Cost of living: Expenses we forget about as Durham students 

It’s easy to overlook any expenses that aren’t going towards booze or a fun night out. So, in light of the upcoming end of the Epiphany term and contact hours, let’s recap the essentials that we often forget about, but that our wallets do not.

Laundry 

For those who still live in college, Circuit Laundry might just be the bane of your existence (and mine). £4.60 a wash is not only already outrageous, it’s also almost a gamble every time to see if the machine will even run after you have paid. Even then, there is always a possibility that someone is camping right in front of the machine waiting to dump your clothes out the moment it finishes, and then you’d have to go do it all over again, wasting your time and energy. 

Cheeky sweet treat

There is a reason why the cafe in Billy B always has such a long line. A little bit of sugar goes a long way when you’re studying, keeping the hunger away and making your summative lock-in sesh just a tiny bit less painful. However, this definitely adds up over time if you’re a compulsive stress snacker. The fact that every once in a while, Deliveroo and Uber Eats would give out seductive offers on your favourite takeaway place does not help either. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this as far as I know, so maybe try to budget around it.

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Society membership 

In Michaelmas term, you will think you’re actually trying to be financially conscious by only paying for that term’s membership of this society, you swear was just to “push yourself out of your comfort zone.” Lo and behold, you actually got attached, and now you’re locked in with this one thing for life. But have you renewed your membership this term? Societies are definitely a great way to meet new people and immerse yourself in the uni culture unique to Durham, but sometimes we do tend to forget about the fees that come with them

Transport 

A trip to Newcastle, an Uber back from a night out, or taking the bus to class when you don’t feel like trekking uphill for your 9 am on a horribly rainy day. Though these sneaky occasional charges seem small enough that you’ll tell yourself that they won’t happen again, they could still create a minor dent in your bank account. Get to where you need to be safely, but sometimes, maybe walking isn’t a bad idea either. It’s almost summer anyway, a little stroll through town could give you some needed Vitamin D.

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