Budgeting

Alongside our partner HeppSY, we’ve put together a quick and easy budgeting task, with some real examples of what you’re likely to need to spend money on at uni. You can do this together with your friends, or by yourself and there’s a pre-filled example to help. We think you’ll surprise yourself with how easy it can be to make things affordable.

If you have a printer available, you can print the downloadable PDF to fill out but don’t worry if not, just grab a pen and paper and have it up on screen while you work through it. All you need to do is work through the options we have laid out and fill in your choices on the blank grid on the first page. Once you have made your choices you can use a calculator to add up the totals and see whether you’re quids in, or need to re adjust your spending.

Budgeting task

Download or print our budgeting task and see if you’re surprised or not!

Download the task (PDF, 2.4MB)

Get more help with budgeting

Blackbullion - the student money coach

You can access budgeting info, tools and courses for free on Blackbullion. And if you become a Hallam student, you’ll get access to even more resources on there with your student email address.

Budgeting tips

Visit our budgeting page to get more tips on budgeting as a student.

Photo of Jack Smedley a current Sheffield Hallam student

Student budget hub

From the Monday morning study session to the Friday night treat, it is important for students to save money on food and drink. While Sheffield is one of the most affordable cities for students, these tips will also help anyone through their time at university.

Your home away from home

Whether you’re on the Collegiate Campus or the City Campus, there are plenty of grocery stores for you to pick from but consider these extra costs:

Convenience stores may be more expensive than main stores.
You may need to spend money on transport if you can’t walk home with heavy bags.

You may have heard the common view of ‘online shopping is more expensive than shopping in-person’ which does make sense with delivery and baggage costs being added on. However, many online stores offer cheap or even free delivery slots if you order ahead of time. Furthermore, such stores offer free bagging if you hand the driver your previous bags. I find being able to add last week’s order to my checkout to be really helpful in making sure I don’t impulsively spend or order something I already have enough of - just don’t forget you deserve a treat once in a while.

Out and about

Don’t get me wrong, having instant meals is a very studenty thing to do - it’s convenient, especially when you’re in the zone or in a timetable gap, but the costs add up if you have them often. You can always freeze batches of food in plastic containers for pack up - here’s a handy list of facilities at Hallam.

Okay, it’s an early morning lecture and all you can think about is coffee. Whether you’re walking past one of many local coffee shops or near a Hallam Cafe, try to get into the habit of using loyalty cards and checking for student discounts. Just to let you know, the Hallam Eat app occasionally has exclusive offers and discounts.

Here are some of my favourite places for affordable food and drink:

Chocolate Bar - Located in Leah’s Yard, you get to build your own hot or cold drink with a variety of chocolates, milks and toppings.
HYGGE - Distinct, modern decor paired with great coffee that embraces an atmosphere of aspirational students.
Marmadukes - Great place to study with their own coffee roast and delicious bakery.
Cambridge Street Collective - A great choice for exploring new cuisine, especially if you’re with a group that can’t decide on where to eat.

From smarter grocery shopping to on-the-go hacks, these tips will help you to save money on food and drink when studying in Sheffield. My last piece of advice is especially for people who are considering studying in Sheffield but may feel nervous: SHU isn’t just here for your education, it’s also here to help you navigate through the student life.