How to actually save money in Newcastle

Well, more like how to (potentially) save £93.94 (on a Tuesday).

NE1 Hiring

http://www.ne1hiring.com/. Starting with a logical one in saving money: earning it. NE1 hiring is a Facebook page and website for employers to advertise job vacancies and students to scoop them up.

Aside from getting off your bum and working, here are some other ways to save money…

Waitrose

If you live in Jesmond and haven’t been getting free coffee from waitrose on a regular basis, there is something wrong with you. If you happen to be balling enough to justify doing your weekly shop there (often accompanied by the excuse ‘the Tesco in Jesmond is the most expensive one outside London’), then you can also pick up a free Daily Mail or Independent if you spend over £5. £1.75 coffee plus £1.20 for Independent…

Potential saving: £2.95.

 

Happy hour app

By saving www.jesmondhappyhours.co.uk to your homescreen on your smartphone, you can find out what happy hours are occurring right now, and when they all kick off. A good way to save pennies; we all press that shiny red button with the hope that one day you will surely get a free round. The almost consistent 25% off result (the worst outcome in happy hour) is almost as annoying as your ONE FRIEND who consistently scores a free drink. Based on having 4 drinks at an average of 50% off…

Potential saving: £6

 

Party bus

Student run company ‘The Night Tyne Rider’ is offering a cheap alternative to taxis (£1.50). Much more convenient for transporting big groups from pre-drinks to the toon, gone are the days of ‘does anyone have one more space?’ being met with silence.

Service will recommence next term.

Cinema discounts for students

Tuesdays are student days at Empire Cinemas with tickets at £3.25, along with the well-known Orange Wednesdays 2-for-1 tickets. Cheap right? (Yes, until you find yourself spending £16.55 on a shot size cup of popcorn and a handful of peanut m&ms.)

Potential saving: £3.70

 

 

Dominos discount codes

Currently newstu50, although constantly changing, dominoes has consistent discount codes. Anyone with a phone should know this from the relentless Dominoes Cowgate texts. If you have paid full price for a dominoes recently, take a long hard look in the mirror. The other obvious choice is Two for Tuesday. Potential loss: summerbod, but…

Potential saving: £17.49

Work as a ‘promo’

I’m going to get slated for this one but there is method in the madness. Yes you may be ‘selling your soul’ (amongst many other criticisms), but there is a reason promotitis has swept Newcastle. You can save money by, well, earning it, but also in free entry to said companies nights. It’s not bad for your CV either..? [Contribute promo abuse in comment section below]. Not including wages…

Potential saving: £5

 

Bus tickets

Bus tickets have an offer on the back for a Big Mac and chips for £1.99. A friend of mine genuinely goes to the bus stop and collects old tickets.

Potential saving: £2.70

 

Fridge Angel

This smartphone app which is in development allows you to scan (via barcode) the sad things leftover in your fridge and kitchen. It then generates recipes and provides nutritional information. Recipes can be produced from the ingredients you have as well as recipes that include ingredients you will have to purchase. In the future they hope to add an ‘add to basket’ feature where you can order groceries using the app, giving you options to get the ingredients delivered or collected in store. This app will remove the need to go to the shops to buy something to accompany the ginger you bought last week.

Christian union

You’ve got to love the Christian union. Be it that crucial sobering biscuit on a Friday night by the vending machines in Leazes (if you’re lucky accompanied by a song) or free tea in exam period outside the Robbo, these yellow shirted beauties can really turn around a bad day. Who doesn’t love a free hug in a mug? £1 tea, £1.10 biscuit for equivalent cafe-cookie price.

Potential saving: £2.10

 

Entering the Lion’s Den

Present your business ideas and be in with the chance of winning £10,000 worth of marketing investment. Or at least a free slice of promotional dominoes outside the union.

Potential saving: £10,000 (or at least a £1.46 slice of dominoes)

 

Boiling water tap

Bring your own tea bags/instant coffee to the library (bring you cafetiere if you’re feeling super Jesmond). I drink about 14 cups of tea a day (it’s a problem I’m dealing with) so on a my-assignment-is-in-tomorrow day I could be racking up a £14 tab at the library cafe. Cue tea bags. £14 for me but probably for a sane human…

Potential saving: £3

 

Signing up for student-medical studies

You can receive vouchers for eldon square if you sign up for some studies, because ‘everyone loves being injected with god knows what in return for Topshop’ says student Henrietta Painter. Not all are that extreme – for example there was one last year in which you received a £50 M&S voucher to provide blood and a small skin sample.

Potential saving: £50

 

So, on a Tuesday in exam period, if you make your breakfast using Fridge Angel, and pick up your free Waitrose coffee to kick start your day, have a bus-ticket aided Big Mac meal for lunch, get free tea and biscuits from the CU as well as bringing your own tea bags to the library, give a blood and skin sample, have a discounted doms for dinner, hit Empire Cinemas (having eaten – no need for popcorn) then, after some happy hour drinks, roll down to Waikiki/Ill! Behaviour on the party bus having found your promo job there on NE1 hiring – all before you have earned your thousands through Lion’s Den – I have just saved you £93.94 (granted that this includes a £50 voucher for giving skin and you may have just unnecessary spent money you otherwise would have not, but you’re welcome).