Kings Student Money Mentors

National Student Money Week: Streaming to Gleaning

“Words Text” by Words as Pictures/ CC0 1.0

In today’s digital age, creating engaging online content isn’t just a hobby—it’s a lucrative way to boost your reach, expand your network, and even generate income!

So many of us enjoy consuming engaging content (admit it, your screen time is embarrassing), so why not try and take advantage of this? Whether you’re sharing knowledge or showcasing your talents, streaming and creating content can open doors to opportunities that extend far beyond a single post or video.

Building Your Reach & Network

The more engaging and authentic your content, the bigger your audience. Here are some tips on how you can maximise your audience growth:

Find Your Niche – Whether it’s tech reviews, fitness advice, gaming, or personal finance, focusing on a specific topic helps attract a loyal audience with shared interests.

Consistency is Key – Posting regularly ensures visibility and engagement, helping you stay relevant in a fast-paced online space. Studies by Sprout Social found that people who post about 2-3 times a week see higher levels of engagement, so it’s all about balance!

Engage with Your Audience – Responding to comments (maybe not the rude ones) and creating interactive polls can make all the difference, making you come across as relatable.

Inform, Educate & Entertain

Nowadays, people (me) tend to turn to social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram for short clips on things such as restaurants or beauty products. You can take inspiration from this and your content can:

Inform – Share industry insights, product reviews, or how-to guides that could help your audience.

Educate – Teach a skill, explain complex topics in digestible terms, or provide solutions to common problems, making people feel like they learned something without being at school.

Entertain – Keep your audience hooked with humour, storytelling, or your completely unfiltered opinions.

Monetising Your Content

The content creation industry is extremely profitable now. UK influencer revenue sits at an hourly average wage of £117. Here are some effective ways to monetise your content:

Ad Revenue – Platforms like YouTube and Twitch offer ad-based revenue for creators who meet their criteria.

Sponsorships & Brand Deals – Brands partner with content creators to promote products in an authentic and unique way.

Affiliate Marketing – Earn commissions by recommending products and services with trackable links.

Creating online content is more than just a side hustle—it’s a platform for expression, connection, and financial opportunity. Whether you’re streaming, vlogging, or educating, your content has the potential to inform, inspire, and generate income.

So, why not start today? Your audience, and your earnings, are waiting!

Aderinsola Abudu
King’s Student Money Mentor
Part of Money & Housing Advice

The King’s Student Money Mentors blog shares our students’ personal experiences and thoughts on money-related topics. Any reference, opinions or recommendations on a particular company/brand are only the views of the student(s) who wrote the blog post. King’s College London, the Money & Housing Advice service and the Money Mentor project do not share the views in the blogs nor endorse any of the companies mentioned. Readers should conduct their own research before using any companies mentioned in our blog posts.

A guide to private housing in London

Hi KCL! Now that Semester two has started, we’re aware that many students are starting to think about where to live next year. Some of you will have already secured accommodation, which is great! For those that haven’t, we thought we’d create a quick guide with some tips on things to consider if you’re planning on renting within London. Bear in mind that for private housing in London, options are normally only advertised one to two months before they are available. This means that you can wait till summer to start looking for a place to live.

If you’re about to move into King’s residences, make sure to check the “Arrival FAQs,” as well as the “Moving in guide”. However, if you’re planning to move into private rented accommodation, these are a few things you should check before your tenancy begins.

Tenancy agreement and deposit

A tenancy agreement is essentially a contract between you and your landlord. This will include the address of the property, when the tenancy starts, the duration of the tenancy (typically 12 months), the amount of rent and deposit, and the names of the tenants and landlord. The agreement will also outline the legal terms and conditions of your tenancy. This is to protect both you and the landlord. Make sure to read through the tenancy agreement a few times so you can check that all the information is correct before you sign it.

You will usually be required to pay a deposit before moving into the property. This is equivalent to about four to five weeks of rent. You will get this back once the tenancy ends, provided that there is no damage to the property or other breaches of the tenancy agreement. Your landlord is legally required to place your deposit in a tenancy deposit protection (TDP) scheme. You can ask them for proof of this if it is not provided initially.

Gas safety certificate and energy performance certificate

Gas safety certificates are a legal requirement for landlords and they should be dated within the last 12 months. Energy performance certificates provide details of the energy rating of the property. It is illegal to let a property that has a rating below E.

Inventory check and meter readings

An inventory check is a comprehensive document detailing the condition of a property at the beginning and end of a tenancy. Normally, this is conducted by an inventory clerk when you move in. Tenants are usually present for this and it is recommended that you take pictures if anything appears to be damaged. This will help if there are disputes at the end of the tenancy.

