Hi I'm going top be doing a masters at Manchester this year. I'm not very good at saving money. I got out of my habit of shopping sprees a while ago but I still buy expensive food because I don't like a lot. I was wondering if anyone got any advice on saving money as I won't have much to live once the fees and accommodation are paid.

College is such a serious expense but the time will be worth it. If you need to travel by bus/train daily buy a monthly/yearly pass - it'll save you a hell of a lot in travel and makes it a lot easier to avoid taxis when you've pre paid your travel. Also if you're cooking do as much as possible and you can get the following day lunch/din from it plus freeze the remainder and you can use it again. V. Martha Stewart of me I know!

Seven 20p tins of baked beans plus a 60p loaf of bread = lunch every day for £2 a week.

That's what I was reduced to when I was an undergraduate, I can't say I never gave in to temptation and bought a sandwich now and then, but it made a big difference to my wallet.

walk to uni, or go by bike, instead of taking the bus. that can save you lots of money, and it keeps you fit. even if it means a 45 minutes walk each way; you get to uni awake and ready, and in the evening you have time to turn off.
use f.e. skype for phone calls. it's free. you don't need a landline.
if you do buy more expensive food, buy little at a time. go shopping for one item every day, don't do all the shopping once a week and watch half the things go off before you get around to eating them. plan your meals. being on my own, i find getting the smaller, often organic, and theoretically more expensive packs of stuff to be cheaper on the long run, because why should i spend 50p for a large pack of which i will only eat half before it goes off, when i can pay 40p for a much smaller pack (meaning, it's overall more expensive), but will eat all of it? sometimes a solution which is initially more expensive will save you lots of money in the long run. do the sums carefully.

Avoid buying lunch, always make something yourself. Avoid eating out, always try to cook.

I admit I spend a lot on my food shopping but then again I don't drink and go out a lot so I have more money to spend.

Hi, check out some of the cheap budget supermarkets - Aldi, Lidl, Nettos - they are basic so don't expect anything too exotic, but they do a good line in fresh veg, fresh and cured meats, dried pastas and sauces and frozen food. Buy a little and often of fresh stuff, as you need it. Stock up on tinned and storecupboard ingredients and get creative with your cooking when you're not studying...ready meals cost a lot more than meals that you prepare for yourself and are often nowhere near as nice!

I just realised I wrote expenives instead of expenses...that doesn't make me look stupid at all...

Thanks for the advise SuzanneWilliams, I do shop at aldi sometimes. As for cooking from scratch, I hate cooking and rarely have the time for it but I have got to the point where I'll have to cut down on the amount of money I spend on food. So I've decided to live on really cheap basic doesn't taste as good stuff.

I am a take-away fiend. Unfortunately. :S I just love curry! :D

So yeah, theyre expensive. Don't fall into the trap of "Oh Im just too tired to cook!" and order a minging pizza in too much.

If it's The University of Manchester you'll be at (rather than the Met) on the days when you really must buy lunch out instead of making something at home, avoid the main refectory (the one on Oxford Road near the library).

It is way too expensive, and you can get a 'sub of the day' for £2 from Subway which is just down the road!

Yes it's the uni of Manchester. I always avoid the refractory after getting food poisoning from there. It is very expensive and the food taste like crap!

Cooking can be as easy as boiling a pot of water and having some lovely rice or pasta. Sauces that you can stir in are not that expensive, and if you add a bit of meat, like low fat beef or chicken, you have a quick, healthy meal that is not expensive. It takes as long as it takes to cook the rice or pasta, which depending on your variety, is 10-20 minutes perhaps. Everyone has 10-20 minutes to spare, why, that is much quicker than getting a pizza delivered!!!

I don't order food. I know how to cook that and other basics but I don't eat pasta and don't always feel like eating noodles and it still costs especially with the inflation. Even shopping at Alda isn't cheap anymore.

You know what worries me (a bit)? You can buy in daal and rice and spuds, which are all cheap, but you have to boil them for ages and then your electric bill is sky high. How to get round that one?

Invest in a pressure cooker I always good lentils in the pressure cooker (and beans). Definitely reduces cooking time by loads!

i always cook my potatoes in the microwave. 5 minutes each side and they're done. taste better than boiled too.