Get top tips and advice from fellow students, in our Cost of Living students blog.

25 March 2024

New - Foodsave Community Fridge at the Forum Library, Streatham.

Free food for all, 24/7 at the Foodsave Community Fridge in the Forum Library. Located just inside the library foyer, the Community Fridge is restocked daily with surplus food from local businesses, so you can help reduce food waste by helping yourself to free food.

The Community Fridge is managed by non-profit Foodsave CIC, founded by our current student, Jake Bonetta, working with our library team and the Students’ Guild. The project is funded from Devon County Council’s lottery funded ‘Food Rescue’ project.

Foodsave relies on the support of volunteers so if you are able to donate some of your time, they’d love to hear from you. You can contact them at info@foodsave.org.uk and find more information on their website.

5 March 2024

National Student Money Week

It's National Student Money Week, and with 82% of students worrying about making ends meet, it’s time to talk openly about our finances.

Come and visit your Students’ Guild this week in Cross Keys, St Luke’s on Tuesday (5 March), and the Forum, Streatham, on Wednesday (6 March) to get some money saving tips and advice, and your chance to spin the wheel and win some prizes!

The friendly Students’ Guild Advice team is here to support you – if you have any concerns about your finances, their advisors can offer impartial and non-judgemental guidance for you.

The Guild’s Student Money Week page contains a wealth of tips, advice and information to help if you’ve got money on your mind.

Part-time jobs

For part-time jobs to help you gain experience and earn money whilst studying, check out Career Zone.

You can find on campus and local part-time jobs on Handshake, the jobs portal. They’ve also got general advice on part-time jobs and specific information for International Students.

They also have details of paid internships open to our students and recent graduates.

Visit the Career Zone in The Forum, Streatham Campus, and follow them on Instagram @uoecareerzone for the latest updates.

Do more for less

Don’t let money get in the way of enjoying your time at Uni. There are loads of free and low-cost activities going on across our campuses – from Give it a Go sports and leisure sessions, to Feed your Flat food giveaways. Check out the Guild’s Events pages and get stuck in.

And if you're looking for things to do without spending any money, check out the student blog for Gowri's top free actvities in Exeter.

Financial worry and your wellbeing

Worries about money can be extremely stressful and affect your wellbeing and mental health – which in turn can make managing your money even harder. According to Student Space managing your emotions around finance can be an important step in taking control of your money.

If your finances are affecting your mental wellbeing our Wellbeing Services can offer wellbeing support and guidance.

The Mental Health and Money Toolkit is a resource to help you understand, manage and improve your mental and financial health. You can use it to help guide conversations with your relevant healthcare worker about your mental health and money. You can also take it with you to any money or debt advice appointments you might attend.

We have partnered with SilverCloud to enable students to access a CBT-based course dedicated to financial worry and its impact. You can access this course for free.

Talking about your money worries can make a difference. The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) has teamed up with Money Supermarket to provide some advice and tips about how to have difficult conversations about finances and how to manage your money in tough times.

You can also get free, independent and confidential advice and support on a variety of issues from your Students' Guild Advice team.

Struggling for money? Could the Success for all Hardship fund help you?

We give you the lowdown on the Uni’s hardship fund and how it can help you if you’re struggling with the cost of living.

What is it? The Success for All Hardship Fund is money we have set aside to help our students who are struggling financially. It is open to all our currently registered students at all levels of study, and it doesn’t need to be paid back. If you are finding it hard to meet your essential costs or have a one-off cost which you are worried about paying, then please consider applying to the fund.What costs will the fund cover? We may be able to help with contributions to your general living costs such as food, a house deposit, medication or car costs if they’re essential for your caring responsibilities or placements. If you are a parent, or if you are caring for a family member, we can also consider an application to support with childcare costs or the additional costs you are facing.

We can also help with an unexpected one-off cost, such as an emergency return trip home to see family, or help to pay for a diagnostic assessment.

What won’t the fund cover? We can’t help with non-essential costs (for leisure or holidays), any debt or loan repayments that you have, your tuition fees or your living costs after you have completed your studies.

