FIve Things to Do and See in Birmingham

Quick Snacks; Holy Moly and Pig and Apple in Grand Central

Holy Moly is fairly new to Grand Central. It’s located on the upper part of Grand Central where the shops and eateries are situated, right where this section connects to the rest of the Birmingham Bullring. What it offers is a variety of mac and cheese dishes as well as other meals such as burgers and chicken, all perfect for tempting your taste buds. 

This would certainly make a nice change to your regular restaurants and takeaways, especially amongst the hustle and bustle of all the City Centre footfall as the stomach starts to rumble. What you could do is go around town, visit a number of places, nip into some shops along the way and end up here for a lunch or a snack. It might just turn out to be one of your favourite places to visit.

Another new one that’s perhaps a little out of the ordinary, but pretty hard to resist when it appears in your peripheral vision as you happen to walk past, is Pig and Apple. Great for a quick snack, especially when you’re a little tired of going to McDonalds, Greggs or Subway etc, this place provides hog roast style food. Ideal for meat lovers, and brilliant for hungry lunch-time tums.

Ghetto Golf at the Custard Factory

Somewhere that combines a cocktail bar with a form of crazy golf, this entry on the blog is most certainly unique. Ghetto Golf is situated within the Custard Factory- a quirky place in Digbeth boasting shops, a cinema and a café. Ghetto Golf is eye-catching and fun, boasting adventurous, bold designs around its urban golf course. It’s an adults-only place that’s worth keeping in mind for when your evening is ending or just beginning and you want to something fun and different to do for a laugh with friends.

Trips Out On the Train

Sometimes the city surroundings can become a little too familiar and you feel like you need a change of scenery. And sometimes you want to find something that is interesting and stimulating on a different level. With that in mind, students in Birmingham should take note of how well-placed the city they’re living in is. Its central position relative to the rest of The UK means other parts of the country are fairly easy to reach. Plus, with the train services that run to and from Birmingham on a regular basis, planning and executing a day-trip to somewhere that is well worth a visit such as Stratford, can be hassle-free and pretty kind on your bank balance, too.

Live Music in Birmingham

If you really want to get out and experience something in the evening, seeing a concert is a great way to do it. Birmingham has a rich history when it comes to music, and when you take along a few of your mates with you, a great gig can become a shared night that you will always remember. While some of the venues in Birmingham cater to larger acts with a ticket price to match, other venues like the O2 Institute host a collection of slightly lesser-known names for a much more affordable price. Visit their website today and have a look at who you could see in the near future for an evening of awesome live music.

Both Sides of the Stage

Another option for something to do that is also easy on your debit card is a visit to The Crescent Theatre. The Crescent Theatre is a non-professional theatre handily positioned just off Broad Street. They put on a range of first-rate productions, and tickets are available for a very reasonable price. Plus, what’s great about the Crescent is, if you like what you see and want to get involved, there are numerous ways for you to join and participate directly.

Birmingham Student Accommodation with Unihousing

Whatever you are looking for in your Birmingham student accommodation, Selly Oak-based lettings agents Unihousing are sure to satisfy your demands. Unihousing offers a selection of Birmingham student studios and houses which are superbly situated and furnished with everything needed for the modern-day student lifestyle. 

Affordably priced, Unihousing’s Selly Oak studios and houses are conveniently located within a short distance of transport links making it easy to get to Birmingham City Centre as well as other towns and cities. Also, the location of these properties means that getting to shops and supermarkets as well as Selly Oak restaurants and nightlife is easy too.

Why not get in touch with Unihousing today to find out what we can do for you!

15 Ways to Save Yourself Money at University

Public Transport

For most students in 2019, having a car during their time at university is a luxury. Normally students will find themselves dependent on public transport. At first, this may seem like an expensive alternative to driving yourself, however, with a little bit of work this can defiantly work in your favour. Investing in rail and bus cards for the year can help to save you money over the course of a year.

Loyalty Cards

Loyalty cards are quite common these days and a lot of stores have them. They're usually very easy to get hold of and can be found in-store. They are a great way to earn free rewards as you go about your general day. Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Co-Op and many other large supermarkets offer money off vouchers when you earn a number of points, which can save you hundreds of pounds while you’re at University.

