Food is one of the biggest expenses for students, and it’s also one of the areas where it’s easiest to overspend. While small costs might seem insignificant, they can add up quickly over the term. Here are some common student food budget mistakes, and what you can do to avoid them.
Food Shopping Mistakes
Buying Groceries Without a Budget
Setting a realistic, weekly budget for your food shop helps prevent overspending. Many supermarkets have scanners that you can use to keep track of how much you’re spending as you shop. Keeping an eye on this helps you spot how close you’re getting to your budget. If your local shop doesn’t have a scanner, use a calculator on your phone to help keep track. Deciding on the best budget for you can take some trial and error, and it’s okay to adjust it over time if you find it isn’t working.
Forgetting to Write a Shopping List
Before popping to the shop, check the fridge and cupboards to see what food you have already. Writing down what you need for the week and following your list as closely as possible reduces unnecessary purchases.
Shopping While Hungry
An empty stomach can lead to impulse buying, making it easier to fill your trolley with foods that weren’t on your shopping list. Instead of shopping hungry, have a meal or a snack beforehand.
Food Waste Mistakes
Not Planning Meals for the Week
Without a clear meal plan, it’s easy to buy food that you don’t need. By planning your meals Monday to Sunday, you can prevent food from going to waste. If there’s something you don’t fancy on one day, you can always swap days around. To save money, plan meals around versatile ingredients that can be used across multiple dishes, such as pasta, potatoes and rice.
Throwing Away Leftovers Instead of Reusing Them
Made too much pasta? Put it in a pasta salad and take it to university to have for lunch. Vegetables going out of date soon? Chop them up and put them in a soup. Freezing extra portions and batch cooking can help save you money while reducing food waste. Leftovers don’t have to be thrown away; they can become another meal.
Having Poor Organisation in the Fridge
If a food item is pushed to the back of the fridge, it can easily become forgotten and go out of date. Try keeping older items at the front of the fridge so you remember they’re there. Plan meals around foods that need to be used first and do a quick fridge check every few days to look for items that are getting close to their use-by date.
Eating Out and Takeaway Mistakes
Ordering Too Many Takeaways
Having a takeaway with friends can be enjoyable in moderation, but ordering them too often wastes money. Instead of ordering a takeaway because it feels easier than cooking after a long day, keep quick, affordable meals at home as an alternative.
Relying on Campus Lunches
Buying food from campus every day can become very costly over time. Instead of doing this, prepare packed lunches at home to bring with you. Keeping ingredients at home like bread, spreads, pasta, and dried snacks ensures you always have something to bring with you.
Buying Coffee Every Day
While we all know buying daily coffees is an expensive habit, one of the reasons we do it is because it’s convenient. However, making drinks at home can be convenient too if you give yourself time to do so. If you’re visiting a café, bring your own reusable cup, as many places offer discounts or loyalty rewards for doing so.
How The Student Energy Group Can Help Reduce Financial Stress
At The Student Energy Group, we understand that students have a lot on their plate, from exams to assignments, and that the last thing you want to be worrying about is your finances. We’re committed to helping you budget money, and to do this, we’ll combine your utility bills like water, electricity, gas, broadband and TV licence into one monthly statement that you can split evenly between you and your housemates. Get a free, no-obligation quote from us today so you can focus on your studies without stressing about your student bills. We even plant a tree for every household that signs up with us!
