University of Bedfordshire Students’ Union President Charlie Hughes has put together some handy money saving tips for students.

• ?Don’t spend your grant/loan in the first few weeks – Freshers is fun but there’s plenty going on throughout the year
• Check out if you’re eligible for any scholarships/ bursaries or disability allowances - the University of Bedfordshire offers one of the most generous student finance packages in the country
• Use your Aspire card – worth £450 in total over three years, eligible students will receive £300 'Aspire' credit to spend at John Smith's bookshop and £50 print credit in the first year. In the second and third years, students will receive £50 print credit each year
• Use your student card; even where it's not accepted... still ask!
• Bulk buying – a bulk shop will cost you a great deal less than daily trips to the local shop and means you’ve always got something to eat at home. Also if you're a bit of a party animal, you still have some food left in the freezer at the end of term!
• Portion control – only eat the food you need for each meal e.g. buy a 700g pack of mince and split it into 50-75g portions. Wrap in cling film and stick in the freezer
• Buy own brands – you really won’t taste the difference
• Cook a massive bolognese/curry and split it into portions for freezing
• Buy second hand clothes from charity shops or set up your own swap shop (we do this at Beds SU and it's very successful)
• Going home - buy your travel tickets in advance
• Use price comparison sites for bills
• Charge your smart phones, tablets, laptops on campus (this one is for students not in halls). Also use the internet on campus
• Student Bank Account – shop around and check out what deal is best for you

Beds SU (Students Union) will be running a full programme of activities to welcome Freshers to the institution. For further information visit www.bedssu.co.uk or www.beds.ac.uk/welcome2015