New research by the UK’s low cost student baggage delivery service Uni Baggage has
found that parents spend nearly £200m couriering student belongings, emitting nearly
double the pollution the volcano responsible for the Ash Cloud emitted each day.

A new study by the UK’s low cost delivery service for students has found that the average fuel cost in the UK for transporting student belongings to and from university is £192 million per year. In total, parents taking their children’s belongings to and from uni emit 291k tonnes of CO2 every year – twice as much CO2 as Iceland’s Eyjafjoell volcano2; which grounded flights across the world with a giant ash cloud, emitted every day.

The research, commissioned by low cost student baggage delivery service
www.UniBaggage.com asked 1,196 parents if they helped their children move their
belongings to and from student housing throughout their three years at university. In the
academic year of 2008 – 2009 there were 2,396,050 university students in the UK.

According to the study, 89% of the parents polled helped their children move their possessions to each of their student accommodations throughout their three years at university. The average cost to take children’s’ belongings to universities, according to parents, was ‘£30’ per journey there and back.

The results show that the average return car journey parents travel to transport their children’s possessions is 180 miles and lasts 4 hours. With each parent spending an average of £90 on fuel per year, the total cost for a standard 3 year degree course would cost each parent £270 in fuel alone. Many degrees are for longer durations.

The study found that the majority, 72%, of parents that helped their children move travelled an average of 180 miles in the car. With each mile driven in the UK’s most popular car, the Ford Focus 1.63, 252.7 grams of CO2 is emitted. As the study found parents travelled 180 miles per trip; each journey emits 45,486 grams of CO2 per journey. Multiplied by the number of parents that said they helped children with their belongings to and from uni, this figure rose to 290,994 tonnes of CO2 per year.

As the study found that the average return trip takes parents 4 hours, each parent spends a total of 36 hours travelling in the duration their child is at university. In total UK parents spend 76.8 million man hours travelling on British roads couriering student belongings. UniBaggage.com is urging students to research more cost-effective ways to transport their belongings whilst studying at university. UniBaggage.com is the only site offering a low-cost efficient alternative with regards to student baggage delivery. The service was launched to help students transport their belongings to and from university at an affordable price.

The service also helps to protect the environment, as couriers can carry baggage in the direction they are already travelling.

Since the launch of the site 8 months ago, UniBaggage.com has delivered more than 1,200 items, weighing a total of 36 tonnes for students in one term alone. UniBaggage.com has unique partnerships with courier companies such as Parcel Force which allow students to ship their belongings for just £12 with next day delivery to Mainland UK. Uni Baggage also covers Northern Ireland, Scottish Highlands and Islands.

Paul Stewart, Founder of UniBaggage.com had the following to say,
“This research has really shown a “hidden” cost that many students and parents do not always think about or budget for. As tuition fees are rising students will have to balance their money wisely and think of new ways they can save. The cost in terms of the amount parents spend on fuel is bad enough, but to know that so many carbon-heavy needless journeys are being made proves that a service such as Uni Baggage is the cheaper and more environmentally friendly option.”

He continues,
“Most parents wouldn’t begrudge spending the time taking their child to university along with their baggage, but in these post-recession times, if we’re able to help cut costs, financially and with regards to the environment in any way, we’re happy to help. The fact that parents are emitting 2 days worth of volcanic pollution simply taking their children’s baggage to university is absolutely crazy!”

Ryanair is pulling out of Belfast City Airport

Low cost airline Ryanair is pulling the plug on Belfast. Ryanair is a great way for students to travel to and from Northern Ireland. Ryanair and Uni Baggage offer a cost effective way for students to travel to and from University and it is sad to see that Ryanair are leaving Belfast.

Ryanair is pulling out of Belfast City Airport from 31 October, the airline has announced.

The airline said the decision followed the airport’s confirmation that a public inquiry into a planned runway extension would be further delayed.

