It's That Time Of Year Again Academically....

Image thanks to -Snugg-

Well I'm still feeling bad about neglecting my blog over the last few weeks but university has also been a pretty much permanent fixture in my mind and the fact it's not even very far away any more. It's coming up to the end of August, the time when we are all starting to think about university again after enjoying all this time off. We have to make decisions about which modules we want to take and how out timetable will look. We have to think about work and what this will mean in the second/third year. We will also be thinking about socialising and how important this is regardless of the fact we are at university! 


Thus, August/September can be a mind draining time  as I'm sure you'll agree. 


Well, that's why I decided to make a list of everything that needs to be thought about before starting the new/second/third year at university and why. Because not only will this help me organise my mind, it might help you too.

First up is moving into your new house/back into halls or commuting. By now you all would have thought about this and made a decision on which is best for you. If you are moving into halls or living in a shared house with friends, be careful what you pack. If some of you are on your second year now as I am, you know full well that what you packed last year was  mostly junk and had to buy mostly new things (or maybe not but that's what happened to me!). So remember to pack essentials and not stuff that is just going to clog up the car and make unpacking longer. 


Speak to your new house mates (if you're going to be in a house with mates), as there is no point buying 5 kettles/toasters etc. when you could all save money and put a little kitty together for all of these things. 


If you have decided to commute it, make sure your incomings and outgoings are all planned. The majority of people who decide to commute chose this option to save money as I did this year, but there's no point if it doesn't save you any money in the long run.  Remember to make a plan of all your outgoings and incomings for this as I went over last year in my money guide for university.

Next thing to think about is stationary. I admtted earlier that I am a bit of a stationary freak and absolutely love buying new stuff. Maybe you don't need any extra but it is worth going back and organising all your notes ready for the new year. Get some new folders, clips, paper, a new diary, etc. ready for the new academic year and you'll be well ahead! By doing this you are preparing yourself ready for getting back into study and will be ready for anything when you start.


Need some help? Why not have a look at:


Surviving College: Kick start your study habits
Every College Girl: Back to school: getting & staying organised

Now, I don't know about you but thinking through all of this sorta stuff does kind of depress me. It's knowing that just around the corner is more assignments, essays, project work even when you really don't feel like it. For some good advice, check out CollegeView's guide on beating back to school blues. Don't forget about your friends either. Maybe make time to meet up with all your old mates from last year and it might help you relax a little bit for the academic year. Also, you might not realise it now but further down the line, you may need your friends for some help on a certain bit or work, group work or anything like that so it does pay off to stay close to your friends regardless.

Money is going to be a big worry for all of us, especially when circumstances change from last year. If it's your first year, then check out my guide on money issues, but if not, then you probably know a bit on organising your money this time round. However, it still helps to plan things out, like when your grants and bursaries will hit your account, your pay days from work etc. make a note of every single one in your diary so you know exactly what is going on this year. When it comes to money it really doesn't help to be un-organised. I've found a few useful websites on organising your money which may be of use:


50 smart and easy ways to save money in college
Beyond the cafeteria: Find fun and educational jobs on campus
The balancing act of a part-time job and a full-time student
6 tips on what to look for in a college job

Remember to balance university/social and work life well. You don't want any of these to suffer but learning to balance these will help you no end. If you do find yourself falling behind, stop and think for a second. Figure out why it is you are falling behind and why. Maybe write it all down or brainstorm to plan your mind out and figure out ways to resolve these conflicts. If it means staying in one night rather than going out then so be it - there will always be plenty more nights out.

If like me you're in your second year, you may also be thinking about the future and what's next. The better prepared you are, the better start you will have - so thinking about it now will put you in good stead. Mostly, these are the three main choices after finishing university:


1. Further study
2. Full time work
3. Gap year


Each one has it's pro's and con's and if you aren't sure right now, write these down and think about them. Research your options on the internet, at your careers advice at uni, with friends and family, and so on. But remember - it doesn't matter if you have no idea what you want to do. You still have time to think and who knows, maybe you next modules will show you.

Finally, for a few more tips for uni, I have found an amazing list of over 100 tips for survival at college/university which is definitely worth looking at.


Good luck!

16 Ingenious Ways to Save Money

Image thanks to lockstockb

So it's come to that time of year again when the loans come through and you find you bank credited with lots of money just waiting to be spent. But managing your money is really really important. On earlier posts I explained ways of increasing the amount of money you can spend, and here are some more ideas to consider to save those all important £££.

Learn to say no. If you master this art well, you'll be able to avoid spending money needlessly.

Make money online. Many companies now advertise on the internet for editorial writing, proof reading, blog writing, review writing, etc. and you get paid for it. You could also apply for websites which pay you to take surveys. They can pay from anything like 50p to £3 per survey!

Get a part time job or ask for extra hours at your work place. If you feel working extra won't affect your academic life then by all means work! And don't be fussy where you go either. Many places which you might not have thought of before may pay really well, e.g. Mc Donalds. And, it stops you from spending more money!