Remember to take pictures of your gas and electricity meters too to confirm the readings. You will need to provide these details to utility companies when you set up your accounts and this will ensure that you don’t pay for the previous tenants’ usage. It’s a good idea to discuss with your flatmates about how you intend to organise the bill payments between you. Contact the utility companies when you move in to set up your account and provide the correct meter readings.

Council tax

Finally, a note on Council Tax as this is something that many students (including myself) forget about. Students are exempt from paying council tax as long as they show proof. You can download a Confirmation of Study Letter from Student Services Online and send this document to your local Council via their website. You should do this as early as possible, however if you do forget, don’t worry. The council will send you a letter reminding you of any missed payments and how to apply for an exemption.

So there you have it, a list of things to remember prior to moving into a privately rented property. If you have any further questions about private housing, including contract checking, utility bills, or disputes with landlords or flatmates, don’t hesitate to contact the King’s Money and Housing team. I know this list may seem a bit daunting, but if you’re well prepared, this will make your move in as stress free as possible!

Aanchal Raina
King’s Student Money Mentor
Part of Money & Housing Advice

How to make the most of university life without breaking the bank account

Hi KCL! Now that we are past the halfway point in the academic year, we thought we’d remind you of some tips about how to get to grips with a student budget, especially in the current climate where costs are increasing.

Budgeting

Try to keep track of how much you’re spending from the start! It’s easy to overspend when you don’t actually know how much you’re spending. You could track your spending using a spreadsheet, or alternatively via a budgeting calculator such as this one on Blackbullion. Apps such as Monzo and Snoop are also useful for setting a monthly budget.

A bank account is essential for managing your funding and bills. We recommend having two separate bank accounts, one for your personal income from your job and your savings and one (preferably student) account for the money you receive from Student Finance England or your main sponsor/funder. This will prevent you splurging the money that should otherwise be going towards your rent and will assist you in budgeting each month.

Travel

We have a separate blog post dedicated to travel costs but one big tip would be to remember to link your Oyster card to your Railcard. Doing this will allow you to save one third on off-peak travel prices! Off-peak times are from 9:30am to 4pm and after 7pm. Travel between these times where possible as public transport will be less busy and travel costs will be lower.

Socialising

Socialising is such a big part of your university experience and no one wants to miss out on this. It can be easy to burn through your money during first year but there are so many ways to spend time with people without spending too much. If you’re planning on going clubbing for example, you can pre drink before going out. This is a great way to bond with your flatmates while avoiding the expensive drinks prices in central London. The Student Union (Guy’s bar and the Vault) also generally has cheaper prices compared to other bars and clubs.

In terms of clubs and societies at university, you can see what King’s has to offer during fresher’s fair. There is no obligation to stick with a society till the end of the year so we’d recommend joining quite a few at the beginning of the year and then cutting down. If you’re considering joining a sports society, many of these include access to BeActive in the membership. BeActive offers a variety of recreational activities every week, including climbing, swimming, tennis and more! In general, societies are a great way to meet other students and make friends, both within and outside of your course.

Shopping

Make sure to sign up to supermarket reward schemes such as a Tesco Clubcard and a Nectar card. It’s also worth trying to do a weekly shop at one of the bigger supermarkets, as most items from these are cheaper. All of this will help to save money on groceries, as you will probably be buying quite a lot now that you will be cooking for yourself!

It can be tempting to buy coffee and food on the go, but the costs add up quickly. Try and make your own coffee and packed lunches at home or buy some from the KCLSU cafeterias – they have some of the cheapest and best options you can find around here!

Discounts

Make sure to check out the student discount schemes that are offered by UNIDAYS, Student Beans and Totum as they can be very helpful to save money when shopping! Research and make a list of all the apps that offer good discounts for students before term starts.

Plan for emergencies

When figuring out your budget, remember to save some contingency money each month just in case an unexpected expense pops up! Savings accounts are essential for this. You can have one “easy access” for emergencies and another for large expenses that you’re saving towards, for example a housing deposit. If you have surplus money now, you may not in the future, so get into the habit of saving some in an easy access, or even an Individual Savings Account (ISA) to earn more interest tax free.

Funding

Finally, a note on funding. If you’re a home student, remember to claim all the funding you’re entitled to. This includes completing the means test for student loans in order to be eligible for the King’s Living Bursary. In addition, if you’re a home student parent or disabled student, check your eligibility for welfare benefits.

Being financially responsible for yourself can be a daunting experience, which is why the Money & Housing Advice Service is committed to students making the most of their time at King’s, whatever their budget. Contact the team if you have any queries about budgeting. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy your first year at King’s!

Aanchal Raina
King’s Student Money Mentor
Part of Money & Housing Advice