by Stuart Henderson

Created on: January 06, 2011

Being a stereotypical Scot myself, I feel I am in a strong position to talk about ways of being tight with money. It is not all about downsizing your food budget, switching your heating to 'artic' or walking the 10 minute bus journey. As the famous del boy often said, "He who dares, wins." That is not to say you should freely indulge in rump steaks, sauna conditions and taxis. But, if you are clever and organised, then it is often not as bad as one thinks.

First of all, let's review the areas which will regularly drain your wallet. Perhaps the most obvious to begin with, is food. On average, in this climate, you could easily find yourself spending £20-£30 a week if you don't want to completely rot your stomach with supermarket-own brands of spaghetti hoops. Some foods however, you can afford to peek into the own brands. Fruit, for example, will generally all taste the same and be equally as good for you. The carbohydrate section will also be safe to enter. In general, I would stay away from meats and tins that are produced by supermarkets. Leaving food costs aside, let's look at clever ways to cut your food bill. Always try and stop by the supermarket on your way home from college. Any time you see foods that can be frozen on special offer, get in there. It will pay off eventually. If you are living with other fellow students, try and cook together. Food is always priced to be cheaper if you buy in bulk. In addition, your parents home (if nearby) always makes for a great weekend meal.

Next stop, we have the heating bills. A nice temperature is between 15 - 20 degrees celcius. This isn't too hot, and isn't too cold. Generally, you can achieve this temperature by turning your heat thermometer down to below a quarter of the range. It is also important to learn how to use the timer function which is found on most current boilers. More often than not, the heating is switched on to provide a blast of heat and then forgotten about, even though people are beginning to take off their jumpers. Using the timer ensures the heating is never left on by accident. Always turn off the heating if you are going out. If you are finding the heating bills are still chewing up too much of your money, then invest in a thick jumper and pyjamas.

Now onto the heavily criticised student loan. Beware, often people make the mistake of assuming these loans are interest free. This is simply not the case. They do have a smaller interest rate than most loans that

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