In a time where sustainability is becoming increasingly important, the world of finance has turned its attention to improving sustainability across all sectors of finance.
As many argue that finance really is at the heart of everything, those in the finance sector have had to take the initiative to start thinking more environmentally. Whether this involves investing in renewable energy projects, changing the way that businesses source their products, or aligning with ESG Criteria, all these measures contribute to the goal of becoming a more environmentally friendly planet.
Sustainability in finance is often linked to ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) finance. Green bonds are one source of financing. Green bonds ensure the funds raised are being used only on environmental projects. Investors who invest in these green bonds are aware that their investment is benefitting the environment, leading to an increased demand for these sustainable investment projects.
Large businesses are committing significant sums of money towards investment into sustainable finance. Take Goldman Sachs for example, who in 2019 announced to invest $750 billion in climate transition over the next decades. This included addressing climate issues, while investing in evolving trends.
There are so many ways that you can save money while being sustainable at the same time! Some ways you can live sustainably include:
If you want to find out more, visit the wwf page on Why Sustainable Finance Is Important.
| Key Terms:
ESG Criteria – Environmental, Social and Governance objectives firms have to meet in order to be more sustainable. Green Bonds – Fixed-income investment used to fund environmental projects. |
Gambling Stock photos by Vecteezy
You may have seen the famous scene of James Bond in the Casino in Casino Royale, but the reality is that gambling isn’t that simple! Gambling is prominently advertised in our day-to-day lives, yet without sufficient knowledge, it can cause more harm than good. In this section, we will discuss the risks that gambling poses, and how you can overcome these to stay safe and gamble responsibly.
Gambling is the action of risking money on the outcome of something involving chance, for example betting on a football match, or buying loot boxes in a video game.
With gambling and betting there are many associated risks you should be aware of. Some of these include…
Thankfully, there are plenty of solutions and methods to ensure you can best protect yourself from the harmful side of betting.
Firstly, setting time limits can help you to keep the time you spend on betting apps and websites to a minimum. Expecting to lose will help reduce the pressure on you feeling the need to win. Although this may sound tricky to do, it will make any wins feel like a bonus! Speaking to others, such as family and peers, where you can share and discuss any issues, can often be very beneficial to help increase awareness and understand any problems you are facing. Remember, gambling should be viewed as a form of entertainment, not a source of income!
If you want to further understand the world of gambling and make yourself aware of its dangers, click here for information from the responsible gambling page.
| Key Terms:
Coping mechanism – Behaviour that aims to prevent stress or other negative emotions.. Addiction – The feeling of dependence on a certain substance, such as gambling. |
Graduates Stock photos by Vecteezy
University is an exciting chapter in life where you get to meet new people, explore new places, and do some studying as well! With the increased independence that university brings, it is worth having some knowledge on the different costs that present themselves, and how you can be prepared to pay for them!
The ever-changing costs of university can be puzzling, so here we will try to keep it simple: let’s start with tuition fees.
Tuition loans are paid directly to the university from Student Finance England, so you don’t have to worry about this too much. This fee is capped at £9,250 per year, so all students will be entitled to this loan.
Maintenance loans are the loans you will care more about, as this is the money YOU receive! The maintenance loan is paid to you to fund your day to day living costs, including rent. This fee is capped at £9,978. The amount you receive is based on your parent’s income, and this amount may range from £4,989 – £9,978.
As of late there have been significant changes to how you pay back your loans. Firstly, you now have to repay your loan for a 40-year period after graduating. However, you do not have to start repaying your loan until you are earning £25,000. Once you earn over this threshold, you will contribute 9% of any income over £25,000 towards your loan.
These numbers may seem high, and somewhat overwhelming, but look on the bright side! In the US, the average student at a top American University is estimated to pay $88,948 PER YEAR for all of their fees.
Check out the comprehensive list of university fees here.
If university doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, don’t worry! There are plenty of other pathways you could take, for example degree apprenticeships. These involve studying towards a degree, but whilst gaining invaluable industry experience. You won’t have to pay tuition fees, whilst earning a salary at the same time!
| Key Terms:
Tuition Fees – The yearly fee (£9250) paid by student finance to university to cover the costs of studying. Maintenance Loan – The money paid to you for rent, and day-to-day living expenses. Degree Apprenticeships – An alternative to university, where you can gain a degree whilst earning a wage. Student Finance England – The organisation which provides funding for your university life. |
Graduates Stock photos by Vecteezy
There are a host of funding opportunities universities offer to students, however many never realise the options available to them. We want to make sure you don’t miss out! Whether it comes in the form of scholarships, bursaries or grants, make sure you can access the funding tools you need…
Scholarships are offered by universities to students who they want to join their university. For example, this could be for those who are doing well in school, or those who have good sporting backgrounds. The funding ranges from covering the costs of school books, to sometimes covering all university fees!
