Cost of Living for Students in Dublin
Dublin can be an expensive city to live in. Here we share our top five tips for getting the most out of your money in the city!
Use your Student Discount
The first question you should ask when buying something is “do you offer a student discount”! Don’t be afraid of asking – many café’s, restaurants, shops and bars in the city will offer discounts to students when you produce your ID card. As a student, you can also get discounts on things you might need when you are studying – Apple, Microsoft and Adobe all offer discounts to students.
Get a Job
One of the great things about Dublin is the number of part-time jobs available for students. Of course, you should spend the majority of time studying, but there is no harm at all in having a job for a few hours a week. Ireland has a pretty high minimum wage of €8.40 per hour if you are over 18, increasing to €10.50 per hour if you are over 20, so make sure you are being paid at least this amount. Remember that you can work full time in the holidays to start saving money for your next academic year!
Learn to Budget
This might be your first time away from home, and maybe you are used to your parents managing your money. Now is an ideal time to learn to do that for yourself! Preparing a proper budget means that you won’t have any surprises when it comes to expenses. As a guide, we recommend budgeting the following amount each month:
Accommodation: About €650
Food: €200
Travel: €50
Socialising: €100
Other: €200
This is just a start! How much do you think you will need to spend on books, clothes etc? Remember that everyone’s lifestyle varies so the above is just a very rough guide. There are lots of budgeting apps you can use to help you manage your money each month.
Plan your meals in advance
Ditch the unhealthy takeaways and learn to cook! We all love going and eating out with friends, but see this as an occasional treat rather than something that you do all the time. If you plan your meals in advance, you will never buy more than you need at the supermarket – meaning that you can stick to your budget. You’ll also be helping save the planet by reducing food waste!
Save money on your utility bills
Sticking with the environmentally-friendly theme, try to reduce the money you are spending each month on gas, electricity and water. Always compare different providers before you sign up for utilities, to make sure you are getting the best deal. We know the weather in Ireland can sometimes be (slightly!) cold – but make sure you turn your heating off or turn your thermostat down if you really don’t need the heating on. If you are living with friends, make sure you are all doing your part to reduce costs and save the environment!
We hope the above top tips will give you a start in thinking about how you can manage your money when you are studying with us! If you are at all worried about your finances, you are always welcome to discuss this with us (in confidence).
