Travel
Student Rail Card
A student rail card is available for all students enrolled on a full-time programme, regardless of age. This card can offer 30% discount on your rail travel costs. If you are planning a trip home for Christmas, Easter vacation or the summer and have a good idea of your out and return dates, it’s worth remembering that if you book over 12 weeks in advance you should be able to take advantage of a very good deal. Also, always explore the costs of breaking down your travel route in to single journeys, you might be surprised to find that you will find a cheaper route home, there are free apps such as Tickety Split can help you with this.
Car costs
The big question if you’re considering bringing your car to university, is can you really afford it? Practically, it may feel like a good idea to be able to pop home on weekends but insurance costs can be an average of £2,800 per annum for a young male driver, that’s nearly the equivalent of a years rent in a student house. There is also the MOT, tax, petrol, bridge tolls and car maintenance to consider.Your typical student budget will not be able to meet these costs. If you are living away from home, you won’t be able to get away with staying on your parents insurance policy. It’s also worth remembering that if you do find yourself in financial hardship due to your car costs, the University’s hardship funds will not be able to help you with these costs unless you have special circumstances, children or a disability.
Coach travel
Megabus and National Express can be a great cheap alternative when travelling home for vacation periods.
Money saving snippet:
To help save money on books and stationery at the start of term take advantage of ‘back to school’ deals in supermarkets who can offer great prices on the basics.