Hello! I’m Parmiss, a second-year Classics student at King’s. I commute from home and work part time, as I’m currently saving for my semester abroad.
Living in London can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be – this year I’ve been making small swaps to save money without missing out. Here’s what a typical week looks like for me (including a few slip-ups!):
Monday – Uni day and comedy club
8.00 - SWR train to Waterloo, then walk to Strand from there. As I commute from far away, travel costs can rack up. I use a student Oyster card, linked to my Railcard, so I get 1/3 off off-peak travel. £5.80
10.30 - Black Sheep Coffee have a student deal on Mondays, so I treat myself to a matcha to start the week. £2
13.00 - Eat my packed lunch from home, which is a game-changer for saving. £0
15.00 - Seminar and then study in Bush House.
19.30 - Walk to the Top Secret Comedy Club (near Strand campus) - completely free for students on Mondays. £0
Tuesday – Lectures and club night
9.00 - I take the Tube to Temple instead of the train to Waterloo to cut costs when I can. £2.50
10.00 - Library session at Maughan.
13.00 - I forgot lunch today, so I grab a Tesco meal deal with my Clubcard. £3.85
18.00 - Buy a first release club ticket. £5
20.00 - Pre-drinks with friends - way cheaper than buying drinks there. £8
02.00 - Uber home, a splurge I could’ve avoided by staying at a friend’s flat. £20
Wednesday – No uni, gym and booking trips
10.00 - Walk to the gym (free cardio!).
10.30 - Gym session - my PureGym membership works out to roughly £1.50 a session.
13.00 - Home for lunch and some essay writing.
16.00 - Book return tickets to Edinburgh and Durham to visit friends. I saved by booking on TrainPal and using my Railcard, though I could’ve saved more booking earlier. £103
19.00 - Dinner with family and a quiet night in.
Thursday – Study day and shopping
9.00 - SWR train to Waterloo. £5.80
10.15 - Grab Pret’s 99p filter coffee before heading to Maughan Library. £0.99.
12.30 - Lunch from the Rolls Café in Maughan Library - affordable, good-quality food and often cheaper than high street cafes. £3
15.00 - Afternoon lecture then I met a friend.
17.00 - Shopping in Covent Garden – it's dangerously close to Strand! I always check UNiDAYS or Student Beans, though I could’ve found something similar for less on Vinted. £15 using 10% discount on UNiDAYS.
Friday – Uni, Tate trip, dinner with friends
13.00 - SWR train to Waterloo – hit the daily cap since I travelled later too. £8.60.
14.00 - Walked to the Tate Modern, one of London’s many free galleries. The Southbank Centre nearby also offers student prices for shows and exhibitions. £0
19.00 - My friends and I each bought ingredients and made pasta and a big salad together. Much cheaper (and more fun) than eating out. £6
Saturday – Social day
15.00 - SWR train to meet friends at Waterloo. £5.60
17.00 - Went to friend’s flat to chill.
20.00 - Drinks at the pub. The Vault and Guy’s Bar are great campus spots with cheaper, student prices. £15.75
22.00 - Tube home.
Sunday – Rest Day
I usually spend Sundays at home, which helps me save.
19.00 - Dinner with a friend who lives nearby- a bit of a splurge but nice to treat myself after a busy week. £22
Total weekly spend: £234.59
This was definitely a more expensive week than usual, mostly because I booked long-distance train tickets and had several social outings. This isn’t what I normally spend, but it shows how tracking my spending helps me stay aware of those bigger weeks.
Tracking my spending has also shown me that small changes – like using travel discounts, packed lunches, or student offers – really add up. I don’t buy groceries right now since I live at home, but last year I managed a full Lidl food shop for £25 a week. I also recommend using Too Good To Go for cheap, good-quality food while reducing waste. You can find more tips in our article on shopping as a student.
Living in London can feel expensive, but once you know where to look, there are plenty of ways to enjoy student life without overspending.
Specialist Money Advisor feedback
Nikki, a Specialist Money Advisor from the Money & Housing Advice Service, reviewed the week’s spending to share what’s working well and where there may be opportunities to save even more:
"Overall this is a really good example of student spending. You utilised your student discounts on shopping and travel. Even when you were buying food out, you were using your Clubcard and choosing shops that have cheaper deals on certain days. It's not about cutting out everything you enjoy but finding the small ways to reduce costs.
There were some large expenses that included socialising and alcohol, but you also incorporated free events such as Tate Modern and the Comedy Club which can help keep the costs down and make you feel like you're not missing out.
Tracking your expenses is a really good way to start thinking about your spending, and thinking ahead. When you reflect on your spending, you can see where you could have bought something similar on vinted instead of new in Covent Garden. The more you track and reflect, the easier it will be to have those conversations in the moment and may reduce your spending."
If you've been inspired to start taking charge of your money and would like support to review your spending, or would like to speak to our team complete a registration form on the Money & Housing Advice website.