For many a happy semester, we here at the London Program ran a competition called ‘the Top Tip Tenner’ competition. The rules were very simple. We asked students to send us their top money-saving tips (to help other students save precious cash), and each week Student Life staff voted on which we thought was the best, and awarded a prize of ten of our lovely British pounds to the winner. The Top Tips that we received ranged from how to go about getting a cheap haircut to how to save money on cinema and theatre tickets. Others were more prosaic: for example – doing your produce shopping as the markets are closing saves tons of dosh (especially on Saturdays!) as the market traders want to get rid of their stuff and so sell it off cheaply. Get the picture?
As the semesters progressed, however, the tips started becoming a little desperate – we’d 
get some tips telling us that we could save money by walking instead of getting the bus. (Like, seriously??!!) so we decided to call a halt to all that, and rest the competition awhile. But guess what? We were asked to bring it back! Apparently, many students found the suggestions useful. So we have. Except that now we don’t call it a ‘Top Tip Tenner’ competition. We now call it the ‘London Scout’ competition. We reckon this sums up the spirit of the enterprise more accurately. The principle remains the same. Send us your money-saving tips, we’ll enter them in the London Scout competition, and each week we will give ten pounds in cash to the person who sends in the best, most original tip.
If you need more guidance/inspiration, check out the bulletin board in the Student Lounge – then send your ideas to me, Charine, at cjohn@syr.edu
Happy Scouting!
