Student checklist 50 tips to stretch your student loan

Get student council tax discounts

• Only live with students? If you're a full-time student living alone or with other students you don't need to pay council tax, whether you're two, three or even ten students living together.
• Live with a non-student? If a student lives with a non-student, the student is disregarded, so council tax is reduced as though only a single person lives there. So the non-student can get the 25% single person's discount.
  
  This poses a slight moral dilemma. Is it fair for the non-student to pay the entire 75% due, or should the student contribute? Perhaps split the difference, with one paying 62.5% and the other 12.5%.
• Live with more than one non-student? In this instance, while the student doesn't pay, the non students will need to pay full price, so again you'll need to decide if and how you want to split it. Either way, the legal stance is full time students aren't liable for the bill if non-students can't or don't pay, see Council tax discounts.

You need to apply to your local council for the discount as it isn't deducted automatically. To apply, see the Directgov website.

Nab free cash to study

Whether you're studying full or part time, there may be a grant or free course to help. They're dependent on your circumstances so it may not be easy to get one, but there's certainly no harm in trying.

Here are the main ones to get you started; see the Education Grants article for more:

• Educational Grants Advisory Service: This offers students, especially disadvantaged ones, guidance and advice to help secure funding for education and training. Its site, part of Family Action, has a searchable database of about 1,200 educational trust funds.
• Scholarship search: There's some nifty search tools on the Scholarship Search and Studentcashpoint websites, including bursaries, scholarships and award funding for students. You'd be surprised what's available! Some are very specific, eg, aimed at specific religions, locations, parental occupation and many more.

Get a TV licence refund for summer hols

A colour TV licence is £145.50 for a year (or £49 if you're lucky enough to have a vintage black 'n' white set). But if you've a full three months left on your licence at the end of the academic year and won't use it before it expires, you can get a refund for this.

To apply, complete the online application form on the TV Licensing website. Don't forget to update your address if you move house.

• Do students need a TV licence? In most cases, yes. Your parents' TV licence won't cover you unless your permanent registered address is with them, and you don't have your receiving equipment plugged into an aerial or a mains socket to receive the picture. So even if you're only watching TV on your laptop you'll need one.
• Any exceptions? If you're ONLY watching via BBC's iPlayer or other internet broadcasts systems which aren't being shown live you don't need a licence. But if watching live shows you'll need a licence as normal. You don't need one if you're only watching DVDs or gaming, but you need to complete an online form for this.
• What if in shared accommodation? If in halls of residence you'll probably be covered for communal areas, but not your room; do check though. If in a shared house and with a joint tenancy agreement, you'll only need one licence for the household. But if you've separate agreements you'll need one for your room.

Watching TV without a licence is against the law. Fee dodgers face prosecution and up to £1,000 fine; see the TV licences guide.

Don't get the 'spend it before it goes' bug

When loan cash arrives, it's all too easy to celebrate with a big blow-out. It may be tempting, but don't do it. The time for this is the end of term, when you've managed your money and know you've got some spare, not the beginning, leaving you short and struggling for months.

To help you budget, use the free interactive Student Calculator tool from education charity Brightside, and read the budgeting tips box below. For even more tips to stretch your cash and keep you out of money trouble, see the Student MoneySaving guide.

Get the biggest 0% overdraft student account

Big banks love tempting students with 0% overdrafts and free stuff, then relying on their custom for decades to come. Use these five key points to help choose your student account:

• Go for the biggest 0% overdraft deal possible. Most students will need an overdraft while at uni, so make sure you aren't charged for it. Aim to get the biggest guaranteed amount that will last as long as possible.
• Never go over your overdraft limit. This is a lifelong rule. Go beyond your limit and charges shoot up, leaving you in a vicious cycle that's tough to escape.
• Beware: you will be credit scored. When you apply for any debt product, including an account with an overdraft, the lender will credit score you to decide how desirable a customer you are. See the Credit rating guide for more.
• Don't base your choice on the closest branch or ATM. You can withdraw cash free of charge from any bank's ATM and almost every bank offers online access. So which branch is nearest has little relevance for most able-bodied students. To compare, just examine what's on offer and go for the best deal.
  

