Here are a few practical savings steps to help you manage your money:

1. Ask yourself if you want or need things
   Spend your money on the stuff you need first, and save the 'wants' for special occasions.
2. Cut out non-essential purchases
   Stop buying the everyday money-draining habits (we're talking coffees, cigarettes, takeaways...) that eat into your finances.
3. Get as much Student Finance support as possible
   Make sure you're getting all the Student Finance that you're entitled to, including any grants, bursaries or scholarships up for grabs.
4. Set weekly allowances
   Give yourself maximum spending limits for your regular outgoings, such as going out or food shopping - and stick to it. If at the end of the month, you've underspent in one area, you can carry that over to the next month, or use it to supplement your budget in another area for that month.
5. Take out a set amount of cash
   To make it easier to track your daily spending, you can take out money at the start of the week and use that instead of paying by card.
6. Put away money as savings
   If you can manage it, transfer some of your income into a savings account or ISA at the start of each month. Then, if you make it to the end of the month with cash to spare, squirrel that away for a longer-term spend instead of blowing it on a quick fix.
7. Recycle everything
   If you're done with something, and it's still usable, sell it or swap it for something else. Likewise, never buy new if you can get it just as good from someone else for less. This works for clothes, furniture, textbooks, you name it.
8. Switch bank accounts
   Never stick with your bank account just to be loyal. Some banks will even give you a cash incentive to switch.
9. Get cheaper bills
   Look around for deals on your bills like gas, electricity and broadband. You could save some money by switching to a cheaper supplier.
10. Open a second bank account
    Get another bank account for any lump sums you receive (maybe your loan, grant or some inheritance money, perhaps) and set up a Direct Debit so it drip-feeds into your current account in small doses. This way, you won't overspend when a chunk of cash comes in, but you'll still benefit from a little bit of extra money each month.
11. Plan ahead
    This does wonders for your bank balance. Thinking ahead applies to weekly meals, nights out and even the odd occasion when you decide to eat out. As often as possible, try to know what you'll be doing and when so you can plan ahead and budget accordingly.
12. Treat yourself now and then
    To budget effectively, you don't need to live like a monk 24/7. It's important to still have fun and do the things you love. Just plan ahead for splurges so you're never left with any nasty surprises on your bank statement.
13. Earn a passive income
    You can also try out a few of these hacks for making money in your sleep. You won't see your bank balance shoot up immediately, but over time you'll start to see a profit. It's basically free money!
14. Find the best deals
    Join our Whatsapp group and sign up for the 'Save the Student' weekly newsletter, and we'll do all the hard work for you.
15. Be your own person
    Don't concern yourself with how much money your friends are making or spending. Stick to your own budget and keep your eyes on the prize. It'll pay off eventually, we promise.

Now it's over to you! This all probably sounds a lot scarier than it actually is. Once you get into the swing of things, you'll find watching your bank balance slowly increase weirdly addictive, and you'll eventually stop caring about splashing out on luxuries every other day.

Wish you'd been taught how to budget in school? Here are the vital money lessons you might want to swot up on.

Sources

Save the Student
15 ways to make your money stretch further

By Save The Student
Save The Student is the UK's leading student money website, helping you budget your money, make sense of student finance, look for part-time jobs, find extra funding and more. Founded in 2007, the website provides free and impartial guides, tools and verified deals to tackle the real-life money problems students face at university.