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

[Lex345]

Just that, essentially. DD is looking at moving into halls next September and when we looked at the cost of halls, based on her budget, this is how much she will have left to cover course materials, food, clothes, travel, socialising etc.

All bills would be covered, but I think this will be a very, very tight budget even just on food. She is planning on moving away from our home area and will be looking for a job as well, but I know that isn't a guarantee, especially not immediately in a new city.

AIBU to think this will be really hard to live on, or am I being completely ridiculous and DD will be absolutely fine, £60/week is plenty?

I don’t agree. I went to university as a poor student and couldn’t earn extra in term time because of the nature of my course. It was okay, I managed but couldn’t do the things that other people were doing, which I was okay with but actually with hindsight was really tough. I think I was pitied by people realising I was doing it all alone when other people could fax their parents for more cash.

It is lovely that she wants to be independent but I mean this kindly she hasn't demonstrated any sign of working towards independence. No part time job whilst doing A levels to save for uni. That is a basic tbh and I think she may be a bit delusional if she thinks £60 a week will cover food and even the most cheapest of a social life. Unless grandparents can step up and give her £200 a month?

As parents we have to guide them and here you should say she needs to stay at home as there is little to finance it. Also, as she hasn't had any part time work she won't be top of the list for employers whilst at uni. They expect students to have used their initiative and at least have had a few hours a week in a shop.

She is setting herself uo for a huge miserable disappointment. Yes she could live on beans on toast many students do but the not going out won't be fun at all. What degree is she doing is it a worthwhile one?

If it’s anything like when I went a lot of the socialising was done in the first few weeks and then it slowed down as the weeks went by as everyone gradually got poorer. A lot of others will be in the same boat, which helps. I probably couldn’t do it now as I’m too used to certain brands / luxury. I definitely think it’s doable especially if you send her with the basic pasta / rice etc.

Tesco do transfers too

I was a student not that long ago and had about £40 a week left over. My parents very thankfully continued paying my phone bill.

It was tight but I learnt how to budget really fast. I also got a job about 6 weeks after I started because I burnt through quite a lot of my first student loan instalment in freshers. This was my first valuable lesson. At first I got a zero hour bar job in an arena so I could get into the swing of lecturers. In the new year I got a proper student style job in a retail store. I was on a 12 hour contract and would up my hours when I could and work full time in the holidays.

My Mum also helped by sending occasional food deliveries. I would have a £50 food budget and she would let me log into her Tesco account and add everything I want. She would then go through it and add some of her own very helpful stuff. Also occasionally removing things if I was being cheeky with it.

I think £60 a week is doeable especially with a £2k buffer. Uni is more than just lectures, it really is learning life skills and how to survive. Most people at uni are skint so she won’t be the odd one out.

University holidays are very long, so you really want her to be getting a job during them. It is hard to get jobs at the moment, but things that go in her favour are likely to be having experience and getting in first. With Christmas jobs coming up it could be a good chance to get her foot in the door. Does she really feel that she can't manage a part time job at the moment or is it more a preference? If she wants to wait until the summer I'd be encouraging her to start applying as soon as she's finished A levels rather than taking some time to relax first. If she's struggling to find anything it is worth signing up for temp agencies. There will be some that supply catering staff. So she could end up working at a festival or posh event or she could spend eight hours on a production line or washing up, but it's all money in the bank. Of course ideally she would get a job in one of the chains, so that she can transfer between home and university locations. It can also be worth going round smaller pubs, cafes and restaurants with a CV, but try to go when it's quiet.

I think £60/wk is doable. Not fun or luxury but doable

Not sure what she is studying, but my biggest uni regret is actually buying the course material we were told to buy. Thankfully I learned in the first semester that it was a waste of money. So don't buy anything unless you have checked if it is actually needed.

Clothes and more expensive cosmetics are great gifts. She won't need tons of new clothes. I remember after graduation I went on a shopping spree for new bras and other that I hadn't bought in years.

The fun will be struggle but universities have free exercise classes. Some clubs cost a bit so depends on her interests. If she wants to party then one 1l bottle of vodka lasts suprisingly long and entrance fees will be what it is.

