How to save money in your first year at Edinburgh: from someone who did it last year

You've done it. You're in. The University of Edinburgh awaits. Four years of friendship, culture and fun. Yet, you find yourself asking: why is this place so damn expensive? The bank of mum and dad is now closed and you're living off whatever tiny amount student finance has given you. Well, don't worry fresher, here are some tips into making your money go a little further.

Basic survival – food and alcohol

The time has come, the dreaded food shop. Most student halls in Edinburgh are far from any big supermarkets and we find ourselves stuck with small convenience stores such as Sainsbury's Local and Tesco Express (who, by the way, are more expensive than the main stores). A few food shops here and you're waving goodbye to your loan.

However, your saviour is here: Lidl. Specifically, Lidl on Nicholson Street. It's spacious, clean and so close to uni you literally have no excuse not to go. One food shop at Lidl and you feel like you've made money. For basic staples you can't go wrong: a range of pasta for 45p, tinned tomatoes 39p a can, hummus for 59p a pot. Can't grumble at that.

But that's not all – they do the cheapest alcohol ever. A big mistake freshers are guilty of is grabbing branded alcohol in a rush to make it to pres. Alcohol is alcohol, you only need so much until you forget you're drinking from a litre of £20 Smirnoff or £14.19 Rachmaninoff. It all tastes the same and gives you the same regret the day after. For the cider connoisseurs, Lidl's own Dark Fruits is £2.79 for a four pack. May as well get 2 packs, for good measure.

Lidl is life, just make sure you don't go between 12-2

Student discount

You may think this is an obvious one, but more places offer student discount than you think. For clothing, many shops on Princes Street offer 10% off such as New Look, Office and Schuh. Urban Outfitters will even take 10% off sale items – pay attention when the big sales are on in store.

For those too lazy or scared to brave the crowds of Princes Street there are a range of online stores who offer discount too. By creating a UNiDAYS account you can enjoy cheap perks at Glossybox, Deliveroo, Boohoo and even National Express. Browse the app daily to find new deals added which may just make life a little sweeter.

Know your club nights

Nightlife in Edinburgh has a seemingly unlimited choice of clubs, bars and pubs. However, pick the wrong night and you'll find your budget blown and you've only just bought your first drink. Flare Mondays at Why Not, Silk Thursdays and Broke Fridays at ATIK all offer spirit mixers starting from £1, bottled beers from £1.50 and bombs from £2.

However, for the cheapest and cheerful of nights, the place where we never plan to go, but always end up. That's right, you guessed it. Hive. Hive offers free entry Sunday to Thursday and cheap entry from the rest of the week with a student card. The drinks are cheap and once you give in to the grimy interior and damp smell, the night is yours.

Some extra-sweet deals

For decorating your bland student room, FreePrints app offers 45 free photographs a month for just the £2.99 charge of delivery. Spotify Student is only 4.99 a month with a UNiDAYS account. Also, why not share a flat Netflix? For £8.99 a month, you could be paying a quarter of what you would with a single account. Finally, students banking with HSBC get a years free Amazon Prime, those with Santander get a free 16-25 railcard which offers discounts off food, travel and theatre.

Obligatory photographic decor, thanks to the FreePrints app