Social StudentHello Everyone!
The title says it all, below are the best ways to save / make money as a student, enjoy! All of the following things suggested have been tried and tested personally by Social Student Staff!
NUS – Possibly a common sense one, but I frequently forget I could use my NUS card to get discounts and sometimes miss the discounts that are online exclusives, so it’s definitely worth checking out from time-to-time to see what the latest is. If you don’t have an NUS card, then sometimes you can get away with student discounts with your educational establishment ID card, but a lot of places knuckle down on that they’ll only accept NUS, and online there is no possible way around it without a valid NUS card number. For only £11 for one year, it’s definitely worth it. Also take a look at our NUS Discount page to save even more money!
TopCashBack – A fantastic website linked to hundreds of online stores, all you need to do is set up a username and you are ready to start getting cash-back. Log in to TopCashBack and search the retailer, if it displays with a cash-back rate then it makes a lot more sense to buy online! Follow the link to the retailer and make your online purchase as usual, usually within a few hours, the transaction has been logged on your account and you can look forward to receiving some money back – it may only work out to be a few pounds but it all adds up. I’ve used the website for around a year and I have made £64.91 earnings, on purchases I would have made anyway.
VoucherCodes – Another nifty way to save a few pennies/pounds is through VoucherCodes. Search a store or merchant or browse through the categories listed to find both online, and in-store vouchers, from fashion, to electronics, to going out – you’ll find all kinds of bargains. They also have a phone app which has saved us a lot while wandering around shopping!
StudentBeans – Great website for student discounts and free stuff, as well as topical advice and interesting news, you can search offers locally or nationwide, and may be surprised what you can blag! Free gym trials, offers on restaurants, exclusive discount codes, free samples and lots more.
16-25 Railcard – Travel by train is my main mode of transport, so it’s always great to know I can get discount tickets (with the exception of peak travel). The railcard costs either £28 for 1 year or £65 for 3 years, and means you can save around 1/3 on train fairs across Britain, as well as access to discounts on days out, accommodation and restaurants.
Panelbase Surveys – If you sign up you will get e-mail notification when a survey is available online, and you may not always be valid for the surveys but the more you attempt, the more invites to future surveys you receive. You will earn between 25p-£10 for surveys and you can withdraw money when your account balance reaches £10, and this can be transferred straight to your bank account by BACS.
YouGov – Another online survey website where you can earn money or win prizes. I have been participating in the surveys for around 2 months and have 1125 points, but the bad news is you can’t redeem the money until you have 5,000 points (£50).
SliceThePie – If you love music, why not get paid for listening and reviewing it? I’ve used the site before but not yet clocked up enough money to look at claiming it yet, but it’s definitely worth checking out for all music enthusiasts – as well as reviewing tracks from current big artists, you might even discover the next big thing!
PeoplePerHour – You can sign up and make an online account to offer your skills, from accounting, to web design, there’s something for every talent. It’s a flexible way to make a little extra money and get noticed for what you do.
BroadbandDeals – A great website to help you save on your home broadband, just enter your postcode and you get a nice list of broadband deals available in your area. All the main internet service providers are featured including BT, Sky, Virgin Media, TalkTalk and Plus.net.
Other useful websites:
- Bigwardrobe – Buy/sell/trade clothes, shoes, jewellery & accessories.
- Secretsales – Access to discounted and clearance designer products.
- Halfpriceperfumes – Lots of beauty products at cheap prices.