Student budgets are notoriously tight and there are a plethora of things that need to be paid for. The majority of the world has the equivalent of $2 per day to spend on food. Living in an affluent country like Australia we are used to spending a lot of money on food that we waste.

It’s not necessary.

You can cut your spending to only $40 per week by being more mindful of what you eat and sticking to a budget of $5 per day. The extra $5 can be spent however you like.

Look at the markdowns

Supermarkets mark down stock that is close to the use by date so it’s worth taking a look at the mark down trolley. I have found that smaller independent stores have more food that is marked down because they don’t have the turnover larger stores do.

You can get great bargains in the dairy and refrigerated sections. Plan your weekly menu around these markdowns.

Buy cheaper cuts of meat and less of it

Buy stewing meats instead of steaks, chicken pieces or drumsticks or cut down how much meat is in your diet. Beans, lentils, grains and vegetables are all cheaper than meat and will bulk out meals so you can use less.

Find free or cheap sources of fruit and vegetables

Visit the markets, forage for free fruit from overhanging trees or grow your own in pots on your balcony. If you can get even some of your fruit and vegetables for nothing you can cut your food bill dramatically.

Stock your pantry with cheap staple food items

Rice, pasta, tinned food and other staple foods make all the difference when you are trying to make a meal on a budget. If you have some cocoa, flour and eggs you can even make some easy desserts so you won’t feel as if you are being deprived.

It takes a bit of adjustment but it is quite possible for a student to eat very well on only forty dollars a week.

When you receive your first utility bill—it can be a shock. Realistically you knew they were coming but did they have to arrive in your mailbox the same week? How can you be expected to find $700 within 10 days? If this sounds familiar you should consider bill smoothing.

What is bill smoothing?

Bill smoothing is the idea that you pay your bills via regular weekly or fortnightly payments so that you are not hit with a huge bill at the end of the billing cycle. The idea is that you work out your average usage for each utility and pay a weekly or fortnightly installment to the company before your bill is due. Hopefully you will cover most of the bill before it hits your letterbox or even build up credit.

Why should I pay the utility company early?

Most utilities are billed on monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly but most people are paid weekly or fortnightly. If you don’t put away money in a separate account that you use for bills you will find that you don’t have the money to cover your bills when they are due. Lets face it how many of us have the will power to not touch bill money when you need to go out or eat. If you pay the money directly to the utility company you can’t be tempted to spend it on something else.

So how do I set up bill smoothing?

If you have internet banking you can probably set it up yourself via BPay each time you are paid. This keeps it within your control so you can cancel the arrangement whenever you want to. Otherwise call your utility companies and ask them to set up a direct debit from your account.

Bill smoothing makes it easy to budget your money because you know exactly how much you need to spend each pay on bills. Even better you will never have to dread opening the mail again.

Have you just moved out of home and found that the dirty clothes don’t seem to wash and fold themselves?

Instead, they accumulate in a messy pile which keeps increasing in size in the corner of your bedroom? It’s at this stage of your life that you really appreciate your mother, and wonder how she made mountains of washing seem so effortless!

Doing your laundry is not hard, it just takes a little organisation.

Here are some tips to get you going

1. Sort out the clothes into separate piles, including; dark clothes, coloured clothes and whites, or light coloured clothes. If you have delicate garments, or woollen garments, these will also need to be washed separately.
2. Before you shove each pile into the washing machine, check each garment for stains and spray with a spray stain remover. There are lots of different brands available.
3. Also check the pockets of jeans and shorts, because washing machines are not friendly to mobile phones. There are some objects that are not friendly to washing machines and could damage the drum
4. Use the amount of detergent recommended by the manufacture. Also use detergent suitable for front or top loading machines. Check the setting on the machine and choose the appropriate one.
5. If stains are stubborn, try soaking your clothes first with a pre stain soaker.
6. If you are taking your clothes to a commercial laundry, save time by having your clothes pre sprayed and sorted. Also make sure you have the correct amount of change you will need for the machine.
7. Do not leave wet clothes in a washing machine and forget about them. In a few days you will begin to smell them.
8. Do not leave wet soggy towels dumped on top of other clothing. Damp clothes can easily become mouldy and mould is hard to remove.
9. Keep your pile reduced by doing laundry regularly.
10. Fold your clothes as soon as they dry. It helps to keep them creaser free.

Feeling tired?

There is no disputing that a well balanced healthy diet provides most of our nutrition, but sometimes it seems we need something a little extra to combat the feeling of fatigue, low energy levels and general lethargy.

Sleep better, feel better

Often those symptoms could be the product of not enough sleep, or even too much stress. Try getting to bed earlier and catching a little shut eye. It’s amazing the difference an extra few hours of sleep each night can make us feel.

