Arcadia England

You've all come to London with some sort of budget in mind, but the real trouble is sticking to it. With so many things to do and sights to see, it can be hard to keep an eye on your spending. This is why we've compiled a list of the best ways to avoid burning a hole in your wallet.

Money Tracking

Where is all your money actually going?

Use these helpful tools to keep track of your spending habits (in other words, use these to see how much you're really spending at Pret each week):

• The Student Calculator was developed by a charity specifically to help international students manage their spending.
• Mint is an app that automatically pulls all of your financial information into one place and makes it easy manage your money. You can also enter and categorise cash transactions, so make sure to hold on to those receipts.

Food

Eating in is Key

It's true, the simplest way to save money is to cook at home! There are plenty of inexpensive grocery stores to chose from such as Lidl, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Tesco. Even “higher-end” stores like Waitrose price match Tesco on many of its own items.

Try and avoid the smaller versions of these stores (Tesco Metro, Sainsbury's Local etc.), they tend to be more expensive, even though it's the same shop! Bigger is better when it comes to supermarkets.

If you can’t find the motivation to go food shopping by yourself, bring along your flatmate and take advantage of BOGOF (buy one get one free) and other deals that will make checking out easier on your wallet.

Travel

Whether you’re travelling to Europe or within the UK, there are many ways to find cheaper, or even discounted rates.

Travel Cards

With the 16-25 Railcard you save 30% on all trains throughout the UK. While, there’s usually a charge for the travel cards, they end up paying for themselves with your first booking so even if you only use it once, it’s worth it.

Flights

You can find some great deals on websites such as EasyJet and RyanAir, but make sure you’re following their travel restrictions (i.e. size of carry-on).

Take advantage of websites/apps like Opodo and Skyscanner that search dozens of websites to find you the best available deals, but keep in mind that when searching for flights online, it’s best to use a private browser since booking sites use cookies to track visitor behaviour (which may result in your paying a higher fare).

Traveling in the UK

Although booking a flight every weekend to a new European destination sounds like the study abroad dream, it can also make your semester very costly. Instead, take the time to see what’s right on your doorstep!

Want to see the coast? Travel to Brighton (often called ‘London by the sea’), Cornwall, or Wales. In need of some green space? Visit The Highlands in Scotland or explore national parks such as the Lake District, Snowdonia, the Peak District and Dartmoor.

Deals & Discounts

Go that Extra Money-Saving Mile

• LivingSocial and Groupon- Features deals on the best things to do in London, including restaurants and travel.
• Student Beans - Over 10,000 discounts and deals for students!
• Money Saving Expert - Sign up to the weekly email of budgeting tips, and hot but short-lived deals.
• STA Travel, Ice Lolly, and Moneysupermarket - Great websites to compare travel deals.
• Discount Vouchers - Latest discount vouchers and voucher codes.
• Going out to eat? Google the restaurant and see if there any vouchers you can redeem.

Happy money-saving!