When she visits or you visit, give her a big bag of long lasting food items.

Then a part-time job and/or summer job. I never had a term-time job but I had a summer job that would top up the following year.

Perhaps have a chat with and say you need to help her prepare. If she’s already busy and stressed with exams, explain you want to make it an easier transition for you both. Work together to plan what she might need now, then gather bits up over the next year, eg pots and kitchen essentials. Perhaps buy her a slow cooker and you could both use it over winter for some lovely casseroles. She can learn some homely recipes and be self sufficient with cooking. Early next year, you could give her a weekly budget to live off?

At the end of the day, you can’t spend what you don’t have. So she’ll soon learn once there. It’ll be tough but she won’t be the only one. It’s all part of the student experience.

We thought that but it depends on the city. Dd worked full time for 3 years before going to uni. She had bar, stewarding & coffee shop experience.

there are often 200 applicants per job advertised. Plus they always seemed to want availability during times she was in lectures.

AIBU to think this will be really hard to live on, or am I being completely ridiculous and DD will be absolutely fine, £60/week is plenty?

the best favour you can ever do for your DD is to highlight to her that it doesn't have to just be £60/week if she doesn't want it to be.

Need is the mother of invention, she now has the challenge of thinking about supplementing that £60 with additional income, by doing bar work, retail any other options available to her.

By limiting her thinking to "you've only got £60" youre doing her a disservice. It's time to plant that thought then leave her to it. She'll have to survive, she has no other option.

Have you checked a Parental Contribution Calculator?
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/students/university-living-costs-calculator/
Her loan is based on what you earn, so it actually expects parents to contribute even though they (annoyingly) don't tell you.

She should definitely get a job/paid internship every summer - it's the best way to get employed straight out of uni.

I have 4 dc and with DH and I we have a food/toiletries/cleaning budget of £80/90 a week including nappies and wipes and it’s tough with the prices of food nowadays. It used to be a relatively generous budget. For just her food it would be ok if she’s able to throw meals together and use left overs.
I don’t think a student could live on £60 a week for everything. Of course she could have noodles for every lunch, cheap cereal for breakfast and toast for dinner but that is miserable. And she needs some social life. Nothing is cheap anymore. My eldest took me out on a student night a few months ago with him and his friends and 20 years ago student night could have been a night out for £15 including travel. I had one double vodka and cranberry juice for £9, I was shocked and felt terribly old 🤣

Just to add - if I’m reading correctly you have a year (assuming no gap year)? My eldest worked as many hours as he could during his gap year, but started working PT from 16. To start with he saved initially to travel a bit but then it all went for uni savings. Middle one is doing the same.

She has to start working and saving as much as she can now, it’s a good way for her to learn how to juggle as that’s exactly what she’ll do at uni. If she can’t do that now she won’t survive then. Even if she doesn’t work, to begin with (jobs are a lot harder to find now), at uni she will have to learn how to manage her time for school work and life admin. She really is old enough to be doing that now.

Also I’d start buying basics if you see them on sale (middle aisle of Lidl, sainburys Home etc). She’ll need things like a couple pots, potato peeler, basic crockery, towel, tea towels etc. An airfryer is a god send. Having to buy that all in one lump sum is a massive expense.

Assume she's in Year 13? If she could find a job, even if it's just 1 day a week or a couple of evenings, for the rest of this year, and offer to cover extra hours on term breaks etc, she could start to put money away. And look in advance for a 'better' job next summer, one with a big chain might even help her transfer to the uni location (tesco, mcdonalds, etc)

It will be tight but do-able. My son worked full time in the holidays, earned 5k in year 1 and then second year he got an internship and earned 3k. That meant he didn’t need to work in term time. It wasn’t easy to get a job in his uni town.

Yes we have a year thankfully! I will be getting as much as we can put to one side, linen, towels, crockery etc. Im unsure whether to get appliances though having read that she might not be allowed them. Will get her to check so we know for certain

I don't know if things have changed but someone I worked with years ago did a second job waiting at various events (including in Tower Bridge) and she would come in the next day with a packed lunch from the venue.

