Hey freshers! Here’s all the lucrative Lancs life hacks you should know

First of all, congratulations are in order on finishing your A Levels and securing your Lancaster offer. The first time you’re officially away from home, it feels like you’ve unlocked cheat codes for life. It’s pure freedom… until you realise you still have to do your own laundry.

Yet, I know firsthand the feeling of that unique rush: The leftover SFE loan weighing down your pocket just begging to be spent. It’s true you’ll never be a “silly little fresher” again, so there are probably some Lancaster life hacks that you should know to cushion the incoming blow to your bank account.

Some of these are Lancaster specific, some may be more general advice from one university student to another, but I guarantee that you will find all of these helpful in your time of financial freedom.

No need for a bus pass

It may seem like second nature to get a bus pass, but if you live on campus, it honestly comes out much cheaper if you buy a ticket (£2.10 for a single) or a DayRider (£6.00) every time you go into town. Plus, after 7 pm, seven days a week, the Lancaster bus ticket fare reduces to just £1 for a one-way ticket.

But, if you do find yourself living off-campus in your first year, it may be worth investing in a UniRider bus pass.

Birthday coming up? Message the Sugarhouse

The Sugarhouse is the Students’ Union nightclub that you will probably become very familiar with. A little lesser known fact is if you message Sugar close to your birthday, you can get a handsome offering of free entry and free vouchers for yourself, as well as a lovely and thoughtful handwritten card.

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All of this can be achieved by messaging the Sugarhouse on Instagram. I did this for my birthday last year and the night was one to remember – from what I can recall.

Sainsbury’s bus

I’m sure you are starting to understand just how dependent on the buses most students are. The king of bus fares is the free Sainsbury’s bus that runs every Wednesday, roughly every hour from 11am to 5pm. So, if you are a fan of the superstore that “helps everyone eat better”, don’t miss those buses!

Pre it up

Arguably, the best part of uni is the nightlife. But if you want a good night out and don’t want to spend a fortune in town to be Sugarhouse-ready, make use of the living spaces in your accommodation.

Some of the best nights out have been the ones my friends and I spent laughing around a table of cheap spirit and even cheaper mixer! Ring of Fire is a must!

Just try and get a better beer pour than we did…

Collect college goods 

Partying and drinking isn’t for everyone, but colleges are!

Colleges are brilliant, always offering free things at their events whether you’re a member of the college or not. Most of the time they offer free food, which is always an absolute win.

During my first year, my college would offer free pastries in the reception just as my Monday 9am finished, which absolutely made the week go much smoother.

Not feeling your college events? May as well stop by to see if they’re offering any good freebies!

Take that campus coffee loyalty card

If you’re anything like me, when you’re dropped off at university you will be explicitly told by your parent not to buy a fancy coffee from a café every day. You will listen…for a bit – but it’s just so convenient!

Once you start buying these coffees it is so difficult to stop. Whether it is Costal Co.’s cute loyalty stamp card or Costa’s app, get one as you start buying your coffees. Before you know it, you’ve spent half your loan on coffee, but the tenth free one is just so satisfying.

Batch cooking

Batch cooking is the lord and saviour of most students. Chilli, bolognese, curry, stews, casseroles – you name it; it can probably be batch cooked. It’s a great way to have a filling and hearty meal.

Plus you can flex your amazing cooking skills on housemates when they’re cooking chicken nuggets for the fifth time that week.

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