With a new year underway, let’s get planning for the next 12 months. That means discussing money management for college students! There are temptations to spend at every corner, so keeping a healthy bank balance is not easy. But making smarter financial decisions will help in the long run. I’ve gathered some tips for living on a student budget in Dublin, so you can spend more wisely in 2024!

Cooking and socialising

Cook with flatmates. It’s easier (and cheaper) to buy ingredients in bulk. If you come together as a house to plan meals, shop, and cook together, you will all save down the track. This has the added benefit of helping you to bond with the people you live with if you are new to Dublin. One fun way to do this is share recipes from your family or home country. This will make the occasion more sociable and fun, and you’ll all learn about each other!

Research cheap recipes. Cooking can be easy and still use cheap ingredients. You just need the right inspiration! A vegetarian/vegan diet can be cheaper than eating meat, and swapping out junk foods such as crisps for healthier alternatives such as nuts, while more expensive in the short term, is more filling and so you save on snacking. The subreddit r/MealPrep is a great resource for recipes, as is the Lifestyle section of the RTÉ website.

Shop smarter. Be savvy about your groceries – Lidl and Aldi are often cheaper than other shops, and the likes of Boots and EuroGiant are good for affordable toiletries. Additionally, make a list of groceries you need before you shop, so you will only buy what is necessary. For more on groceries in Dublin, read this guide to supermarket shopping in the city.

Skip the takeways. Avoid the temptations of buying food and coffee in town, or on getting takeaways instead of cooking; bring in packed lunches or use the subsidised canteens on campus such as the Buttery in Front Square or the SU Cafe in the Goldsmith. That coffee and pastry may taste delicious at the time, but it will all add up over the course of a degree!

Have an appetite for society events. Forgive the pun, but it can really pay to keep updated with society events – the ones that offer free food at least! For example, Qsoc (Trinity’s LGBTQ+ society) have weekly coffee hours, while the Trinity Chaplaincy has an endless supply of tea, coffee, and biscuits as well as free soup on Tuesdays. Browse the list of 120 societies at Trinity and reach out to them on Instagram or Twitter to learn more.

Travel and transport

Get a Student Leap Card. This is a big saver for getting around the city. This pass gives you discounted travel rates instead of buying a new ticket each journey. You can get a card in House 6, Front Square on the Trinity campus. Register the card too, so you can replace it if you lost it. Then download the phone app for quick and easy top-ups and ticket purchases. The Leap Card also gives you deals in a range of shops in the city centre and beyond.

Cycle your way to savings. While it may be a significant outlay upfront, buying a bike can save you hundreds (and keep you fighting fit while you’re at it!) You can find a bike across a range of prices in reputable bike stores such as Cycleways, with many also offering student discounts, or you can keep an eye on sites such as Adverts.ie. Alternatively, you can use you Leap Card to join the Dublin Bike scheme, renting bikes on a daily or annual basis.

Travel Ireland on the cheap. Want to travel around Ireland without spending too much? Join the International Students’ Society and go on discounted tours with fellow students! They organise trips to every corner of Ireland, making this a great way to see more of the country while also meeting and getting to know your fellow travel enthusiasts.

Shopping

Thrift, thrift, thrift. Generations of student have explored charity shops and flea markets in Dublin to discover amazing bargains! From books to hats to tables and everything in between, you never know what amazing deals you can find. There are many thrift shops on George’s Street, Thomas Street, and a large Oxfam Home store on Francis Street.

Don’t ask, don’t get. Don’t be shy – ask for student discounts everywhere! Many cafes, restaurants, hair salons, book shops, and clothes stores offer student discounts but aren’t obliged to tell you that, so it is always worth asking at the checkout before paying.

Be smart about buying books. Do you need brand new textbooks for each module? The Trinity library will often have multiple copies of books which you can borrow for up to seven weeks. For second-hand books, go to the sale organised by the Students’ Union each semester, or to Chapters on Parnell Street. Also, keep an eye out for ads posted on the walls of some campus buildings and the main Trinity noticeboard from students selling books.

Making money

Getting a part-time job. Although the academic workload at Trinity is challenging, many students get a part-time job to support themselves. For international students at Trinity, a student visa, entitles you to work for up to 20 hours a week while in Ireland. Indeed, Jobs.ie are both good options to look for part-time work, as is the Students’ Union job list. There are also many job opportunities on campus such as working at the SU café/shop, the Library, or as a student caller with the Alumni Office.

Working more casually. If you can’t commit the time to a part-time job, there are still ways to make a few extra euros. For example, you can join science experiments on campus that require student participants. These tests have little to no risk and can be a good way to earn an easy €5 for 30 minutes’ participation. There are also casual job options such as mystery shopping, pet-sitting, language teaching or even tutoring in your subject.

Get a small loan. If you have trouble making ends meet, students can borrow up to €100 with flexible repayment plans directly from the Students’ Union financial assistance services.

Trinity offers a lot of support and advice on personal finance for students. For more information, check out undergraduate financial assistance or financial supports for postgraduates is on offer.