Graduating This Summer? Here Are Some Money-Saving Tips While You Job Hunt
If you’re graduating in the next couple of months, you’re probably thinking, ‘what’s next?’. If starting your career is top of the list, then the summer is likely to be spent applying for jobs, attending interviews and hopefully landing that dream first job.
While you look for a job, your finances might be a little stretched. Hopefully it won’t be too long before you find a job, but in the meantime, here are some money-saving tips while you job hunt.
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Find some short-term or casual work
While you’re looking for work, you could always try looking for some short-term or casual work to keep your finances topped up while you look for something long-term. With hospitality and leisure beginning to open up again after the pandemic, you might be in luck finding some short-term work for the summer. There are also some great ways you can make money from home that could help you boost your income, even after you’ve found a job!
Set yourself a strict budget
Sticking to a strict budget will help you manage your finances over the next few months. It will help make sure your bills are paid, while also leaving you with some money to enjoy yourself – it is summer after all. There are some useful budgeting apps out there that could easily help you manage your money, while even helping you save more too.
Book train fares early
Travel for interviews or to visit friends can soon add up to be a big expense. But if you’re smart with your travel plans, you can save money. Booking as early as possible is one way to save money, helping you benefit from the cheapest fares. There are all sorts of ways to save money on train travel, and you could even bag yourself a railcard to save up to a third off full price tickets. The UK also has a great coach network, with some great prices compared to train travel if you need to get somewhere on a very tight budget.
Make the most of cheap accommodation
If you’re planning on moving to a new city, you might need to factor in some overnight stays into your job hunt. If you decide to take part in an internship or work placement, you’ll also need to think about where you’re going to stay. Friends or family may be able to put you up, but if not, there are some accommodation options that won’t break the bank.
Accommodation specialising in short terms stays is very affordable, and ideal if you need to stay for several nights or even weeks. If you can, try to line up your interviews so they take place over the same period. This can save you travel expenses and time, and gives you a bit of momentum – saving you having to spend weeks and weeks preparing for each interview.
Finding your first job after graduating can be difficult, but getting your finances in order will be one less thing to worry about. Be strict with your budget and forward-plan as much as possible to help you save money while you work towards finding your dream job.
*This is a collaborative post.
