AUBSU’S Money saving tips and support Just a FYI before we get started, this is not a definative list of discounts or support, but some we think you may enjoy and find useful. We are not affiliated with any of the below organisations and this is not a promotion for these organisations. The purpose of this document is to make you feel empowered when saving money and making financial decisions. This list is accurate from when it was made in February 2025, some information may have changed since this document was created.
The Sabbs Top Tips and Favourite Discounts We’re going to start off our list with our Sabbs top tips and discounts. Things they've done to save money, and how they survived student life. If you couldn’t tell, the Sabbs both are very money savvy and they love saving money. Beth: I always, always shop around, any time I want to buy something over around £10 I do some research on where I can get it cheapest. I have a google search and then look in various shops. Castlepoint is good for this as it has lots of options. I have found generally: Asda is good for homeware (plates, glasses, kitchenware etc), B&M is good for cleaning products and branded items, Superdrug own brand beauty products are good, Collection is a good budget friendly makeup brand and Lidl is the best for groceries. I spend £45 total a week in Lidl on average, this is for breakfast, lunch and dinner pretty much every day. I use a lot of own brand products as they are usually the same quality. I scan the shelves for the cheapest item I want, (they are usually at the very top or bottom), I batch cook once a week (most of the time) and save leftovers in the freezer. I also always used to ask for a student discount wherever I shopped, and I use a lot of different loyalty cards. For me my financial health is important. I have a 0% interest credit card from HSBC, (if you are thinking about getting one then 0% interest is the most helpful as you don’t have to pay extra on what you borrow, more info on banking on page 9) I use this for bigger purchases and then pay it off at the end of the month. I now have a good credit score which is handy. I also try... and budget. I put my bill money aside for the month, then break down how much I have left to spend week by week and stick to this amount. I have a small savings account for spending money, e.g. when I need shoes or want to treat myself, then I have a bigger pot of savings for my future. I also set budgets for gifting for Christmas and birthdays and keep a list of what I have spent on people on my phone. This means I can keep track of what I have bought and how much I’ve spent so I don’t overspend (I really like buring gifts) .
Gabrielle: I love bargains and saving money. Day to day I save money by pre-planning my meals and bringing a packed lunch to work as well as making my own coffee in the morning rather than buying one. Having a bus pass is also a big saver, otherwise I would be spending around £5 a day on the bus to get to work! When it comes to fun, me and my friends enjoy a good night-in watching a movie, doing crafts and eating premade pizzas we cook in the oven. My other main hobby is DND, which depending on how you play you can spend very little money on doing. In terms of bills, I save money by not using subscription services – instead I use my family accounts for things like Netflix (I know its quite cheeky). For a subscription I do pay for: having a Spotify dual subscription with my twin sister saves me around £42 a year.
Our Fave Student Discounts Gabrielle: Fika, National Express Beth: Cafe Nero, Superdug and National Express We love Nation Express becuase we get to express ourselves nationally.