Shop online. Many people underestimate shopping online. Whilst being in the high street is good fun, many websites that have amazing clothes at cheap prices don't have shops. For example Desire Clothing or Boohoo.com both do catwalk style clothing at affordable prices. Also, it doesn't necessarily have to be clothing. Bargains can be picked up from Ebay and Amazon as you pay half the price you do in the shops.

Consider pay as you go. Contract mobiles are awesome if you do actually use the limits you are given but if you aren't using the minutes or texts then consider if you are actually saving money whilst having a contract mobile. Many companies now offer pay as you go packages were you top up a certain amount each month, e.g. O2, and give you unlimited texts for the rest of the month and free internet! Bargain!! Also, you aren't tied into a contract for 18/24 months.

Sell your old stuff on Ebay. Whilst shopping on ebay may save you money, selling some of your unused things can help you raise a bit of cash too.

Dont always go for brand names on the high street or in the supermarket. In many cases, you are literally paying £20-£30 more just for having a brand name on your clothing. So consider going for the less expensive items and don't feel like you have to buy the brand names just because all your friends do. If you can't afford it, don't buy it! Also, brand names in supermarkets are generally quite similar to the supermarket own brands, e.g. bread and milk. You will save so much money by doing this.

Ask yourself whether you need the service/item/whatever it is you are buying. By doing this you may save yourself ££ in the long run. And remember, don't give in to peer pressure!

Walk/cycle/bus to work or university. Not only will this save you the money you spend on petrol if you drive or busfare, you will also get lots more exercise in the process and this equals a healthier you!

Cook home made food and avoid ready meals. Ready meals tend to be much more expensive than if you cook your own meals like spaghetti bolognese or chilli con carne. This is because if you make meals like this for 4 people, you can freeze the rest and it lasts for another 3 days! Home cooked meals also mean they have less salt/fat/sugar and so are much more better for you. See my Food Fairy Series for ideas.

Take a packed lunch to work/uni. Doing this saves you £3-4 per day which you might spend in the shop on a sandwich. Over 3-4 days you are saving up to £16 per week alone! Plus, you can make your lunch just how you like it and while your eating it you can revel in all the money you are saving!

Use 0% student overdrafts wisely. Have you ever thought about making money from lenders? One way of making some money long term is by using the student overdrafts whith most having a 0% interest rate and don't expect you to pay it until you've finished your degree. Put the whole amount into a bond which earns you a higher interest rate if you give it to them for a long period of time and you could be earning buckets! Then, once your degree has finished, pay the whole amount back and you can keep the interest at no extra cost!

Keep a record of everything. By doing this it is making yourself more aware of what your spending. Keep all your receipts and compare with your bank statements and this will draw your attention to the things you need not spend on.

Always ask if student discount is available. Many shops now offer student discounts to encourage you to shop at their store but some are less advertised than others. So make a habit of always asking and you could save yourself some money.

Only buy second hand books. We both know how much new books cost for your course and so finding the ones you need on websies like Amazon can save you a fortune. Although the second hand ones may not be in new condition, we can't be fussy when saving money!

Compare prices on things such as contents insurance, car, bike and travel. Compare the Market and Go Compare both offer comparisions on not only car insurance but other products from broadband to savings accounts.

Useful links:

http://theuniversityblog.co.uk/
http://poorerthanyou.com/

Budget Butterflies

You may have realised that by now, budgeting as a student is very very important and food shopping is a mega part of this. As a student you need to now cook your on meals as your parents aren't there to rely on now. You also need to make sure your food is nutritious as ultimately you are here to learn and so need to keep your energy up.

I've heard people saying that they survived on just £4-5 per week on food but this is only possible really if you are buying the extreme budget brands like Smartprice @ Asda for example. I would advise do buy the budget brands because they are pretty much the same and don't taste much different. I actually prefer smart price beans spaghetti to Heinz.

But anyway here are a few things to remember when food shopping which you may find useful.

Plan your meals for every day of the week. This helps you stay on budget and stops you from making those late trips to the corner shop and spending over the odds for your food.

Remember the basics - bread and meat for sandwiches at lunchtime, milk, protein from meat or beans, veggies and fruit. These are cheap and go a long way and help bulk up meals you may prepare.

Buy a big pack of mince and make spaghetti bolognese/keema curry/chilli con carne etc. The 500g packs can be split into 4 portions so you can either make up these dishes and put the rest in the fridge for the days after, or split the mince into 4 portions and freeze.

Baked potatoes are cheap to buy and taste lovely. Buy some beans, get some cheese and serve with salad and you have a good nutritious meal.

Stock up on frozen foods. Although they may not be completely good for you and the nutrients have been reduced, these help for when you may have forgotten a day in your meal plans.

And there we go!

Jobs Jobs Jobs

© Credit: Fotolia

On Monday I had a job interview for a position in quite a classy restaurant called Haus in Derby to do waitress/bar work and I got the job the same day! I don't know about you but I was bouncing off the walls all night. 

