Arcadia Ireland
Living life on a Budget
Date
January 22, 2016
For many students, money matters can be a source of stress, confusion and often panic! But with a bit of planning and a few tricks surviving on a budget is not so bad.
Make a plan
Write out a budget for the semester and don’t leave anything out. How much cash you will need for food, travel, socialising, trips, birthdays, books –everything! There are some really helpful budgeting apps available that can help you track how you spend your money.
Travel
One of the most fun aspects of study abroad but it can also be the most expensive!
In Ireland
When travelling in Ireland don’t forget to use your student travel card for discounts on buses, trams and trains. There are also number of private inter-city bus routes that offer great deals for on-line bookings – City Link, Dublin Coach and the AirCoach.
Overseas
For overseas travel, check out flight comparison websites like Skyscanner for the best price. When using low cost airlines like Ryanair, just make sure to follow these pesky terms and conditions! Airbnb and hostelworld are both good options for cheap accommodation. When travelling by bus or train in Europe always ask if they do a student or under 26 discount.
Food
Eating out is convenient but it can end up costing you big bucks in the long run. Put your kitchen to use and get cooking! There are a wide range of supermarket options in Ireland ranging from super cheap (Lidl and Aldi) to pretty cheap (Tesco) and not to so cheap (Supervalu & Dunnes). Tesco also offer a delivery service from about €4 – €7; for many students this works out cheaper than travelling by bus to the supermarket and could even be split between house mates.
Check out last semester’s top tips for cooking on a budget for more money saving ideas.
Be savvy
Get to know the available deals and discounts in your area. Websites like Groupon and Living Social are great for discounts. Mymenupages even compiles all the restaurant offers and early birds into one site – very handy! Don’t be afraid to whip out that student travel card – it offers students discounts on everything from clothing stores to McDonalds. So ask everywhere if they do a student discount.
Good luck!!