Student Money Podcast – No More Beans
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Welcome to No More Beans - the podcast which tells student life like it really is while boosting your bank balance.
Recent grads Jess and Tom discuss their funniest and most embarrassing stories from uni - expect Kit-Kat stealing mice and cockroach infestations, chicken nugget addictions and drunken impulse buys.
Each episode is packed full of money saving tips and advice, and with the help of some special guests, we'll be showing you how to make your student loan stretch further. Here's a taste of what to expect...
Don’t forget, we’d love to hear your own stories and money problems. Get in touch by sending us a voice message on Telegram, tweeting us at @savethestudent or emailing us at podcast[-at-]savethestudent.org.
If you have any burning questions about how to save money at university, or any feedback on the show, let us know!
Show notes
E07 - Freshers' week special
Discussing how to make friends, how to survive shared living, how to be better with your money and much, much more!
Special guest: Jake Butler, Student Money Expert
Length: 47 minutes
Top quote: "Cheese is just hard milk."
Essential reading:
- 36 mistakes every fresher will make
- What to take to university checklist
- 23 things grads wish they’d known in their first year
- 34 things to do when starting university
- How to survive shared living
- How to make friends at university
It’s freshers’ week! And that can only mean one thing - yes, you guessed it, a special freshers’ edition of No More Beans.
Starting uni is scary, and to help you get through freshers’ week, we’ve decided to draw from our own experiences and show you that, even when things don’t go exactly to plan, freshers’ week is nothing to worry about!
My abiding memory of freshers' week is going to nightclubs by myself.
If Tom can manage that, then you can handle whatever the week throws at you!
We know that making friends is the thing that worries most people more than anything, but fear not - we assure you that you’ll find some mates!
It doesn’t matter who you are or what you’re like, I absolutely 100% guarantee you that you’ll find people like you.
Tom goes one short of offering a money-back guarantee.
Chances are that you haven’t had to make new friends since starting school, so to help you out a little, we think back to how we managed to meet people.
Buy chicken nuggets for everyone at 2am, that's what I used to do.
Jess’ expensive, but ultimately effective way of winning people over.
Of course, some of your closest friends could end up being the people you live with. But what if you’re not so fortunate - what if you end up living with people who, let’s say, aren’t your cup of tea? Fortunately for you (less so for them), both Jess and Tom had some housemate tensions in their first years of uni, and they discuss their top tips for coping with shared living.
Basically you've got pranks, and then you've got assaulting people while they're asleep.
Tom points out that perhaps Jess wasn’t exactly the perfect housemate herself.
Finally, our resident Student Money Expert enters the fold to do what he does best: share some money-saving advice. Nobody can save money like Jake, but it seems as though nobody can spend it like him either - tune in to find out how he blew an insane chunk of his loan in one fateful freshers’ week afternoon.
E06 - Ballin on a budget
Saving money on nights out, budget boozy cocktails and weird drinking games...
Special guest: Alcohol
Length: 43 minutes
Top quote: "I got to the club and I was just there... with this blanket."
Essential reading:
- 16 simple ways to save money on a night out
- 11 easy cocktails to make at home
- 10 drinking games every student should know
- Pre-drinking on a student budget
- Formal wear: Dress smart at clever prices
It’s the final episode of the series and we’ve saved the best until last! This week we’re talking all about saving money on nights out - from pre-drinks to that 3am takeaway. We know that messy nights out can seriously drain your finances at uni, so we’re here to help you out with some tried and tested tips that will help you save some cash.
We’ll be revealing our tips for getting cheap entry to clubs, plus how to save money on takeaway food - have you ever done the Pasty Pitstop?
In Newcastle, they have a 24-hour Greggs
Confirming all the stereotypes
Next up we’re joined by Jake (our money-saving guru from Episode One) as we try out a bit of Save the Student mixology. Well, we attempt to make classy concoctions including a Cheeky Vimto, Fluffy Duck and Jammie Dodger shots.
When Tom likens one of the drinks to “a baby in the womb” it’s clear things haven’t quite gone to plan, but if you fancy a change from your usual vodka coke mix, we’ve got some good ideas for you to use as inspiration.
It’s a little bit embarrassing to rock up to a pre-drinks with a WKD, isn’t it?
Wear your fluorescent blue with pride, Jess
We then move on to tackle the next most important part of a pre-drinks - the drinking game. No one wants yet another game of Ring of Fire, so we give Picolo a whirl. This drinking game app does all the hard work for you - there’s no need for playing cards or coming up with your own ideas.