See the Student Accounts guide for the full list of top bank accounts, plus masses more tips to help you choose.

Interest-ing: Arm yourself with knowledge of how interest works with the Interest Rates: everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask guide. Get your head around the basics now so you aren't stung in the future.

Find the cheapest gas & elec to save £100s

If you aren't living in halls, it's likely you'll have to pay for gas and electricity on top of your rent. Yet it's possible to make hefty savings simply by switching provider (check with your landlord first):

• Switch to a cheaper provider. If you're on a standard tariff, it's possible to save £200 a year on your annual bill by switching, and even grab cashback or a free crate of wine on top. For a full how-to, see the Cheap Gas & Elec guide.
• You don't need to know how much your bill will be. Even if you haven't a clue what you'll be paying, you can still enter your house size on the comparison sites and they'll estimate for you.
• Watch out for exit fees. If you're on a longer contract or thinking of signing up to one, be aware that suppliers can charge up to about £100 if you leave before your contract term, so always check and factor this in.
• On a prepay meter? You definitely haven't got the cheapest deal. To save, first try switching to a ‘credit meter’. If you can’t, do a comparison to find the cheapest prepay provider (again, comparison sites will often be able to estimate your usage if you're unsure) and you could save £100s, see the Prepaid Gas & Elec guide.
  

Grab a student discount card

An NUS extra card costs £11, but it'll get you discounts online and in store with over 120 retailers for a year.

Discounts vary, but are generally about 10-20% (though some are as high as 40%), and include ASOS, Miss Selfridge, JJB Sports, New Look, Superdrug, Warehouse, Oasis, Accessorize, 16-25 railcard, Odeon, Pizza Hut and many more.

To get one, apply online on the NUS website. Do check the full list of NUS extra discounts first to make sure you'll use it, and check individual offer terms before you go.

It's also worth doing a quick sum to work out whether it's for you. For example, if you only used discounts worth 10%, you'd need to spend a total of £110 or more over the year for the card to be worth it.

Apply sooner rather than later if you're going to get one: All cards are currently valid from 1 Aug 2011 to 31 Aug 2012 regardless of when you get it, so it's worth applying sooner if you're going to get one.

Don't overpay tax on summer jobs

If you work over the summer to keep you afloat between uni terms, ensure you're paying the right amount of income tax. If you earn less than £8,105 a year, you shouldn't pay any tax.

If you only work in holiday time: Providing you're only working during the holidays and going to earn less than £8,105 over the year, you and your employer need to fill out a P38(S) form to declare you're a student.

It'll ensure you won't be placed on an emergency tax code, and therefore pay the correct amount of tax.

Check yours: To quickly see what you should be paying if you earn over the threshold, use the Income Tax Checker. It's also handy for working out what your take home pay will be after you graduate. See full 2012/13 tax rates.

Ensure parents pay their share

Your parents may decide to give you money to help while they're at uni, if they can afford it. But for most, the amount of maintenance loan you get depends on parents' income; those who come from wealthier homes get a smaller loan.

This is because your parents are expected to contribute. If you don't get the full loan, while there's no way to force them, and they're not legally required to give you money, it's well worth having the conversation with them about whether they'll contribute in advance.

Show this to your parents: This can be a thorny area, yet their contribution can make a big difference while you're studying. Broach the subject sooner rather than later, and feel free to show them this tip if it helps.

