Saving money and endless searching for discounts is a critical part of being a student. You’ve paid your tuition, you’ve paid your rent, now what? What money do you have left to spend on yourself? Don’t fret; I’m here to share my favourite apps to help you save money as a student.

Asda Rewards (top), Lidl Plus (middle), Aldi UK (bottom)

Food Shopping is super important (everyone needs to eat!). So, when it comes to your weekly food shop, here are the apps I suggest: Lidl Plus, Aldi UK, and Asda Rewards.

If you have any of these shops near you (or Tesco, Morrisons, or Sainsbury’s), it’s worth getting the app for the supermarket you shop at regularly. The best thing about these apps is you save points for every £ you spend, which you can later turn into coupons. Some apps also provide coupons for free, such as 20% off brands or 2-for-1 items in the store bakery (the pastel de nata is my favourite; you should try it).

UNiDAYS (top), TOTUM (middle), Student Beans (bottom)

High Street Shopping, from my experience, has been inevitable in a place like Bournemouth. With so many different choices, it’s hard to pick a favourite. And if you’re a big shopper like I am, you’ll make the most of these apps when buying clothes, technology, study essentials or stationary, and eating out. UNiDAYS and Student Beans are free apps, and TOTUM requires an annual subscription.

These apps are exclusive to college or university students, with thousands of products and services. I’m a foodie, so my personal favourite is all the food and drink discounts with Zizzi, The Real Greek, or Deliveroo.

Trainline (top), UNIBUS (bottom)

Travel is a big essential for students, particularly if you’re travelling back and forth for holidays, or just in and around Bournemouth. So, here’s what I suggest: the Trainline and UNIBUS apps. The Trainline app is ideal because it provides cheaper options than the website, and buying a railcard gives you even more discounts (e.g. the 16-25 railcard gets you 1/3 off!). The UNIBUS app is great for BU and AUB students as you get exclusive discounted fares and daily, weekly, monthly, or annual passes (great for exploring the area!).

Splitwise (top), Housemate (bottom)

Shared Finances may be worth thinking about if you are paying for essentials as a group. For example, when I was in a shared house, we used the Housemate app by Natwest. I paid the electricity bill in January, and the app shared with my housemates how much they owed me and sent reminders. This was helpful because everyone was kept accountable for what they owed. And the Splitwise app works the same way.

I hope these apps will be as helpful to you as they were to me and that you make the most of your spending. But don’t forget to enjoy the student life; also use these discounts to treat yourself, because you deserve it!

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