Monday 15-10-2018 - 10:12

The first few weeks of uni have flown by, your rents probably gone out, course books have been bought and you’re using those handy budget tracker apps we told you all about (you are using them right?!) – but imagine having £250 in cold hard cash to spend on whatever you want.

If you’re in your first year (whether you're an undergrad, postgrad or foundation year), complete our Induction Survey to tell us how you found your first weeks at uni. You’ll be entered into a prize draw to win said £250. There’s also four runner-up prizes of £50 too, and you’ll be helping The Union and University improve what we can do for students in the future – so everyone’s a winner (well not everyone, but you know what we mean). Reading this and not a first year?  Don't you worry, there'll be other chances to do surveys and win prizes later in the year.

For some spend-spiration, here are some things you can splash that cash on during your first year in Manchester:

Gigs gigs gigs

Want tickets to the Warehouse Project (if it’s not already sold out) – they could be yours! Alt-J gig? YOURS. Metallica, Michael Bolton or George Ezra – yep. YOU CAN GO. The music world is your oyster and you could be booking tickets to your hearts content with that sort of cash. Classical more your thing? With £250 you could easily treat yourself and a friend to a concert at the Bridgewater Hall with the Autumn Proms, Northern Soul and even a live orchestra playing over Jurassic Park on in the next few weeks and beyond.

 

Food glorious food

Even if you are new to Manchester, you’ll know it has an array of amazing eateries to enjoy. Already know the city? It’s likely you’ll have already found some of your fave places. £250 would easily get you a decent meal at Tattu (known for it’s beaut and utterly Instagram-able cherry blossom tree inside) or how about posh Hawksmoor or a vegan feast at Bundobust? Feeling something less fancy? £250 will get you around 50 Archie’s burgers, around 35 Abdul’s mixed kebabs, about 15 large Domino’s and in this economy it’ll (only) buy you 830-odd Freddos (they cost 30p now – blame Brexit).

 

But it’s cold outside

Autumn brings with it not just amazing television (hello Apprentice and Bake Off), crispy crunchy leaves underfoot in All Saints’ park and the joy of layering, but also the return of the gloriously basic Pumpkin Spice Latte - £250 would buy you around 62 of the frothy nutmeggy treat. You could also go on a mad shopping spree and buy yourself a whole new wardrobe – the choice is yours.

 

Nope, not leaving my room except to go to lectures

£250 would buy you over eighteen months of Netflix or Spotify premium joy – imagine enjoying ad free music or binge-tastic telly for TWO YEARS (and you could even let some parasites sponge off your family account if you’re feeling extra nice). Why not treat yo’ self to some proper pampering instead – you could buy around 50 Lush bath bombs, 4 or 5 posh candles (pssst – the ones from Aldi smell the same and you could get LOADS) or go mad and get 250 of those peely face masks you can get for a £1 from the supermarket. Amazing.

 

Other ways of obtaining £250 are available, but The Union does not condone gambling, extortion, theft, or any other naughty means of making this sort of cash quickly.

Just do the survey.

Remember, if you’re having money troubles for real, the Advice Centre can help you out with budgeting and funding. They are there if you need them: www.theunionmmu.org/advice