Student Club

Surviving on a student budget is always a challenge. So if you spend money wisely, you can always afford to have fun. Of course, it's so boring to save all the time on food, clothes and entertainment. We all want to spend extra money on ourselves and our desires at least sometimes. That's why you should to learn how to calculate your budget in the student phase. Remember, you can be creative with this!

  Pay bills on time

First of all, you must make mandatory payments, such as room rent and utilities before spending your money on fun. Pay your bills on time every month, don't get into debt. When creating a budget, prioritise the most important payments, otherwise, you might get into a lot of trouble.

  A healthy lifestyle is cheaper

If you smoke cigarettes, it would be better to stop so you can save money. Plus, it is no longer fashionable! You will immediately notice the changes in your budget, as you stop spending money on cigarettes, which are very expensive. You will also notice how your health will improve. Alcohol is often a part of student life. Do you want to spend money on alcohol instead of paying for utilities? Not a good idea! Alcohol and cigarettes will definitely kill your budget. Remember this!

  Choose your priorities

Think carefully, whether it is necessary to constantly go to a cafe or restaurant, buy designer clothes and expensive devices. Would you like to eat your budget in restaurants, or stay hungry but wear designers’ clothes? It sounds silly, doesn't it? Instead, it may be worth paying for medical and life insurance.

  Compare prices

Never buy anything thoughtlessly and spontaneously. Always compare prices. Do you want to pay double if you can buy it cheaper elsewhere? No way! Go to the Oz Bargain website to find more info. They provide a list of price comparison sites. If you purchased a broken item, you can always return it, get a refund, or exchange it for another.

  Stay in shape without the gym

Going to a fitness club is becoming trendy. Of course, it is very important to maintain your body in great shape, but is it worth paying so much for a subscription and private training? Talk with your friends about regularly jogging in the mornings or in the evening, ride a bike, swim in the ocean, and walk more often.

  Eat wisely

Do not eat too many snacks and takeaway food. Learn how to cook healthy food. You can pool money with your roommate to buy more food to cook dinner. Take your own lunch to the University or College. A takeaway cappuccino for every day will cost you an extra 70 dollars a month. Use your students card in some food outlets to get discounts. Also, refill your water bottle instead to buy a new one for $2.50 – 3.00. In case, there is no time to cook dinner, you can always use a convenient app to order food at home. You can look at the Menulog website to find more information.

  Use public transport

Using a car means high maintenance costs: insurance, registration, fuel, tolls, parking fees, and of course, some fines (never rule out the possibility of receiving fines, it usually happens suddenly, at the most inappropriate moment). Consider making trips by public transport. You can also take advantage of Student Concession Fares that give you a good discount. You MUST carry your Student card when you use your Concession card, otherwise, you can get huge fines (minimum - $200, maximum - $550). Go to the Student Concession Fares section to find more information (opens in a new window).

  Buy second-hand textbooks or rent them

Never, ever buy new expensive textbooks. Find options for buying second-hand textbooks. You will be surprised at how much money you can save. You can use libraries to borrow books too. Also, it is a good idea to share textbooks with each other, if you are doing the same course. If you have already bought textbooks, sell them when you finish training. You can also find textbooks on the Campus Bookstore website to rent (opens in a new window).

  Bargain Buy

Our body always requires nutrition, especially when it is a growing organism. Teenagers always want to eat, it's the law of nature. So where to get a lot of good and nutritious food for little money? Try to visit your local supermarkets just before they are closing. You can buy a range of food with huge discounts (sometimes less than half price). Do not miss the chance to buy something at a half-price, thus saving on products. Find half-price specials from Woolworths (opens in a new window).

  Share accommodation

Finding a good home is very difficult. It's either expensive or in a terrible state. The best option is to share accommodation. This will save a large amount of money. You can reduce your personal costs by sharing utility and internet bills. Choose a roommate very carefully, otherwise, you can run into a perpetual party-goer who likes to drink, go to nightclubs, make noise at home, turn on loud music, or worse, will delay his payment for the rent. Find out more about Accommodation in this section.