Five Student Hacks to Save Money in Sunderland

Tue 08 Aug 2023

For international students, moving to a new country and studying abroad can be daunting. Here at ONCAMPUS Sunderland, we make sure you get all the support you will need. Being prepared is always the best plan, and we have put together a list of five tips and tricks to help you start your student journey on the right foot. 

1. Build a budget 

First on our list is the basic principle of budgeting. Once you have settled in at ONCAMPUS Sunderland, you’ll probably find yourself in the position to work out a budget for yourself, whether on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. If you stick to your budget, you will have a reliable and efficient way of keeping track of your finances, knowing when to spend and when to save to make sure you don’t get into any financial difficulty. 

This video on the University of Sunderland’s Youtube channel has some great tips on how to budget as a student 

2. Plan ahead to shop smarter 

Like budgeting, there are ways of planning your purchases to make your money go further. Resisting the temptation to eat out and instead cooking at home is a great way to save a lot of money, especially if you create and follow meal plans to avoid picking up unnecessary products at the supermarket. Only buying what you need and avoiding impulse purchases sounds simple enough, but effective planning can make it easier to not overspend at the shops. 

3. Access to student discounts 

Planning ahead isn’t the only way to shop smarter! As an ONCAMPUS Sunderland student you have access to UNiDAYS, a discount card and app that is available for students to use for free and opens up the opportunity to save a lot of money on a wide variety of high street and online brands. From food and travel to clothing and toiletries, student discounts provide a useful, efficient, and straightforward way to make the most of your budget. 

4. Make the most of the city 

Sunderland has the benefit of being a smaller city, which means you can get around without having to pay too much for expensive travel options. As a walkable city, it is easy to travel by bike or foot. Sunderland also has great public transport links, making the campuses, accommodation, city and beach all easy to access. The Sunderland Connect bus service is free to use when you show your student ID card, and the Metro also offers cheaper ticket options for students.

5. Have fun for free! 

Not only is Sunderland cheap and easy to get around, it’s also full of great spots to visit for free. The National Glass Centre is a cultural attraction located next door to the ONCAMPUS centre at Sunderland. Admission is free and free glass making demonstrations take place every day. You can also visit Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens for free. Sunderland is home to Roker Park, a free public park with a boating lake and bowling green, and multiple beaches are accessible from the city too.