When people talk about student banking they tend to just focus on one thing: that all-important zero percent interest overdraft. But there’s a whole range of banking options that students can take advantage of and make money from. Here are some of our top tips for clever student banking:
Student Money Saving: Cards
Quick Tip: NUS Cards Help Save a Packet!
NUS Extra cards cost just £12 for a whole year, and can save you tones at loads of different places. Discounts vary between companies, but are usually around 10-20%, with some being as high as 50%!
This has become particularly useful now that many companies are no longer accepting normal uni cards to get discount. It works out to be just £1 each month, valid for 12 months from its purchase date.
Make sure you check their long list of complying retailers first, to make sure that it will be useful for you. Some big names who accept the NUS discount include ASOS, Pizza Hut, Amazon, the 16-25 Railcard, Miss Selfridge, Odeon, Superdrug, amongst lots of other clothes companies and food places. The only criteria you need to meet, is to be either a full or part time student. Easy!
To get your hands on one, simply fill out an online form here: LINK
Student Discount Cards
Any savings and discounts help stretch your finances so why not take advantage of the numerous student discount cards that are available? The following article lists those that are available, the discounts that they offer and some feedback from students who have used them.
NUS Extra
The NUS Extra card gives students of University age a range of discounts, including up to 25% off restaurants like Zizzi’s, Pizza Express and Frankie and Benny’s, up to 40% off theme park tickets, and up to 15% off many clothing stores. The card costs just £11, and on average, students save over £500 a year.
Other benefits:
For an extra £1.99, you can turn your NUS extra card into an NUS extra ISIC card (which costs £9), saving you a total of £7.
Website: www.nus.org.uk
Student Credit Cards
Finances can be tight whilst you are studying at University. A temporary solution can come in the form of a credit card. Check out the following article for information on some of the major banks student credit cards including rates, conditions and feedback from other students.
NatWest
NatWest offer a student only credit card, with a minimum credit limit of £250 and maximum credit limit of £500. There is also a direct debit service to avoid late fees, and no annual fee. When choosing to set up a NatWest student credit card, you also receive discounts from a variety of companies, including HP, Lonely Planet and Firebox.com, as well as travel discounts for various air tickets and hotels. Customers also receive free email and text alerts for reminders of current balance and when payments are due. The other advantage is the fact that you don’t have to use it on a regular basis, but can keep it in case of an emergency (which is particularly useful for students who don’t want to overspend).