How to survive Christmas on a student budget? (Updated 2018)

  Dec 14, 2017       No Comments   

Christmas is always a stressful time of the year! And even more so on a student budget. With exams and hand-ins over December the stress can definitely build up – and the last thing you want is added worry about buying your nearest and dearest presents. There are so many festivities to get involved with, and you don’t want to miss out on any! We don’t want you to fall short on the activities either, which is why we have created this list to help you stay festive on a budget!

Budget

Make sure you know your budget. Plan ahead and know your spending limit. Don’t go too OTT as your friends and family know that this time of your life is difficult and so they probably don’t expect you to go overboard. And remember, there are plenty gifts you can easily make yourself. If you’re doing a secret santa in your student flat then don’t be afraid to get creative and make something like a scrapbook from the many memories you have together.

Make a list

Make a list of the people you want to buy presents for. Before you go shopping, write down what you want to buy for them. Then when you do go shopping you won’t be swayed by anything you see in the shops. Allowing you to keep within budget.

Be smart about your gifts

When buying for people who are in relationships, why not buy a couple’s gift. This will save you money and also will be a great thought/gesture. For your friends, why not suggest doing a secret Santa? This will cut the costs down significantly as you will only be buying one present instead for the whole group of friends.

Get creative

What’s to say you even have to go out and buy something new and expensive? There are many gifts you can make from scratch – some of which will be ideal if you’re making for more than one person. And if you’re really struggling, you could always make a jar with personal vouchers in – for example, “I will clean the dishes x1 use”.  

Make the most of student discount

Student discount is a lifesaver, especially around Christmas time when money is getting tight. Therefore, make sure you shop around before you buy something, as some other shops will probably sell what you are looking for with student discount. Take a look at the UniDays site to see what shops are offering what discounts.

Relax

Remember, you probably have a lot of things going on with university in December, so the last thing you should do is stress about Christmas presents. Make sure you enjoy yourself by doing lots of festive fun days out and also get all your studying done!

We hope you have a great and relaxing Christmas from all of us at Newcastle Student Housing! And remember, if you don’t have a house for 2018/19 academic year, then don’t worry, take a look here at our full list.