From debt to freedom...

Faith76

Hi honeysucklelou2 bit of a lurker but have subscribed to your thread. Out of curiosity how much in initial savings have you saved for uni cost for DD4?Being nosey as have potentially my DD starting uni in Sept 2027. At this point don’t think she could move away and would have to live at home due to accommodation costs.

Honeysucklelou2

Hi Faith76 - unfortunately I haven’t been able to build up savings. Being a single parent for 9 years and financially a single parent for 12 years ( as in my ex husband didn’t contribute to bills for 3 years before we split up) has meant that every penny I earn goes to essential bills and living costs. Hence the 2 jobs continuing now. My older daughter lives at home and does her degree through OU which has been brilliant. If 2 were away at the same time I think I’d be bankrupt!!

Faith76

Honeysucklelou2 I have no savings either well £50.00 but that’s it. Had a chat with DD today weighing up staying at home verses going away for uni. My niece who has just finished her degree and lives in Dublin chose to stay at home but the prices there for accommodation are far far more expensive so it really wasn’t a choice for her. She had to travel 2 hrs each way to get to uni but she did it. Absolutely not expecting my DD to do that but certainly needs to weigh up the pro’s and con’s.

Spendless

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81923440#Comment_81923440

Hi @Faith76

I'm in my 8th(!) consecutive year of supporting a Uni student offspring.

If your DD is going to live at home and commute to Uni then you are unlikely to need any start up costs. She will still get a maintainance loan (albeit a little smaller) and can use that for travel costs and any Uni expenses.

If your DD is going to live away, you either need a few £100 (IME) saved to pay for things needed like bedding, crockery, utensils, any clothes they need (specialist or just plugging needed gaps in her wardrobe), bag/rucksack, maybe laptop (or other digital device to do work on). Sometimes Ive found student rents (even halls) want a deposit to secure the place. If your DD can get a job during the sixth form years to help with these costs that would help.