Bag free office software

If you're kitting out a laptop, PC or Mac for uni, you can save on software by downloading the legit free equivalents. There are loads of different options available, but here are a few to get you started:

• For typing, spreadsheets and presentations: The OpenOffice software suite includes five separate programs, with a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, database and design package. Handily, it's compatible with many Microsoft documents, and is available for PC, Mac and Linux.
• For image editing: If you're after something for basic cropping and editing, Paint.net is easy to use and is PC compatible. For a more advanced photoshop equivalent, The Gimp is a powerful tool with free add-ons, while Inkscape is handy for scalable vector drawings. Both are compatible with PCs, Macs and Linux.
• For music and videos: One of the most widely compatible media players available, VLC Player can cope with pretty much any music or video format you throw at it. For recording, Audacity lets you add effects and create soundscapes from scratch. Again, both are available for PC, Mac and Linux.
• Get cheap Microsoft Office for students: Students can also get the top-end versions of Office for under £40, see Cheap Microsoft Office deals for more.

Always check any software you put on your computer is suitable and compatible with your existing set-up first. For full info and loads more, and how to get student discounts on paid software, see the Free office software and Free anti-virus software guides.

Learn to haggle

Many places will give you a discount if you flash your student or NUS extra card. Yet even if they don't offer a student discount, why not ask for one? Many places will help you out if you haggle. It's chutzpah time – never buy without a try!

Even if you weren't born with the gift of the gab, it's easier than you think. See the How to haggle successfully guide for tips, and give it a go. After all:

What's the worst that can happen? They say no. They won't chuck you out of the shop or punch you in the face!

Hunt for hidden student discounts

Always ask for student discounts when you're out 'n' about. These often aren't advertised, but several places still offer them even if you don't have an NUS extra card.

You'll usually need to show another form of student ID, so it's worth bringing a card that has your name, date of birth and uni along when you're out. Share your finds in the Student discounts discussion.

Student fees shake-up only hits 2012 starters

If you're confused as to how the changes to the student loans system for 2012 affect you, don't panic. Firstly, changes only hit new undergrads starting in Sept 2012, so existing and 2011 students stay on the current system.

Uni tuition fees are £3,375-a-year max for 2011/12 students (though it'll go up with inflation in future years). But in 2012, all institutions will be allowed to charge up to £6,000 and many will charge up to £9,000, providing they make extra provisions for bursaries for poorer students. See the myth-busting Student Loans 2012 guide for more info.

Do a proper budget

This is where you match up money coming in with what's going out. It's incredibly important, or you may have a great first week splashing the cash, but spend the rest of term struggling to survive.

Knowing how much income you'll have is essential. Most will come from maintenance loans, grants, any bursaries or scholarships, part-time work pay and parents' contributions. But no matter where the money comes from, the golden rule is to NEVER spend more than your income.

Of course, right now it's tough to work out exactly what you'll spend on books, transport, course equipment and partying. Once you know your situation, try the free interactive Student Calculator tool from education charity Brightside.

Don't forget other costs, like a TV licence or toilet roll. They aren't fun to buy, but are even less fun if you’re caught without 'em.

Treat yourself to a makeover: Nope, we're not talking face packs and cumber slices. For the biggest savings, give yourself a full Money Makeover. This overhauls your finances, from mobile bills to contact lenses. It'll take time to work through, but it's time well invested.

A company's job is to make money from you

As the year goes on, the costs of starting higher education quickly add up: tuition fees, books, transport, living expenses and, of course, socialising. So before you shell out on extras, don't forget: a company's job is to make money from you.

Don't swallow companies' promises and marketing. Always remember they want your cash and look with a sceptical eye; you'll make better decisions.

Get free cash to study in Europe

If you want to study part of your degree in one of 30 participating European countries, grants are available from the British Council as part of the Erasmus scheme.

If you've got the travelling bug, this is a handy way to continue studying and go globetrotting at the same time. Countries to choose from include Austria, France, Italy, Portugal and Spain; see the Erasmus website for the full list.

C'est gratuit: There are masses of online resources to help you learn a language for free if you know where to look, including BBC Languages and the OU LabSpace. See Learn a language for free for the full list.

Use less energy

It isn't just which company you pay, but how much you use. Cutting energy costs is a mix of big and little things, and a few small changes will help to bring your bill down.

Turn down the thermostat and dig out that knitted jumper from your gran. Switch off lights when leaving a room, use energy saving lightbulbs, defrost the fridge and check it isn't on too high, and don't leave electricals on standby.