Bursaries are “free money” paid from universities to students. They do not need to be paid back, since they are given to students who may come from low-income households, or those on specific courses which may require extra funding.
By comparison, grants are similar to bursaries as they do not need to be paid back. For example, grants can be issued to help students pay for new computers, or a hardship fund to help sustain living costs at university.
Here are our top tips to ensure you can make the most of the available student finance tools. Apply early to beat the queue, check for “strings attached” with the various funding options, and finally, practice managing your own money so that you’re well prepared to face university life!
Check out the Student grants, bursaries and scholarships on Save the Student for a whole load more information.
| Key Terms:
Scholarship – Offer from university to student who is a high achiever, for example strong athlete or similar. Bursary – A sum of money given to certain students who require extra funding, for example students with low household income. Grant – Similar to a bursary, but the money tends to be given for specific needs, such as technology, or studying abroad. |
Employer And Employee Stock photos by Vecteezy
As you get older, the things you want may get more expensive. The best way to afford these is to get your first job! There are many opportunities out there for you to enter the world of work, and below we will outline how!
Whether you are hard-working, sporty, or sociable, there is a job out there for you! Start by asking your neighbours if they have any spare jobs going, such as mowing the lawn, or taking the dog for a walk! If you want a more consistent stream of income, visit the Indeed page and explore the jobs they offer.
If you love sports, why not referee some football matches on the weekend?! Enjoy interacting with lots of people? Ask your local café if they have any work for you! Have a particular passion for Maths, English or Science? Become a tutor!
You will receive a payslip from your employer when you get paid, but what is it? Well, a payslip details numerous things, including your gross pay and your net pay, amongst other info. Gross pay is your total pay, including overtime, bonuses, and any tips. Your net pay is what you take home after various deductions, such as National Insurance and Tax.
A CV is a document that you send off to a potential employer, outlining your previous experience, some information about you, and how they can get into contact with you! Now, it may be unlikely you have any work experience yet, but do not worry! It is likely that you will not need a CV for your first job, but it is handy to be prepared just in case…
Here is Indeed’s advice on what to include in your CV.
| Key Terms:
Payslip – Sent to you detailing your income, deductions, expenses etc. CV – The document sent to your employer regarding your experience and character profile. Gross pay – Full pay, before any deductions. Net Pay – Gross pay, subtract deductions e.g. tax. |
Finance Stock photos by Vecteezy
Interest is something everyone encounters all the way through life, be it through savings, student loans or credit cards. It’s important to know that interest can work both in your favour or against you, and we want to make sure you are benefitting from interest!
Interest rates are the return you get on savings, or pay on loans, set by both the Central bank (Bank of England) and commercial banks (your local NatWest or Santander).
When you put money in the bank, you will receive interest on your savings. For example, if you put £500 in a bank with a 5% interest rate, by the end of the year, you will have £525 in the account.
When you take out a loan from the bank, they will decide on the interest rates you pay on your loan. For example, if you take out a £10,000 loan from the bank, at a simple interest rate of 4%, you would have to pay back to the bank the original amount, £10,000, as well as the interest of £10,000 x 4% = £400.
Interest rates are carefully decided by a country’s central bank (e.g. the Federal Reserve, or the Bank of England), considering a wide range of factors. For example, to combat high inflation, the central bank may increase the base interest rate, to encourage people to save. On the other hand, if there is low growth in a country, interest rates may fall, to encourage people to tale loans and spend more money.
As Einstein stated, compound interest can either work for or against you, depending on how well you understand it! Compound interest is essentially interest on interest, where you are ultimately paying (or receiving) interest on the principal amount AND on prior interest.
