Purchasing Regrets 101: Lessons from three years in London

Let’s face the elephant in the room – London is expensive at the best of times, and so being irresponsible with your money can get prickly quickly.

Having now officially finished my three-year undergraduate degree in International Development at King’s, I definitely have a few purchasing regrets that keep me up at night cringing. I’m here to share a few of those moments, and to provide some tips and alternatives, so that you don’t end up like me. Let’s go!

It’s great to seek out a gym membership once you move to London to keep up a routine and support your mental and physical health.

Some students don't realise that King’s has two of its very own gyms that offer memberships at an affordable rate compared to other facilities. With one gym at Strand and another at Guy's, you can conveniently squeeze in a workout either before or after class. The student memberships start at £23.99 monthly and this was actually one of the most affordable options I found in London, beating well-known cheap chain prices.

It's also worth noting that many King's accommodations have their own in-house gym that’s completely covered within your rent. This was an absolute lifesaver for me in my first year when I lived in Stamford Street Apartments, and this might be something to think about when choosing your accommodation if having a gym membership is very important to you.  

It's completely understandable to get excited about decorating your new big city room and making it your own. However, impulse buying can cause you to make really unsustainable choices, leading to items you don’t use, and ultimately a lot of waste when the time comes to move out of your flat. 

King's is currently trialling donation points at some residences, with students who have moved out donating items to new students moving in. So, before buying that toaster, send a quick email to the King’s Residences team at your new accommodation to see if they are taking part in this scheme.

If you’re renting in private accommodation, I would really recommend checking out your local charity shops – they are normally full of useful items such as mugs, glasses, and general trinkets. What’s more, you can find some real original gems with some proper personality, at a fraction of the price of items from even typically cheap shops like Ikea.  

I myself was a big culprit of this – I moved into zone 2 in my final year, and the bus was no longer a speedy enough option for me to get to campus. So, facing my new Tube-shaped reality, I set about getting my Oyster card once term had already started…big mistake!

Once sending off your Oyster card application to TFL, it can take many weeks before you receive your card in the post, and you cannot use a digital version meanwhile. This card is essential for any commuter, as it gets you discounts on weekly and monthly travel passes, and when paired with a Railcard, it gets you a further 1/3 discount on off-peak travel.

The takeaway message is to get your Oyster card sorted as soon as you have your King’s confirmation. I know the card application fee (around £22) and the general admin of it all can put you off, but the future version of yourself will really appreciate it.  

You can find out more information about travelcards and public transport discounts on King's Answers.

These are some of the money mistakes my friends and I have made during our time at King’s, often due to things like not planning ahead or checking out all available options.

 The good news is that these are relatively simple fixes! With a bit of thought and time management, managing your money, too, becomes easier.

Nonetheless, please do remember that if you ever have any issues with money, do not hesitate to contact the King’s Money and Housing Advice Service (MHAS) for support, no matter how big or small the issue.