whats the average spend for students per week?

ffeindadifyr

I agree, Summer is on its way... time for a job! Once you've worked 8 hrs a day at ~£5 an hour the value of everything you spend starts to sink in.

I know, because when I was a first year I managed to spend my whole grant (last year under the grant system) and loan in the 1st 3 months up to X-mas (no presents bought!).

I was told to find a job, which I did - working in Currys - bloody hard work carting PCs and freezers around! Since that time I had a job every holiday period which just about helped me through!

I do think a lot of ppl here have been underestimating the cost of "going out to the pub". From my own experience 2 a week would have encompassed 2 to 3 drinks ~ £6-10, but then once a week a proper night out can spread to around £40 (assuming a taxi is needed to get home!).

lellie

Blimey!

Usually we spend:

£64 = rent
£15ish = food/bills

and perhaps a tenner on either cds/going out

shiirley

I don't pay rent because my sponsor is paying it for me. I get 280 quid a month for other expenses. Here's my money expenditure:

Food and groceries: 30-40
Mobile: 15-20
Internet: 15
Transport: 10 (on average)
Clothes and other random stuff: 10

Total: 80-95 pounds PER month. And I eat good food, have fun, go out, amongst other things. And I live in the Midlands.

alexpeck

Hmmm.... as a third year student I spend about £1000 a month:

Rent: £90 per week (£360/month - it's a big studio though and includes all bills)
Food: £50 per week including snacks/eating out (£200/month)
Fuel: £25 per week (£100/month)
Parking Permits: (£95/month)
Mobile: (£4.99/month)
TV License: (£10/month)
Car and Personal Belongings Insurance: (£150/month)
Books and Clothes: (£50/month)
Misc Purchases: (approx £100/month).

Total = approx £1030/month.
But I will admit that I would spend less if money was tight and in my first year I was well below £300/month when in halls.

I agree not to pay off her overdraft now (otherwise she'll never learn how to budget plus it really is over-mothering!!!)

THIRZAH

My daughter claims to spend only £10 a week on food but she forgets the £50- £70 worth of groceries that I buy her at the start of each term. Apart from that she has just about managed to survive on her loan plus money from her holiday job.

muddyfox470

Ok my average expenditure over the last two full months (where I have been at uni) have been as follows:

They include absolutely everything I have spent/my outgoings (excluding college residence) - I am in catered accomodation at Durham Uni.

February: 370

May (to present): 550

These are proper figures (to the nearest £10) that I have spent and include all my out goings (no matter how small/big) related to drink, food, clothes, books and non-essentials etc. I can break it down if that is of interest to you.

Just thought that may of interest to you.

Ian

newsmonkey

Here's some figures from the Royal Bank of Scotland 2005 student cost of living survey:

Rent - £74
Supermarket food - £23.50
Alcohol - £23.50
Going out - £16.90
Clothes - £12.90
Eating out - £12.20
Phone bills - £12.20
Utility bills - £8
Course books - £8
Day-to-day travel - £6.30
Long distance travel - £5.90
Cigarettes - £4.70
Music and DVDs - £4.70
Photocopying/library - £2.80
Laundry/dry cleaning - £1.80

Total - £217.40

Assuming a 30-week academic year = £6,500ish
Assuming a 39-week academic year = £8,500ish

jojo2004

kar wrote:

Yo do not need to pay off her o/d for her.... For god's sake don't pay it off for her she will never ever learn. Tell her to get off her backside and find a job pronto or she'll be eating beans on toast all next year.

SO TRUE!!!!!! My mum bailed out my sister all the time, and she is still rubbish with money. Doesn't help, and to be honest, going over her overdraft limit, and having to live on fresh air for a few days at the end of term will teach her a pretty good lesson. Plus banks are really good at dealing with students these days - they expect us to be rubbish, and are really great if you can get your daughter to talk to them (maybe go with her?)
Good luck!

flossy_splodge

What a blessing x

missk_ensington

Can I just say, I'm at first year student on a full time degree course and I work 14-16 hours a week and I am a single parent with a baby. I only have 4 hours of cumpulsory seminars a week, and an additional 7 hours of lectures (which aren't compulsory. I don't have any nearby family in case anyone's thinking I must get relatives to have to baby all the time, and if I could I would do a bar job too at night but have Oli. There's no reason why a young single student in theitr first year (if it was her third year I might be more sympathetic, but the first year is a total doss!) she should get a job, and work for a temping agency all summer to save up a a grand towards next year!