For many young people, going off to university is the first time they have had to properly manage their own finances. Ensuring that your money (in particular your maintenance loan cash) stretches as far as it needs to, so you’ve got enough for all the essentials and for the fun stuff such as freshers’ week, is often a challenge. However, this year, because of the cost of living crisis, it could get seriously tough.
In July, a National Union of Students poll of more than 3,500 university students found that 11% were using food banks because they could not make ends meet – up from 5% in January. Meanwhile, the vast majority said they were cutting back as a result of soaring prices and bills.
