It might sound like a luxury, but most students will agree that a smartphone is actually one of the most useful gadgets to have around while you’re studying.
There’s a whole host of subject-specific apps to make your studies that little bit easier, as well as basics like the calendar, calculator and on-demand e-mail. On-board file storage means you don’t need a separate USB device to carry your files around with you. Teachers are even getting used to students taking their phones out during lectures and labs to take photographs of vocational work.
Unfortunately though, these smartphones often come with a hefty price tag. As well as the line bill and the insurance, the biggest payment is the handset itself – usually way too much money for one student loan payment to feasibly support. There is a way around this though: start doing some research before it’s time to update your current phone, and take a look at refurbishing sites like E2Save, which offer top phones refurbished and reset after belonging to different owners. Refurbishment essentially wipes the slate clean, so while it’s second-hand, you’d never know it, and it means you can pick up a decent handset without having to pay out a fortune.
Once you get your handset set up, there are a number of apps out there that can save you some money. Try to avoid purchasing music and instead try a monthly subscription to a service like Spotify, which for as little £10 a month allows you to stream music straight to your phone. A free app tracker is a great way to see what’s just become available for free, so you can keep an eye out for top games and productivity tools without having to spend a penny!