Welcome to Manchester!
Moving to a new place and away from home comforts can be a bit nerve-wracking! Luckily there’s lots of little things we can do to save ourselves some time and hassle, starting from day one, that’ll hopefully come in handy throughout the rest of the year too. This guide will have everything you need to get you started!
From what to stock up on (cutlery! always gets nicked by flatmates) to where to get your phone fixed (ahem, messy night out?) or finding the cheapest and quickest ways to get about the city - this guide has got it covered. Make the most of your space and stuff, find everything you might need, and know what to do with stuff you don’t.
Moving to MCR
Before you move in
Don’t buy everything just yet! Before you kit out your new place, wait to see if any of your housemates have things like kettles, irons, or toasters – and then fill in the gaps from there.
First day
Take photos of your room / house so that you can show what condition it was in when you started living there. This will help to protect your deposit when you move out and make sure you get all your money back.
Check your inventory detailing the condition of your property. Make sure you check that things like plug sockets and light switches work. If something’s broken or faulty, make sure you tell someone so they can fix it ASAP!
Moving to MCR
Take meter readings so you can set up an account with an energy provider. This will also stop you from potentially being overcharged for gas or electric when you first move in.
Make friends with your neighbours, you never know when you might need a favour!
Do a big shop and stock up on the essentials. You don’t want to spend all of freshers week running to Aldi to pick up toilet roll and bin bags, so bulk buy and split the cost with your housemates.
First week
Moving to MCR
Set up an account with an energy provider (if you’re living in a house share). Check out suppliers that use renewable energy like Octopus and Ovo to help the environment whilst you’re at it.
Sort out your broadband, you might want to think about going for a package with higher broadband speeds, depending on how many people you’re living with.
Update your address, change your registered address for things like bank accounts.
Register with a local GP, before being struck down by fresher’s flu…
Add personal touches to your space, check out this list of charity shops where you can find affordable decor. Some charity shops are specifically for homeware and sell mirrors, tables and armchairs etc. which you might need to help make your place feel more like home.
Now you’re settled –here’s a reminder of what to do each week
Weekly to-do list
Remember to recycle!
you with info about your bins (like where they are and when they’re collected). When you first move in, make sure you know what goes in each one! In a houseshare? Find out what you can and can’t recycle here, and become a recycling pro.
Meal planning: plan meals for the week ahead and include your housemates to save some money and avoid food waste. If you choose different days to cook for each other you can each save some time, and money!
Batch cooking: cook some of your meals in bulk for quick and easy lunches and dinners throughout the week – a lifesaver when time is short and coursework starts to pile up!
Energy saving
Save on your energy bills
Turning your thermostat down by even 1° can save you £££. According to the Energy Saving Trust taking it down a notch can save the typical home up to £100 a year!
Drying clothes in the British winter is a challenge, but did you know that the tumble dryer is one of the most expensive appliances to run at £1 a load. Remember to maximise the load and minimise use. Or, dry your clothes on a clothes horse near a radiator or sunny window.
By switching our TVs off at the wall we can save £55 a year – which makes the journey to the plug worth it. We can also prevent useless energy draining by avoiding charging our phones overnight and instead getting them to fully charged and turning off at the plug.
Avoid furniture against the radiator. This prevents heat from flowing as easily through the room, meaning your radiator will have to work harder to get to the right temperature.
Energy saving Save some juice in the kitchen
Most student kitchens see a world of experimental dishes, questionable hangover cures and who knows how many frozen pizzas. But, did you know this is one of the rooms where we can save the most time, energy and money? Try these simple hacks to make your meals go further and keep the cost down.
Defrost frozen food in the fridge overnight: this reduces the time things take to cook or the need for a microwave to help defrost. Freezing food also reduces food waste, and nearly all foods can be frozen!
Take it slow: slow cookers are among the kitchen’s most energy-efficient appliances, they use just a little more energy than a traditional light bulb, and are a great way to have a hot dinner ready when you walk in the door.
Cooking hacks
Use the right size pan for how much food you’re cooking.
Energy saving
Ovens use a lot of energy. Bake multiple things together.
Microwaves are the most energy efficient, fastest to cook and reheat.
Keep lids on pots to keep heat in and cook faster - especially when boiling water.
Keep oven door closed and turn off up to 10 mins before cooking time is up!
Boil water in kettle not on hob. (& boil only what you need!)
Cooking up a storm
Before you get cooking…
Tupperware at the ready: Make sure you have enough containers for everything you’re going to cook. Tupperware is great, but so are old soup containers, large jars and take away tubs – just make sure it has a tight seal if it’s going in the freezer and don’t forget to label with the date and what it is (amazing how quickly you forget!).
Choose seasonal ingredients:
Seasonal fruit and veg are naturally harvest in the UK at the time you’re buying them - like sprouts in winter, or strawberries in summer. They’ll be the cheapest and the tastiest then, because they’re likely to be fully grown, easily available, and haven’t travelled far! Every month we share what’s in season on Instagram. Give us a follow and check out this month!
Kitchen hacks
10 things you can freeze
Freezing food is a great way to save leftovers and always have something up your sleeve for mealtimes when you’re short on time.
