Covering travel costs can be a challenge - from day-to-day journeys to bigger trips. Follow these tips to make your money go further...

 

Get on your bike Luckily at Lancaster it is possible to ride a bike from town to campus. This is by far the cheapest form of transport. Failing that it is possible to get a bus pass from the SU Welcome Desk (and there's even a discount for Purple Card holders!). Only bring a car to university if it is essential, otherwise it is difficult to obtain a parking permit as you must fit specific criteria. Plus, cars are the most expensive form of transport.   

 

Railcards Get 12% off a 16-25 Railcard – cards can be bought from the Railcard website for £30 a year, or £70 for three years. You can get 12% off a one-year railcard if you're registered with Student Beans or have an NUS Extra card, though check for other railcard deals too as there are often even more savings to be had. Alternatively, Santander's student account gives a four-year railcard for free – check out this article on Student Accounts for more information. For more info on railcards see the Cheap Trains guide. Don't forget – renew just before your 26th birthday to grab another year, or before your 24th birthday for a three-year card. 

 

Timing is everything with trains Timing your purchase accurately can make a real difference, either well in advance, or last-minute. To ensure a bargain, when possible start looking about 12 weeks before your planned journey date. National Rail's future travel chart shows the latest date you can buy advance tickets for each train firm. You can also sign up to the Trainline ticket alert system and say which days you want to travel, so you get an email the moment cheap advance tickets come on sale (commonly the cheapest fares). You can often buy advance tickets until midnight the night before or, in rare cases, at the station. See the Cheap Train Tickets guide for tips. 

 

Split your train tickets Instead of buying tickets for the whole journey, bizarrely, buying separate tickets for its constituent parts can slash the price – even though you're on exactly the same train. It's perfectly allowed within the National Rail Conditions of Carriage and has been confirmed by the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC). The only rule is that the train must call at the stations you buy tickets for. There's a great website called TrainSplit that helps you do this.

 

Coach travel savings The coach can be an economical alternative to pricey train fares (even if you do have a railcard), and if you're between 16 and 26 or a full-time student, the National Express Young Persons Coachcard can make it even cheaper. It gives a third off all standard fares – peak times included. 

 

Finding cheap flights Set up price alerts with momondo if you have a destination in mind, or use Skyscanner's 'Everywhere' tool to find bargain-bucket seats on flights to anywhere! Complete holiday packages can sometimes (not always) work out cheaper overall, so compare your prices with sites like lastminute.com.