Another option is to try a little regular exercise. A brisk twenty minute walk each day is not going to win you any fitness awards, but it can improve your energy levels. Try a couple of week’s worth of small walks and fresh air and see whether this helps. You can plug your ipod into your ears and listen to your favourite music, or, even a podcast from your lecturer.

Try a Multi-Vitamin

If you find this isn’t working, or need something extra in the meantime that, you could try a supplement. Multi vitamins available from a health store come in both men’s and women’s varieties. They have high levels of vitamin B and can increase energy levels. Some formulas are specifically for stress reduction also. Once you have purchased a bottle, it is best to complete the course as the effects are usually long term rather than immediate.

Are you getting enough iron in your diet?

You may also need to consider your diet and assess whether you are having enough red meat. Lack of iron can contribute to extreme feelings or tiredness, fatigue, dizziness and generally feeling unwell. A blood test taken by your local doctor will indicate whether your levels are low, if so, an iron supplement will be necessary. If you don’t get enough red meat in your diet, you might want to try an iron supplement anyway.

Don’t depend on energy drinks as a pick-me-up. They are high in sugar and have no nutritional value at all.

Photo source: Flickr

At the end of one’s life it would be impossible to calculate the innumerable number of contacts one will have made. Though, it would perhaps, be possible, to count the number of contacts who have influenced life and employment.

Not what you know, but whom

Contacts are an important way to move on and up in the world. Contacts are people who can open the metaphorical door, doors that in the normal course of events cannot be opened. The old adage of “it’s not what you know, but whom you know” is unfortunately true. Therefore, make yourself known.

Make yourself memorable

When you sit in a lecture theatre with two hundred other people, consider what the lecturer sees. He or she is simply going to see two hundred or so people and none particularly more memorable than the other. He or she will probably pick out those faces who hand up work of the highest quality, but eventually they will remember those who put themselves out to be remembered.

Talk to your lecturer

Often your lecturer or class teacher is going to be your first contacts in the world of possible employment, therefore, make yourself known. Ask questions during a lecture or class. Be ready with an answer when you are asked for one, and at the end of a session, go and make yourself known. Introduce yourself and ask for clarification on issues that you do not understand. Don’t make a pest of yourself, but the more you do this, the more you will be remembered.

Use endorsements

When it comes time to take work experience, or submit your resume, you could ask your lecturer which company they would recommend. In your introductory letter, you could use this endorsement by your lecturer to the potential employer.

Offer for work experience

Research your future possible employers and offer a week’s free work experience. During this time, make a good impression and make contacts with those around you. Get to know people’s names, and remember little details about their lives, the names of their spouses, the number of children they might have, their interests. This all makes for easier conversation, and people love being remembered, firstly by name, then by something that is important to them.

Don’t forget your contacts

Once you have made a contact, don’t forget it. Send a card of thanks for their time and include them on your Christmas card list. Always be polite and professional and one day, this new contact could open the metaphorical door for you.

Photo source: Anton Tang

The Faculty of Law is unlike any other course on offer in Australian universities. Due to the importance of lawyers in our society, there is a lot of pressure and attention placed on law students.

This begins in your first class, where you are warned about the legal consequences of plagiarism (You will be barred from practicing as a lawyer if you are found guilty of plagiarism). In order to avoid this punishment, make sure you double check every citation you offer in your essays.

Law students can expect to read an immense number of legal cases throughout their studies. The vast majority of assignment will be essays and this can be slightly monotonous, although you will be writing on different topics (Property Law versus Insurance Law for example). You will also be visiting the law courts quite a bit to gain some much needed practical experience.

Exams are open book, which means you can take notes into the exam. This is a huge advantage if you have excellent note taking skills; you can literally pass the exam through your notes alone. Make sure you label your notes very well so you can access the required section easily and quickly during the exam.

As a final note, in Law it is of vital importance to gain an internship early in your career. By your second year, you should be actively pursuing law firms for an internship. Considering how competitive internship are with post-graduates, the early you get in there the better.

Law is a very demanding course, but for the committed student it is extremely rewarding. If you apply yourself, you are sure to have a bright future in Australian Law.

Photo source: Flickr

Finding time

Exercise is essential for physical and mental well-being but students have hectic schedules and it is difficult to find time to fit an exercise regime into your timetable. However, there are a few simple ideas to get up and get moving.

Get off and walk

Consider your method of transport. If you catch a bus, weigh up the benefits of catching it a few stops further away than normal. You could even get off a few stops earlier and power walk to your destination.

