To think £60 a week to live on will be a struggle for DD at uni?

He's been to boarding school...he's pretty relaxed about almost everything as a result! Although TBF he has only been at uni a couple of weeks so that relaxed attitude may change...

That doesn't make much sense. If they are contributing £3K pa, that's the same as 52 weeks x £60. But a) they are not usually in halls for 52 weeks because term ends by June and b) she said the £60 a week included their contribution (not that it was solely made up of their contribution.)

That’s really good to hear, my DC both had some nightmares with food thieves, a cooked chicken in the fridge after a night out would stand no chance.

We did travel, gym/sports memberships/societies/some other big ticket things such as summer ball/party tickets as a separate pot too.

I think he's pretty chilled about that. They all seem to get on really well (flat of 6).

Pps have also made a good point about the higher cost of accommodation in subsequent years, when they move out of halls.

And the need for the OP to be guarantor for rent, not to mention that house/flat shares are often further away from the university, necessitating travel costs.

Some cities are much more expensive to be a student in - Bristol, Exeter, Bath and London come to mind immediately.

This list might be helpful.

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/news/cheapest-student-cities-uk

As a single young person, she can probably manage on £30/£40 on food (no take aways though). Transport might round it up to £50. She won't have much to socialise "out" . Clothes might have to be charity shops finds. Getting a part time job sounds like a very sensible idea.

My DD is a current 2nd year uni student and has £100 a week which she finds plenty, but I think she would struggle with £60. She worked (and saved) through sixth form and both summers so far. This money she uses for "one offs" such as holidays and weekends away to see friends in their uni towns.

She is a frugal and good cook and spends about £25-£30 a week in Lidl (they also seem to give her a load of money off vouchers). She has a washing machine in her house this year, but laundry in the first year was £3.50 a load - she did 3 loads a fortnight and also had to pay for the drier to dry bedding as there was no where else to realistically dry it.

She is doing a course (English) that requires a lot of books and although she has bought most second hand it constitutes a fair chunk of money. Others on different courses seem to have much lower or no course costs.

Bus fairs are £1.50 (student tickets). We bought her a second hand bike and she does cycle where she can.

Travel home is £25 (once or twice a term).

She is not a huge partier but will, for example, join others on her course for a coffee after lectures once a week. She's joined cheap societies. A lot of socialising is everyone bringing their own drinks to someone's flat. She goes clubbing 2 or 3 times a term. She has joined a cheap value gym (not the univ gym which is way more expensive).

We load her up with a big food shop and toiletries at the start of the year.

She has learnt to cut her own hair :) Clothes are supermarket or Primark.

I'd suggest your DD should look at getting a Christmas job, unless she has mocks straight after Christmas. My older child made a ton of money working every shift offered over the school Christmas holidays (but he had mocks in November). She should also definitely plan to get a summer job. As others have said, she should not rely on being able to find a job in her uni town - jobs tend to be fewer than the number of students (DD has been unsuccessful).

It's good you are thinking about it now. Be clear about what the money must cover and what you are also able to give her on top of the weekly/monthly maintenance money as useful things in kind (e.g. food, toiletries, kitchen items, bedding)

Yep we have another one to fund too. So 2 lots of rent to top up 😖and 2x £300 a month living expenses and 2x £400 bus season tickets.

She commented on that at 11.04. Here’s what she said.

Our contribution- £3000 (just over "parental contribution") maintenance loan= £8285
Accomodation=£8165

It would be tight and it wouldn't allow for much socialising. I didn't drink myself as a student, but a lot of socialising took place in pubs and nightclubs. As time went by, I found my tribe of non-drinkers but even the occasional trip to the cinema and a Pizza Hut before/after (our preferred night out) would have blown a big hole in that £60. I don't know how my classmates found the money to go to the pub every week - I'm assuming they had wealthier parents than I had. Or maybe they just went to a lot of student parties in student houses and flats and bought cheap booze from the supermarket?

A job would be great because (1) it would allow your DD to earn money and (2) it would mean less time for spending money and socialising. But (depending on the job and the hours required), it might also eat into her study time. If she could find a job next summer (before she starts university), that would be ideal. It would allow her to build up a nest egg, although she'd have to budget carefully and not blow it all during the first few weeks of term.

Pps have also made a good point about the higher cost of accommodation in subsequent years, when they move out of halls.

I was in same boat in London and must got a part time job. I had a studio based course so had to be in every day all day so worked Friday night and Saturday to top up.

I think having a decent kitchen is key. I have two kids, and three years in halls between them so far. In none of them was there a decent space or large enough fridge or freezer setup to allow batch cooking and storage. Maybe newer blocks are better designed.

This. I worked for Next as a student and got a uniform allowance and staff discount which really helped with clothes and furniture costs

I think that’s plenty to LIVE on, she may just want to get a job to bump up her social spends.

Why don’t you try it now whilst she’s at home. Give her a shelf on the fridge so she can learn what/how to cook etc

Back in the 1990s when I was at university my Mum used to keep a box under my bed at home and every week put in one or two food items, like a tin of tomatoes, tuna, sweetcorn, pears, bag of pasta or rice, box of weetabix, carton of apple juice etc.

She barely noticed the extra weekly cost to her budget and it really helped me with mine. And it also meant I ate vaguely healthily!

I just thought this might help. 🙂

Oh just to add, I always pick DS up when he wants to visit home, it’s a 3hr round trip bit costs me less than £20 in electric charge rather than £90 on the train.

Bikes? Mine cycled everywhere at uni across the city.

I wish the OP would be a little more forthcoming about the parental contribution side of it. I'm wondering if she doesn't want to say how much / little they can afford- no one is going to jump on her!

We gave one DC £200 a month living expenses and all their loan went on accommodation. That was close to 20 years ago.
They also had holiday jobs but not term time jobs owing to the nature of their degree.

Term time is only 30 weeks a year which leaves 22 weeks of holiday time to work. DC worked in a large supermarket where they'd started in the 6th form at weekends.

I think it would easily cover food, you can send her with enough toiletries and cleaning products which tend to be expensive to last her through the term.

If she wants to socialise she will have to work. My DS is in his first year and other than freshers he hasn’t really been out clubbing. They might play pool or darts nursing a couple of soft drinks or they have game nights and stuff.

A chicken isn't going to last a 'strapping lad' a week. 3 meals max.

It’s crazy how much this differs.

DC1 is £580 ish I think and DC2 and 3 are £330 each. (Bath and 2 x Manchester)

This month was very expensive for bus travel 😂🫣

DC survives on £100 per week after rent is paid.
Food is £50, £5 for the uni gym, £5 for the laundry. £10 for transport, £10 for incidentals and £20 for socialising / societies. Its expensive- summer balls, soc balls and socials are often £40 a ticket. Thats without replacing clothes or shoes and travel home.

It depends how long ago that was. Times change even in a year, prices go up considerably.

Op, if she lives on bread 🍞 and noodles 🍜 only, and walks and only buses journeys half the time it's possible!

I think it’s going to be tight. My Dd and her boyfriend spent 50 per week on food at university - this is combined not each - last year, but as food inflation is still very high I doubt they will manage that this year. The following helped them stick to a budget:
online order
meal planning
bought whatever was on special offer that week and planned around it
cooking from scratch
bulking up meals with beans and lentils
frozen veg as lasts longer