What information will I need to provide? When you apply we’ll ask for documents to help us understand your financial responsibilities, such as your bank statements and tenancy agreements.

We’ll use these documents to assess the level of funding you need to cover your reasonable essential costs such as food, household bills, and materials needed for your studies. If you live with your partner, rather than in a shared house we will also need some information about their situation. The amount we can award will vary per student and will depend on your circumstances.

I am struggling financially, but not sure whether I’d qualify for this fund. If you’re struggling to cover the costs of being at Uni, please speak to your Students' Guild advice team for more advice and guidance. There’s lots of support available to help make sure you get the most out of your time with us, and together we can help you find all you’re entitled to.

Take a look at our webpages for answers to more questions you may have and where you can also find the application form.

Monday 26 February

Free lunch when you share your views

Friday 8 March 12:00, Holland Hall Dining Room, Streatham Campus.

Would you like to learn how to make a simple plant based, cost-effective dish and enjoy it for your lunch? We are looking for students willing to help us with our ongoing feedback, and our chefs will show you how to make a quick, delicious recipe from start to finish.

Places are limited. Please register your interest here.

Worried about debt? Don’t sweep it under the carpet.

If you’re worried about debt, it can be tempting to ignore the problem and hope it’ll go away on its own. But waiting often makes things worse – so it’s best to get help sooner. We’re working with the UK’s leading debt advice charity, Step Change, to provide you with free, impartial and personalised support with your money and debt worries.

You can get help:

Online: use the online debt help tool to get advice now.
By phone: call 0800 138 1111. Lines are open Monday to Friday 8am-8pm, and Saturdays 8am to 4pm. Please use their budget form before calling.

Monday 19 February

Money saving food hacks

1. Shop together

You can save money when you buy in bulk. Consider shopping together with your friends or housemates so you can make the most of 'Buy One Get One Free' deals, big value packs and bulk buying economies of scale.

2. Have your food and eat it

Check out the Have your food and eat it recipe book  from Recycle Devon.

As well as looking at ways to save you money and time, the book includes tasty recipes to use up your leftovers and help reduce food waste while keeping your costs down. Try a Baked Bean Burger or a Throw Together Gratin. Let us know what you think of them, send us your pics, and share your own low-cost recipes with us at studentcomms@exeter.ac.uk.

3. Batch Cooking

Make your shopping go further, reduce food waste and save yourself valuable time for when you don’t have time to cook or don’t feel like it. Cook one big dish then portion it into separate containers. Let it cool and store in the fridge or freezer within one to two hours of cooking. Find out how to store and reheat your meals safely.

4. Watch your use by dates

Don’t eat food after its use by date – cook it beforehand and freeze it for later use. Let it cool down, put it in an airtight container or sealed bag and pop it in the freezer within 2 hours. Label items with the contents and date (to avoid UFOs - Unidentified Frozen Objects). Save space by flat freezing: use a freezer bag instead of a container.

5. Love your leftovers

Reusing and reinventing your leftovers is a great way to make the most of your food. Cool and cover your leftovers and put them in a fridge or freezer within one to two hours. You can save them to eat at home the next day, or take them to campus – we’ve got microwaves where you can reheat your own food upstairs in The Stannary at Penryn, and in the Common Room kitchen at the Knowledge Spa, Truro.

Get advice and simple recipe ideas for your leftovers from Love Food Hate Waste.

Search #SafeFoodHacks on social media for more ways to save time and money and get more advice on the Food Standards Agency’s Students’ guide.

Monday 12 February

Free and low cost sports activities with Exeter Girls Can 2024

Alongside clubs and societies, we are offering free and affordable activities to help increase female participation in physical activity. Clubs are opening up training sessions to non-members, Pitch Up & Play has female-only sessions and more bespoke programmes have been launched. Check out our Exeter Girls Can homepage for a full timetable and sign-up links.

Super Savour £2 meals

We are subsidising hot meals on Streatham and St Luke's campuses. You can get a nutritionally balanced, hot meal for just £2.

