Student loan running dry? Here’s 7 budgeting ways to survive the rest of October! 

We’re now into October, which can only mean three things: the weather’s getting colder, uni has restarted, and your bank account is looking a lot less welcoming than it did when Student Finance hit.

After Fresher’s week, a few sneaky sweet treats, and the fact York is the 3rd most expensive student city in the UK, your student loan can be looking a bit depleted by this point. However, this doesn’t mean your semester has to be a write-off. With tactical planning and a few less trips to Campus East Greggs, you don’t have to live off beans and toast and spend all your nights in until your next maintenance loan.

Here are some tips on how to enter November with ‘some’ of your student finance left.

1. Create a budget

I’m sure everyone has told you this by now, but budgeting really will help.

Working out what money you have, and dividing it up by the amount of weeks left means you won’t get to December 1st and only have £30 left to your name. Constantly transferring money from your savings account when you’re at the front of the bar queue can add up without you realising. Setting a certain amount of money for things like nights out, rent and food shops can combat this. 

2. Cooking at home

Now that you’ve used up all your £5 Domino’s vouchers, thinking about actually cooking dinner can be daunting. Not all of us are natural Gordon Ramsey’s in the kitchen, but that’s okay.

Ready meals and takeaways every night can be expensive, so cooking up a storm yourself will help save that precious student loan. If thinking up recipes aren’t your strong point, TikTok or the BBC Good Food guide are great for inspo.

Meal prepping is also a great idea if you have a busy schedule and don’t mind eating the same thing a couple of times. Plus, when you get home after a 6pm lecture and there’s food waiting in the fridge, you’ll thank yourself. Before going food shopping, plan out your meals and go with a list of what to buy. It will help prevent you walking around aimlessly and buying random things you don’t need – speaking from experience!

That being said, York does have a great selection of restaurants. If you want to try a new cafe or restaurant, take advantage of York Restaurant Week. It runs from October 5th – 18th, and there are loads of great deals. It’s a great time to try new places, while they’re discounted and more budget-friendly.

3. Buying second hand

Halloween is on the horizon, and sports socials are back in full swing. Chances are, you need some new fancy dress items, and fast. A great way of buying these without breaking the bank is by buying second hand.

York has plenty of charity shops, or online sites like Vinted have lots of options. It doesn’t just have to be for when you need to dress up as a fairy for a sports social either. You might have promised yourself you don’t need another pair of jeans, but when you decide your wardrobe needs a switch up, why not try second hand?

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4. Planning ahead

Now the weather is becoming more drizzly, the walk into town can seem less appealing. Buying FirstBus tickets on the app instead of tapping on can save on money each time you get the bus. They have deals on there as well for buying bundles of tickets which helps save on money. Getting the bus after your night out instead of an Uber can save up in the long run.

For those of us partial to a night out, buy your tickets online in advance. Majority of the time, it works out cheaper than paying on the door. Over the year, every little bit adds up! Be careful when buying tickets online, every year ticket scams make the rounds, especially for Halloween events. To make sure you don’t waste your money on events which don’t exist,  make sure you always buy from official, verified websites! 

5. Student discounts

Student discounts are a life saver when it comes to shopping as a student. Not much compares to the feeling of joy when you open up UniDays at the till and a discount appears.

Sign up to all loyalty cards offered your way. Lots of supermarkets and cafes have their own loyalty schemes to earn up points. These schemes can result in your tenth pumpkin spiced latte of the week being free! 

6. Cosy night in

Spending a night in doesn’t have to be boring. Despite what you might read online, you can socialise at home.

Planning nights in with your housemates will save on money, and avoid that hangover the next morning. Cooking meals together is a nice bonding activity, or PowerPoint nights and  playing board games are also cost effective fun evenings. Baking cookies with your housemates and then watching Traitors is a nice wholesome activity this October.

7. Roam around the city

Not every outing into town has to be expensive and jam packed. There are plenty of free activities in York that will help to stretch out your student loan, walking the walls is a great one . It lets you see all the sights and explore the city for free, and sounds a lot more fancy than just a quick walk around the block.

Unleashing your inner tourist and taking a wander around town isn’t actually expensive either. There’s loads of great markets and stores, and although buying cute handmade jewellery is tempting, window shopping is free.

York has lots of museums, with many of them free to enter. Students get free entry to the York Minster, so next time you’re there snapping a pic for Insta you can explore inside too.