Ryanair has been operating from George Best Belfast City Airport since 2007.

The airline currently flies from the City Airport to five locations in the UK – Bristol, the East Midlands, Prestwick, Liverpool and London.

The airline flies about 800,000 passengers a year from the airport.

Ryanair’s Chief Executive Michael O’Leary said that “it is very disappointing that the promised runway extension at Belfast City Airport has still not materialised more than three years after we opened the base at Belfast City”.

Uni Baggage still operates its great service to and from any location in the UK. Book you collection today!

A-Level students who have recently got their results and managed to secure a place at university might re-consider how much they borrow from the student loans company after it emerged that they will be charging more interest.

Under new proposals, the student loans company plan to increase the levels of interest for both loans taken out before 1998 and those taken out since.

The difference between pre-1998 loans and post-1998 loans is the amount of interest charged. All loans taken out before 1998 will be charged at 4.4pc interest on the balance whereas those after the date will be charged at 1.5pc interest.

Finding Ways to Save Money

The increases in interest charged will affect former students too, but it will be current students who are most concerned about the increase. With university becoming more competitive and indeed costly, students will be keen to ensure that they don’t run up too much debt.

This is why using a professional student baggage service might appeal to some students. Uni Baggage offers student shipping to and from university, with a next day delivery for mainland UK during the week.

Plus students can get up to 30kg of student baggage per item.

It’s only been a few days since college students collected their A-Level results and chose their university for the next three or four years. Alas, this excitement has been slightly tempered by fears that rail fares could increase next year.

Any potential increase could make getting to and from university slightly more expensive, which might make a professional student baggage service more appealing.

“This is not a normal year”

It is reported that rail fares could increase by 8% in the next year, a hefty increase that will considerably affect commuters and students. Some students, who decide to stay at home, will notice the difference but it could be those hoping to get their stuff to and from university that might feel aggrieved by the increase.

It is early days but the financial crisis could mean that such an increase would be inevitable. Transport Secretary Philip Hammond is quoted on the BBC saying: “It would normally be the case that next year’s regulated train fares are calculated using July’s inflation figure, plus 1%.

“But this is not a normal year. The scale of the financial crisis that we have inherited means that we will have to make some tough decisions in the spending review which concludes this autumn.

“I am therefore not yet in a position to determine next year’s fare increase.”

If speculated increases do come to fruition students might consider using a student baggage shipping service instead of carting their stuff onto a train at an increased cost.

Yesterday (19 August 2010) saw this year’s A-Level results released with new record breaking figures announced. However, the theme for the day was very much about supply and demand.

With more students applying for university, it is thought that well over 100,000 will miss out as university’s limit the amount of applicants they can accept.

According to Ucas, roughly 186,000 students were entered into clearing – the process of placing students at suitable universities if they have missed out on their first choice. Of these, a vast number are expected to be left disappointed.

When clearing began there were 18,000 courses available, a considerable drop from the 32,000 available last year.

“Deserve Congratulations”

A cause of this potential disappointment was the level of success achieved by students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The pass rate – this is an A-Level grade between A and E – was higher than last year and 27% of entries gained A’s or A*s. The A* grade was new for this year and was achieved by 8% of entries.

Ucas’s chief executive, Mary Curnock Cook, told the BBC: “Thousands of applicants whose places have been confirmed today deserve congratulations for this achievement in perhaps the most competitive year for HE admissions in the last 10 years.”

Those students who are celebrating their results and university place will be eagerly planning over the next few weeks, which will include finding a suitable way to get all of their stuff to university. Uni Baggage offer up to 30kg per item to transport student baggage.

Are university degrees really worth the hassle and potential debt in the current climate? Increased tuition fees, reports of high levels of debt and not enough jobs in the market for graduates is the tune of the pessimists. However, a recent study by lovemoney.com suggests that university graduates can earn as much as £10,000 more than colleagues without a degree by the time they reach their mid-30s.

