Useful Info

In this page you will find some handy tips and tricks for setting up your place, eating and living on a tight budget, as well as links to sites that may be of use.

Setting up my new place: How do I do it? What do I need?

There are many affordable ways of setting up your new place. You will need the following items:

  • Furniture
  • Kitchenware (plates, cutlery, utensils, cups, glasses, refrigerator, kettle, pots and pans etc.)
  • Cleaning equipment
  • Manchester (sheets) and bedding (pillows, doona/quilt etc.)

Where can I find a job?

You can check the local papers for casual and part time work, as well as UOW Careers & Employability. Careers & Employability offer many local jobs for students, including work on campus.

International students: Make sure you have applied for, and have approved Work Rights on your visa before applying for work.

Furniture

You can try looking at local 'Op' shops (second hand clothing, furniture etc) or Facebook Marketplace.  You can also try Freecycle, eBay or Gumtree.

Clothing

You can get some great bargains at the local Op Shops and second hand shops. All of these items of clothing are checked and washed carefully before being put out for sale. There are also many great shops in the local shopping areas around the Illawarra:

Kitchen

If you are setting up your kitchen for the first time, doubtless you are going to need a few things! Your basic list would most likely look something like this:

  • Plates - dinner (big) and bread (small)
  • Cups and glasses
  • Wooden and/or plastic spoons for cooking with
  • Pots and pans - assorted sizes. The basic lot would be a small pot with a lid and a large pot with a lid and a frying pan.
  • Toaster 
  • Kettle
  • Microwave
  • Pans for baking and oven cooking
  • Cutlery - ie. knives, forks, spoons etc.
  • Cleaning equipment - sponges, washing up liquid, tea towels and dishcloths, cleaning solution.

Green cleaning - click here for ideas on how to keep a green clean house for cheap!

Places like KMart, Big W and Target all have housewares which are all affordable, no matter what your budget.

 Bedroom & bathroom

Cheap bed linen and towels are easily found, op shops can be a great place to find factory second linen and bedding and places like KMart, Big W and Target sell everything you need to set up your bedroom and bathroom. Don't forget you will need shampoo, conditioner, soap and cleaning products for your bathroom! All these are available from your local supermarket or shops, as well as KMart etc.

Eating on a budget:

Healthy living on a lean budget! This is a great website that provides excellent ideas for eating well on a budget - no more 2 minute noodles!

Living on a budget:

 A great way to ensure you have enough money each week/fortnight/month is by making a budget - and sticking to it! Click here to find some help on how to make and stick to a budget.

Other Useful Contacts: