Take the stress out of student life with Christina Liddell’s (MSc Human Resources and Organisations Student Ambassador) top five apps that she used to make life in London a little more student-friendly! 

Moving to London for studies is a daunting task! Whether you have previously visited London or not, navigating everyday city life as a student comes with a whole host of difficulties.

It definitely took me some time to adapt to the TfL network (Transport for London) and manage the crazy London prices wherever I went. After settling in, I have found many useful apps that have improved my quality of life. 

1. Olio

Olio is perhaps my favourite app. It’s a marketplace for giving away, getting, borrowing, or lending things within the community. Since London is so large, there’s thousands of people giving things away for free! You can pick up food, household items, furniture… anything! It’s great for reducing waste, and it’s perfect for students on a budget. I’ve collected loads of bits and bobs on Olio, like coat hangers, a dish drying rack, and an ice cube tray! You can put up your own items to give away too. It’s the perfect little circular economy. 

2. Too Good To Go

This is the perfect app if you’re looking for a cheap meal while also reducing food waste! Every day, hundreds of cafes, restaurants, and supermarkets across London put up surprise bags at super discounted prices (think Sunday roast for a fiver or a whole bag of pastries for £4!!). All you must do is book your slot and go pick up your surprise bag. Perfect for living on a budget while being sustainable! 

3. Citymapper

Google maps giving you overcomplicated routes or TfL Go giving inaccurate bus times? Try Citymapper! This app has saved me multiple times while navigating London. It gives you every transport option for any journey you may need, even cycles or scooters for hire! Plus, it estimates how expensive each trip will be, which is perfect for keeping on top of your budget. Citymapper is a great companion when travelling in the city. 

4. Splitwise

As students, we often run into situations where we must share the cost of a group meal at a restaurant, split the energy bill between housemates, or buy toilet rolls for the shared flat bathroom!

It can be stressful trying to keep up with all these costs and working out who owes who.

Splitwise is a useful app for you and your friends to avoid such stress and leave more time for enjoying our days! Simply create your account, set up your group, and you can begin inputting costs that get automatically split amongst group members. It does all the maths for you! Truly magical.

5. Uber

Late night out? Carrying loads of shopping? Uber has saved me multiple times when the buses or tubes have failed me, and with competitive, student-friendly prices too! There are loads of Ubers available in London meaning wait-times are super low, which make it perfectly convenient.

They’re also generally cheaper than black cabs, which makes them perfect for students.