The research also showed the average expected earnings that each degree can provide. Unsurprisingly medicine and law topped the average earnings chart.

Growth in Earnings

Engineering courses and maths degrees also fetched graduates a tidy average salary. The full list of expected average earnings was taken from data between 2005 and 2007.

Whilst many graduates will point the finger at not reaping these rewards initially, the research showed that, when graduates reach their 30s, there is a noticeable difference between what they earn and colleagues without the equivalent qualifications.

It paints a rosy picture for going to university but potential students should remember that it is an expensive business going to university. This is why it is important to make the most of any opportunities to save a few pennies.

Hiring a professional student baggage service can ensure that you get all of your stuff to and from university without having to pay excessive amounts. Find out how much it costs to ship up to 30kg per item with Uni Baggage.

Recent figures suggest that universities are giving away more money to poorer students in the form of bursaries than before. It comes at a time when paying to go to university remains under the spotlight.

As many institutions raise their tuition fees, more money is being afforded to poorer students. However, this is a requisite for universities who decide to increase the amount they charge for tuition.

“Applications at a Record High”

In the last academic year 25.8% of income made from increased tuition fees was given away in bursaries, this was a 0.8% increase. The up-take in students applying for bursaries rose to 96% from 92%.

Offa’s Director, Sir Martin Harris, commented on the encouraging stats claiming that there was “strong ongoing commitment to widening access”.

He also told the BBC: “With applications at a record high… we must continue to make sure that disadvantaged students… are not disproportionately among those affected by this increased competition for places.”

There are many ways that students can save money at university and one such way is by employing a professional student baggage shipping service. Allowing up to 30kg per item means that students can benefit from having all of their stuff with them at university without paying over the odds.

The Uni Baggage team thought we would put a quick step by step guide on how to attach the Uni Baggage labels.

Step 1

Print off label from the “My Orders” section of Uni Baggage.

Then cut out the labels. (easy peasy!)

Step 2

Use a box or suitcase to transport you items.

Attaching a label to a box

Just attach the labels as you would for any parcel. Please use the two labels and attach one to each side of the parcel as shown. Use packaging tape or Sellotape.

Attaching a label to a suitcase

Now this is a little more complicated! Please do not attach you labels with tape alone, as your labels are likely to fall off and could result in your item being delayed.

Method 1: Attach your labels with tape and then cover your bag with cling film. Just attach a label to each side of your bag and then wrap your bag in cling film, wrap the film around twice. This will stop the labels falling off and protect your suitcase while in transit.

Method 2: Insert your labels into poly pockets, tape closed and tie them onto your suitcase with string. Then tape the poly pockets to your suitcase. Make sure the pockets are tied on.

Now your items are ready for collection!

Remember: Make sure the bar codes are not covered and are still scannable.

There is a temptation to simply grab everything and cram it into your bags when preparing to go to university. TV’s, clothes, pictures, computers you want to take it all but this comes with the risk of having too much excess baggage. So what should you really take?

Creating a Home From Home

It is important to establish your new accommodation as your new home, even if it is only a room on campus. Therefore you should make sure that you pack plenty of personal belongings like pictures, posters, even the blanket you have kept with you since you were a kid.

Next on the list are plenty of things to ensure that you are entertained. A TV is a certainty as is a DVD player and computer. However, transporting a desktop will be considerably more difficult than a laptop or netbook.

You will also want to kit out your new wardrobe with all your familiar clothes, shoes and even sporting equipment.

Packing All the Necessities

Then there are the academic necessities like your paperwork, with grades and course applications, and your books. So how do you get all of this to and, as the case may be, from university?

It will be time consuming and quite a challenge getting all of this onto a train or into the car and of course, shipping it on a plane will cost a lot. That is why Uni Baggage provide a next day service for your student baggage and offer a generous 30kg limit per item. This way, if you do have a fair bit of excess baggage you don’t have to go without.