I once got bitten by a tortoise
Shock revelations during the drinking game
Finally, it’s the last Money Confessions of the series and, you guessed it, this week is all about our most expensive nights out. If you’ve ever woken up with a stonking hangover and a serious dent in your bank balance, then these stories will reassure you that you’re not alone.
He was a very nice guy, he kept stopping every time I needed to be sick.
Tom relives his messiest (and most expensive) night out
E05 - Cheap holiday hacks
How to get cheap flights, bargain accommodation and cheeky hotel upgrades....
Special guest: Chelsea Travel - Vlogger at How Many Holidays
Length: 40 mins
Top quote: “You are not burning Vogue”
Essential reading:
- This woman took 10 holidays in a year for £1,700 – and she’s revealed how
- 11 easy tricks to get the cheapest flights
- How to save on travel money
- 9 ways travelling makes you more employable
- Cheap student travel insurance
- 23 ways to cut the cost of your holiday
It’s one of our favourite money-saving topics - holidays and travel! If you’re the kind of person who lives for cheap flights and bargain hotels, then you’re in for a treat this week. We’re joined by Chelsea Travel - you might remember her as the woman who went on 10 holidays in a year for just £1,700 (that’s half the price an average Brit goes on holiday in a year).
I just didn’t go to the dentist for a year.
Chelsea made some tough sacrifices for her holiday challenge
We couldn’t wait to get her on the show and grill her about how she manages to get holidays so cheap. She revealed how she uses sites like Jack’s Flight Club and Secret Flying to track the best deals on flights, and other great resources for getting flights at super cheap prices.
Plus, we found out how she scores some amazing deals on accommodation. Two weeks of free accommodation in Paris and a stay in a Emmy-award winner’s multi-million pound apartment in New York - we had one question; how!? She had some great tips and advice, including how to use sites like LoveHomeSwap and Homestay.
She also had loads of great suggestions on how students especially can save money. Rule number one - use that student discount card to the max!
Oh, sorry you should be reading. Just take a book with you!
One of the perks of holidaying as a student
Finally, we wanted to know how Chelsea manages to bag those cheeky hotel upgrades. She reveals her ultimate blagging tips and some tried and tested methods.
It is a special occasion. You’re on holiday and you’re spending your money.
How Chelsea justifies trying for those cheeky hotel upgrades
E04 - Making money at uni
From weird side-hustles to business ideas, we're discussing all things money-making...
Special guest: Owen Burek - Save the Student founder
Length: 33 mins
Top quote: "Remember Colin Creevey? Yeah, that was me."
Essential reading:
- 40 ways to make money
- 37 weird ways students make money
- 11 things you should know before taking part in a drug trial
- How to make money as a film or TV extra
- Which companies offer the best employee benefits?
- 50 business ideas to start at university
- 10 years of Save the Student - from dorm to yacht
Show description:
It’s episode four, and at last we’re tackling how to make money at uni! From weird side hustles to setting up your own business, via some insight into the companies offering the best employee benefits, we’ll be covering everything you need to know.
We kick off the show by discussing some of the weirdest ways in which students have made money. Spoiler alert: they really are weird.
We all poo.
See, told you it gets weird.
Our listener submission this week is an absolute gem, too. We won’t spoil it by revealing just how he made money, but it does lead Jess to say this:
Everyone’s got an innie!
Yep.
Fuelled by the excitement of our belly button chat, we take a look at which companies offer the best employee benefits. After all, if you’re going to get a job as a student, you may as well get the most bang for your buck.
If you’re eating McDonald’s that often, you’d probably just go off it a bit.
Challenge accepted, Jess.
Finally, we invite the founder of Save the Student, Owen Burek, to share some of his tips on setting up a business of your own.
Owen launched the website back in 2007 when he himself was a student, so nobody’s better placed than him to impart some wisdom.
I had around 100 websites.
Tune in to find out how Owen went for the OAP market as well as students…
E03 - Surviving revision hell
How to make it through the revision and deadline season, turning your revision notes into money and the best (aka worst) inspirational quotes...
Special guest: Rachel - studygrammer
Length: 33 mins
Top quote: “Nothing is impossible. Even the word itself says ‘I’m possible’!”
Essential reading:
- How to revise in one day and ace it
- 5 tips to beat exam stress
- 10 ways to take better lecture notes
- How to write a 3,000 word essay in a day
- You can now make money by Instagramming your revision notes
- 18 tactics to maximise all you can eat buffets
Show description:
We’re back, and this week we’re talking all about surviving revision and deadline hell. It’s one of the hardest parts of university, so we’ve got a show packed full of top tips, sneaky hacks and motivation to get you through.