✅ Bread
✅ Milk
✅ Berries
✅ Bananas (peeled)
✅ Cooked rice
✅ Cheese
✅ Cake and biscuits
✅ Raw vegetables
✅ Cooked pasta
✅ Raw cracked egg (in a tupperware)
Kitchen hacks
Let all food reach room temperature before freezing.
Food freezing hacks
Never refreeze raw meat that has been frozen and then thawed. Never let meat defrost outside of the fridge overnight, always keep chilled.
Be savvy with your ice cube tray - you can use it to freeze stock, sauces, curry paste, and even eggs!
Try to freeze everything at its freshest either when it’s just been bought or cooked.
Make sure the freezer isn’t so packed that air can’t circulate.
What to recycle
Beware...bin juice! Nobody likes taking the bins out. Save arguments, stinky kitchens, and make house party clean ups easier with these tips.
What goes in each bin?
Top tip batteries, vapes, electrical items don’t belong in any household bin and should be taken to a tip or recycling centre to be properly disposed of.
Blue: cardboard, paper, magazines, books, envelopes, junk mail, wrapping paper (not the shiny kind), drinks cartons, toilet roll and kitchen roll tubes.
Brown: plastic bottles, kitchen foil, aerosols, tins, glass bottles and jars.
Green: raw or cooked food, tea bags, coffee grinds, eggshells, garden waste.
Grey: general waste, yoghurt pots, food trays, coffee cups, bottle tops, plastic bags, clingfilm, bubble wrap, polystyrene.
Other places to recycle stuff:
Recycling
• Want Not Waste, Oxford Road
• Currys / PC World: (small electronics recycling)
• Recycle 4 Greater Manchester (general recycling)
• Electronic Partners, Arndale Centre (electronic item repair)
• Oxfam, city centre (clothes donations)
Clothing care
First time on laundry duty? Just don’t do the classic red sock in with the whites, eh? Try these 6 tips to keep your favourite clothes looking good so you can wear them more and save money.
• Sort clothes by colour and always turn them inside out –especially if they’re embellished or embroidered
• Wash at 30° on shorter cycles
Never used a washing machine? We’ve got you! Check out this guide.
• Mend holes as soon as they appear to stop them getting bigger
• Spot clean small stains using a bit of soap
• Get to grips with care labels
• Air dry instead of tumble drying
Best ways to explore MCR
Manchester has so much to do and explore, but first you need to know how to get where you’re going! Thankfully zipping across the city has never been easier, thanks to Manchester’s new Bee Network, tram system, plus rental bikes and scooters to choose from.
Trams
From exploring the city centre or longer journeys out to hotspots like Chorlton, Sale and Didsbury, they’ve got you covered. Plus, anyone with a 16-25 railcard can get a discount on tram tickets!
Head to the Bee Network (or download the app) to track trams and buses and plan
Buses
One of the best and cheapest ways to get around! Single bus fares are now just £2 per person and ride for as long as you’d like, and there’s even a free bus service operating in the city centre.
Bee network bikes
On yer bike mate. You can find yellow rental bikes dotted all across the city to get to uni, the shops or even your pre-drinks.
Check out the Beryl app to find your nearest bike points. New to cycling? Find a cycling group near you via Walk Ride GM’s.
Trains
Between Victoria, Oxford Road and Piccadilly train stations there are hundreds of routes out of town offering loads of great daytrips to nearby towns and cities like York, Liverpool, Leeds or Sheffield. Check out Get Lost MCR for some daytrips close to home!
Cheap days out
Looking for some low-cost daytrip ideas?
Check out our list of some of our favourite parks in Manchester and discover some new greenspaces to unwind in…
• Fletcher Moss Botanical gardens (M20 2RQ)
• Castlefield Viaduct (M3 4LG)
• Chorlton Water Park (M21 7WH)
• Platt Fields Park (M14 6LA)
• New Islington Marina (M4 6BX)
• Alexandra Park (M16 7JL)
• Heaton Park (M25 2SW)
• Mayfield Park (M1 2PY)
Our top
Food
Looking for some munch? Check out these veggie and vegan spots:
• Bundobust
• Eighth Day Café
• Feel Good Club
• The Allotment
• Maray
• Purezza
• What the Pitta
• Vegan Shack
Phone chargers recommendations
• Sanskruti
Repair café’s
Find your nearest repair café here! Not sure what could be repaired? Commonly repaired items are things like…
✅ Televisions
Clothes
Kettles ✅ Electric heaters ✅ Toasters ✅ Headphones
Alarm clocks
Thrift spots
Whether you want true vintage, y2k vibes, or just second-hand high-street pieces, Manchester’s thrift scene is loud.
– for more tips about saving money, making your stuff go further, and things to do in Manchester!
Future Fashion Fair, Cheetham Hill
Cow Vintage, Northern Quarter
Pop Boutique, Northern Quarter
Affleck’s Palace, Northern Quarter
• Hazaar
• Get Lost MCR
• Sow The City
• PLANT
• Platt Fields Market Garden
• Future Fashion Fair
• Stitched Up
• Station South