For more info, read the Energy Saving Hunt and see the Energy Saving Trust website.

Don't forget water bills

Again, if you aren't in halls, check with your landlord to see if your water bill is included in your rent. If not, remember to budget for it (see the budget tips box).

If you aren't sure how much to set aside for your first bill, see the table in the Water Bills guide for a rough indication of how much to expect.

Don't assume student insurers are cheaper

Home contents insurance for a student house isn’t always easy to get. This is often because most policies like to cover the house not the person, making it tricky if you've flatmates. Yet there are a few tricks to get round this:

• Check parents' cover. If your parents have home insurance, it may automatically cover you under the 'temporarily removed from the home' section while you're a full-time student. The cover only applies while in your accommodation though; ask them to do a quick check.
  
  If you need cover for any mobiles or laptops, or items you normally wear or carry away from your home, your parents could also add the ‘all-risks’ or 'unspecified personal possessions' section to their policy, which specifically covers your stuff while it's out of their home. Handily, many policies allow this.
• Don't assume student policies are cheaper. Alternatively, if you need to get your own cover, don’t automatically think specialist student policies are cheapest. Always check elsewhere too; the Home insurance article has a full step-by-step system to help you find the cheapest for your needs.
• Lock your doors. If you're in shared accommodation, your insurance won't cover you for theft unless there's been a violent or forcible entry. So always make sure you lock your room's door when you leave, even if you're just popping out briefly.

Slash car insurance costs

Finding affordable car insurance can be a nightmare – the average for a 17-22 year old is £2,300. The Young Drivers' Car Insurance guide has a step-by-step system to slice off every spare pen-+ny:

• Do you really need it? Bringing an unused car to uni can be an expensive and unnecessary hindrance, so always consider the alternatives; see the public transport box.
• Pay when or how you drive. Specialist 'pay when you drive' and 'pay how you drive' schemes are well worth checking to see if they undercut comparison site quotes. With these, a GPS or tracking device is fitted to your car, so what you pay depends on your mileage and time or driving style.
• Specific young driver brokers. While comparison sites are very good for those with normal situations, for others they can underperform, so check specific young driver brokers separately (full listings in the guide).
• Learner driver insurance. If you're a learner, it often means being added to parents' or friends' car insurance as an additional driver which can up the cost, and risk no claims bonuses. Yet you can get specific policies just for the provisional driver which protect this. Find full info on all these and more in the guide.

Never get someone to add their name as main driver on your car, eg, one of your parents, instead of you. This is called fronting and is fraud, and can lead to prosecution. Don't do it.

Battle your mobile bill

If you regularly face a palpitation-inducing mobile phone bill, there's a mass of tips 'n' tricks to help:

• Pick the right contract. Use your bills from the last few months to pinpoint your average usage for calls, texts and data. Then use this to find the cheapest tariff for your needs. Websites MoneySupermarket* and Omio* let you compare quickly; check out the Mobile phone cost cutting guide for the full step-by-step guide.
• Haggle down contract costs. If you'd rather not change network, this can still yield big savings. When you're near the end of your contract, call 'em and ask for the best deal possible – not just on your network, but any out there. See the Mobile Phone Contracts guide for tips on how to give your haggle some chutzpah!

After an iPhone? These aren't MoneySaving, but it's possible to pay less and get a shorter contract if you know where to look. To quickly compare tariffs, use the tool in the Cheapest iPhone guide.

Split your train tickets

This is the big trick everyone should know. Instead of buying tickets for the whole journey, bizarrely, buying separate tickets for its constituent parts can slash the price – even though you're on exactly the same train.

It's perfectly allowed within the National Rail Conditions of Carriage, and has been confirmed by the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC). The only rule is the train must call at the stations you buy tickets for.

Savings can be massive; it depends on how long your journey is, but we managed to shave over £200 off a return ticket from London to Penzance using this method. For a full how-to, see Split Ticketing tips.

