2. Talk to someone
Talk to someone – either a friend or family member or a fellow colleague who has experience of a similar situation, who can give you advice on their own experience

As a student, you will usually have a local student’s union available who will have staff on hand that are used to dealing with money problems. They may well refer you to hardship schemes, which can help tide you over until you get back on your feet. They will offer sound advice on how to budget and manage your money.

You will feel so much better if you can share how you are feeling with someone. If you are unable to talk to someone at least write it down. You are doing something positive and this will help you feel more in control, reduce the feeling of panic and make you calmer.

3. Acknowledge your debt & De-clutter
Get all your personal bills and bank statements together, sort them and put them in a file. An untidy environment creates confusion and a sense of loss of control. A thorough tidy out has a good feel factor – you will instantly feel more in command. You need to take responsibility for your debt. It is easy to blame institutions for making credit to easy to obtain but it is your debt, your responsibility and you need to deal with it.

4. Budget & Don’t spend money you haven’t got
Work out exactly what essential costs you have each month (rent, food, bills etc) and then divide what you have left into weekly amounts. Try taking that amount out of the bank at the start of the week and sticking to it, rather than making numerous trips to the cash machine. Don’t be tempted to write cheques when you know you are up to your limit. The banks don’t take to kindly to this and will charge you £20 or more for the privilege of bouncing your cheque. Also, don’t take loans from friends to fund a night out – they may not be so friendly when you can’t pay it back!

5. Work sensibly
90% of students are now forced to work during their course just to keep their heads above water. Think about when you are likely to be most busy with exams and assignments and try to fit in more work hours in the quieter periods.

Bev Budsworth of IVA and Debt Management specialists thedebtadvisor.co.uk is an award-winning insolvency practitioner, offers a simple, 10-point plan for any student looking to sort out their finances and manage debt repayments whilst at university:

Maybe don’t sign up for the New York Marathon on the day you take your first jog but certainly trying for a personal best or a weight reduction target will keep you coming back for more.

A 5 or 10k run is a great target to aim for, perhaps get sponsored to help your favourite charity. It will help keep you focused on your training programme. If you have someone to go running with do that, it’s easier and safer when you’ve got a running partner.

Run a sensible distance
One of the main reasons a health regime goes out of the window is that people are just too ambitious. There’s no point setting off to John O’ Groats on that first morning. Start off with a distance you know you can complete and then see how you feel. Once you’re comfortable at this distance, next time do an extra lap of the park. Build the distance up gradually as this will help you to stay encouraged, motivated & injury free. It’s amazing how fast you will gain the extra stamina.

Equip
This sounds obvious coming from someone who works for a Sports shop but it’s true. I am not saying you have to go out and buy the latest £100 running shoes and a top of the range heart monitor but you really do need to ensure you are comfortable. At the very minimum make sure you have suitable running shoes with good support & some lightweight clothing plus a water bottle that’s easy to carry.

Listen to your body
This perhaps is the most important one of all. You can’t just grind your body into shape. If you are experiencing discomfort assess what the problem is. Running will involve a certain amount of pain as your body is pushed to extend it’s range and stamina but it’s not meant to have you hobbling & limping round all week. A lot of our shops can help you with your gait, as we have experts who will be able to assess your running style and recommend improvements to keep you on the road. If it’s blisters or a tendon strain then wait ’til they’ve healed so as to avoid injuries, if it’s something more serious like a knee injury or chest pain then go to see a medical specialist.

Nutrition
Ensuring that the right nutrition is taken throughout a training / exercise period is extremely important. The phrase ‘…you are what you eat…’ is never more accurate. There are hundreds of common sense things to adhere to when training, like monitor your dietary saturated fat intake, avoiding excess alcohol consumption, right down to ensuring that you get maximum sleep. The more you push your body, the more vital energy and various chemicals in the body are lost and need replacing. Sports drinks replace lost salts and minerals in your body, so they are the perfect post-run drink with a wide choice of brands and flavours now available.

Protein provides the blocks for the cells in your body to build on and is usually the first thing that people forget about when increasing training intensity or even just starting out on their training regime. Always try to eat some protein within half an hour of finishing exercising to speed up the recovery process.

Claire Smith works for Sweatshop, which was founded by Chris Brasher, Olympic Gold medallist and co-founder of the London Marathon. It is one of the country’s largest running shops with over 30 stores across the UK and an online shop at www.sweatshop.co.uk.

Getting the essentials booked immediately. Church or ceremony venue, wedding cars, and wedding reception venue all need to be sorted out early. Our wedding planners here at Thornton Hall regularly take bookings two years in advance.

2. Go with the flow.
It’s very rare everything goes exactly according to plan. There are always circumstances beyond everyone’s control. Bad weather, guests getting lost, cars breaking down. As a wedding planner it’s my job to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible. Sometimes with everything that’s going on it’s easy to focus on a tiny hiccup instead of all the other festivities. My advice is to keep smiling, relax and focus on what’s important Ie. the two of you.

