Hey, we've all been there. It's easy to screw up a night out if you don't know what you're doing; all sorts of things could go wrong and nobody wants to embarrass themselves in front of their cool-as-fuck new flatmates. Here's how to smash a night out in Manchester from start to finish...

Choosing an event

Whether you’re into jungle, disco or live bands (or hardcore techno like everyone else in Manchester right now), our handy events guide provides you with a comprehensive, easy overview of the events on offer in the city. Get savvy and sort yourself out here - all the info you need plus ticket links are supplied free of charge. If you're planning an all-day sesh, learn how to smash day drinking with our ultimate guide.

Pre-drinks

If you’re living in Fallowfield as most students do, then New Zealand Wines is your best bet for a cheap pres. Don't be that person that brings prosecco or cheap cava to someone's gaff - sort yourself two bottles of wine for a fiver and you can’t go wrong. Spirits and crates are cheap too and low-priced mixer means you don’t have to fork out for your 'anging cherryade or your fancy lemon and lime. If we're blessed with sunny weather through freshers' week (we won't be), you may want to check out the best beer gardens in Manchester.

Getting to town

Again, if your accommodation is in Fallowfield, you’d be a fool not to buy a bus pass. Granted, £230 is a blow to your bank account in September, but you’ll thank us when you’ve got an easy, cheap ride into town for those spontaneous Factory Thursdays. The Magic Bus routes mean you can hop on in Fallowfield or Oxford Road, and hop off again near the universities, Deansgate or Piccadilly Gardens.

Alternatively, Ubers aren't hideously expensive. It will cost you about 7 quid to get from Fallowfield to Piccadilly (unless they fuck you up with surges), which split between a few mates is pretty cheap. Worth doing when you can't be bothered to rub shoulders with the outside world.

If you live in the depths of Fallowfield near Burnage or Withington (advice: don't), then catching the train from Mauldeth Road Station to Oxford Road or Piccadilly is also a viable option, only setting you back £1.85 with a 16-25 railcard.

 

The clubs

Your best bet to finding a cheap night out is to avoid weekends and stick to the designated student nights. Yes, they're sticky and grim sometimes but they're a rite of passage, and they'll offer discounted entry prices, drinks offers and genre-specific nights.

If a club has a cloakroom, it is generally at a ballache further cost, charging an average of £1-£1.50 to hang up your Harrington. If independent events are more your thing, check our events guide and make sure you buy your tickets on first release - as time goes on the price will rise!

Here's just a quick overview of some cheap weekly student nights...

Monday: Quids In @ Factory 251 - A mash-up of indie, pop and house, with entry and drinks from just £1

Tuesday: Tektu @ Joshua Brooks - Your weekly dose of house, techno and garage in one of Manchester's best basement venues

Wednesday: Hot Mess @ Revolution, Deansgate Locks - One of the most popular mainstream student nights, with £1.50 single vodka mixers

Thursday: Socialite Thursdays @ Club Liv - Your weekly up-market, R'n'B fix

Friday: Dirty Dancefloors @ 42s - Manchester's best gritty indie night with cheap cans of Red Stripe

Saturday: Clint Boon Forever @ South - The best of 60s, 70s and 80s tunes brought to you by the Inspiral Carpets keys king 

Remember, Warehouse Project season is approaching and proper Mancunians do Warehouse hard, so give yourself a heads up and check out the full line-up here.

3 a.m. food stop

Maccies on Oxford Road in central Manchester offers the best-located food post-club and pre-bed. If excessive amounts of saturated fat is your thing, you'll want to head down Oxford Road towards the universities, where opposite Man Met you will find Babylon’s and Archie's. In Fallowfield, Krunchy Fried Chicken and Chesters offer cheap KFC-style drunken goodness, whilst a personal pizza and side from Dominos will also hit the spot.

Getting home safely

The Magic Bus is no doubt the safest way to get students home – it’s always busy, full of other Fallowfield dickheads, the buses are regular and stops are five minutes apart down Oxford Road, so a long walk home is usually avoidable. 

If you have to get a taxi, getting an Uber is much safer than a black cab, as its whereabouts are tracked. Gett App also offers tracked black cab journeys around Manchester, with no hidden costs or minimum fares. Beware – the last train on a weekday is 23.35 and the first isn’t until 06.21. 

Whatever you do, remember that Manchester is a big city and Fallowfield is a high-crime area (i.e. stabby as fuck) – if you have to walk home, make sure you’re in a big group and stay together.