Going to university is an expensive step, and it is important that you save up as much as you can before you go. But make sure that fresher’s week takes all that hard saved money off you. If you take on some of the handy tips detailed below, you will have more spare cash to spend on the important things at university, beer.

Over the three or four years you spend at university, investing in road bikes could save you hundreds or more. Travelling by bike is much much much cheaper than using a bus or taking your own car, and daily exercise means you don’t need to pay for membership at an overpriced gym. With annual gym passes ranging between £200 and £400 and bus fares ever growing, your bike will pay for itself in no time.

Cooking is low on our list of priorities when we are at university, often having better things to do. But buying food everyday for your lunch and dinner, having regular takeaways or going out a lot will cost you more money than your student loan gives you. But buying a recipe book with quick and simple meals, purchasing the food for this at the beginning of the week and sharing meals will save you loads of money and help to get to know your flat mates a bit better.

There are some people at university who everyone knows for all the wrong reasons and it is normally their hygiene habits. If you buy washing powder in bulk or share the price with a flat mate, it doesn’t have to be so expensive. What I would suggest is to avoid tumble dryers if you can, as they can cost between 50p and £1 a time, adding up to a few pints worth over time, so take a clothes horse to university and dry your clothes for free.

If you follow this advice, you could have hundreds of pounds a year and get fitter, so there is no excuse not to, however I will forgive you if you plump for a take away after a heavy night out.