Taking a break? Work out what it'll cost

If you're currently studying but are thinking of taking a year out, make sure you know how this'll affect your fees.

If you've been accepted onto a course for Sep 2011 but defer once it's started, you'll continue on the 2011/12 financial package. But if you choose to take a year out before starting, or stop and start a new course in Sept 2012, you'll be moved to the 2012/13 fees.

The changes to the fees system for 2012 (they are going up!) means it should at least play a part in your decision of whether to defer or change course. If you think this'll affect you, check out the Student Loans 2012 guide.

Quickly turn old mobiles into cash

A mass of companies offer to recycle your mobile for money. This is a really quick 'n' easy way to make extra cash if you've old handsets lying around.

Once you agree to sell, you're even sent a freepost bag for it. To quickly find the best payer for your phone's make and model, use MSE's MobileValuer tool. Plus it also works for other gadgets, including games consoles, iPods and more.

Choose the right laptop or netbook

If you don't want to lug a desktop computer to uni, a laptop can be a handy alternative for listening to music, surfing the net, watching videos of dancing chihuahuas, and of course, writing essays on the go.

But if you just want something basic for checking emails, surfing and word processing, netbooks tend to be cheaper and lighter. Whichever you decide on, there are plenty of options to get it for less:

• The Cheap laptops guide has a round-up of the best machines for under £300, including basic budget laptops and big names, as well as a quick glossary.
• Alternatively, the Cheap netbooks guide has the latest netbook bargains for under £200, plus info to help you decide whether it'll be powerful enough for your needs.

Check the specs: These guides also list the full techie capabilities for each best-buy, so you can compare hardware specs, warranties, hard drive size, memory and software between machines.

Free festivals, museums & art galleries

If you're after live music on the cheap, the Free Festivals guide has a full listings of the top gigs nationwide. In it, you'll find totally free festivals across the UK, covering everything from rock and jazz to carnivals and outdoor theatre.

You'll also find info on how to get into the big paid festivals for free, including the latest volunteer schemes.

Alternatively, the Free Museums and Art Galleries guide lists over 150 venues across the UK on everything from forensic science to footie. Use 'em for research, entertainment, or even an unusual date on a budget (don't forget your restaurant vouchers!)

Find 'em near you: To find your nearest at a glance, click on your area on the in-guide maps for full listings of venues in your area, plus opening times and what to expect on the day.

Don't chuck best-befores away needlessly

Do you know the difference between a best-before and a display-until date? If not, it's likely you're binning a lot of food unnecessarily.

To help, we've designed a free printable Food Saving Memo; stick it on the fridge and check before you chuck. If you need inspiration on turning last night's leftovers into a banquet, see the Using up leftovers forum discussion for ideas.

Not all debts are the same

It's easy to think, 'I've got to get a student loan, why not borrow a little more', but you need to understand how special student loans are.

Not all debts are the same, and no other loan only needs you to pay if you're earning enough. With others, it'll never go away. They'll chase you even if you can't afford it, and the interest is higher and will multiply at speed. Remember:

Some debts, like student loans, are much better than others.
Be very careful taking any other form of borrowing.

Sadly in the UK, students are educated into debt but never about debt. Many in authority concentrate on telling students to avoid debt, which is impossible, rather than focusing on avoiding bad debt. Educate yourself – see Good debt, bad debt for how it works.

Ditch your spending demons: Use the free Demotivator tool to instantly see the real cost of your non-essential spending, from mags to chocs. Then print 'n' stick the results on your wall to help you stop buying 'em.

Try the supermarket downshift challenge

This is a quick 'n' easy way to make decent savings on your grocery shopping, particularly if you're still automatically buying big brands you're used to at home.

Over the years, supermarkets have hypnotised us into spending more by making us move up the brand chain. Many people gradually buy increasingly more expensive versions of the same thing. The challenge:

Drop one brand level on everything and see if you can tell the difference. If you can't, stick with the cheaper product.

Drop just one brand level on everything and the average bill's cut by a third. On a £20 weekly shop that's nearly £350 a year less, see the Supermarket Shopping guide for tips.