Park for free

If you take your own car, consider parking somewhere further away than usual and walking the rest of the way. You might even find a free parking spot and save money in the process. To add a little variety and a change of scenery, change the place you park each week.

Make the most of late starts

If your university or college is close enough to walk, try to do so a couple of times a week. There might be a day or two when you have a late start. Try and make these mornings the ones that you walk, and once you get a routine going, it is easy to keep it up. You could also try riding a bike. Exercise helps get blood and thus oxygen flowing through your body. You will be amazed at how alert you feel when you sit down to your first lecture.

10,000 steps

The average number of steps needed for people keeping fit is approximately 10,000. Buy yourself a pedometer. This is a little device that is worn on your waist band and electronically measures the number of steps you take. You might be surprised at how much walking you need to do, but if you are doing too little, consider taking perhaps a longer route to your lecture theatre, or the scenic route to the library.

By trying to incorporate exercise into your daily routine, you will find you don’t need to take out a daily gym membership. You will find you will feel better, and even save money in the process.

The decision to change course is serious one and should not be taken lightly. But if you are absolutely adamant on dropping your current course for a new one, there are a few options open to you.

First, do some research on the course you want to transfer into. Do not repeat the same mistake by jumping into a new course that you have no real interest in. If you are unsure about what course you what to enter, go to your university’s website and browse through the various disciplines; one or two are bound to stand out as possible candidates.

After you have decided what course you want to transfer to, see your current Dean (so if you are a law student that wants to change to engineering, see the Dean of the Faculty of Law). He will advise you on the necessary steps in transferring, and if any of your existing credits can be allocated to your new course.

Your Dean will most likely direct you to a staff member of the faculty you want to transfer to. The staff member will ask you a series of questions, most relating to why you want to change courses. If they are satisfied with your responses they will give you a quick introduction to the faculty, describing how long it will take to complete your new degree with the credits from your previous course.

Finally, you will receive some forms to fill out that will make the transfer permanent. You may be required to take a few more steps, such as meeting with the Dean of your new discipline, but these steps are limited to the few courses that take longer than five years to complete.

With the paperwork completed and filed you will be successfully enrolled in your new course!

Sometimes, it feels as if your lecturers set you impossible assignments; assignments that you are supposed to complete with a total lack of resources at your disposal. But if you know where to look, the hours you used to spend researching can be cut in half and you can find material that will set you apart from every other student in the class.

Most students spend their time in the library, reading the material provided by the lecturer in his ‘suggested readings’. But guess what, nine out of ten students are doing the same thing! One place you will never find students is in your library’s audio/visual department. If your library has a good audio/visual department, you are bound to find some material that will set you apart from the crowd.

Databases are another seldom used research tool. The great thing about databases is that you can find practically anything if you choose the right one. There are databases that specialise in journal articles, scientific theses, news articles – the list is endless. Some of the best databases are JSTOR, Project Muse, Questia and Cambridge Journals Online but in order to find the material relevant to your assignment you might have to spend some time looking around.

If for some reason you do not have access to a university’s collection of online databases, there is another research tool that is available to everyone with internet access. Google Scholar and Google Books provide very helpful information on a wide range of topics. If you are lucky you can find some material for free, but most of the information is available only in preview. Nevertheless, if you have hit a roadblock in your research, always give Google Books and Google Scholar a try.

With these research tools in your hands, your grades will jump to a higher level. Never again will you have to rely on the lecturer’s ‘suggested readings’ and that means your essay’s and assignment’s are bound to stand out from the rest.

One of the most important moments in your time at uni will be deciding what to major in. With all the choices available to you this may seem a daunting task – in commerce alone you have twelve different Major Study Areas, from accountancy to business law; marketing to supply chain management. So how are you supposed to know which one is right for you?

Here are a few guidelines on choosing the right major

Your major will have a great bearing on the direction of your career, so this is the time to carefully consider your future. What are your interests and talents? If you are great with numbers then a career in accountancy or finance would suit you well. If you are an introspective science student then a major in psychology would be a logical choice.

After identifying a major that matches your interests, it’s now time to find some information about it. Go to your university website and find your faculty’s homepage and the major in question. Study it in detail and go over each of the prerequisite classes carefully. This is a very important step in identifying any obstacles in obtaining the major.

For example, if you are a Commerce student who love’s of international business but dislikes mathematics, majoring in International Business may seem a good choice. However, there is a potential obstacle in the third class – International Financial Management. It is better to know about these obstacles before you choose your major.

Finally, if you still have some questions go and see the lecturers in charge of the classes in your major. They will be able to give you a better insight into the course. Also try and talk to some of the students who are undertaking the major.

By following these guidelines you will able to make a well informed decision on choosing a major.