Groningen on a budget

If you are going to spend anyway, it is best to hunt for bargains and the best can be found at the thrift store. Not only is it super cheap, it is also climate-friendly! There are quite a few thrift stores in Groningen in different neighborhoods where you can buy clothes, furniture or tableware. If you are not tired of looking for clothes yet, there are also many vintage second-hand stores in Groningen. Especially in the Oosterstraat you can score nice clothes for a few euros. Before you go there, also check if you can still get rid of some clothes because at some stores you can also sell your clothes! If you still have good quality clothes with a brand, you can sell them at Appel & Ei or Find. Otherwise, you can always buy or sell clothes on Vinted or Marktplaats.

Train travel is free with a student membership, but did you know that you can also earn money with it? If your train is 30 minutes late or more, you are entitled to compensation. You can apply for this via your NS account. If you are thinking; "I am not going to apply for this every time my train is delayed just for a few euros", then I can recommend trein-vertraging.nl. All you have to do is create an account and link your public transport card. Now the site keeps track of the delay for you for free and you can take your money in 1 click. Extremely useful when every penny counts!

From frozen pizza to a 3-course dinner, you can save money on your groceries. Start by going to the right supermarket. For example, you often pay a lot less at Lidl than at Albert Heijn. Don't forget your customer card if your chosen supermarket has one; it can save you money with offers. Furthermore, pay attention to B-brands, discounts and substitution products to get the same meal for a better price. P.S. also check the market at the end of the day, you can sometimes get nice bargains on vegetables or fruit.

A must-have app for anyone looking to save on groceries is Too Good To Go. Restaurants, bakeries and other stores offer leftover meals, sandwiches and groceries here with large discounts. Supply is limited however, so make sure to be quick when it comes to reserving your very own leftover bag via the app!

Sometimes you can't focus in your small student room, so it's nice to sit somewhere else for a while. But buying a coffee every time to earn your spot in a café can really add up! It doesn't have to be this way. There are a lot of nice places in Groningen where you can study for free. Think of the Forum for example. Here you can study in the library with a beautiful view. You can also sit in the Social Hub for free. In addition, on a sunny day, it is a good idea to sit in the Noorderplantsoen, Stadspark or another public park. Of course, the UG also offers study places in the UB or at the faculties. Click here to see all the locations!