h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Budget yourself and stick to it, otherwise you'll regret it once you've blown your entire student loan/grant/bursary/etc on parties and alcohol in the first few weeks.

I'm not saying don't have fun, I'm just saying that it's usually a good idea that if you do go out for the night then only take enough money to keep you afloat for the night.

If your Halls of Residence/shared house is not near the main campus, then invest in a bus pass. This may be a large amount to shell out in the short term, but they usually pay themselves back after a few weeks.

Definitely do the budgeting.
Just work out how much you have for the year, and therefore how much you can afford to spend in each week (and remember that you may not have a secured income for the summer holidays either).

This is advice from someone who has just come out of a four year degree with debts up to my eyeballs.

Only take cash with you on a night out, and leave your cash point card at home. That way, you can only spend the money you have at that moment and avoid clearing out your bank account under the influence of alcohol. When you sober up, you'll wish you hadn't done it!

There are a few scams to avoid, here in the UK, at any rate. These play on the natural greed and unworldliness of students by offering something for nothing. Avoid at all cost!

(1) The Pizza Scam
Someone rings your doorbell, and offers a discount on pizzas for a whole year, if you pay only a few pounds now. Ignore him, and send him on his way, because almost every pizza operation offers a student discount/free delivery/2-for-1 offer that will probably offer better value, and a wider choice. In any case, you'll find that you need to order a lot of pizza to recoup the "investment" on the discount card.

(2) The Club Pass
For only 10 quid, you can go clubbing for cheap, with no queueing, every week! Yeah, right. These club passes generally offer entry only to the least desirable establishments. You won't use it. Don't buy it!