Student Finance Ambassador, Oliver, shares his experience helping to run the events that took place during National Student Money Week 2023 and shares his insights into the financial support and advice the University can offer students…

National Student Money week is an annual event that takes place across universities the in the UK, with the aim to raise awareness and provide students with financial information that they can use to make their university experience more comfortable. Financial literacy is a crucial lesson to learn at university, it is a skill that will apply to all of us far beyond our time at university.

The University of Reading, alongside Student Financial support ran an incredibly successful campaign this year from the 27February to the 3 March, with a massive turnout from students. Free mugs and coffee were given away, and games of monopoly were played, and every student who attended an event had the opportunity to pick up some financial advice and money saving tips.  

 Here is a round-up of the events we hosted during National Student Money Week 2023:

• Stalls were run in the library and student union on the Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday of National Student Money Week.   We provided information booklets about bursaries, free Blackbullion mugs, vouchers for free coffee and teas,  and advice on  ways to reduce money anxieties while studying.

• Throughout the week we hosted a competition for students to guess the price of own branded items from supermarkets versus supermarket items. The student with the closest guess won an air fryer … their winning guess was off by only 9p!  

• On Wednesday afternoon (1 March) we ran a Monopoly competition with free pizza, drinks, and snacks. The player with the most money and properties won the game and one lucky student won a £50 grocery voucher! This also gave us extra time to talk to students about their money concerns, and provide information on getting support. (Safe to say, both of our student ambassadors got thrashed by the other students…!)

• On Thursday (3 March) we gave out over 100 free bags of essential items to students, including toothpaste, shower gel, and food items such as pasta, soups, and canned vegetables. These essentials items overwhelming success and extremely popular! As well as providing students with free cupboard items, the essentials bags also highlighted the essential cupboard scheme that the Student Finance Team has available. You can learn more about this scheme on the Cost of Living pages on Essentials.

At every event throughout the week we provided students with money saving tips and information about coping with the cost of living crisis, and how we can make our lives easier. For example, did you know that taking a 4 minute shower can save you up to £95 a year? Neither did we! You can find some extra energy saving tips on Energy Saving Trust.

Overall, National Student Money week 2023 was a huge success. Lots of information was given out to students, and we provided advice on how the University can support you if you encounter financial difficulties.

The aim of National Student Money Week make students aware of the financial support available to them from the University of Reading, and the opportunity for students to develop their financial skills, such as setting budgets, and saving money.

Even though National Student Money Week there is still lots of opportunities to develop the skills to manage your money. Make sure to sign up to Blackbullion, a free education financial resources available to all students at the University of Reading.

Moreover, if you are in need of financial support, do not hesitate to contact the Student Financial Support Team. They can help ensure you get the financial support you need throughout your students.  You can find the contact details on Essentials.