The Iglu Guide | Blog
How to shop for student essentials without breaking the bank
Heading off to Uni is an exciting time, and for many students it’s the first real opportunity to live independently. Making your new student accommodation feel like home is a good way to help you settle in, and it doesn’t have to be expensive.
Whether you’re heading to an empty rental or fully furnished accommodation, here’s where to find those student essentials without breaking the bank.
What will you need to take with you?
Before you start packing, have a think about what your new accommodation will actually need. If you’re moving into a shared rental or planning on living by yourself, there’s a good chance you will need to provide everything including furniture and kitchenware.
At Iglu, students live in fully furnished accommodation, with bedrooms that includes a bed, desk, chair, lamp and mirror. You’ll need to provide your own linen, pillows, pans, crockery, glassware and cutlery, but if you’re short on organisation the Kit Out My Iglu packs can make life a lot easier and are available to book online.
If you do have some time, take the opportunity to shop around, save some money and think more sustainably about what you will buy.
Cheap and cheerful
Shopping around for essentials doesn’t have to be expensive and there are some great student-friendly shop options that will have everything you need – and more!
For high quality pieces at surprisingly low prices, you can’t go past Ikea. Tried and tested, whether it’s furniture, homewares or storage, this Swedish supplier continues to pack a mighty punch in the home-furnishing marketplace. Here you can pick up everything you’ll need, from the loungeroom and kitchen through to the bedroom and bathroom. Now offering online shopping and delivery, there’s really no excuses.
Check out Target and Kmart for more in the affordable bedding, homewares and storage range. Perfect for picking up those little extras like cushions, vases and low lighting options at a fraction of the usual cost, you’ll be saving money with every purchase.
If you’re an online shopping guru, there are some bargains to be had at Catch or go for something more individual and support independent retailers at Etsy.
Swap and thrift
One student’s trash is another student’s treasure so find out if there are any buy/swap/sell opportunities, or community exchange systems operating in your local area. There are various groups available online that will help you access unwanted goods, or offer up your own for swap or sale. It’s a budget-friendly way to get hold of larger items that would ordinarily be pretty expensive to buy.
Opshops like Salvos and Vinnies are great places to find those smaller household items such as crockery, cups, glassware and home accessories, and you can even op-shop online. Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree are also well-known options to browse through hundreds of second-hand items within your local radius.
Save money on plants by taking some wild cuttings and growing your own. Thinking creatively will make your space individual to you – and keep your budget happily on track.
Think for the future
Sustainable shopping practises are becoming more and more important as the global conversation around climate change picks up pace. We all have an individual responsibility to take and using our consumer powers is a great way to bring about organic change.
Re-using and recycling are the first steps on the sustainable shopping ladder, but if you do need to buy for your new accommodation encourage yourself and others to support sustainable businesses with ethical values. Stay as informed as possible around how products are sourced, how they are made and where they are coming from. Consider paying slightly more for the right purchase, and needing slightly less as a result.
