How students make finances stretch through university life

THREE-QUARTERS (74%) of students are concerned about how much debt they’ll be in when they finish university, according to a new survey.

More than half (53%) believe they will never pay off their loan, the research from current account Nationwide FlexStudent found. For 43% of those surveyed, juggling jobs with studying is one way of getting by.

The top reason given by students for working during university is to finance their social life (64%). However, four in 10 (40%), work simply to lower post-university debt, which according to the survey of more than 1,000 UK students, is £41,348 on average.

The jobs students are most likely to take up to fit around their studies are working as a retail assistant, waiting tables, working in a coffee shop, bartending and working as a supermarket assistant, the research found.

As well as making money, the findings also showed savvy students are using a variety of ways to make their money stretch as far as possible. Here are their top 10 ways to save: 1. Shopping in discount stores 2. Buying reduced items supermarkets 3. Using a railcard 4. Using an NUS discount card 5. Budgeting 6. Freezing leftovers for another day

7. Using coupons and discount vouchers 8. Buying second hand textbooks 9. Making meals as a group 10. Shopping at a local market in