Going to college in Ireland is not cheap. Rent is through the roof, groceries cost much more than they did even three years ago, the price of a pint keeps climbing as does the cost of getting from A to B. And then, of course, there is the whole learning business which doesn’t come free either.

But we are here to help the students of Ireland stretch their budgets while still knocking a bit of craic out of their world.

[ Food on a student budget: our pick of the best dining-out deals for college studentsOpens in new window ]

1. Budgeting sounds like a boring way to begin, right? And we’re not going to lie, it is. But it is also key to living well on less. Work out how much money you need to spend each week divvying it up into categories including rent, bills, groceries, transport, fun and whatever else you think you might be likely to spend money on. Then tot up what money you have coming in. The picture might not always be pretty but one of the most important pieces of financial advice you will ever hear is to get it out of your head and on to a page. At least then you will know where you stand.
2. Have a clear sense of what your biggest outgoings are and see if there are any steps you can take to reduce them.
3. If you are living at home, relish it. It might seem a bit crap when your pals are having wild parties on random Tuesday nights in November without so much as a single mammy or daddy to tell them to keep it down but if you live at home you can still go to those parties and then go back to your warm bed without having to worry about the morning after clean-up or whether or not there will be milk in the fridge for your hangover soothing Crunchie Nut Cornflakes.
4. If you are renting, there is a good chance that is your single biggest outgoing. Whatever about the cost, it is important to know your rights and make sure you are not mistreated by your landlord — while many in that class are perfectly nice, there are rogues out there. There are also criminals and if you are in the market for a place to call home in the weeks ahead don’t be conned by them.
5. Cooking for yourself is not only a healthy option, it is also much cheaper than relying on super-processed ready meals or high-priced takeaways. Even if you are no culinary wonder, you should be able to make curries, chillies and pasta sauces without a bother. And doing a lot of cooking will make you a big hit within your friend group in the years ahead and give you a life skill that will be the making of you.
6. Being a savvy supermarket shopper is one of the keys to saving money as a student. We could fill this page — and quite a few more alongside it — with tips on how to make your money stretch further but we will distil our wisdom (such as it is) to just a few key points. Buy own-brand and shop just before supermarkets close when staff are frantically marking down the stock they can’t sell because it is passing its best-before (BB) or use-by date. Learn the difference between best before and use by. It is perfectly fine to eat products that have past their BB date — it is more of an advisory thing. Be wary of doing that with use-by dates — they are more of a health thing. Don’t shop hungry, make lists and buy ingredients that facilitate batch cooking. Don’t be conned by two-for-one deals on perishable products. There is no point in buying two bags of salad on a deal if you are going to bin one. In fact, as a student, there is probably no point in buying any bags of salad ever. You probably won’t eat it and if you are partial to the odd leaf, buy the constituent parts and make your salad from scratch. It will taste better and work out cheaper.
7. If you have a tiny ice box in your fridge, you will not be able to make much use of it but if you have a decent-sized freezer, take care of it and make sure to store leftovers and bread and the like in it.
8. Consider eating less meat. Now, we are not suggesting you give up meat entirely but meat is pricey and a vegetarian diet is a whole lot cheaper. And if you make judicious use of beans, pulses and vegetables you can be super healthy and super thrifty.
9. Don’t confine your shopping to big supermarkets. The price of rice or soy sauce in an Asian store can be dramatically less than in the shops you are more familiar with and you also get to open yourself up to new experiences too.
10. Don’t smoke or if you do, stop. One of the stupidest things Pricewatch ever did was smoke through its late teens, 20s and early 30s. Despite what we might have thought we did not look like James Dean and the financial consequences were ruinous. The health consequences weren’t great either. And the longer you smoke the harder it is to stop. If you smoke just 10 cigarettes a day, the habit will cost you just under €3,000 between now and next year. So make life easier, better, fresher smelling and more affordable by just saying no.
11. Focus on spend-nothing days. Spending money is a habit but it can be addressed. Resolve to spend nothing on one or two days every week. That means no incidental coffees or packets of chewing gum or canteen food or whatever. If you could cut your weekly budget by even €15 by following this approach, you’ll easily have an extra €500 by the time summer rolls around.
12. Do not get a credit card. There is no place in a student’s world for a credit card. Yes, the banks on your college campus might tempt you with one or you might convince yourself that you need one because you are an adult now but credit cards are, frankly, ridiculous for anyone who doesn’t have a steady income they can use to pay it off each month. The rates of interest charged by card providers are scandalous, the ease with which you can fall behind on your payments is terrifying and the consequences of saddling yourself with unnecessary debt at such a young age are horrendous. Don’t be fooled by the promise of affordable minimum monthly repayments either. If you have a €3,000 credit card debt by the time you are 21 and only pay off the minimum your bank asks you to pay each month and never use the card again you will be well into your 40s by the time the debt is cleared.
