Blink too long and it's gone! Try my 5 tips to make your student loan last longer and to help keep your pennies in check.

1. Plan your food shop in advance 🍊This might sound like an obvious one but making a meal plan and creating your shopping list around it can save you a lot of money. Hitting shops like Aldi, Lidl, Iceland and Pound land are some of your cheapest options for your weekly shop. 
2. Limit the takeaways 🙅It is such an easy system to get into, but you will be SO surprised how much money you will save limiting the takeaways and the late night corner shop visits.
3. Beware of alcohol prices 🍻It can be a bit of a shock when you first start drinking in London. Look for student deals and don’t be afraid of choosing a diet coke. This way you won’t have a hangover and a bank alert to wake up to in the morning.
4. Pay all of your bills on payday 💸As soon as your loan or paycheck falls into your bank account pay off as many of your monthly expenditures as possible. That includes rent, phone bills, insurance, Spotify, subscriptions, and any others. Then budget in weekly costs such as food, travel, leisure, and put it aside. The money you have left is then risk-free and can be saved or spent.
5. Ask for discounts 🪪There are many places that offer student discounts and they often don’t need an NUS card. A free Unidays ID or your university card is often enough to get you a discount. There’s also no harm in asking wherever you are. And don’t forget to look out for student’s sales or extra discount days.You can also get clubcards for grocery stores like Tesco, Sainsbury's, Lidl, etc. They give you access to in-store and online discounts, exclusive deals, and the more points you collect, the more exclusive coupons you get.