Newsletters and Emails

I’m sure you're all sick to death of receiving marketing through your emails and texts, but this is often one great way of getting hold of exclusive deals and discounts that you can’t find anywhere else. Taking 5 minutes a day to scroll through your emails could be saving you a considerable amount of money which could be spent elsewhere.

Competitions

They're everywhere, somebody is always offering you the chance to win prizes. Most of the time they're not worth the time of day, however getting involved in competitions that are more local and not entered by many could be a very easy way to win yourself a little extra something.

Student Discount

This is literally free money. As a student you'll have a student ID card. A simple search of the internet will tell you many of the places where simply showing this student card could get you a discount on any products in store. There are also other companies such as NUS which offer a further discount on stores. Next time you’re going out to shop make sure you take your student card with you and see how much you could save.

Cooking

Not only is this a healthy alternative but it will save you a fortune in food bills each month. We all enjoy a takeaway or a meal when you’re with friends, but it’s simply not affordable on a student budget. Cooking your own food, which you’ve bought from a store, will be much cheaper and healthier than getting food out and about. It also offers you the opportunity to cook for friends and make a social event from it. 

Shopping Late at Night

This is a good one. Not many people are aware that many large supermarkets offer fantastic deals in the evening on products that are soon to be out of date. These deals are generally offered on the evening of the sell-by date on each item. This means you can pick up food cheap. Be careful when checking the date of food however. You can still use food past its sell-by-date, just ensure you store it correctly. 

Don’t Buy Expensive Brands

We all enjoy branded things in life, whether that’s clothes, cars, watches and even toilet paper, but its not always affordable. Sometimes buying store brands can help to save you a lot of money. Things such as dishwasher tablets and fabric softener can all be bought at a much cheaper price if you’re willing to purchase a cheaper brand. These products provided an almost identical result with a much lower price tag.

Drink Water

There's a large variety of drinks available to shoppers, ranging from carton drinks like orange juice, to canned or bottled soft drinks. Instead of spending money on drinks that can be unhealthy and expensive, just drink water. It’s a great alternative which hydrates you and saves you money at the same time. This is one very easy way to keep hold of your money, and stay healthy at the same time. 

Budgeting

Keeping a budget is one of the best ways to save yourself a heap of cash during your time at university. If you’re not sure what this is or how to do it, take a look on websites such as Money Saving Expert. Effectively you limit what you're spending on different aspects of your life to help you control your spending. It's easy to go overboard on your spending when you're not keeping tabs, keeping to a budget helps you to not spend too much, and save some money. 

Student Nights

As many students will by now be fully aware, most student cities have their own student night, this is generally the day when bars and clubs offer some form of discount on drinks, this allows students to come out and spend slightly less on their night out. This isn’t always the same for every club, which could work in your favour. Visiting certain pubs and clubs on specific nights of the week can help you to save money all the time.

Pre-Drinks

Another fantastic way to save yourself some money on a night out is to ‘pre-drink’. This is the idea of drinking before you head out into the town. You can usually pick up drinks cheap in supermarkets and local stores. You can get 4 times as much if you buy from a store than a bar, so make sure you get in what you can while you’re still at home. Alternative to this, stay in for longer and head out later in the night to avoid having to spend at the pubs.

Part-Time Job

A part-time job can be hard to justify, especially when you should be spending time on your university work. However, if you feel able to fit a part-time job into your schedule, it can help to inject some cash into your account. This allows you to enjoy some of the finer things in life and from time-to-time treat yourself to something like a new top or a nice meal out.

An Alternative to the Gym

Going to the gym is great for staying healthy, however, it can also be a money sink. The surrounding area of Selly Oak has some great places where you can go with friends to get some exercise that’s completely free. Consider running as an alternative to the gym, or invest in some exercise gear for home. A set of weights for home is a great way to get exercise in when you want to, without spending a large amount of money. 