Do your homework: For extra discounts, get into the habit of checking the latest Supermarket Coupons before you shop. If you tend to pop out for milk and loo roll only to return with a trolley full of impulse buys, take five minutes to make a shopping list before you go – and stick to it.

The best things in life are freebies!

There's a mass of goodies available for free at the click of a mouse, if you know where to look.

The Freebies directory is a full compendium of hundreds of goodies you can get for nowt. Use it to get free revision guides, games, music downloads, tea, cook books, travel guides and masses more.

It's divided into categories to help you find the most useful. If you're spoilt for choice, try the freebie roulette tool, which finds you a random freebie each time you spin.

Get on the net for nowt

If you're sharing a house, it's likely you'll want to get on the web. But before you take a pricey contract, consider the alternatives:

• Get it for free at uni. If your campus has free internet access or wi-fi, it's well worth using this if you can. Use the uni's computers (or charge your laptop at uni) and you won't have to pay for the electricity either.
• Get it for free on the high street. Free wireless internet's fast becoming the rule at high street cafes and pubs, rather than the exception. Widespread pub chains Wetherspoons and Walkabout now offer all customers unlimited wi-fi access, as do McDonald's restaurants nationwide, see the Free Wireless Internet article for more.
• Consider shorter contracts. If you decide to get the internet at home, some tariffs offer a 30-day contract. While the monthly cost may be slightly more in the short term, if you'll only need it for nine months instead of the full year, it could work out cheaper in the long run.
• Beware download limits. If there's several of you downloading or watching TV online, limits for standard cheap tariffs may not be enough. To avoid being hit by unexpected charges, consider getting an unlimited plan if you live with several heavy downloaders.
• Check the best buys. Some providers offer tariffs aimed at students, eg, Virgin's* 9 month student contract (if you're going to go for this, use this link to get a £50 wine voucher on top via SimplifyDigital until 8pm 31 Oct). Yet never assume student tariffs are cheapest; factor in any fees to work out the real monthly cost, then use the Cheap Broadband guide to see how it compares to best buys in your area.

Consider going mobile: If you live in an area where broadband's pricey, you move frequently, or just don't want the hassle of chasing your housemates for their portion of the bill, mobile broadband's another option. For pros, cons and best buys, see the 3G Mobile Broadband guide.

Don't stick with student accounts after uni

Don't stick with your student bank account when you graduate. By switching to specialist deals for graduates, you may be able to gain £100s a year.

This is because many offer special terms that are unavailable to other people, such as 0% overdraft deals for up to three years. So picking the best can save you serious cash on your overdraft, see Graduate Accounts for the top picks.

Sell old CDs, DVD and games

If you've old CDs, DVDs or games you don't need, put 'em to work. Website Music Magpie* lets you enter details of these and it'll give you an instant cash price, though you need to trade in a minimum of 10 at a time.

If you accept its offer, it'll send freepost stickers and you'll get cash upon receipt. For more easy ways to make extra cash while you're studying, check out the Boost your income guide.

Flog it: Check out the eBay Selling Tricks article for a mass of insider tips on how to easily declutter your digs and make extra cash at the same time. You'll also find free tools to help, and other sites to check out.

Get paid for your opinion

It's possible to earn £100s a year, without any special skill or talent. You could be paid to take part in online surveys, which are often short enough to fill in during breaks between lectures.

Some surveys can pay £1-£3 for just a few minutes of your time. Find the full list of top picks in the Survey Sites guide; you'll also find quick tips on how to maximise your earnings as you go along.

Warning! Store cards are the devil's debt

Store cards are the devil's debt. Most charge a hideous 30% interest or more, and even the best aren't cheaper than bank's credit cards, so don't get ducked in by the sales patter.

They work and feel very much like credit cards, except that while credit cards can be used anywhere, store cards can often only be used in a specific store or store group.

Yet they've exorbitant rates, and are often targeted at the young as stores assume they're an easy target.

