Where to Splurge and Save on Back To Uni Essentials: A Student Guide

Starting university or heading back for the next year can seem exciting yet costly, but knowing where to splurge and where to save on essentials can make a big difference. 

This blog will guide you through making the best financial decisions for your return to campus life.

 We’ll cover strategies for budgeting effectively, highlight key areas where investing in quality pays off, and suggest ways to find savings on other necessary items.

 

Budgeting on Back To Uni Essentials

While everything might seem tempting when you are starting university for the first time, it can quickly add up to a huge amount if you were to buy all of it. This is why it is important to create a detailed budget on how much you are comfortable spending on it and then curate a list that best works for you. 

Student Discounts on Back To Uni Essentials 

Regardless of if you are a new or returning student, do not forget to make full use of the student discounts that are available to you when shopping for back-to-uni essentials. 

There are several apps like UniDays and StudentBeans that offer competitive discounts to help you navigate your finances better during your time as a student. 

Read this article on 52 Best Student Discounts and Deals to help you get started. 

Back To Uni Essentials to Splurge On

Bedding 

This is one of the best investments that you can make when you are shopping for uni essentials. The quality of your bedding can directly impact your sleep and rest and thereby your performance with everything else. 

So be sure to consider different options and decide which one works best for you and we certainly recommend that you splurge on this!

Laptops

This might be one of the most important things that you bring with you to university, hence we think this is worth the splurge.

 However, it doesn’t mean that it has to be the most expensive laptop on the market for it to be good. It all comes down to what you will be using it for. If you are studying computer science or a course that requires you to code, then you should probably look for a laptop that suits those needs as opposed to the trendiest ones as they might not be the right fit for you.

Textbooks and Study Resources

If your university has textbooks that you need for the coursework, then this is definitely something that is worth investing in. Yet again, this doesn’t mean that you need to get brand new books for each of your subjects but rather find one that is of good quality even if it is second-hand. 

Even if there are digital resources available, then you should consider investing in them as all of this contributes to your understanding of the subject you are learning and hence your performance, and it is always worth splurging on that! 

Kitchen Appliances

While you don’t have to worry too much about the utensils that you get to university as long as they are compatible with your stove, you do need to be concerned about the appliances you bring. 

It is important to make sure that you purchase good quality appliances like a kettle, air fryers and blenders as you will likely be using them a lot plus you wouldn’t want anything to be a fire hazard at your student accommodation either.

Similar to the bedding, kitchen appliances that you use often are long-term investments that are worth splurging on! 

Back To Uni Essentials to Save on 

Tablets 

Another common back-to-uni essential that we see students look into is tablets and iPads for notetaking. While this is not a bad option if you can see valid reasons behind it, in most cases you will probably not need a tablet if you already have a laptop unless you work in design or similar fields.

Stationary 

We know how tempting it is to invest in cute books and other stationary items, but if you are on a student budget, this is definitely something that you can save on. Since universities have gone all digital, there is not much of a need to carry books in hand unless that is the method of notetaking that you prefer. 

And if you would still like cute stationary, then you can consider purchasing them from discount stores like Home Bargains and One Below to get the best of both worlds.

Room Decor

It is really important to make sure that your room in your student accommodation feels like home since you will be coming back to the same place every day. 

So decorating it is always a great choice however, you don’t need to spend a great sum of it as they might or might not be reusable once you move out.

You can consider purchasing decor at discount stores or even buy them from second-hand shops so you can save some money while still making your room feel homey. 

Clothing

We all get the urge to reinvent ourselves each year and you would have likely wanted to purchase yourself a whole new set of clothes. 

While the spirit to start new and fresh is amazing, it is not necessary that you spend a lot of money to do this. You can arrange cloth swaps with people you know, upcycle the clothes you have or purchase stuff from charity shops to help you save money and be more sustainable. 

Read this blog on How To Be A Sustainable Yet Fashionable University Student On A Budget to get some inspo. 

We hope you found this blog on Where to Splurge and Save on Back To Uni Essentials: A Student Guide helpful.

Follow us on Instagram @essentialstudentliving let us know what you think are worth splurging on.

If you are looking for student accommodation for the next year, you are in the right place. Visit our Essential Student Living website and browse through the range of properties that cater to every budget.

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