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By Gemma Audus, second-year Graphic Design student

One of my biggest concerns when I was starting university was whether I could afford it, so I was keen to save as much money as possible. Over the past two years I’ve found many ways to save money as a student at Falmouth. Here are my top tips for an affordable uni experience:

1. Plan your meals

There are several ways this will save you money. Firstly, it will mean you only buy food you are going to eat, eliminating waste. Secondly, it means you will go food shopping with a list so you are less likely to make random expensive purchases. And most importantly, you are less likely to succumb to takeaway temptation if you already know what you are going to cook and have the ingredients in the fridge. To do this, decide what you are going to have for dinner each night for the next few days. Then write a list of all the ingredients for those meals you do not already have in the house. Then add food for breakfast, lunch and snacks, and get it all in one trip.

2. Find simple recipes

Nosh cookbooks are great for this. They even include meal plans and shopping lists! Alternatively search online for great value dishes.

3. Get a reusable bottle

Carry a drink in a reusable water bottle and snacks wherever you go. This prevents you from having to buy bottled water and expensive ready-to-eat food on the go. It also helps save the planet, as preprepared food is often heavily packaged.

4. Buy second hand

Falmouth has many second-hand stores. My favourite is Pants, a huge charity shop in a warehouse on the Ponsharden industrial estate (near McDonalds). It is easy to get there as the U1, U2, U3 and U4 buses all stop very nearby. Dig’n’Delve on Swanpool street also deserve a special mention, as in there you can buy wetsuits from as little as £10.

5. Find free activities

Spend your weekends doing free activities. There are so many things to do in Falmouth that are free. You could go for a walk along our coastal path, pick apples for a crumble in our on-campus orchard, take a dip in the sea or visit one of our amazing art galleries.

6. Join a society

Many of Falmouth’s societies involve very little cost. Some have a membership fee of only £1 to £5 and after that most activities are free. You to have fun and meet people for very little cost.

7. Only buy essentials

When preparing for the big move, only buy the things you really need. You won’t use fancy kitchen gadgets or lots of crockery. Try asking parents and other family members if they have any spare household items they don’t need – like mugs or towels.

8. Get discounted travel

The 16-25 railcard is only £30 and it will get you 1/3 off train tickets for a year. This could give you a huge saving if you are studying far from home or if you're planning on travelling regularly. The First Bus app allows you to buy cheaper bus tickets or a monthly pass, which will save you money if you’re going to be travelling most days.