Getting Your Student Accommodation Early

Getting hold of your student studio or housing early ensures you get the best selection of properties. During the start of the letting season, letting agents and landlords are looking to get as many tenants as possible, so make sure you find the best deals. This is your opportunity to save some money on your student accommodation.

Unihousing

Looking for student accommodation local to the University of Birmingham? Unihousing is an established letting agent/landlord who offer accommodation every year to suit all students and there needs. See our available student property today and register your interest to find out more about our properties.

A Better Student Year in 2019

Sometimes a little advice can point you in the right direction. Completing your assignments and exams done is one thing, but student life is about much more than that. Here are a few ideas to help you improve your day-to-day journey through the academic year.

Sports and Fitness

Sports are obviously a great way to keep fit and stay in good physical shape. There are added advantages that playing sports and exercise, in general, can offer you, such as better mental health and the opportunity to meet people and build friendships.

In practice playing sports on a regular basis could also become a welcome release from the stress of studying and attending lectures, giving you the chance to blow off steam and do something fun that differs somewhat from things you perhaps would do on a normal basis, like gaming or watching Netflix.

If team sports aren’t really your thing or the thought of doing conventional sports like football and cricket doesn’t appeal to you, have a think about other physical activities like boxing or martial arts. There may be more places that have been popping up that offer these kinds of than you might have realised, so the opportunity to get yourself involved is certainly there.     

To further enhance your health and fitness, make a special effort to eat and drink healthily if you do not already. Consuming a balanced diet that avoids excessive alcohol and other things that aren’t too good for you as well as getting the right amount of fruit and veg’ is all crucial to a diet that is going to boost your health.          

Student's Union

Getting involved with the student union at your university also has the potential to be highly enjoyable and beneficial to you in various ways. The University of Birmingham Student Union, for example, is set-up to represent UoB students and their concerns, but the opportunity they extend for you to get involved in one of the several areas related to the SU's work should be worth any student considering. Work opportunities within the student union itself can be found, but alongside this, there are a large collection of student groups for you to join, too.      

Volunteering

Taking things a step further, you might find that volunteering somewhere outside the university has a lot to offer. Aside from the learning and personal growth you could possibly discover through volunteering, it could potentially provide you with an opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills that could enrich the learning undertaken through your university course. Volunteering could additionally help you to get a better understanding of the career you have in mind for yourself as well as possibly increasing your chances of finding employment after you have graduated from university.  

Keep Organised!

One thing that we could perhaps all do better with is keeping organised. And if you’re a student at university, making sure you stay organised in terms of your work can mean a better or worse chance of passing your course. So, when it comes to assignments and exams and anything else you have to prepare for or complete for a specific date, planning ahead and organising should not be overlooked.

Blogs

Once you've moved away from it's perhaps easy to feel a little lonely and isolated. There is also the possibility that there will be times when you struggle with certain issues and maybe find it difficult to feel as positive as you would like to.

There are some students out there that have created their own blogs. Using blogs in a similar manner to these students could help you to deal with how you feel. Or you could you use a blog to explore a subject that you find particularly interesting, which could help you to feel more positive as a result. Or if that doesn’t quite offer you a way to express yourself, maybe some form of arts and crafts or performance-related hobbies would. 

Student Accommodation with Unihousing

Without a doubt, good student accommodation is a crucial part of a happy university experience. For those looking for high-standard Birmingham student accommodation., Selly Oak-based Unihousing are a great option for ending your search. Registered lettings agents who can be relied upon to provide impressive student housing for reasonable prices, Unihousing has been offering both student studios and houses that are spacious and comfortable with excellent locations.

Fully furnished with central heating, showers and provided by a lettings agency that has their own team of qualified tradesmen ready to address any issues you may have with your property, Unihousing Birmingham student accommodation is an obvious choice for the kind of student lifestyle that you are seeking. Whether it’s a student studio or a house to share with others, the Selly Oak locations of their properties mean that easy access to both convenience and entertainment will be yours on a weekly basis, as a whole range of amenities, pubs and restaurants that are only a short walk from your front door.   

So why not contact Unihousing today to find out what we can do for you?