• Stores hide the fact this is debt. The common sell on the card is a 10% introductory discount, which sells people into debt whilst never explaining the consequences. Don't get burned; read the Devil's Debt for more.

Get a part-time or temp job

While studying's a priority, it's commonly accepted many students will work. So if you don't have enough cash, don't overborrow – try to find a job instead.

Think outside the box – babysitting, supermarkets and the library are handy places to start, but so are TV extra agencies, and even medical trials! See work, work, work for ideas.

Be the early bird: The earlier in the year you try to get work, the better your chances, so try to arrive before other students.

Not good with cash? Teach yourself

It's likely you came out of school with very little – if any – training for the consumer decisions you'll have to make every day as an adult (see the Finance ed petition below).

"Companies spend billions of pounds a year on marketing, advertising and teaching their staff to sell, yet we don’t get ANY buyers’ training." - Martin

The Teen Cash Class is a free, printable PDF guide to help redress the balance. In it, you'll find lessons to tackle impulse buying, how credit cards work, the cost of fashion and more. It's an invaluable guide for students, parents and anyone wanting to pick up the skills to handle their money and avoid being ripped off.

This is a real practical survival guide to living in one of the most competitive consumer economies in the world.

Get a railcard

Consider a 16-25 railcard if you spend £84+ a year. These cut a third off your train ticket, and a huge plus is they're also valid for full-time students of any age.

Cards can be bought from the Railcard website for £28 a year, or £65 for three years. So spend over £84 a year, even in just one trip, and you'll save.

Renew just before you finish to nab another year: Don't forget, renew just before your 26th birthday to grab another year (the same applies to older cardholders about to finish uni).

Some students are eligible for benefits

Some students in special circumstances – such as those with kids or disabilities – might qualify for a special support grant instead. This will the same amount as a maintenance grant.

However, the plus here is that while under usual circumstances the amount given for your loan might be reduced if you get a grant as well, a special support grant won’t reduce the amount you get for your maintenance loan. For more info and how to apply, see the Directgov website.

Learn to cook (!)

There's no need to live off pricey takeaways at uni while longing for a home-cooked meal. Take the time to learn the basics and it'll help to stretch your cash much further, and it's far healthier too.

The forums are a great place to get tips and ask questions. Read the Basic recipes for novice cook discussion to arm yourself with the essentials, while the 50p meals thread has loads of budget recipe ideas. Feel free to add your tips!

Plan your eats: Check out the How to start meal planning and Menu plans discussions, which will help you to only buy food you need.

Nab extra travel discounts

If you're off home at the end of term (and you can't coax a friend or parent to give you a lift), it's possible to find extra discounts if you know where to look.

Train and bus companies often discount heavily with regular sales to fill seats; promotions have included £1 train and bus tickets across the UK, and London to Scotland for under £20. To find the latest offers, check out the Cheap trains and coaches deals page.

Cheap train and coach ticket offers go quick. To hear about them as soon as they're released, sign up to the free weekly email.

Get free financial advice

The National Association of Student Money Advisers (NASMA) has student advisors in many universities. These can be a massive help if you're struggling financially.

See the NASMA website to find your nearest, or ask at your student union. Alternatively, local charities Citizens Advice Bureau and Consumer Credit Counselling Service also offer free help and support.

Time your train ticket booking carefully

Timing your purchase accurately can make a real difference:

• Buy 12 weeks early. Everyone knows that if you book early, fares are cheaper. Yet often these disappear quickly, so to ensure a bargain, start looking about 12 weeks before.

This is because Network Rail must set the timetable 12 weeks in advance. Train operators commonly, though not always, release cheap advance tickets shortly after. It isn't often dead on 12 weeks; National Rail's future travel chart shows the latest date you can buy advance tickets for each train firm.

• Or ... get last-minute early booking discounts. Many don't realise you can often buy advance tickets the night before or even on the way to the station. So:

Always check if advance tickets are still available, even if you're on the way to the station; see the Cheap Train Tickets guide for tips.