Streatham campus: Super Savour Kitchen, above Comida in Devonshire House, available 11:00 – 14:30, Monday to Friday.

St Luke's campus: Cross Keys' £2 Dish of the Day, choose your hearty topping on a baked potato with a salad garnish, available 11:30 - 14:30pm, Monday to Friday.

£2 breakfast deals

Grab a Facon (vg) or bacon bap with filter coffee or tea for just £2.
From 08:00 - 10:30 in Cross Keys, St Luke’s and 09:00 - 11:30 in Comida, Streatham.

Low cost food options

We’re making sure that there are low-cost options for hot meals, drinks and groceries in our Uni-run outlets at Streatham and St Luke’s, so we have something to suit all budgets.

• Our super savour hot lunch choice is just £2.99 at La Touche and Cross Keys
• Look out for the everyday low price products in the Market Place in the Forum
• Pick up your BARiSCA coffee loyalty card to get your 9th hot drink free

Get the latest offers from our campus Eat and Shop outlets

Monday 15 January

Give it a go

Looking for free and cheap activities to keep you entertained? Don’t forget to check out the Student Guild’s Give it a Go events. Running all year round – this month you can sign up for a trip bag some bargains for your home at IKEA, play electronic basketball (tomorrow) and loads more.
Check out what’s on

Money matters – tips and advice

Get top tips and advice from fellow students, in our Cost of Living students blog.
And remember we have loads of information and advice to help you manage your money, as well as support available if you’re struggling, on these Cost of Living pages.

Whether you’re just starting out at University or are returning to your studies, we have some tips to help you keep on top of your money. 

1. Consider opening a student bank account.

If you’re getting a maintenance loan you’ll need it to be paid into a bank account. Banks offer a range of different accounts with different benefits and incentives. Find out more about the types of account available at Money Helper or check out Money Saving Expert for their advice on choosing the best account for you.

2. Work out your budget

• Look at your money and how long it needs to last you. If you’re receiving a maintenance loan it will come in 3 termly instalments.
• Work out how much you need for all your essential contracted fixed costs, such as rent and your phone bill – make sure you can pay these first.
• Next how much do you need to live and study – for food, books and transport?
• Then look at what’s left for other things you want to do, and balance what you can afford.

The Money Helper Budget Planner may help you, or there are other free budgeting tools online. And the Students’ Guild can help you with budgeting advice.

3. Make sure you’re getting all you’re entitled to

Depending on your circumstances you may be eligible for extra financial support, bursaries or benefits. For example, if you have caring responsibilities, need help to join a society, or need additional equipment to support your learning, there may be extra money available to you. Find out more in our Success For All Fund FAQs or ask your Students’ Guild Advice Service. 

4. Look out for deals and savings

Lots of places offer student discounts and special deals. Check out Save The Student for the latest deals and freebies out there. Consider shopping together with your housemates so you can make the most of 'Buy One Get One Free' deals and bulk buying economies of scale.

5. Up your income

Consider a part time job if you can fit it around your studies. Career Zone advertise part time jobs that can help you gain experience and earn money while studying. Save The Student has a whole host of other money making tips, from shopping on cashback sites to completing paid surveys.

6. Don’t be tempted to use loan sharks, illegal money lenders, or quick-money schemes that may not be legitimate

If you’re struggling you can apply to our Success for All Fund for help during your time at Exeter. 

7. Deal with your debt

Although it can be stressful, problems with debt only get worse if you ignore them. Talk to your creditors about your situation and try to negotiate an affordable payment plan. If you’re struggling with paying your tuition fees, or the rent on your University accommodation, talk to us. You can contact us through the Student Information Desk (SID).  You can get advice on managing your debt from your Student Union or Student Guild advice service, or from debt organisations such as Step Change or National Debtline.

7. Ask for help

If you’re worried about your money, or dealing with debt, don’t keep it to yourself.  Please speak to your Students’ Guild Advice Service. They can help find the right advice and support for you.