National Student Money Week

Money Mondays Drop In Service - Monday 4th March, 12-4pm, Student Services Centre

Our Financial Support Team will be available for the Money Mondays drop in service in the Student Services Centre. If you're experiencing any money or funding related issues, please come along and speak to the team. The Money Mondays drop in service runs weekly throughout term time - there's no need for a pre-booked appointment, you can simply turn up on the day.

Healthy Gaming at the Hub - Monday 4th March, 12-4pm, SU Hub (ground floor, next to ASK)

Join our Residence Life team and ASK for an afternoon of free gaming activities in the Hub on the ground floor of the SU with over 200 games available, including Mario Kart, Streets of Rage and Super Smash Bros. There will also be a range of board games available for students to try out. Throughout the afternoon, there will be members of staff available if you have any concerns or want to find out more about healthy gaming habits.

National Student Money Week Instagram takeover - Monday 4th March, 12-6pm, Keele University Instagram stories

Our Financial Support Team will be taking over the Keele University Instagram account stories on Monday 4th March to highlight some of the exciting activities across National Student Money Week and to host a Q&A about all things money-related. If you have questions for the team and don't have time to come along to the weekly Monday Monday drop-in service, head over to Instagram to pose your question to the team.

National Student Money Week Fair - Tuesday 5th March, 11am-3pm, Chancellors Building Foyer

For the third year running, our Financial Support Team will be hosting a National Student Money Week Fair in Chancellors Building - this year across two days on Tuesday 5th and Thursday 7th March. We will be joined by external specialists, including Staffordshire Police and YGAM, to highlight the range of support available to students in relation to financial risk. There will be plenty of freebies available, interactive activities for you to get involved in, and competitions to enter. This year, our flagship Shopping Basket Challenge will feature the viral M&S vs Aldi comparison - we're trying it out so you don't have to! During the fair, there will also be members of staff from our specialist support teams available if you have any questions.

An Interview with Tony Sales, Britain's Greatest Fraudster - Wednesday 6th March, 11:15am-12pm, Microsoft Teams

Tony Sales is one of very few people who has ever worked at the summit of organised crime and the pinnacle of fraud and loss prevention. After a career spanning 30 years, Sales has expertise in a wide range of criminal activities covering the online and offline worlds. Supported by Criminologist Dr Nicola Harding, Tony will help you understand how criminals might approach you, what you can do to stay safe, and what you should do if you are approached or think you have been a victim of fraud.

Watch the recording of the interview online.

Budgeting for the Unexpected - Wednesday 6th March, 3-4pm, Microsoft Teams

As part of National Student Money Week, our Financial Support Team will be running a budgeting workshop aimed at preparing you for the unexpected costs that creep up while at university. Even the most prepared student can experience unforeseeable costs or events, which can cause them to struggle. The session will also include information about financial support available within the University.

National Student Money Week Fair - Tuesday 5th March, 11am-3pm, Chancellors Building Foyer

For the third year running, our Financial Support Team will be hosting a National Student Money Week Fair in Chancellors Building - this year across two days on Tuesday 5th and Thursday 7th March. We will be joined by external specialists, including Staffordshire Police and YGAM, to highlight the range of support available to students in relation to financial risk. There will be plenty of freebies, interactive activities, and competitions for you to get involved in, along with members of staff from our specialist support teams if you have any questions.

Understanding Gaming and Gambling Harms - Thursday 7th March, 3-4pm, Chancellors Building CBA2.039

National charity YGAM will be joining us on campus to lead an in-person workshop focusing on understanding gaming and gambling harms. This workshop will be of particular interest to students who might know someone who is struggling with gaming or gambling, and wants to understand more about how to help them to take control and access support.

Giant Keele-opoly! - Thursday 7^th March, 4-10pm, KeeleSU Ballroom

Our Financial Support Team has been working closely with KeeleSU to bring you the first ever giant Keele-opoly! Groups of up to 6 students can book a slot to play the giant Keele-based board game at KeeleSU, with all students taking part being entered into a prize draw. Timeslots are available on a first come first served basis, and so we'd advise booking your place early to avoid missing out. A range of other board games will be available for use during the event, and spectators are welcome.

Learn about PIP - Wednesday 6th March, 1-2pm, Microsoft Teams

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a Government benefit that can help with extra living costs if you have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability, and have difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around because of your condition. ASK (Advice and Support at KeeleSU) will be delivering a 1 hour online information session covering everything that you need to know, and will be able to offer tailored advice after the session if you have any questions or need any further support.

My Year in Crypto - Friday 8th March, 2-3pm, Microsoft Teams

Learn more about cryptocurrency from our Financial Support Officer, Ann, who will be sharing an insight into her first year investing in this online webinar. This webinar will help you to understand more about what cryptocurrency is, how you can get started in cryptocurrency, and the risks involved. One year ago, Ann invested £20 in cryptocurrency as a trial, and you will have the opportunity to find out about the peaks and troughs of Ann's journey into cryptocurrency so far.

Complete the new Blackbullion Risk pathway for the chance to win £500

Keele University has partnered with Blackbullion, to ensure that all Keele students can access free financial education. To help you maintain your financial wellbeing Blackbullion has launched a new ‘Risk’ learning pathway on the portal to help you wrap your head around all types of financial risks. If you haven't already, you can register for a free Blackbullion account as a Keele student and explore the full library of pathways. Everyone who completes the 20-minute 'Risk' pathway during National Student Money Week will be entered into a prize competition to win £500 towards helping them build an emergency fund (T&Cs apply).

Find out more on the Blackbullion portal.

Help us reach our target of 101 risk-free ways to save money

Across the whole week, we want you to help us pull together 101 ways that you can make and save money risk-free. Even if you're not sure what you can add, take a look to find out the ideas and tips that other students have posted to understand more about things you can do to reduce your costs.

Head over to our padlet portal to get involved.

Bitconned - Netflix: In this true-crime documentary, three guys exploit the freewheeling cryptocurrency market to scam millions from investors and bankroll lavish lifestyles.

Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened - Netflix: The Fyre Festival was billed as a luxury music experience on a posh private island, but it failed spectacularly in the hands of a cocky entrepreneur.

My Insta Scammer Friend - BBC iPlayer: The infamous viral scandals of pioneering internet sensation Caroline Calloway have captivated audiences across the globe, with some of her followers left feeling duped and scammed.

Scam Interceptors - BBC iPlayer: Working with ethical hackers, Rav Wilding is hunting down the scammers plaguing our lives – using cutting-edge tech to catch out the crooks.

Scam Stories: The Money Drop - BBC iPlayer: Scam Stories tells the shocking tales of Ofunne, Victoria and Zachary, 3 young people who have fallen prey to social media scammers.

The Footballer Fraudster - ITVX: Footballer, rapper, con artist… Medi Abalimba’s sophisticated web of lies swindled multiple victims, breaking hearts and destroying lives.

The Rise of Money Launderers on Snapchat - VICE x YouTube: Be cautious of unsolicited offers to make easy money. A money mule is someone who lets someone else use their bank account to transfer money, often keeping a little bit for themselves. If you get caught doing this, you could get a criminal record.

The Tinder Swindler - Netflix: Posing as a wealthy, jet-setting diamond mogul, he wooed women online then conned them out of millions of dollars. Now some victims plan for payback.