Top Tips for Saving Money on Your Uni Bills

Being a student in London means that saving money isn’t easy and it’s always a proud moment when I find little ways of cutting costs.

Having just moved into private housing right by Kings Cross nothing is cheap, especially not bills or rent. While there isn’t much that can be done about rent prices, the cost of bills can be reduced if you put your mind to it, and I’ve found 5 cheeky ways of doing just that!

1. Don’t be lazy, do your research
The first thing my flatmates and I did when we moved in was to sort out all the bills for what we would need during the year. Instead of being lazy and sticking to what the last tenants had sorted out, we looked online for companies that would provide everything cheaper. This saved a significant amount of money and was so simple to do. Multiple websites offer the ability to compare offers including uSwitch and Compare the Market.

2. Charge anything and everything at uni
Even after changing utility providers you can still cut electricity costs by charging your laptop / phone / tablet at uni. It doesn’t matter if you go to uni early to do this, charge them during lectures, or stay at uni a little longer while working to do it. Either way it can save you a little money which can go towards other things.

3. Some energy suppliers offer freebies that help reduce usage
Thames Water services is one of these companies. They offer a range of freebies that will be delivered and can be returned free of charge. Some of their products include a shower head that can save you £87 a year, a showersave that can save you £126 a year, and tap inserts that can save you £37 a year. All come with instructions and are really easy to apply or put together.

4. Wear more layers
This one’s a no brainer. Everyone says it but how many of you actually do it? According to Vaillant, if you were to turn your boiler down by 1-2°C on slightly warmer days and just wear a jumper, it could save you up to 10% on heating bills every month. While this isn’t a long term solution and may not work as effectively during winter months, it still helps save a significant amount of money for when you might need it most.

5. If you have a house with a parking space, rent it out
Parking in London or another busy city is particularly expensive and if not, it’s like a needle in a haystack to find. Luckily for some of us there is an easy way to earn money from this system. If the accommodation that you are renting comes with a parking space(s), renting these out can make paying bills so much easier. Using websites like JustPark to lease the space can earn you enough to cover your bills every month (speaking from experience). Not to mention that whatever is left over you can keep for yourself! In order to do this in private accommodation you are likely to need the landlord’s permission before you can start renting out the parking space.