Welcome Fresher to the land of hard work, partying and not much sleep, oh and here’s thousands of pounds for you to self-manage – Good luck!

Unfortunately this is how many begin University, full of expectations (good and bad) that don’t get met, while constantly struggling to work out how many days your loan has to last you. But fear not, we’ve broken down the year for you so you can see exactly why you need to save money… NOW! Trust us, it’s worth it.

September/October

It’s the start of the year so obviously cash is a-flowin’ and the temptation of blowing it all on new gadgets, room decorations and, well, alcohol is rife. By all means, attend as much of Freshers’ week as you can, but be weary that your first loan instalment has to last you the longest. Plus, think of the books you’ll need to get (which can be pretty expensive even when bought online). Make sure you start as you mean to go on and be frugal while you can. And don’t forget about Hallowe’en costumes, because students love to dress up.

November/December

By this point in the year, you’ve probably sloped back home a few times to cure your homesickness, and your costs are about to increase because it’s nearly Christmas. Plus, as most people won’t get their loans until they’re back at Uni in January, this can be an extremely tight time of the year. For those not in University-managed accommodation, it’s the start of the cold period so heating the house will add a good amount of money onto your bills for the next few months.

January/February

Until loan day, January can be especially dire – unless you decide to dip into your Christmas money to pay for beans. And when your loan arrives (the buzz of which lasts for approximately one day) try not to forget about that little thing called rent. Instead, try setting it aside into a savings account to avoid a panic-stricken phone call home.

March/April

By now, or even earlier, you’ll find yourself and your new pals looking for accommodation for second year. This of course means even more money is required to pay for a deposit (normally 4-6 weeks rent) and agency fees (unless you rent privately). Not to mention the fact that lots of deadlines fall in this period, therefore added stress, while returning home for Easter means added expense.

May/June

You should have received your final loan of the year around April, so you’re probably running dry after all the housing costs you’ve just faced. But fear not, the end of the year is nigh. Unless you’re lucky enough to live at home rent free, you might want to consider looking for a student summer job, because beer and ice cream are expensive. And remember, late September/early October is a long time to wait for more money.

July/August/September

So congratulations, you’ve finished first year… but you’re still not out of the woods. Soon you’ll be moving into your new house for the next year or so and you have a lot more to pay for. Think: increased rent, bills, travel to Uni, household items and cleaning products to name but a few. Not only that, but one month before you move in, you’ll need to pay your first month’s rent.

Yep, University is expensive.

About the author: Lizzi Hart

Lizzi Hart is a freelance writer, a Marketing Assistant at the Graduate Recruitment Bureau (GRB) and a Linguistics student at the University of Sussex. You'll probably find her at a sweaty gig, drinking copious amount of tea or telling bad jokes. Follow her on Twitter, or connect on with her on Linked In.