Caitríona Redmond: Your store cupboard essentials and discounts for students starting college

If you're living away from home, now is the time to think about how you're going to manage your food budget. 

THE CAO offers landed last week, just a few days after the Leaving Cert results, and this week tens of thousands of students will be planning their first forays into college and potentially living away from home.

Whether heading to digs, campus accommodation, or shared houses, or even with a long commute, the next few years will be expensive.

I returned to college as a mature student three years ago. Plus, as I’ve recently started a new college course, you might find some of my advice helpful. I’m happy to share some of my tried-and-tested tips for students, young and old alike.

First thing first, as soon as you have completed registration at your college, you should get your student ID card. That is the magic pass to discounts and, importantly, a Student Leap Card.

That card will entitle you to half-price fares for single journeys on the Transport for Ireland network, and these include Bus Éireann, Dublin Bus, Irish Rail, Go Ahead, Luas, Local Link services, and quite a range of commercial bus operators.

You can no longer go straight to a shop or office on campus to collect your Student Leap Card. Instead, you must order a Student Leap Card online and then collect it on campus. You’ll have to provide supporting documentation and a deposit, and a confirmation may take up to five working days.

Next, your student ID card is also one that can be used to get student discounts. You can show your ID at retailers that advertise a student discount to get discounts ranging from 5% to 15%. Sometimes restaurants will offer you a free drink; just keep an eye out for notices in store.

You can also use your card to register on a universal app called UniDays. As a student, I’ve not used it all that much, but perhaps that’s because I’m not in the typical student age range. Notable discounts include 10% off Nike and 15% off Disney+.

You might need technology for your course, and before you install any new apps, you should hold off because your college may offer use of certain technologies for free.

However, other technologies and apps do offer student discounts, and they come in very handy. For example, Amazon offers a six-month free trial, with 5% cash back on certain items, and half price for quite a while after the six months expires. 

There are student rates or offers for a wide range of items, from new MacBooks at the Apple Store to discounted Microsoft and Adobe subscriptions. Before you sign up for full-cost subscriptions or offers, make sure you ask about a student discount.

When it comes to managing your food budget, the very best way to stay on track when in college is to take your lunch with you. Many student unions offer large spaces to sit and eat together. Don’t forget to bring your water bottle because all colleges have refillable water stations, and these will save you a fortune.

If you’re living away from home, now is the time to think about how you’re going to manage your food budget. Club together with your housemates/hall mates to figure out what you would like to eat for the week. 

There are economies to be made in bulk buying, so figure out what you all would like to eat, then go shopping together. Perhaps even trade cookery skills for another skill from a handy housemate! Does one of you like ironing or washing up more?

Start by going shopping at home with the person who does the shopping normally. Ask them if you can help and participate at home. Don’t be afraid to ask them for advice.

Next, take your money out before you go to the shops, set a budget, and only spend the cash you have with you. It’s easy to spend more when you’re using a card and not to track what you’re spending.

Finally, don’t forget to bring a bag to carry your shopping home in! Backpacks can hold quite a bit of shopping, so invest in a decent one.

Store cupboard staples

If you have these store cupboard ingredients in stock, you’ll never go hungry:

• Rice
• Pasta
• Dried noodles
• Tins of beans
• Stock cubes
• Dried spices
• Oil to cook with
• Salt and pepper

Importantly, don’t forget to keep an emergency fund or ‘knocko’ for all eventualities, along with enough credit on your mobile phone. You never know what that emergency may be, and it’s good to have a fall-back figure if something breaks or you need to pay for a prescription.

In good news though, many colleges have a subsidised GP available on or close to campus, and this can definitely help with the cost of healthcare.

My final advice to students, regardless of their budget, is to find your tribe. Whether it’s D&D or swimming, theatre or robotics, there are plenty of clubs and organisations to join in all colleges. 

Finding friends with common interests can be the difference between a good college experience and a great one. As a group, you will support one another in the tough times and celebrate successes together.

REDMOND RECOMMENDS

Now is the time to organise your boiler service before the weather gets cold. There’s several reasons why you should do this.

Servicing a boiler will help it run more efficiently, and this should give you a marginal fuel saving. It’ll also make sure any emissions are kept to a minimum and this will help the air quality in your area.

While the service engineer is there, make sure to bleed all the radiators and make sure they are operating at the right level, with no cold spots. This will also save you money. 

You can find a local registered engineer on rgi.ie.