Shopping and budgeting
Shopping
Shopping in Falmouth
#01
If you like your charity shops this will be the best you’ve ever visited, I promise. Located just opposite Sainsbury’s, it sells kitchenware, furniture and clothing. Go grab yourself a bag of clothes for only £1!
#02
Farmers’ Market
Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday on The Moor there is a lovely Farmers’ market. Here is a great place to pick up fresh fish, eggs, flowers and jewellery for a reasonable price.
#03
This quirky, colourful Falmouth shop is the perfect place to grab a gift for yourself or another, selling things from clothes to mugs and homemade crafts. You can’t miss it!
#04
A lifestyle shop filled with gorgeous homeware, jewellery and clothes. This Falmouth shop is definitely worth a visit.
#05
St George’s Arcade
This arcade is filled with small unique shops and coffee shops – perfect for studying or an afternoon shop (Rubicund is a personal favourite of mine!)
Written by
Molly
Molly, BSc Zoology, Penryn Campus.
My favourite Exeter clothes shops
As a lover of clothes shopping, Exeter is perfect for that very thing. The city centre is small enough for you to walk around all the shops, and the campus is close enough for you to carry back all your latest purchases to your accommodation.
Walking round Exeter, there are many clothes shops such as Hollister, Urban Outfitters, Zara and H&M. The H&M is a big one on two floors and the Urban Outfitters have several floors. Many also run student discount offers. You can shop on your student budget and at your favourite clothes shops in Exeter.
Written by Caitlin, BA English and Communications, Streatham Campus.
Shopping on a budget
If you live near enough to an Aldi, then Aldi is the one for you! Or use a variety of shops to keep costs minimal as some items will be cheaper in certain stores.
Any non-food items like shampoo, cups, candles, cleaning supplies head to Wilko and remember to look at the upstairs section too – if in doubt, Wilko.
Set limits on takeaways and restaurant trips and learn to cook instead. The Sainsbury’s website has recipes, but BBC Good Food is great too. I use their website for ideas all the time. Soups are very cheap to make as are sandwiches and bulk out dinners with extra potatoes and rice. Stir-frys and roasts are also tasty meals that don’t cost a ton.
Written by
Poppy
Poppy, MSc Applied Psychology (Clinical), Streatham Campus.
Shopping tips
Bulk buy and meal prep. Bulk buying can help you to save with multi buy deals and the savings that come with buying bigger portions of dry foods like pasta and rice. Meal prepping is also a great way to save as you use less time, energy and have less waste from using individual food items that you might not use again.
Daniel, BMBS Medicine, St Luke’s Campus.
Try exploring second-hand clothing options. Exeter University itself often hosts vintage thrift sales and there are a huge range of charity shops in the city.
Christiana, BA Classical Studies and English, Streatham Campus.
Take advantage of student discounts (and if you are a medical related student with an NHS email – even more so). Take a minute to Google ‘student discount’ before you shop. Make an account if the store you are buying from offers it and check for first order discounts.
Beth, BMBS Medicine, St Luke’s Campus.
Lidl Plus Card – Great daily food coupons (a Tesco Clubcard and Sainsbury’s Nectar card are also highly recommended). You can also get a box of fruit and veg that would otherwise be thrown out for only £1.50!
Falmouth CRAP Facebook page – Grab yourself lots of useful bits and bobs, such as a free bookshelf, a bike, or even fabric scraps on this Facebook page for Falmouth and Penryn locals. Giving is also encouraged!
Molly, BSc Zoology, Penryn Campus.
Even small independent businesses in Exeter offer some great prices for students! Haircuts, coffees and gym memberships are just a few hidden gems I have discovered. So don’t be afraid to ask if you don’t know whether there’s a deal available!
Lydia, BSc Marketing and Management, Streatham Campus.
Budgeting tips
- Hello Fresh – A convenient and easy start for learning to cook as a student. Student discount deals are often available.
- HC Medication Form – Found on the NHS website, get price reductions on daily medication, dentist and opticians’ fees.
- 5-day Firstbus app tickets – Make sure to buy the 5-day bundle of £2 day bus travel tickets instead of the usual £2.50 adult day rider! There are also student Falmouth-Penryn Kernow unlimited bundle tickets available (see the fxplus website).
- Save on train travel – If you’re a frequent traveller, I highly recommend purchasing a 16-25 rail card to save you 1/3 on your overall ticket price (buy a three-year one before you leave university to make it last!).
- Best gyms in Falmouth I’ve found for money and equipment: The Space and Falmouth Fitness and Performance Gym
- Try to get bills included when renting a house – it saves a lot of stress!
- Get stuck in! For many, uni is a only a one-time thing, so make use of all the amazing free and discounted events and opportunities the university has to offer, e.g. sustainability week, Freshers’ Week, Black History Month as well as lots of creative and informative student workshops!
Written by
Molly
Molly, BSc Zoology, Penryn Campus.
Reusable coffee cups are your friend! I carry my thermal cup with me everywhere! Not only is it better on the planet, but it’s better for the purse… Most cafes, both in Exeter and on campus, will knock money off your hot drink purchase. Personally, I buy my morning caffeine fix at Pret on campus. They discount 50p for every use of a reusable cup. That’s a saving of £10 a month if you buy a cuppa every day!
Written by Lydia, BSc Marketing and Management, Streatham Campus.
Group your shopping, laundry, car journeys, etc – going as a group for shopping or filling a half full laundry load can be an effective way to save and split costs better. Car journeys to places like the supermarket as a group can also cut costs.
Written by Daniel, BMBS Medicine, St Luke’s Campus.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Written by
Beth
Beth, BMBS Medicine, St Luke’s Campus.
