Uni bucks: The facts
by Noel Towell
Being a poor student is often seen as a rite of passage that is supposed to teach us the value of a buck and stop us getting too big for our trainers. A few sacrifices now will reap big rewards in the future, right?
Maybe, but rites of passage don’t pay the rent and when the cupboard is bare, your car is knackered and the landlord wants his money, many students start looking towards the exits.
If you’re eligible for Austudy, Centrelink provides a miserable $310 a fortnight. There’s always working but remember you can earn just $108 a week before Austudy payments begin to suffer. So, even if you have a part-time gig, you’ve only got about 260 bucks a week to live on. That’s about 200 short of what it takes to maintain a reasonable standard of living in Australia, according to the ACTU.
UniSA Students’ Association welfare and equity officer Ryan Manuel agrees that students are doing it tough. “The poverty situation is quite drastic,” he says. “Austudy payments are 25 per cent below the official poverty line and $80 a fortnight less than dole payments so it’s rare to a meet student without at least one part-time job.”
Ryan also believes that too few students take advantage of the services that USASA provides to help. “Obviously we can’t hand out money but we have an employment service, we provide training in bar and waiting skills and coffee making and our student counsellors help deal with Centrelink problems.”
I would also like to help. While I don’t have any money to give away, I can offer some money saving tips for those of you feeling the pinch this winter:
Eating out
When visiting all-you-can-eat restaurants, remember this simple formula: One plate + four students = cheap feed bonanza. If that’s not your style, then try the Asian food court at the Central Market. And be sure to avail yourself of the free samples many of the market stall-holders offer. If your local pub has pokies, then check out the cheap feeds available in the gaming room. Stay away from the machines though. You’re there to save money.
Eating in
The Pooraka Market on Sunday morning has cheap fresh fruit and veg – and it’s handy for Mawson Lakes. Some supermarkets offer a five per cent student discount so remember to ask. If you see any sort of discount voucher, grab it and use it. You’ll soon learn to deal with any dirty looks you might encounter.
Renting accommodation
Just because you told the landlord that the house was just for you and your girlfriend/boyfriend, doesn’t mean that you can’t move six of your mates in a week later. Remember to check out the USASA accommodation service before resorting to drastic measures.
Transport
Any good at riding a bike? It’s worth a try because a car is the gift that never stops taking your money and buses can be few and far between in this town. If you do take the bus, remember to buy your multi-trip tickets from the uni bookshops where they are cheaper.