Get extra help and support

Uni can be a stressful time – financial, social and academic pressures can quickly add up. If you're struggling, don't suffer in silence. Talk to your tutor, parents or a close friend if you feel you can, but there are also organisations to help:

• Free counselling. Many universities offer free student counselling services. Ask for details at your local Student Union.
• Can't sleep? Charity Nightline offers a confidential, anonymous listening and info service specifically for students. It operates overnight from about 8pm to 8am in 90 universities across the UK and Ireland; see its website for the number of your nearest. Alternatively, Samaritans offers confidential help around the clock.
  

Investigate 'uni access funds' - poss £100s

If you're struggling, many universities have access funds to help. These aren't always advertised, but it's well worth speaking to your uni to find out more, and ask for how to apply.

You can also contact the National Association of Student Money Advisors (NASMA) to find out more info on these, as well as get free financial help and advice while you're studying.

Use Money Mantras before ANY buys

Before you buy anything, use these money mantras to help keep your cash in your pocket. Different scenarios require different approaches, so there's two to choose from depending on your circumstances:

Get the mantras on the move: To help when you're out, pop the free printable money mantra card in your wallet. Use it to remind you to not to spend when you shouldn't.

Save in an ISA, even if just short term

If you've got any spare cash, don't leave it languishing in a current account earning 0.1% interest. Put it into a Top Savings Account and it'll earn interest, so it's worth doing even if only for the short term.

It's also worth considering putting this cash in an ISA. This stands for Individual Savings Account, and it's simply a tax-free savings account that everyone over 16 can put up to £5,640 per tax year in, and most let you take cash out whenever you want.

Yet there's a crucial difference: unlike in a normal savings account, the interest you earn isn't taxed. Basic-rate taxpayers must normally hand over 20% of their savings interest to the taxman, higher rate taxpayers 40%, but in an ISA, you keep that. While you may earn enough to be a taxpayer while at uni, if there is still cash left in it once you graduate, the interest will beat normal savings. Full details in Top Cash ISAs guide.

Text for nowt

Texting can make up a serious chunk of your phone bill. Text 20 times a day at 10p/text and you'll spend over £700 a year, so there are big savings to be had. But if you're a textaholic, it's worth noting there are heaps of ways to send texts for free, or very cheaply.

Top picks include O2*, Orange* and eSeMeS if texting online, and FishText and Vyke from your mobile. See the Free Texts guide for full the full list, plus pros 'n' cons.

Beware borrowing on credit cards

Be extremely wary of credit cards. These are best avoided while you're studying, as if you don't have an income, you'll really struggle to repay the debts. This means the interest will compound and build quickly, leaving you owing serious cash.

Don't let the affordable-sounding minimum repayments trick you either. Even if you can meet these each month, they are designed to clear barely any of the debt - meaning the cost of borrowing rockets. If you need scaring out of this:

If you borrowed £3,000 at age 21 and only made the minimum credit card repayments, you'd be 50 before it was clear.

See the Minimum repayments guide for a full rundown of how the system works.

Don't forget your discount vouchers

Before you hit the shops, remember to check the Discount Vouchers page. This is massive compendium of all the latest printable vouchers, codes and deals open to all.

Plus it's well worth bookmarking the High Street Sales diary to help you keep an eye out for seasonal clearances in your favourite stores.

Don't use payday loans to make ends meet

High street stores advertising 'payday loans' have sprung up nationwide, promising quick cash loans until you get paid. Yet interest rates are exorbitant, and while the actual cost of borrowing once may be manageable, a common trick's to roll debts over from week to week - until it snowballs to epic proportions.

If you're struggling to make ends meet, instead contact the National Association of Student Money Advisors (NASMA), who will help with some far better alternatives.

Share your tips on the student forum

The Student MoneySaving forum board is a fantastic place to share your ideas and swap tips on all aspects of student life.

Whether you're after student shopping and eating tips, info on catered vs self-catered digs, or just need some emergency dissertation motivation, there's something for everyone. It's free to join, so get chatting!