With all the quarantines and lockdowns caused by the pandemic, along with too much browsing on Dramacool, many schools in the UK were required to transition into virtual learning. However, things are looking up as you may be able to return to regular in-person classes by autumn 2021. Without a doubt, nothing beats the experience of going to school physically and having face-to-face interactions with your classmates and professors.
Given that London has one of the most renowned educational systems, it comes as no surprise that many would want to study there. However, it is also extra challenging to work out your expenses since London has some of the highest living costs in the UK. Budgeting can be a common problem for university students, but it is certainly not an impossible task.
Here are some tips to help you get through your studies and to manage your finances for accommodation. Things like finding a student storage in London might not cross your mind initially, but after going through this list, you might learn new ways to save on your living costs.
Find People to Live With
One of the most common ways students save on accommodation is by living with other people. Depending on how large your group is, you can rent a bigger home and split your rent and utilities. Living with housemates is perhaps the quickest and easiest way to cut down on your expenses. Accommodations in London can quickly get pricey, so having people share the cost with you can make a huge difference.
That said, it is important to think carefully about who you want to live with before you sign any lease or commit to any property. It will be best to find friends you are comfortable with and people you can trust, so that you can come up with a mutual agreement on your living arrangements.
Split Costs
If you live with housemates, you can cut accommodation expenses further by splitting costs other than rent and utilities. It would be cheaper to get larger packages most of the time so that you can pay less for your share. For example, you can save more from services like Netflix or Amazon Prime if you choose subscription plans for more people and divide the costs amongst yourselves. Even while buying groceries you can split the cost of the payment made from using your Sodexo card.
You can also split costs into many other things, whether it be groceries or whatnot. The exact details will depend on what you and your housemates agree on or how you all live together, so you can take the time to plan and discuss this.
Choose the Right Location
London may be known as an expensive city, but the exact location you live in will still affect your costs. Naturally, you want to stay as close to your campus as possible since it can be time consuming having to travel far to get to your classes. Depending on where you will be studying, rentals might be slightly higher near your campus, but you also have to consider how much more you need to spend for commutes or travels if you lived farther.
Aside from this, you also have to consider other factors like your accessibility to nearby facilities like supermarkets, hospitals, restaurants, and the like. Having these places near you can also help you save time, money, and effort when going about your daily activities.
Summer Rent
Arranging your living arrangements for the summer can be a dilemma. But you can conveniently
cut down on costs if you ask your lessor for a summer rent, which is essentially a reduced rental cost during the summer. Some are willing to go as low as half the price as students usually do not occupy the space at this time.
Ultimately, you will still have to spend on rent even if you go back home, but paying less rent while you are away is a good compromise. While looking for your accommodations, make sure to ask your landlord about this from the start to know if you can save more during the summer.
Get Cheap Storage
Moving your things from one place to another during your breaks can be a major hassle, so investing in a student storage in London will be a huge life-saver during your time in university. Self-storage is a convenient solution to having to bring all your things home during the break if you have yet to decide where to live on the next term.
By renting a reliable storage unit, you can save money by renting a smaller space or not renting at all during the holidays while still keeping your belongings safe. Working with a reliable storage company like Access Box Storage can also take the stress off your shoulders since you no longer have to go through the tedious task of packing. Whenever you need to store your things, you can schedule a pick-up date. Similarly, if you need them back, you can schedule a delivery date.
Marcus Johnson
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