Seven Simple Money-Saving Shortcuts for Your Student Budget

Make it make cents.

It’s time to head back to study, which for some of us means cutting back on hours at your casual job and going back to living payslip to payslip.

Budgeting and saving money as a student can be a challenge, but the best way to start is to start small.

We’ve already got a bunch of tools to help you with getting Money-Ready on Student Edge Plus and our DOLLARS AND SEN$E page.

So, here is a carefully curated list of ways to save money you might have not considered yet, but you can start doing right now!

1. Collect 10c bottles/cans for recycling.

That little 10c recycling logo on your pals' bottle of water or soft drink actually means something.

Container deposit schemes with reversible vending machines have popped up all around Australia in the last few years, giving you refunds for your recycling.

Don’t be ashamed about becoming the ‘bin-rat’ friend and cop your friends' eligible bevvy containers, too.

Suss out your local collection depot here and find out where you can get rewarded for helping the planet.

2. Make the most of discounts.

It’s easy to forget that being a student comes with a tonne of perks, too. The main one is epic student discounts for anything and everything.

Keep these at the front of your mind when making purchases because they can save you a lot of money.

3. Buy secondhand.

Alright, this may seem obvious, but being patient with your shopping and buying/selling things like textbooks secondhand are super achievable, valuable hacks.

And, if you haven’t discovered the fun of op-shopping, I’m really sorry sweetie.

There’s nothing more satisfying than finding just what you’re looking for, for a fraction of the price. Plus, you’re saving textiles from landfill and giving some funds to a charity, too.

4. Cut down your food bill.

Cutting out takeaway is sad, but it doesn’t have to suck.

Make cooking fun, and perhaps even try replicating your favourite restaurant meal at home?

This doesn’t mean you can’t go out for food ever – it’s good to treat yourself occasionally (when your budget allows), but maybe if you do, utilise a discount.

5. Consider a prepaid phone plan.

Phone contracts are an easy trap to fall into. It could spin you out a bit thinking about all the data, texts, and calls you’re paying for and maybe not even using.

Prepaid phone plans can be much cheaper because you only pay for what you use. So, this is a good area to consider, and perhaps downgrade your existing contract or cancel it when it runs out.

6. Use a money management app.

Like we said earlier, budgeting is the key to managing all of this. But, we also know handling your expenses can be tough at the best of times.

That’s why it’s great to utilise simple, free help. We gave you a full lowdown on handy, free apps for money management here.

7. Consider a Side Hustle.

We know what you’re thinking, but hear us out. You can make money on the side, and it doesn’t have to be a groundbreaking startup or your own business just yet!

We covered this, and more in our list of seven easy ways to earn money when you’re a student.

Hey, you may be thinking “this is all great, but I still feel clueless when it comes to money and budgeting!”

That’s okay, and you’re totally not alone. We’re here to help you at Student Edge, so be sure to check out the Student Edge Plus membership!

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