Money: Top tips for living on a student budget

Entertainment is a luxury, but it’s also a necessity during your college life. You’ll definitely have to while away some hours in the library now and again, but you’ll also need to have the craic, blow off some steam, make new friends and have a lot of fun. And unlike your actual education, it doesn’t have to cost you the earth.

Here’s some advice from people in the know about how to have the best of times, with the smallest of euro.

1) Check in with your Students’ Union

Every year people who promise the sun, moon and stars are elected to run the students’ union. They make sure that your needs are being met and that you’re getting the most from your college life. They usually do a brilliant job and none more so than the Entertainments Officer who upon election becomes the student body’s most desired friend.

The ‘Ents’ Officer and their crew will run a whole host of alcoholic and non-alcoholic events throughout the year, from comedy gigs, DJs, headline acts and quizzes, to random yet comforting things such as cookery demonstrations and petting zoos. A lot of these events will either be free or reasonably cheap so keep an eye on what your union is doing through their website, social media or by calling into their offices, and reap the rewards accordingly.

The events team will also advise you of how to get a cheap day or night off campus too so don’t be afraid to drop them a line and they’ll try find the best deal for you.

2) Get online

Get on social media and get the inside track on special nights, free tickets and discounts given by everybody from club promoters to bowling alleys. Some SUs such as UCD have specially developed apps that work a bit like deal sites where you can check out special offers for activities happening on campus or around town that day, paying just a fraction of the normal cost.

3) Form a pack

Groups are much kinder on the pocket than just heading out in ones or twos. With a group of 10 you can contact a club or venue in advance and use your bargaining power to pay either a reduced cover charge or none at all. Some really nice ones might even throw in a bottle of bubbly free. Competition is tight among all venues and they’d prefer to get bodies in the door than have none at all, so use that to your advantage.

4) Get on the Party Bus

There may be a Party Bus (or equivalent) lurking somewhere at the edge of campus. If there is, find it. It’s usually driven by a good natured chap who will pick you up and drop you back from town to campus for €10, making it cheaper than a taxi and giving you an excellent opportunity for the best of banter with people from all sorts of academic backgrounds. The Party Bus, where arts meets science.

5) Fill every seat of the taxi

If you do have to get a taxi, make sure it’s full and don’t be afraid to haggle over the cost before the journey starts. You should also try to use a firm that your SU has struck a deal with as that will get you even more money off your fare. If you’re ever really stuck and have no money to get home, some SUs such as UCC have a system whereby you can leave your student card with the taxi driver and the SU will then pay your fare for you the following day. This is in extreme cases only; nobody likes a sponger!

6) Get in early

And avoid queues and a cover charge. If you haven’t manged to assemble a group, don’t worry. Some venues offer free entry and/or a free drink before a certain time so keep an eye out on social media or the students’ union for these.

7) Join a club or society

This is probably the cheapest way to have a great time and make lifelong friends. There are over 100 clubs or societies on most large campuses, to suit everyone from sports fanatics to those who want to talk about their love of tea. Membership can range from free to up to €15 or more if it’s a more adventure club such as surfing. With your membership fee many clubs or societies can afford to subsidise trips away that would otherwise be unaffordable. A whole weekend of food, accommodation and kayaking for €40? A London trip to the Harry Potter studio that doesn’t cost the earth? Yes please.

8) But maybe join more than one….

We can’t emphasise this enough. Clubs and societies are great. For your €2 membership you could get free breakfast with the debaters, free pizza with the film club, work it all off with a dance class before finishing the day off with a night cap compliments of the French society. And that can happen every week. The world, or indeed campus, is your oyster. You’ll pick up a whole host of new skills, and find a great bunch of buddies to split that taxi with.

Hints and tips from:

Adam Finn, entertainments officer, UCC

Paul Kilgallon - entertainment and event manager, UCD

Eric Lawless, vice president for clubs, societies and student engagement, Maynooth University