
6 Tips to Help Students Save Money
Going back to, or starting university is always expensive and the number of students going each year is rising. To help you to tackle the cost, here are some tips for financing your studies and to help you kick start your university year.
Renting Out Your AccommodationTo help fund your studies, you can also rent out a room using Roomlala. You could, for instance, sub-let your apartment on weekends, or when you’re away. School holidays can also be an excellent time to sub-let your accommodation and easily earn some extra cash, but be careful! Remember that you need to get permission from the landlord before you sub-let a room out to someone else. Our article Rent out your Place when on Holiday gives a quick insight into the best way to do it.
Finding Cheap AccommodationIf your budget is tight, you could always look for cheaper accommodation solutions than traditional rentals. For instance, on Roomlala you can find ads for flat and houseshares or even accommodation in exchange for services, which is an excellent means of saving money on a daily basis in return for doing odd jobs for your landlord. You still end up with a lot of time to study, but you benefit form a really cheap room.
Swapping and SharingHave you ever thought of swapping or sharing? With the development of the sharing economy, you will easily be able to find people near you who are willing to swap or share stuff with you, through local exchange platforms. Be it a swap forever, or just a short term loan, you’ll definitely save money this way- why buy something that you only need for a day, when you can borrow it for a fraction of the cost!
Easily Find a Little JobTo fund your studies and nights out, you could also look for a part-time job on the side. The same tips apply as those that you can find in our article Finding a Summer Job. The article lays out tips for taking that first step into the world of employment and gives advice on the best ways to proceed. A small job shouldn’t take up too much of your time, but it will give you a bit of financial breathing room.
ScholarshipsMost universities, both in the UK and the US, offer a large number of scholarships, either based on merit or on financial need. If you’re struggling to make ends meet whilst competing your degree, it’s definitely worth taking a look at what scholarships and grants are on offer at your university. A lot of universities also offer scholarships for foreign students, so don’t forget to check them out if you’re coming from abroad.
CrowdfundingIn recent years, crowdfunding has become a major trend across the world, and it can also be used as a means of funding your university education. Many platforms have popped up, where you can create your funding campaign and other members of the community, as well as people with whom you share the link, can help you cover the cost of your studies by donating some money. These communities are very interactive and you could in turn participate by helping out another student.
Author: Roomlala

Where to live in London: A guide
When planning on moving to the Big Smoke, or simply deciding to move to a new area, it can be difficult to figure out where to live in London as the huge amount of choice can be overwhelming, especially if you don’t know the city very well. Whether you’re looking for accommodation in East London, West London, North or South, there’s something for everyone. Students With universities all around the city, students in London are all spread out, just like student housing in London is too. Stud...

House rules to roommate agreements: A guide to life as a flatmate
Whether moving in with people you already know or with complete strangers, flatmate life can be a great experience, but also sometimes a messy one if you’re not careful as living in close quarters can often lead to the odd argument. However, if you follow our tips, you’ll be living in harmony. Set house rules By setting house rules right at the beginning, everyone is on the same page from day one regarding what is expected of themselves and each other. These can include who does which chor...

Buying rental property: How the buy to let scheme works
Buying rental property can be a great investment but, it can also be daunting if you don’t know where to start. The buy to let scheme offers mortgages to people who want to buy a house or flat in order to rent it out. These mortgages are slightly different to normal ones, and often have different requirements and rules. However, like normal mortgages, the buy-to-let scheme lets you buy a property without having to save up to pay it all at once. What’s the difference between a buy-to-let (BTL)...

What to include in your house viewing checklist
If you’re looking for a room, house or flat, it’s likely that you’ll want to go see the property before you sign the rental contract. This might be daunting, especially if it’ll be the first time you’ve gone to a viewing, which is why we’ve created this house viewing checklist to ensure you know everything you need to ask and look for. Things to look out for Potentially the most important part of this house viewing checklist, the things you see (and often hear) can be the biggest tell-tale...