How to be a savvy saver as an Apprentice

While earning and learning is good earning, learning and saving is even better. Here at Apprenticeship Recruitment we want to help you make the most of your apprenticeship experience and what better way to start then to make sure that you are not spending out on something you don’t need to. Note: This is by no means a comprehensive list so make sure that you do your own research for your area.


Travel
Travel can be a massive pay-out from your weekly wage just getting to and from work. It can also be a long trek on a bus, train or tram so make sure that you get the most out of the deals below to save some money for the things you really want to spend out on.

• Jobcentre Plus Travel Card: The Jobcentre in Birmingham have announced a new Travel Discount Card that provides a 50% discount on most National Rail journeys for eligible individuals in the first 3 months of their Apprenticeship and the unemployed. The travel discount scheme will be administered by Jobcentre and claimants can apply for the Discount Card at their local Jobcentre. They will need to bring in two passport sized photographs. Just ask your jobcentre for more details.
• Workwise Free Bus and Rail Pass: 2 Months of free bus, train and metro travel in the West Midlands when starting employment. You need to tell them five days before. The first pass will be given at the job centre and the 2nd will be sent in the post. Ask you job centre adviser for more details.
• Bike to work scheme (Workwise): If you can use a bike to get into work then network West Midlands may be able to help you. They can provide free recycled bikes, safety accessories, bike maintaince sessions, route planning and bike buddying. Not only is it good for your heath but you can also cycle past all the traffic jams and congestion. For more information visit:http://www.networkwestmidlands.com/workwise/BiketoWork.aspx
• NUS Cross Country: Once you have started employment as an apprentice you are entitled to apply for an NUS Apprentice card (see discount card section). You can then apply to cross country trains to get a card to get 10% off train travel with them. For more information and to apply visit:http://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/special-offers/treats-and-discounts/nus

Discount Cards

• NUS Apprentice Extra Card: For just £11 for a year you can get the NUS Apprentice Extra card which gives you money offer in a huge range of shops and stores on and offline at places such as new look, amazon, McDonalds etc. Visit:http://www.apprenticeextra.co.ukfor more information.

Other discounts to take into consideration
There are a number of different ways that you can save money that are not directly linked to apprenticeships but will help you save money on your wage.

• Store Cards:Most supermarkets offer these depending on where you shop. They all differ slightly but the main thing is that you swipe them every time you shop there, you collect points and then normally these are redeemable as money offer, special offers etc.
• Tesco:Money off shopping, money off petrol, 2-4-1 deals, special offers, discount codes for Megabus, air-miles etc. See:https://secure.tesco.com/clubcard/myaccount/join/home.aspx.
• Sainsburys:Collect points to get money off shopping, money off amazon, special offers etc. See:http://www.sainsburys-live-well-for-less.co.uk/products-values/nectar. You can also register your nectar card with British Gas to get more points and make savings and you can get points at Argos and BP Petrol Stations.
• Morrsions:Collect points on your shopping to get money off petrol.
• Shop Cards:Most shops will offer some kind of loyalty card be this a card that you collect stamps that add up to a free meal or drink, get special offers, save money. If you notice that you are shopping somewhere regularly it might be worth asking about it or researching it online. Superdrug, Boots, independent coffee shops, Subway and Greggs are all good examples of this.
• Cinema Cards:Money off food, drinks and seats and special offers.
• Mobile deals:Orange offer orange Wednesdays and special offers, 02 offers priority moments just to name a few … make sure you shop around before investing in your next phone.
• Bank Cards:Lots of banks offer deals and incentives for students so it is worth checking out if you are entitled to anything. This can be done through a simple Google search.

Good sites for deals:

• Student Beans:A site dedicated to updating you about student savings you can make: http://www.studentbeans.com
• Groupon:Deals on everything that you can think of especially holidays: http://www.groupon.co.uk
• Wowcher:Again a site with lots of deals and information about discounts: http://www.wowcher.co.uk/deals

Things to avoid:

• Store credit cards:They work the same as a credit card so even though you normally get a saving on your purchase you need to make sure that if you are going to get one you pay them off promptly because they are subject interest.
• Online loans:These may look like a good deal and they can be helpful however they charge massive interest rates so don’t get dragged in. See if you can borrow from someone else or the bank before resorting to this option.
• Credit cards:Again you have to pay them off fast or you will lose money in interest.

For more information on how we can help you find, secure and complete an Apprenticeship please call us on 0121 707 0550 or e-mail:info@apprenticeshiprecruitment.co.uk



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