We start by sharing some of our favourite inspirational quotes to help get you in the study mindset - and by favourite, we mean the cringiest quotes that make absolutely no sense.
When there's nothing else to burn you have to set yourself on fire.
Note: Don’t try this at home
We also chat to Rachel, a first year Law student who also runs a studygram. She tells us how you can make money from Instagramming your revision notes, as well as her own top tips for creating kick-ass study materials.
You don’t need to have neat handwriting to create a studygram.
Tom’s studygram hopes are saved
Check out Rachel's studygram.
We asked you guys what your top revision hacks were and we got loads of responses! We share some of the best, as well as revealing our personal study tips.
Why waste time eating two meals a day, when you could just eat one and make sure it’s big enough that it lasts?
Genius time saving techniques from our listeners
But revision isn’t all pretty revision notes and intense studying. We also discuss some of our lowest points, as well as our revision break guilty pleasures. Find out just how many pens Jess takes into exams, and how Tom likes to relax after a long day of studying…
I had a really weird pen paranoia in exams.
Jess reveals her dark secret
We’ve also put together this Spotify revision playlist with some of our favourite tracks to help you get through those long shifts in the library. Subscribe and let us know if you have suggestions!
E02 - S.O.S. (Save On Shopping)
Our worst impulse buys, where your maintenance loan goes and how to save money on food...
Special guest: Bronni Hughes - Deals Expert
Length: 30 mins
Top quote: “OH MY GOD IT’S BEYONCE!”
Essential reading
- National Student Money Survey 2017 - Results
- 57 ways to save money on food
- 14 ways to save money on textbooks
- 8 kitchen utensils you don’t actually need (and what to use instead)
- Live on £10 for a week: the student challenge
Show description
Episode two of No More Beans has landed! We’re back for another round of hilarious stories and invaluable money saving advice, all with 0% jargon.
This second episode sees Tom and Jess discuss shopping, starting with a round of your worst ever impulse buys.
This will be a great idea, I’ll be a DJ for all my mates’ parties.
Textbook drunken ambition from one of our listeners
The admirable bravery you showed in admitting your worst impulse buys inspired Tom and Jess to share some of their own, although we’ll leave it down to you to decide who’s got the best (or, more accurately, worst) claim.
In my final year of uni I got a little bit of a reputation at house parties.
Oh god, Jess, for what?
We then took a look at the results of our latest National Student Money Survey, finding out exactly what students are spending their money on - other than rent, of course.
I’m bitter about a lot of things, but that night is top of the list.
Our survey brings back some bad memories for Tom
Finally, we tackle a question from a listener who says she spends too much money on food. When it comes to saving money on shopping (food or otherwise), there’s nobody better than our resident Deals Expert, Bronni, so we invited her into the studio to share her top tips. She didn’t disappoint!
I had like £60 to spend there.
Find out how Bronni’s getting slap-up dinners completely free of charge
E01 - Housing Horror Stories
Nightmare housemates, saving money on bills and unnecessary kitchen purchases...
Special guest: Jake Butler - Student Finance Guru
Length: 34 mins
Top quote: “There were gherkins stuck to our living room wall.”
Essential reading
- National Student Accommodation Survey 2018 - Results
- 11 tips to save money on energy bills
- Top 10 student housing problems revealed
- How to get a TV license refund
- The ultimate guide to student bills
Show description
The wait is finally over… The first episode of No More Beans is here! The brand new money-saving podcast from Save the Student is brimming with funny stories and invaluable advice - with no added jargon.
In this first episode, podcast hosts and recent grads Jess and Tom tackle the perils of student accommodation and share some of your scariest housing horror stories. In our National Student Accommodation Survey, over 2,000 of your shared your experiences of student living, and the results are pretty shocking. Annoying housemates, break ins and bill mishaps - you guys have been through it all.
My housemate pooed on the kitchen floor.
Our personal favourite
Jess and ‘Travelodge Tom’ also share some horror stories of their own - expect KitKat-stealing mice and German cockroaches.
I was literally having to use the power pack on my laptop for heat.
Extreme heating solutions in Tom’s student house
Each week we’ll be answering a student money problem sent in by one of our listeners. This week Charlotte asked us about how to save money on bills, so we brought in our resident money expert, Jake Butler. He reveals his five top tips which could save you hundreds a year.
Wait, did you say don’t pay your TV license?
Spoiler alert - yes he does
Finally, in this week’s Money Confessions, Jess and Tom will be revealing the most unnecessary thing they bought to take to uni.
How many friends did you think you were gonna have?
Top burn from Tom
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