Every student house needs a money-saving hero. Without them, student houses up and down the country end up paying far more than they should for everything from the weekly grocery shop to the monthly utility bills.
Read on to find out about the ways you can save and become the money-savvy champion in your student house.
Shop together
It’s a fact that, per portion, a meal for four is cheaper than for one. A recent survey found that 69% of consumers are now batch cooking in a fight to save money. As a student, you’re normally always buying for you, and no one else.
But, if you and your housemates find yourself cooking the same kinds of food each week, it’s worth suggesting buying and cooking together. Not only will all your meals work out a lot cheaper per portion, but you’ll also save tonnes of time and energy—cooking one big meal is far more energy efficient than cooking four and takes a fraction of the time!
So, if you’re thinking about group grocery shopping with your housemates, give it a go—it could pay off.
Get the discounts
As a student, there are more offers exclusively for you than you can shake a stick at. So, take advantage of them! We aren’t saying go and buy anything and everything just because it’s a good offer. But if you’re after something in particular, whether that’s a new item for the house or the newest tech, don’t forget to check for student discounts—they can save you a lot of £’s.
Pay bills via Direct Debit
If you’re living in a student house, the likelihood is that you’ll have a few different bills coming out, whether that’s for the TV licence, water or internet. Remembering to pay each one every month isn’t just a chore, it’s also risky. If you pay a bill even a day late you could incur extra charges.
If you opt to pay by direct debit, which is an option which you can select when you set up payment, or change to at a later date, you can forget about setting a “pay bills” reminder on your phone each month. With direct debit, the payment for your bills is taken from your account automatically, eradicating the risk of late payment.
Did you know that paying by direct debit can sometimes be more cost effective? Some companies offer special discounts for direct debit customers, so signing up has the potential to save you and your mates money and time.
Track your spending
One of the key ways to save money in a student house is to track everything. From the weekly food bill to the gas, electric and water usage, if you keep an eye on everything going out, not only will you ensure that you’re on the right tariff for your usage, but you also won’t get any nasty surprises further down the line.
Of course, it can be tricky for everyone in your house to track all the bills, and stuff can slip through the net.
Did you know that with bill management apps like acasa, you can keep track of everything at the click of a button?
acasa makes keeping track of your bills quick and easy. You can even see when a payment has been made, and give your housemates a gentle nudge to pay their share.
Get acasa
acasa is a household management and bill splitting app designed with students in mind. The platform, which is available to download via Android and iOS, allows 100% transparency between you and your housemates, so everyone can be crystal clear about what costs what and where their share of the payment is going, reducing the risk of finance-related tensions.
What’s more, you can even use acasa to set up your utilities! acasa offers competitive yet environmentally conscious energy providers to supply your home, so you can move in, manage and move on with ease.
What’re you waiting for? Get a free quote from acasa today and start saving!