The cost of living can be a big concern when you’re a student, but I’ve discovered that my phone is actually one of my best tools for keeping my bank balance healthy!
Today, I want to share my top five apps that help me cut costs on food, groceries, travel, and even shopping. You can easily snag good quality items cheaply, or even for free, just by having these apps on your device. Here are five must-have apps to save money whilst studying in York:
- Too Good to Go
- Olio
- First Bus
- Railcard
- Student Beans
1. Too Good to Go
This app is my absolute favourite. Too Good to Go is the world’s largest surplus food marketplace, connecting customers to restaurants and stores that have unsold food at the end of the day.
How it works is simple: just search for a nearby restaurant or bakery, reserve your “Surprise Bag” in advance, and then go pick up the food or baked goods at the specified time.
Not only does this save me money and keep me full, but it also helps the planet by reducing food waste. My usage history shows I’ve already saved £63 from just nine Too Good to Go purchases. Plus, after nine buys, I got an extra £4 free coupon to use on my next discount!
2. Olio
Olio is a free mobile app for sharing surplus food and household items with neighbours. People post all sorts of things, from food that’s about to go bad (for free or for a small fee) to non-food items like homeware, furniture, books, and decorations.
They even have a “borrow” system. I once saw someone post that you could borrow a cat carrier, which was so cute!
Sometimes, when I have food in my fridge that I know I won’t finish in time, I also post it on Olio so others can come and share the ingredients with me. It’s a great way to build community and keep things out of the bin.
3. First Bus
This is a must-download for every University of York student who wants to use the bus cheaply!
I live in the city centre, and if I bought a bus ticket to the university without using the app, it would cost me £3 per trip. However, if I buy my ticket through the First Bus app, the price drops to £1.50 per trip. They also offer other great discounts like 10 single trips for £14, or you can buy a term or annual pass for unlimited travel.
Note: Prices are accurate at the time of publish (January 2026)
You need to download this app! It can save up to more than 50% on your travel.
Top Tip: Make sure to use your university email to log in and get your student discount!
4. Railcard
A Railcard is a mobile application for storing digital UK Railcards (like the 16-25, Senior, Family & Friends, etc.) on your smartphone, allowing you to get discounts (usually ⅓ off) on train tickets without needing a physical card.
As a student, you should definitely apply for the 16-25 Railcard. This lets us save up to ⅓ off train tickets when travelling across the UK.
The application process is easy:
- Use your university email address.
- If you are over 25, you just need to print a form from the Railcard website and get it stamped at the Student Hub to confirm you’re a student.
- Upload it, pay the initial fee of £35 per year, and you’ll get your Railcard within 2-3 days.
To use it, always select the “16-25 Railcard” option when booking tickets on any train app. You’ll instantly see cheaper fares. I’ve managed to get a ticket to Leeds for only £3 and a train ticket to London for £20 by booking in advance!
Important reminder: You must always open your Railcard app to confirm your entitlement to the ticket officer when you get your ticket checked on the train. Check the full terms and conditions here: https://www.railcard.co.uk/
5. Student Beans
The last app I recommend is Student Beans, a global student loyalty network providing exclusive discounts and deals on fashion, tech, food, travel, and more from thousands of brands.
In my opinion, this app mainly focuses on lifestyle and high-street brands. I once used a discount code from the app to book a hotel in London and got 10% off! If you are into shopping for branded items, you might really like this app, as it frequently updates discount codes from popular brands.
Personally, I don’t shop much, so I don’t use it very often. Also, sometimes the codes from the app are expired or don’t work, so you need to check the app regularly for updates.
These are my five recommended apps that you should install right away! They allow us to enjoy exclusive student deals and enjoy life here without worrying too much about the cost of living.
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