It is worth asking at any interview if there are any perks such as free / discounted food or staff discount.

Echoing all the other people, she needs to get a job. As a pp said, you need to helps her realise she doesnt have to just have £60 a week. She can do something about it, starting now.
Even a few hours work each week would help. All the kids around us are earning £12.50 per hour at her age. Many get tips too. She could very easily double her £60 in 1 shift.
My eldest started working full time as soon as his a levels were finished. He did two seasonal jobs where be lived in. The pay wasn't huge, but his living expenses were paid. He worked during the holidays at uni. With no contributions from me, he came out of uni having saved 10k, which he used towards a house deposit. Esentially, he saw an opportunity when his student loans arrived and took it.
Teach your daughter she is not limited and she might just surprise you.

Are you able to contribute at all @Lex345 ?

Parents usually do and the loan is based on parental income.
Are you aware of this?

The other issue is that halls are usually only for first years.
After that she will move out into a shared house and they start looking well before then end of the first year.
Nothing there will be paid for so it will come out of her loan.

So as well as Year 1, you and her need to be thinking of Year 2 onwards.
They tend to look for Year 2 accommodation as early as April in their 2nd year and sometimes they have to pay from July/ August not the Sept/October of the next term.

She needs to work and, like some parents, you may also need to think if you need to increase your income to help support her.

I’d doubt it - transport alone is typically about £20 a week for a bus pass etc

My DS gets £50 a week for the same things and managed to save. Not a big drinker and he doesn’t buy clothes but does travel to see his GF regularly. He also only has the express type shops locally so food is more expensive. I guess it depends which city they’re in too. Mine is in a cheaper city

My oldest was in a group with the people who were in the same student halls as hm on WhatsApp. They arranged for everyone to take certain items so they didnt end up with 6 potato mashers etc. So before you rush into buying stuff I would wait and see what she really needs.

It must be hard for a strapping lad of 18-21 to live on £50 a week, when it will also have to include laundry stuff, personal toiletries, socialising, books, travel etc?

I think, sadly, some students live on just pasta and end up very unhealthy.

DD has around £250/month to live on, but she is in a cheap city abroad. She finds it a bit tight and still has to dip into savings. So £60 a week in the UK would feel incredibly tight.

I agree it's definitely doable, mainly need to shop sensibly and prioritise.

When I was a student 2011-2012 I needed to save for a car for work placements the following year so I was on £10 a week, £15 or so if you included the bus pass I got at the start of the year so roughly £60/month, £70-75 if nights out as well.

For nights out:
Cheapest vodka was 8:50 then tbf but I mixed with basic/own brand squash and tap water at house parties and pre drinking sessions, so super cheap mixer. Bottle would last 3 nights out. Ideally clubs with free entry and no drinks out as perfected how much needed to pre drink to stay buzzed the whole night haha. Night bus back and a short walk at the end of the night. If in a big group then taxis are an option.

Food:
Basic/own brand pasta and rice, tinned tomatoes, cheapest mince you could get, wonky veg, started bulking out with onions which I hadn't liked, basic sandwiches - a toastie maker can make these feel more a proper meal. My parents would do a starter shop at the start of the year and would get toiletries and stuff like olive oil then. I didn't eat out except the rare McDonalds and even then no drinks, just double cheeseburger and chips, no extras. Avoid frequent post night out takeaways. Non branded toiletries, etc. I still use mainly non branded toiletries even now.

Clothes:
Shouldn't be a big factor surely? I rarely buy new clothes even now but use charity shops or supermarket leggings, etc. I would recommend couple of multi packs of cheap knickers so can go a while without using the hall's washing machines/dryers as they are pricey, can even hand wash in their sink. I wore jeans that didn't need washing frequently so think my best was a month between wash loads 🫣 also can ask for clothes and makeup for Christmas/birthday.

It's doable if you need to, it can be so much tighter than £60/week even with today's prices, and still have a social life. First year tends to be more nights out but you can do it on a budget, house parties more so from then on.

The only time I would say not enough is if art/design students and need to pay for your own materials.

I lost a bit of weight as ate smaller portions but maintained a healthy BMI and needed to lose a bit anyway.