Weekly budget advice needed

FreheitOverture

Personally I never budgeted....Probably not the best thing, but I had earned more than enough before I started uni to not care about how much fun I had through the first year. It was only during the second year that I started to panic and realised I was broke so had to get a job.
I'm still broke now having just finished my second year and just starting placement, however at least I made it through the year. Will be saving money on placement to get me through the final year.

I spent around £200.00 a month, mainly on food and going out, nothing on books in the second year, and then a further £225 on rent. So around £450 a month would keep you alive

NickiM

I have just finished my first year of uni - haven't really budgeted as been catered, but will have to next year as parents are paying my rent and leaving the rest to me. I just thought I'd think of a few tips!

1. Check out the Old Style board - it's helpful for budgeting, and there are definitely threads on there at eating for X amount a week.

2. My college at university offers jobs within it which are very flexible, so worth looking there.

3. As someone else said, don't buy textbooks unless you're definite that you'll need them, use the library otherwise

4. Going out - I didn't go out that much, but when I did, it was on student nights and where things at the university would be cheaper than going into town. There are various discount cards available - the university ID card will probably provide some.

Sorry this really isn't that helpful, but good luck to your daughter and to you (I know it's tough for both initially!)

[Deleted User]

My rent is £225 a month and I spend around £20 a week on the supermarket shop, £9 on my weekly bus pass. I don't travel home very often usualy just at christmas, easter maybe for a couple of weeks over the summer since I have a part-time job. I do have a young persons rail card which saves alot when going home on the train.
I don't tend to buy too many books as most are available from the library and in my experience the texts they reccomend to buy are often writtern by the lecturer themselves and are seldom used in the seminars.

j-josie

NickiM, I'll have a scout on the Old Style board - sounds like I could pick up some tips for my own housekeeping management too:rolleyes:

I am starting to see the big advantage of having a gap year where students just stay at home and salt away loads of money from a supermarket job. But, at 18, she's keen to get out into the world & I remember being the same myself, except in my case I put 500 miles and the Irish sea between home and uni so I could never afford to go home between term start and end. Being the youngest and the only girl, I only now can appreciate how upset my mum must have been! (Sorry mum!)

I won't be a clingy mum but I bet i'll be aching for emails and phone calls. Must finally learn how to do the MSN chat thing - it might be the only way to keep in touch..

Back to budget stuff, I am thinking of us making up a little note book thing with handy hints on money saving, cheap recipes etc. I could really enjoy this bit!

jennifernil

We gave our daughter £180 per month, but only when she was actually at Uni, so 8 months per year. Over and above that we paid for books as required (usually about £100 per year). She had no rent to pay (we owned her flat), but for bills and anything else she was on her own so had a part time job, full time in vacations.
She completed her degree with several thousand in savings, and no loans, so we were maybe a little generous!

caffinated_geek

I'm just about to start my third year and in my first and second years I coped with a budget of £5 a week or less. (I brought reduced food 15 mins before the supermarket closed)
It really depends on where your daughter is living, how far away from you she will live and if she'll travel home often I always travel after 6.30 to get the evening fare.
£30 a week is a gererous budget for a student. With an nus card and this site she should have no problems.

Oldernotwiser

caffinated_geek wrote: »

I'm just about to start my third year and in my first and second years I coped with a budget of £5 a week or less. (I .

What did your £5 per week actually have to cover?