how to live very cheaply at university- frugal living

You don't want to spend money if you are a student ; you want to get as many things as you can for free. Did you know you can get free accommodation? Yes, even in the major cities such as London. You need to register with companies that specialise in looking after private properties. You will not be a tenant but instead a guardian of the property. You will most likely have all or part of your utility bills paid for you. This is a brilliant way to live cheaply as a student. Probably best to try this in your second or third year. You may want to find one or two other student friends to team up with.The downside is that you can't be sure if this will last months or years. Strangely, this seems to put people off. But you are not like that , so I will tell you even more things about how you can get things free or at very low cost.

Some money saving tips

Go to a pound store or thrift shop but only buy essentials such as toiletries and food items.

Find out the times the supermarkets drastically reduce the price of bread and near sell by dates on other foodstuff. Stock up and freeze if possible.

Pop into takeaways and stock up on free ketchup, sauces and serviettes.

Introduce yourself to local restaurants and offer to do an hours washing up for a free meal. Lots of good things can come your way when the owner gets to know you.

Introduce more fruit and vegetables to your diet. Try to eat less meat but eat healthily and for enjoyment.

Stop using public transport and walk or cycle. If you don't have a bike, try and get a free one from a recycling site.

Get as many free things that you need to buy from free recycling sites.

Look to join libraries besides your own university. This will cut down on the number of books you have to buy. If you have to buy books, buy secondhand , and then resell.

Enter free competitions when there is a skill element or one that requires a slogan for an ad campaign.

Register as an extra with an acting agency. You can bring your study book with you cos there is usually a lot of sitting around. Basically you are being paid to study.

Place a free ad offering an hours free conversational English in exchange for an evening meal or Sunday lunch. You will meet some amazing people and you will most likely be treated to the most exotic dishes and superb wines.

Find out from your parents if there are any relatives living nearby that you could visit. Any support network can be a lifesaver if things get tricky.

Sign up to focus groups - they pay well but are infrequent. Typically £50 for two hours work.

Download skype to your computer for free phone calls.

Become a mystery shopper. It pays well.

Pop into betting shops for free pens and on big occasions they often put out free snacks. If your flat is cold they are a good place to read the paper and keep warm. Look out for free betting coupons, typically worth £2 in newspapers such as the Sun and Mirror.

Do paid online surveys for cash or high street vouchers. pinecone research and valued opinions are good ones. Pinecone surveys pay £3 each time for a 10 minute survey. You can have it paid into paypal or get vouchers. They also occasionally send you free products to test and then pay you for your evaluation.

If you are renting a flat or house , you could rent out your parking space. (Assuming you are not reckless enough to be driving a car.) Log on to parkatmyhouse.com

Set yourself up as a private maths tutor. So long as you got a grade A at gcse maths and are both numerate and personable you could easily teach maths to 11 year olds about to go to secondary school. Charge anything from £10 to £20 for an hours lesson. much better pay than the usual student jobs. Once you have made some money , you could start up a tutor agency matching friends and other students at University with local pupils. The demand is massive nationwide. Good communication skills and an empathetic approach are essential requirements for a good tutor.

If you haven't already applied to go to University , consider applying to European Union countries to take your degree. Prague is a beautiful city and lectures are delivered in English. There are currently Uk citizens who couldn't get a place in UK Universities studying medicine in Prague. It is really cheap to live in Prague. Drinks such as a pint of beer are less than £1. Eating out is about half the UK price. Accommodation costs are again much cheaper.

Think about signing up to hubpages , start writing articles and get paid when someone clicks on the generated ads.

You might like to read another article (hub) called how to live like a multi-millionaire on the minimum wage 

or how to make money from home-helping others