Getting a job is not only great when your at university for money as I have posted previously, but it's also a place to meet more new people and so getting a job to me was high up on the agenda. Although it is important to make sure you balance work with university assignments and social life. I have put together some tips for people looking for a job while at university or looking for full time work which may help you.

• Have a good CV done. I believe the best CVs are ones that take no more than 2 sides and look professional and concise. I have found this website which has some good tips here
• Don't be picky when it comes to jobs. When I finally got the motivation to go out and look, I printed off about 20 copies of my CV and went into every single bar on the way to town and all the retail and department stores. By the few hours I'd spent doing this, I think I had handed around 10 out as many of them pointed me to their websites. Also, a woman who noticed me handing CVs out requested one as they needed staff at their book store. And by the end of the day I had 2 job interviews, both for the following week (this week).
• Prepare for your job interview. This is the key - it helps you to feel less nervous the more prepared you are. I write this from hindsight, as the job interview I had for the restaurant was completely unorganised and I knew nothing of the restaurants menu and was totally unprepared for the questions they asked me. This coupled with me not having any bar/waitress experience I didn't feel confident at all but it goes to show that you have to start somewhere!
• Also prepare questions to ask. Asking questions about the job/company shows you are interested but also gives you an idea of what you will be doing/who you will be working with. Look at this website for questions to ask which I used. Once you start asking questions more may pop into your head. Avoid asking questions about salary/hours for now as this may give the wrong impression to your potential employer - they want to know your not just in it for the money (which you probably are, but this can wait for now).
• Dress smartly. This is important because you want to give a good impression and shows you have made an effort and that the job is important to you. Avoid all black though.

 Those are all the tips I can think of at this time, my first trial shift is tomorrow, wish me luck!

 

Money - the bane of all evil

In my earlier posts I said how money is really important when you're at university. Without money you won't be abe to survive and so needs to be planned very carefully down to the last pound. I have written a few tips on how I budgeted/saved before and at university that may help you.


Make the most of freshers week. During Fresher's Week you will be given tonnes of information and leaflets about life at university and there will be many opportunities to collect free vouchers/20% off/BOGOF deals and these definitely should be used. For example if you turn up for a welcome meeting you receive 25 free bus tickets on the uni bus (which I got in the first week). I don't know about you, but I would gladly sit through a 45 minute meeting about safety and stuff to get 25 free tickets. PLEASE use everything that is given to you because at the end of the day the university is there to help you too.


Draw up a budget. There is no use in saving all that money/getting your student loan through and blowing it all in the first week. You need to plan plan plan to make the most of the money you have otherwise it will be gone before you know it. The first thing I did was write down all income/savings I had to give me the total I had for the next year. Then I wrote down all the most important expenses first and worked down. The main things are your student fees (if these aren't covered by the tuition fee loan), accommodation, food, books, water/council tax/electricity, phone bills, credit card payments etc. Then you can do these rest like clothes,music,recreational activities, going out, etc. Whatever is left is yours do with whatever you like! It may also be helpful to add extra on top of your total outgoings so that if anything comes up you have something to fall back on.


Student accounts. The world of student accounts is very competitive and so it will help to shop around. Many banks now offer 0% interest free overdrafts and some don't expect you to pay the balance off until a year after your degree is finished. But you have to be extremely careful as in small print banks have the right to up the interest if and when they want to. Before you know it the amount you originally borrowed has increased significantly. So be warned when using the overdraft facility, I intend on using mine for emergencies only and I'm not talking about that late night takeaway because you're starving after a night out. :)


Separate accounts. This is a very good idea if you want to organise bills/direct debits/rent efficiently and helps you keep track of everything coming out of your account. For example you could use one account for your rent and bills by setting up a standing order to transfer money into this account and use your original one for every day spending.


Get a part time job. The money in loans/from parents may not be enough and getting a part time job can really help. You don't want this to affect your studies however and so be careful how many hours you take up. Most people recommend up to 16 hours per week is enough to balance with your studies but can mean an extra £250-£300 extra a month.


Working also means that you are not spending money and is a chance to meet more new people this way. Lets say you take up 12 hours per week working, that's 6 hours over two nights and if you spend about £10 a night you will be saving £80 per month and earning maybe £240 extra. That equals £320 spare than you did before It all adds up and is something worth thinking about.


However if you want to spend as much time partying and drinking while at university you could think about working during your holidays instead. Many supermarkets, bars, clubs etc. have students as employees and many of them go home during Christmas, Easter and summer. So you could get full time work back home. If you live with your parents during this time then it is likely you will be paying either little or no board and so all the money you will be earning is yours. For example if you earn £5 per hour, 40 hours a week that works out at about £800 per month and if you are home at Christmas for 1 month, Easter for 2 weeks and summer for 3 months minimum that works out to be £2000 earned over the whole academic year and that can seriously help out during university.

You could also ry this budgeting tool on yahoo which may help you to plan your finances.

What do you do to budget? Leave a message!