Managing money can be a challenge at the best of times. But on a student budget, our spending can quickly get away from us. If you know how much money you're likely to need each month and where this money will be spent at, it's easier to create a reasonable budget that allows you to get the most out of your university experience! To help with planning, we've put together a list of expenses you can expect and tips on how to keep your costs down. 

• Accommodation: 

Apart from your college or university fees, this is a sizeable expense you have to bear. Rent is calculated weekly in the UK. If you happen to choose a PBSA (i.e. Purpose Built Student Accommodation), your rent would likely include the utility bill, cost for an internet connection. Majority accommodations happen to provide a laundry facility that further reduces your monthly budget. Choosing a student accommodation to reside, whether it be college/uni provided or private is comparatively cheaper as compared to HMOs. College/ Uni provided accommodation can be rented by applying on the company website and private student accommodation can be rented through websites like UniAcco.com. Some accommodations are catered but with an extra cost, which is also included in the rent but it still cheaper than eating out. 

• Study Material: 

Study material is another significant chunk out of your monthly budget, it also happens to be a one-time investment with rarely further use than the semester or year. Money can be saved by buying second-hand books or using a library or buying the kindle version of the books. One should also look into selling off their books after it has fulfilled its purpose. Instead of using notebooks one can type on one's laptop which will not only save money but will also help some trees. Make sure to look out for student discount while purchasing books. Try buying books from university shops and use your student card whilst purchasing.

• Commute: 

Student specific accommodations are often near universities which reduces your travelling expense by quite a lot. There are a lot of offers and discounts for students which will help you save money, so look out for those. Buying monthly travel passes will also save you some money. Cab fares are quite expensive in the UK, so buy yourself some great runners and take to walking. 

• Food: 

If the accommodation is non-catered, the student either chooses to eat out or cook himself. Eating out will always be costlier in comparison to cooking yourself. Learning to cook before leaving for university is always a smart choice. Basic groceries will cost one around £50 per week. A student should avoid splurging on food cravings. Restaurants can be classified as expensive, mid-range and inexpensive. A meal at a fancy restaurant is quite tricky in a student budget, a meal at a mid-range restaurant can be afforded once in a while by proper budgeting and meals at an inexpensive restaurant or franchises like McDonald’s is definitely affordable.

• Recreation: 

Exploring the new town you have moved in is all but a natural desire, but exploring impulsively without a set budget in mind may lead to monetary issues by the end of the month. Watching a movie or a play or enlisting clubs or gyms all require money, this additional expense needs to be carefully calculated into your monthly budget so as to not overspend. Some accommodations proffer facilities like an on-site gym, a swimming pool, a sauna, a gaming room, a cinema room, etc. which help students unwind, stay fit and have fun at no extra cost. Looking for accommodation with the aforementioned additional facilities are recommended for the gym and movie buffs who happen to religiously attend it. 

• Part-time Job:

Majority of the student population, especially international students choose to work. Working part-time is the only option while studying full-time in college. Working will not only make a student independent financially but also makes a person more responsible. A job is also a way to aid students in catering their monthly expenses. There are a lot of options for a student to work while studying. They can choose to work in the university they study at or choose to work in a private firm that employs students. The decision to work while studying cannot be taken lightly because this decision is bound to impact one's studies, classwork, assignments and exams. 

An engineer turned content writer, Sarah is a self-proclaimed bookworm. Armed with a keen sense of story and the gift of the gab, she works as a content writer at UniAcco. Her blogs consistently get a high viewership. Trying to ape her idol Rumi, Sarah is an ardent fan of philosophical works of literature. Apart from writing, she enjoys listening to music and prides herself for being able to make the perfect cup of coffee.