If you want to challenge yourself, then have a read of this information on interest here!
| Key Terms:
Interest Rate – The % charged by banks for saving and/or lending. Compound Interest – Interest on interest – good for saving, bad for borrowing. |
Generative Ai Stock photos by Vecteezy
Most, if not all of you, will have heard of the terms “Cryptocurrencies” (“Crypto” for short) and “Bitcoin” in recent times, and this is due to the rapid emergence of the trading of these virtual currencies. Although these digital currencies do have the potential to make you a lot of money, there are so many risks associated with cryptocurrencies that are essential to know, and we will help inform you of these below…
What is Crypto (The Technical Bit)
Now this may sound confusing, but hang in there. Crypto exists using blockchain technology (a way in which a data base stores information). This means that there is no centralised authority, in other words, no one is in control! As you can probably imagine, this leads to high volatility (large variations in prices).
Bitcoin as an Example of Volatility
Let’s use Bitcoin (the largest cryptocurrency) to show price volatility in recent times.
On October 15th, 2023, one Bitcoin (BTC) was worth $26,854. On March 12th, 2024, this same Bitcoin was worth $71,490. Finally, in more recent times, February 14th, 2025, one Bitcoin was worth $97,085.
Check out the ever-changing price of Bitcoin here!
Keeping Safe with Crypto:
As crypto is very accessible, it’s more important than ever to make sure you are aware of what you are doing. Firstly, in an age of growing social media, there are many “Financial Advisors” online who advertise crypto “schemes”, promoting high returns in exchange for minimal effort. You should be wary of these, as many are in fact scammers who have no experience and knowledge of crypto trading, and falling victim to these scams may negatively impact your future in terms of getting loans and credit.
Instead, stick to following reputable sources, such as @MrMoneyJar, @PenniestoPounds and @thisgirltalksmoney on Instagram.
| Key Terms:
Cryptocurrency – A decentralised virtual currency that can be traded online. Bitcoin – The largest cryptocurrency, that is always fluctuating in price. |
Wondering how much it will cost you to go to university? A little confused about the fees, or would like to know more about the available finance tools? We’re here to help! We’ll break down the costs, showing you where student finance can help you, or where you may have to tighten the budget belt! Welcome to student living!
Firstly, tuition fees are what the university will charge you to attend their course. Fees vary depending on both your course and University. An annual fee of £9250 per year is the maximum you can be charged. The Complete University Guide offers a handy course finder, where tuition fees will also be displayed.
Moving away from home brings about all sorts of new costs, for example rent, food, textbooks, travel and other living costs are just some of the costs that must be accounted for.
Before you panic at the growing pile of numbers, know that there is help at hand. If you are eligible and plan to study in the UK, 2 different types of student loans are available:
Be aware that the maintenance loan available to you is based off your parents household income, hence only those with low-household income are likely to receive full financial support. Those with a higher-household income are likely to receive a reduced maintenance loan, due to the assumption that the difference will be found elsewhere. For example, this may be through parental contribution or perhaps a part time job.
Find out how much finance you could potentially get here.
It can also be worth looking into your uni for further financial support- many offer scholarships, bursaries, or grants. You could be eligible!
Remember! You only need to start repaying your loan when you earn more than £25,000 per year, so don’t stress about not being able to afford repayments. Even when you do earn over £25,000, you will only be charged 9% of your income on anything you earn over the £25,000 threshold.
Would you like to earn some spending money or start saving up for something special? Here are some of our ideas to pocket a little extra cash. Every penny counts, no matter your age!
These are just a few ideas to get you started, there are so many more opportunities out there!
Student life can get pricey, so securing yourself a bargain is essential! Fortunately, students are offered a wide range of perks from high street shops and restaurants, so make the most of it!
Most places will have some form of offer for students that simply requires you to bring in some form of student ID. However, if you want to maximise the rewards you can get, there are lots of different cards/subscriptions available, which prove handy when it comes to saving some pennies!
TOTUM (formerly NUS) student cards are available to students aged 16+ and provide both free and paid (£14.99 annually) memberships, giving you access to an abundance of student discounts that are widely accepted at most stores.
UNiDAYS is an ‘on the go’ solution for all student discounts, using an app rather than a physical card. They offer discounts that are available both in-store and online, all you need to do is enter your student email address. The UNiDAYS app allows you to display your student ID anytime, so that you never miss a bargain! Student Beans is a similar app with equally good discounts!
Heading to uni? Living away from home? It’s essential to get signed up for a Sainsburys Nectar card and Tesco Clubcard! Food shopping is often one of student’s largest expenses, and you’d be surprised how quickly points add up! Collect points every time you shop, as well as via petrol purchases and even through shopping at several high street brands online. Then exchange your collection of points for money off vouchers!
Happy shopping!