3. Remember the kids.
It’s a long, long day for the little ones. They’ll be on their feet all day, they’ll be getting told to be quiet, they’re wearing uncomfortable clothes and for once they aren’t the centre of attention. Wedding celebrations can drive even the most placid and easygoing child to distraction. If you want to avoid tears and tantrums try to factor them in on the planning. Something entertaining ordistracting will pay dividends later on believe me.

4. Best man. Relax!
I see so many best men fretting over their speeches too nervous to eat their meal. They look like they are going to the firing squad! It’s understandable but try to remember that this is most receptive audience anyone will ever get, everyone is on your side. Hints for a Best Man’s Speech? Write it well in advance and practice, practice, practice. If you aren’t a natural comedian don’t try to be, it’s much more important to be warm and affectionate. Try to remember that you aren’t really the star of the show, leave the limelight for the bride and groom.

5. Have fun.
My main tip for the happy couple is try to enjoy it all. I love being involved in the weddings we have at Thornton Hall, it’s great to be part of the best day of people’s lives. I always try to get the bride and groom to focus on themselves a bit. Sometimes you get the feeling the two of them are working so hard to please everyone else they are forgetting that it’s actually their day.

Ina Schmidt is the Wedding Planner for Thornton Hall Hotel, a luxury four star wedding venue in the north west of England. She helps couples plan their special day and is always on hand to make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible. Thornton Hall has its own Exclusive Wedding and Event Planning Service – Diamond Events.

2. Review your day-to-day spending
It sounds simple but people really can make big savings by changing their spending habits just slightly. Buying supermarkets’ own versions of the Indian and Chinese take-aways on a Saturday night demonstrate much better value than calling your local delivery service, it’s not all about just tightening your belt though. – A classic example is making a packed lunch instead of just buying a sandwich every day will reduce your outgoings each month. It’s probably be nicer and better for you!

3. Shop around for different energy suppliers
It’s surprising but more than 60% of people have never shopped around for a different energy provider. It’s quick and it’s simple nowadays and people could cut their bills by around £250 a year (Even higher in some cases). We all know how the utilitiy companies have been putting up their charges recently, so it’s more important for ever to be ‘switched on’ to this. Complacency can literally carry a high price.

4. Reduce your energy consumption
It’s all well and good switching to a cheaper electricity supplier but try to be mindful of wasting energy needlessly. Simple habits such as turning televisions and computers off completely rather than leaving them on stand-by, always using energy efficient light bulbs, doing washing at 30 degrees instead of 40. It’s a mindset to get into but it can really reduce your energy bills.

5. Drive your Motoring costs down
Petrol and diesel costs are big news at the moment. Anything you can do to reduce fuel consumption is vital because the amount it takes to fill up a car these days is staggering. Do tihngs like regularly checking tyre pressures, it’s simple but effective. Under-inflated tyres force really do reduce fuel efficiency. It’s a worthwhile exercise to remove clutter from your car. Don’t use your car as a storgage facility : The heavier the load, the more fuel you burn. Try to drive efficiently, don’t race to the lights then hit the breaks. Cruise along, slow down well in advance and you engine will be using less fuel the entire time. When it’s renewal time use a quote comparison website in order to get the best deal.

Owen Woodley is a financial expert with over 20 years of experience. He currently works for Moneyway and also writes an impartial financial advice blog called AskOwen.

Blend : There is nothing worse than a loud, obtrusive tourist. It’s not a game and it’s not a freakshow. Rather than sticking your camera in the local’s faces just go, have fun, join in. Try and get a basic grounding in the language. Even if it’s just a few standard Hellos and Thank Yous. Making a little effort goes a long way.

Go with the flow : It’s frustrating sometimes. Bureacracy, reservations being lost, buses and trains not turning up, market stall owners constantly trying to make the sale. If you wanted a nice easy life you’d be on a beach somewhere getting burnt to a crisp. It’s nothing personal so don’t take it that way. Count to 10 and smile. One day’s disaster is another day’s anecdote so just chalk it up to experience.

Respect : You ain’t in Kansas anymore…the locals have a different way of doing things, it might be something little or it might be something ridiculous but you’ve got to toe the line. If they ask you not to take a picture then don’t, if they ask you not to clamber all over their treasured monument then don’t. When in Rome…

Walk : When is the next time you are going to be here? Possibly never. Explore. You might be hot and tired but make that extra effort to do as much as possible. Squeeze as much as possible in because ultimaltely that’s why you are there. There’s nothing worse than getting home and finding there was something truly fantastic round the next corner but you stayed in the pub all afternoon.

In 2003 SEO consultant and sports blog writer Stuart Brandwood travelled round the world visiting India, Thaliand, Nepal, Malaysia, Cambodia, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, The Cooks Islands, Mexico and Guatemala, since then he’s been to places like Peru, Japan…and Belgium. He knows he’s barely scratched the surface.