1. Student discount
Want to go see a movie? Or stop by your favourite store? Make use of the student discount, if there's one. Many companies in the Netherlands charge students a lower rate or give up to 10-20% discounts, so worth checking out! Want to take an even more professional approach to bargain hunting? The Student Union offers deals specifically for UT students. Or check out the Enschede Student Discount Card or Knaek, a student discount app where, as a subscriber, you can grab high discounts at restaurants, stores and even on shared scooters such as Check.
2. Shop smarter
One of the most important life rules for students: never go grocery shopping when you're hungry! Groceries are already expensive enough, but if you decide to go shopping right after your last 17:30 lecture, you're definitely setting yourself up for failure. And who can blame you, you're simply much more susceptible to (expensive) impulse purchases at that time! So, smart shopping is best done after eating, for example, a good plate of pasta pesto.
3. Leftovers - yes, really
At first glance, leftovers may not make you very happy, but still, this is a very good way to save some money. For example, download the Too Good To Go app and who knows, you might be able to pick up something delicious from your favourite restaurant! Or, if you have some leftover ingredients yourself: ask ChatGPT for an easy recipe with exactly those ingredients. Voilà, a sustainable, personalised and cheap meal in the blink of an eye.
4. Vintage clothes
Are you already an accomplished thrift shopper? If not, it's about time! Macklemore already said it in 2012 - vintage clothes are awesome. They are cheaper, unique and sustainable. Nowadays, Enschede is also a great place to shop if you like second-hand clothes. For instance, you can go to ThriftTale, Appel & Ei, Studio Spitsbaard, Het Goed, Granny Cool and more. Prefer buying online? Vinted - or another second-hand clothing app like Zalando pre-owned - is your best friend.
5. Furnishing your room = second-hand shopping
When it comes to furniture, second-hand is the way to go too! Are you decorating your new student room? Then don't just make a trip to Ikea, but also check out the local thrift store. There you will often find bargain furniture and glassware – sometimes merely €10 will go a long way! It's also useful to join Facebook groups such as the University of Twente Marketplace. Here, (exchange) students regularly offer their furniture and hardware for sale. Would you like an extra monitor for your home office, for example? Chances are that such an offer will come along within the Facebook group!
6. Cash
It's a universal experience: waking up after a night out, checking your bank account with a slumbering sense of doom, only to almost roll out of bed in terror. A slightly more expensive evening than expected, after all. Fortunately, there's a very old-fashioned but effective solution: before you leave for the city, withdraw the amount you want to spend that night in cash and stick to it. That way, you won't be tempted to buy the whole pub a round during a sentimental moment of weakness - read: when Piano Man is played at the end of the evening.
7. The little ones
Getting a quick croissant at lunch, or an oat cappuccino before a lecture. No big expenses, but quickly made and therefore rather treacherous. Before you know it, by the end of the month you have spent €100 on these kinds of small purchases. Will you be studying on campus? Then find a place close to your study association and stop by there for free coffee and tea, and cheap snacks. Fun too, although this may not necessarily benefit your study performance....
8. Student licences
As a student, you often need field-specific software for your studies. For instance, for graphic design, statistics, or modelling. These are usually offered by the university, but not always. So, check whether the software you need has a student discount! For example, Adobe Creative Cloud has a student package, where you get a 65% discount. Well worth it, then!
