With A-level results out of the way, Freshers’ Week is fast approaching. It’s one of the most exciting times of a new student’s life, but it’s also one of the most expensive.

With the average student spending almost £500 in their first 7 days of university, student accommodation platform, StuRents, have put together seven ways to save money during Freshers’ Week.

Save £360 with 7 frugal Freshers’ tips

1. Skip the Freshers’ wristband and save an average of £30

When you arrive at university, it’s easy to be overwhelmed. There’s much to take in, from faces to forms, events to societies. A wristband giving access to the “best” events is an easy sell. But, with prices averaging £30 on Fatsoma, you’re more likely to save money at events by not buying one.

This is because plans change. You’re going to meet a lot of new people who may be going somewhere different. Those that have a wristband and end up going elsewhere are effectively paying twice for entrance.

Most of the time, the tickets are available for sale all the way up until the doors open anyway, so give yourself the flexibility and save £30 on the wristband.

2. Save £1 a pint with a student discount

You’ve probably heard of happy hour, but a lot of pubs do student nights too with drinks costing less than other times. The typical 20% student discount amounts to a saving of £1 on the average price of a pint (£4.78 ONS June 2024), which quickly adds up during Freshers.

A simple Google search will help you find these and the best nights out around, saving you both money and wasted trips.

3. Fill your bag with freebies at the Freshers’ Fair

Most universities will have some form of a freshers’ fair, festival, or fete for the fresh round of students joining. There you’ll find stands from societies, clubs, and local businesses all keen to give you flyers, goodies, or get you to join. Grab a tote bag and fill it with pens, sweets, notepads, mugs, fridge magnets… maybe not the pizza slice though.

4. Not joining a university society could save up to £300

Your experience of Freshers’ Week should be shaped by who you are and what you want to do, not what everyone else is doing. It’s tempting to treat university as a new start and a new you, as the saying goes. But if in a past life, you weren’t that into rugby or tennis, you could save up to £300 on membership fees by taking part in a free trial first. You may love it, or you may not – either way, you’ll know.

5. Rep the clubs for free tickets

You’ll see students dotted across the campus who have flyers and are selling tickets for clubs and pubs. They usually make a small commission for each sale, which can add up around the big seasons like Halloween and Christmas. Sometimes you can also get free tickets for simply being a rep, so it’s worth applying to be one if you love a night out.

6. Don’t take part in rounds – it could save you £30 on average

 Second and third-year students know by now that the pubs nearest the universities put their prices up around Freshers’ Week, which makes it even more important to watch your expenditure. Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done – when you’re out and about meeting new people, the music’s playing and the drinks are flowing, it’s easy to be altruistic.

Try to avoid taking part in rounds of drinks though. When it comes to your turn, you could be in for quite the bill with the average group of six having pints costing close to £30.

7. Carry cash and leave the card at home to avoid hangxiety

If you don’t trust yourself not to visit the hole in the wall or scan the night away, leave the card at home. Only carry cash with you to limit your spend and tuck some away for the end of the night if you need to catch a lift or bus.

If you use Apple Pay or similar, it’s easy to temporarily deactivate your wallet in the settings or remove the card and re-add it at a later date.

Michael Rainsford, Co-founder at StuRents, says, “Freshers’ Week is an exciting time to be a student, but definitely a costly one too. Often, students have moved away from home for the first time and need to incorporate the cost of accommodation into their budget, as well as associated expenses like utilities and food. Of course, Freshers’ Week comes with its own costs too – while it’s important to get stuck in, socialising can very quickly become expensive. There are ways to save though, from skipping the pricey Freshers’ wristband to picking up freebies at the fair.”

Credit: https://sturents.com/student-accommodation/cardiff