13. When Pricewatch was a lad, no students drove. The idea of someone having a car was just so outlandish that it was never up for discussion. Things have changed and college car parks are full of cars parked by students rather than teachers. Now we’re not entirely antediluvian but we think that was a good thing. Cars are expensive and bad for the planet. But, for this page, the expense is of most concern. Don’t drive, cycle. It is much, much cheaper, better for you, more reliable and far more pleasant. You won’t get rained on that much and if you buy a decent lock and a rubbish (looking) bike it is unlikely to be a magnet for bike thieves.
14. Make sure you are not paying over the odds for your mobile phone. Ideally, you won’t have a contract and will be on a pay-as-you-go model. It always works out much cheaper and there will be companies falling over themselves to offer you deals in the weeks and months ahead.
15. Consider taking out gadget insurance. Yes, it is an expense but good gadget insurance can save you from a world of financial heartache if you drop your phone into a pint of Buckfast (warning, that may not be covered under any policy) or have your laptop smashed. Devices might be covered under any household insurance policy you have (and you might want to look into contents insurance too) but check the terms and conditions carefully.
16. When it comes to clothes, charity shops are your friend. Not only is it better for your pocket but it is better for the planet too. And if you develop a keen eye, it gives you a unique style that can’t be got by shopping in the big shops whose names we all know. And don’t confine your fashion adventures to physical shops. The likes of eBay and other second-hand platforms are a great way of sourcing particular labels for a lot less
17. You will have a student card, obviously, and that will help you cut some deals when you are out and about but don’t just rely on it. Check your local cinema to see what offers it has, join your local (non-college) library and learn how to haggle. When you start out asking for deals it can be excruciatingly embarrassing — we know, we have been that soldier — but bringing a bit of chutzpah to your consuming life can work out to your benefit in the long run.
18. When shopping online take. your time about it. Fill the basket with the things you like and then leave it at that. On occasion, a company will come back to you and incentivise you “proceed to check out” with the promise of a discount. It might not happen or the discount might be small but it is always worth giving it a whirl. And by slowing down your online shopping, there is a pretty good chance that you will conclude that at least some of the stuff in your trolley is unnecessary.
19. While the whole buy-now-pay-later thing appears wonderful when cash is tight, it is a terrible idea. Of course, it is nice to walk out of a shop with a new coat or set of earbuds without having to hand over your monthly food allowance for the privilege, you will have to pay for the goods eventually. If you can’t afford something there and then, ask some really hard questions as to whether or not you need it.
20. Join all the loyalty schemes that are offered to you and scour the internet for discount codes before you shop.
21. At the risk of sounding super uncool and old-fashioned, have you thought about bringing a packed lunch to school with you? No? Well, hear us out. If you did that for just three days a week you would handily save yourself €15. Excluding Christmas, there are 34 weeks left until next summer starts so being a little prepared when it comes to eating lunch — and please, please do eat lunch — you will save yourself a not too shabby €510.
22. Buy yourself a decent water bottle. And look after it. It will be good for your wallet and your general health.
23. If you find yourself in need of medications — over-the-counter ones — always ask for the generic options. Everything from ibuprofen and paracetamol to allergy medicines are much cheaper than brand names and do exactly the same thing.
24. A quick look at the byline picture at the top of this page will tell you Pricewatch is not an expert when it comes to hair care. But we have been reliably informed that one way to save money on haircuts and the like is to seek out the training salons and volunteer your head to be used by trainees. You might not get exactly the haircut you want but it will be cheap, or free, and what’s the worst that can happen?
25. If you have to pay energy bills be careful how you use it. Don’t heat or light rooms you are not in, turn the thermostat down, stick on a jumper and make judicious use of hot water bottles and electric blankets. We are not suggesting you live in some class of Dickensian misery but you are you and active and you don’t need to heat your house as much as us old folk do.
26. Look at ways to earn a few bob. You are studying so you won’t want to be working full-time. But if you can, offer grinds or a dog-sitting service. It won’t make you rich but as the saying you may or may not have heard of, every little helps.
27. When it comes to textbooks, do what you can to avoid buying new ones. The college library is a valuable resource that will save you money — obviously — but notice boards offering second-hand books for sale will be your friend as will online platforms. It is also worth keeping an eye out in the charity shops near your college.
28. Make sure you are not paying for any subscriptions or services that you don’t use. And if you have signed up for any free trials – another good way to save a few bob — make sure to cancel them before you have to pay any money.
29. Join the best-organised club or society in your college. It will have the biggest budget, the most regular parties — with food and alcohol — and you’ll get to meet a whole bunch of potentially nice folk.
30. If you’re looking for freebies, get on the mailing list of every gallery in your city. There will be openings and at those events, there will be wine and maybe cubes of cheddar cheese on sticks and the odd sausage roll. Do not, however, do the dog on it. As a young student lorrying into the wine you will stick out, so be subtle about it.