Every student should know this…

You’ve dreamed of going to uni and now you’re here. Living your best student life, wrapped up in the excitement of Freshers Week, Freshers Flu and all the freebies people keep throwing at you. What a time.

For many of you, this is the first time you’ve had to manage the adult side of money as well as the fun stuff. All this adulting is hard and I know it can feel overwhelming at times. Once the hedonism of Freshers has passed, you’re left with the reality that it’s going to be a while before your next Maintenance Loan payment. It can be daunting and if you’re feeling like this don’t worry, you’re not alone!

This is why I’ve put together my five favourite student finance tips that got me through my student days without worrying about money. I’m not a financial advisor so please don’t consider this financial advice, more like life advice.

Work out your “emergency fund” and never compromise on that

This is the secret hack most people never realise. It’ll take you 10 mins to do the maths and save you a lifetime of worry because this one isn’t just for your student days.

An emergency fund is the minimum amount of money you need to keep ready for a rainy day. It’s there to protect you for a while if your income stream stops. There are a few variations on how to calculate this and most consider working professionals with a monthly salary so here’s my special student recipe:

· 3 months rent