10 Feb 2022
Overview
  • Dreaming of having that student life but worried about your bank account? We’ve teamed up with Scape to give you the goss on how to live out of home as a student without breaking the bank.
  • If you’re sorting out accommo, make sure you give Scape a look for great digs at an even better price!

When we’re in high school, most of us dream of whisking ourselves away from the suburbs or our small towns to live somewhere where the vibes are good, the culture is thriving, and, let’s be honest, the living is pretty cheap as well. But if you’ve been living with family and working for a bit of pocket money, you might not be up to scratch on how to get the best bang for your buck living independently. Dw! We’re here to help with some of our best pointers on living in the big smoke on a student budget.

Get that income to rent ratio right!

If you’re looking to not just survive but thrive when you’re living out of home, it is vital that you’re not paying too much rent. You don’t just want to scrape by every week, or when the opportunity for a sick holiday with your mates or a sudden expense comes up, you’ll be feeling the pain. The general rule of thumb is that you don’t wanna pay more than a third of your income on rent. That way, after essentials and just livin’ your life, you can have a bit to put away every week. Scape offers modern inner-city accommo from $209, which is a seriously tough price to beat!

Location, location location

It’s a cliché for a reason! Living in a great spot isn’t just great for access to all the venues and amenities your heart desires - it can actually save you money! Let me explain. I used to be a car addict myself, and I know how all those costs add up. Moving close to a transportation hub meant that I barely needed to drive at all! Take for instance Scape’s accommodation in Redfern. You’re a 10 min walk away from the shops, or the University of Sydney, but if you wanna travel further, a short walk will land you at one of the largest train stations in NSW.

If you’ve got it, use it!

Some people might get turned off at the idea of spending a little more on a place with amenities like a pool, a gym or a shared balcony situation, but I totally disagree. Well, not totally. Here’s the thing - if you feel like you’ll actually use this stuff, and the facilities have what you’re looking for, then you’re golden. The costs of those facilities will almost always be cheaper than a gym membership somewhere else - and the real tea is that other people in your complex are actually way less likely to use them than you’d expect. If you move in somewhere like Scape’s Toowong student accommodation, you get access to a 24/7 gym, a shared cinema set-up and a lounge and games area.

Bulk buying and batch cooking saves you big bucks

If you’ve got the extra cash upfront and a bit of time and storage space you can save serious money by buying and making your goods and meals in bulk. Take for instance this viral post from last year where someone pointed out that you can buy a $30 bottle of spray and wipe concentrate that would cost you about $2700 if you were to buy the individual spray and wipe bottles at the supermarket.

Also if you cook stuff in bulk to freeze and eat later, or share with mates on a roster situation, your cost per meal goes way down, believe me. Might be a good use of Scape’s communal kitchen facilities?

Nobody really teaches you any of this stuff at school, but with a good set up and some easy habits, you can save your money for stuff you actually want to splash out on. If you’re interested in what Scape has to offer, make sure you check their site out. They’ve got student accommo in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane for some sweet rates. Take a look over here!