During my degree, I have had my fair share of budgeting successes and moments I felt I could have done better when it comes to spending.
Sheffield is one of the most affordable cities for students and so I’m here to give a realistic point of view of the true costs of living as a Hallam student, just in case you are planning to move away from home for the first time.
Student Living
During my time at Hallam, I lived in three different places which were all at different rent prices.
In my foundation year, I lived in student halls with 5 other first year students. The rent was about £108 per week over the course of 43 weeks, which made it the cheapest option for me. It was only a 12 minute walk or by bus to the city and most of the time I walked to save money.
Afterwards, I moved into a shared flat in my first year. The rent was £450 per month which is about £112 per week for 52 weeks. This gave me the opportunity to live more independently as well as have a bit more space to myself. This was slightly further from town so I usually got the bus which only costs around £1.50 per journey.
In my second and final year, I needed somewhere closer to the university, and so I moved into a student studio flat. It was a bit more costly - I paid £689 per month for 12 months (£159 per week), but this meant I saved on transport to uni as it was only a 5-8 minutes walk to lectures and the city centre. The convenience was worth every penny especially during the assignment deadline season!
Whether you are in the collegiate campus or city campus, there are many student accommodations across Sheffield with very affordable prices. Sheffield Hallam is great at helping students find affordable accommodation to live in.
Food and Groceries
I tried to be smart in my spending on food and groceries. Aldi was my favourite place to shop because the prices there are student friendly. I bought groceries in bulk and spent about £70-100 per month, which saved me a lot of money.
For quick lunches, Tesco Meal Deals were a lifesaver (I still can’t believe it is £3.60 for Clubcard members and £4.00 for non-Clubcard members). Some days I had lunch at the Hallam kitchen where it’s only £4.90 for a hot meal. I also ordered some of my groceries online from Asda, when Aldi didn't have what I needed. Cooking in bulk and freezing meals really helped save money and especially during busy periods such as exam and coursework deadline seasons when I didn’t feel like cooking every day.
Transport
Sheffield is a green city and quite walkable but I occasionally used the buses, especially in the winter.
Below is a breakdown of what I spent on transport:
- Bus student single tickets- £1.50
- Supertram for student single tickets for ages 18-21 with a Zoom Beyond pass or 18-22 discount card - £2.10
When it came to going home (my family lives about two hours away), I usually took the train. With my 16-25 railcard I spent between £25-40 on return tickets. The railcard costs £30, but the discounts were worth the one-time cost of the card.
Socialising
I enjoy shopping and going out with friends for meals and games, so I learned quickly how to make my money stretch.
Some of the places I shopped in that offer student discounts are JD, H&M, Schuh, and New look. Meadowhall shopping mall also has lots of restaurants and shops that give student discounts. Just show your student ID or use apps like UNiDAYS or Student Beans, and you will be surprised how much you can save! I also usually bought my clothes during the sales to save even more.
Gym memberships, cinema tickets, and even bowling are often cheaper for students too, just always ask before you pay.
Other Expenses
I bought my cosmetics from Boots and Superdrug as they offer student discounts. I spent about £30-50 every quarter, depending on what I needed, and with my Superdrug or Boots card I accumulated offer points which helped me get products at reduced rates.
Other places that offer great student discounts:
I hope this gives you an idea of the real costs of being a student. It can feel overwhelming at first but with a bit of planning, university life is very manageable and fun too.
Don’t stress if you’re not perfect with your budget, one thing I have learned is that you learn as you go.
Good luck and enjoy every moment of it
