times. Take a look at the best student bank accounts on offer, they usually give students exclusive benefits including an interest-free overdraft.

Commuting student? Get discounts on travel

From the 16-25 railcard (railcard) to the Unirider (Stagecoach) and Student ticket(Preston Bus)

Food waste, a crime we all commit a bit too much

Have a browse through these pages for help with groceries and food during the week:

OLIO - OLIO connects neighbours with each other and with local businesses so surplus food can be shared, not thrown away. This could be food nearing its sell-by date in local stores, spare home-grown vegetables, bread from your baker, or the groceries in your fridge when you go away. For your convenience, OLIO can also be used for non-food household items, too.

Too Good to Go -  This anti-food waste app lets you rescue delicious, unsold food from businesses to save it from going to waste.

Student Eats - A great website dedicated to quick and relatively cheap student recipes

Can I freeze this? - Buying in bulk and stocking up the freezer can be a great way to save money on food. But what foods can you freeze, and what can't you freeze?

How to budget at University - Worried about getting through university on next to no income, or just keen to learn how to make your Student Loan stretch further? You're in the right place