With the winter season now upon us, the rising cost of living and the cold weather can make budgeting extra challenging.

Read on for some helpful tips and support for managing your money during the colder months, and beyond.

Save money on food

Make extra food for your dinner and bring a packed lunch to uni the next day. This saves you money on buying food and also saves energy on cooking if you make more at once.

Forgot to bring lunch? Grab a £2 hot meal at Eat Central in Bramber House. Each weekday between 12 noon and 2pm, a vegetarian or vegan option is offered at this price, giving you the opportunity to grab a healthy and tasty hot meal for a low cost.

Brighton and Hove Food Partnership is a local non-profit helping people learn to cook, eat a healthy diet, grow their own food and waste less food. They also have free and low-cost meal projects across Brighton and Hove.

Save money on travel

You may be travelling home, or visiting family and friends during the winter vacation. Make sure you think about your travel early to save money where possible.

When you get your Sussex student card, you can benefit from discounts on:

• buses in Brighton & Hove with a student key card or the m-ticket app
• trains to and from the campus (Falmer station) with a UniZone ticket
• train travel around the UK with a 16-25 railcard
• coach travel with a Young Persons Coachcard.

You should also:

• book train tickets in advance, as prices go up if you book them close to your travel date
• look at 'split ticketing', which is where you buy two or more tickets for different parts of a train journey as this can be cheaper.

Grow your money skills

Grow your money skills and knowledge to empower your future and gain financial confidence.

Explore the Blackbullion learning platform for free.

Make a budget

During the winter vacation and festive period, you may find that you’re spending more money on events, going out and gifts. Planning your spending ensures you aren’t going over your budget.

Your money needs to cover your essential living costs (a home, heat, water and food) but money can also provide you with choices for the future.

Understanding your basic financial commitments and your goals can help you keep your finances on track.

Use the free Budget Planner from Money Helper to help manage your money, including how much is coming in and where it’s being spent.

Check MoneySavingExpert's Student Budgeting Planner, create a budget spreadsheet or use a budgeting tool such as a student budget calculator.

The Save the Student website also provides lots of information on budgeting, banking, ways to save money and latest deals and freebies for students.

Support from the Students’ Union

The Students’ Union also can support students with cost of living initiatives, including:

• providing free sexual health and period products on Wednesdays
• supporting student co-ops such as the food waste café, Roots and the Radical library
• offering a free, impartial student advice service.

The Students' Union also provide free and subsidised tickets, events, and sports/societies memberships to make these more affordable and accessible.

Find out more on the Students' Union website.

University support for money worries

If you’re struggling with money, you can talk to us and we can help with advice and guidance for managing your money. If you need advice, you can contact us through My Sussex.

Read more about budgeting and money support on the Student Hub.