Budget for young person living away from home …

[Joybereal]

Need to tighten up on DC budget. Recent grad, no job yet. Uni city, rent covered. Trying to come up with a reasonable amount for weekly living expenses which will really just cover groceries and socialising. Mobile paid by us. Doesn’t need to use public transport - if Uber needed and funds are tight, we would do a bank transfer. Doesn’t need to cover clothes, hair, gym, dental or anything extra really beyond food and some spare for some sort of social life. Needs to be a tight budget but how tight can we reasonably go? Also, not an enthusiastic cook and whilst might buy food for a couple of nights, no real meal planning and more likely to see what’s available on a given day.

If anyone is keeping a student on a low budget, would you mind sharing how much and also how they manage on it.

Any meal ideas that are cheap and cheerful would also be appreciated as mine are falling on deaf ears!

Thanks!

Are there any community fridges nearby? Can get food for free that is near its date or production surplus

Stir fries, toastie sandwich and a bowl of soup, beans and cheese on toast.....buy a bag of ready grated cheese. Jacket potatoes with cheesy beans/chilli/curry??? Easy but filling meals

So we benchmark what the government gives in benefits. During Uni terms we give the equivalent of SMP, in holidays equivalent of UC. So £185/week term time, £80 pw holidays although we annualise it.

The idea of being away from home is to do the minimum to keep them on the straight and narrow in my view.

We paid the monthly phone bill of about £12 to keep in touch.
When we visited we purchased meat for the freezer.

That was it.

No gym, no taxis, no hair cuts, they had scissors and a shaver. We would have paid for any dental work but none was needed. They paid for the check ups but both girls learned to shop around, what was essential, share with friends and be creative.

Other than emergencies they managed.

How recently did they graduate, and are they working at all? Why are you paying for an adult no longer in education to live in the city if their choosing?! I’d be cutting their allowance to zero, they might be keener on job hunting then.

This.
My eldest graduated summer 2024 but doesn't start his job until late Jan 2025 (following a summer 2023 internship).
I am supporting him to the extent that he is back living with me, and I buy food - but that's all.

Yes, why are they not working? My dd finishes in May and I'm assuming she's going to take over paying her own rent and living expenses then.

I am not sure why you are supporting your young adult to that extent but I guess it does save the rest of us from having to do in benefits. I think you need to ensure that they are applying for jobs and not just grad jobs and don't give them enough funds that they have no incentive. I realize I sound rather mean but they need to get on with it if still living away from the parental nest and no longer studying.

Can they not get a job in a cafe or pub to tide them over while they are job hunting?

Any meal ideas that are cheap and cheerful would also be appreciated as mine are falling on deaf ears!

I don't think you need to micro manage an adult like this. Surely after a few years at uni they know how to eat cheaply?

I won't be doing this for mine after uni, they are welcome to move home to get on their feet, get a job (any job) or claim UC whilst searching for a job.

This is bizarre, they've graduated, correct? I'm presuming early last summer??? So they've been sponging off of you for at least 6 months instead of getting a job (supermarket, waiting staff, call centre etc).
Either they move back home or they get a job!

Whilst I'm all for supporting children at Uni (and we top both ours up from minimum loan to well beyond the government guidance), the support they will be getting upon graduation will be free rent and board at home whilst they look for a job.

You don't support them financially.
They need to go find a job doing anything until they find a grad role.

Y

If they’re a recent graduate why are they not working and why are you support them? Lots of grads get a graduate job lined up to start starlight away or in the September after graduating, and those that don’t usually get temporary jobs whilst job hunting for a graduate position.

Any reason they're not claiming UC?

While you are giving your child money they won't look for a job!!!

To answer all your questions … recent grad, no idea what to look for as a ‘career’ job so not applying for grad jobs but is applying for all manner of positions in supermarkets, cafes, coffee shops, pubs, retail etc but not getting anywhere. We have paid to have CV done professionally, has previous retail and bar experience, is personable but confidence has taken a real bashing. Not back at home because home is very rural and opportunities will be very limited, especially for someone without their own transport. Really don’t know what else to say except DC is desperate for work and we’re desperate for them to be working!

My mum stopped giving me living expenses after uni.
I was expected to stand on my own two feet then - by going on job seekers till I find a job.
I thought this made sense and still think this makes sense.

While you are giving your child money they won't look for a job!!!

The child most definitely looking for work, any work. Apols if I didn’t make that clear in my op.

I wouldn't be! DS is currently at uni, we cover his rent and phone and give him £125 a month. Anything more he has to sort for himself. He has a part time job doing 1 shift for 5 hours a day. Gives him an extra £60 a week which covers his spending money. He works extra shifts in the holidays.

I don't really understand why your DC wouldn't be in some form of employment if they are capable.

Temp agency.

Do you not feel like you have wasted enough money already putting them through uni for nothing?

Temping. Yes this is what I did

I think £50 per week for food and he would get a bit left over for maybe a cinema visit or a cheap drink out somewhere like Wetherspoons on a Monday night drinks are cheaper.

Have they engaged with the uni careers service? Are they upskilling with on line courses? Ai etc? Are they using LinkedIn?