As a student there’s no doubt that you can maintain the same standard of living that you might have now with your parents.
One of the biggest lessons as a student is learning that you must make sacrifices. If you don’t you will either face one of the following situations:
1) You ask your parents to give you money
2) You spend everything you get and if you need to spend more you put it on a credit card
Recognising your priorities and discarding those less important things can make a real difference to your spending. Prioritising what you can’t live without and what you couldn’t care less about is a great exercise after you’ve spent a month tracking your expenses.
What I recognized is that at 6th form I was spending £2.50 a week on Starbucks Frappucinos. I have to admit I love these but at the same time they weren’t adding to my happiness significantly so I cut down to a maximum of one a month. I got so used to not having them that I’ve completely cut them out. I only have one every blue moon. Annually that’s a saving of £130 which I can put towards something more important to me such as a holiday.
I’ve also never been fussed about electronic gadgets. I’ve always found my laptop useful for university assignments but apart from that I use basic technology. My mobile is the cheapest nokia on £10 monthly contract (300 mins, 300 texts) that I paid £10 for. It sends messages, makes phone calls, has a calendar, an alarm clock and a calculator which is all I use.
Similarly I’m not fussed about regular haircuts. Instead of spending £40 every 6-8 weeks I let my hair grow longer and have my hair done twice a year tops. It’s not a big deal as I mostly wear my hair up so the style is almost never seen.
My priorities were that I always ate well. I never minded paying £25 a week on quality food with a mix of fruit & veg. I always shopped at Tesco and Sainsbury’s looking out for bargains but I’d never reduce the quality of my diet for the sake of saving a few bob. That’s because it’s a priority for me.
Similarly I spend money on good quality shoes that offer my back and feet excellent support. I’ll go to Clarks and find a decent pair of pumps for everyday wear. I’m happy to spend £30 on a pair as I know they will last and will offer real support. I’m not willing to give up on comfortable and long-lasting shoes even if it sometimes reaches the £45 a pair mark.
Some may be shocked about what my priorities are but that’s exactly what they are…my priorities. I’m willing to give up on things that others may find are their priorities such as a good quality haircut regularly. The key is to discover your own priorities and to focus on these. You have to accept now that in life and even more so at university, you can’t have everything you want. You have to be selective and importantly be happy in your choices.
