Starting lectures at uni 2017

[HSMMaCM]

The other thread filled up really quickly, with exciting talk of laundry, mattress toppers and lost property.

Here's where the rest of them settle in, get through freshers and the work gets serious.

You lot have made me see the silver lining of my multiple food intolerances. Ie I can't give in to cravings for choc chip cookies and the like as I know they'll make me ill. On the other hand, reading this thread is ahem, inspiring me to make a cake that I can eat.

I miss having a huge bowl of fruitI used to rely on DS to hoover up most of it. I can eat most fruit as long as I don't have the same type more than once or twice a week and DH hardly eats any so I am buying one apple, one pear etc here and there.

This thread is great. I don't join in that much, I have social anxiety and find it hard but I like reading it; it reminds me that I'm not the only one missing DCs.

MN is a perfect place for the socially anxious! No one can hear me stuttering and see my face go red and blotchy when I "speak" on here. Only trouble is that AIBU gives you the impression that everyone out there is seething with pent-up anger and just waiting to pounce on the hapless individual who dares to strike up a conversation in public. I've now stopped smiling at mothers with babies in case I get punched!

You are definitely not the only one, fairy.

Fairy - are you suggesting £20 a week for food is a lot or not much ?
My ds reckoned he could get away with change every week from £20 for food, and he's a 6' rugby player shaped person. I would like to hope most single people could easily mange on that - especially if their parents set them up at the start of term with all the stuff that will last a while like washing up liquid and sponges and clingfilm and tea, coffee etc, so it will only be meal and snack ingredients for quite a while.

I think that's cheap, tbh. DS will spend a quarter of that just on milk.

I guess I thought it was not much, then again I spend £50 for two so maybe it's about right.

I reckon £20 a week on food only is doable but not if you're also including toiletries, cleaning stuff, printer ink, alcohol and all the other sundries that life student involves.

DD gets £30/wk. She hasn't spent it all yet, because she stocked up well on toiletries before leaving home.

I give dd (and gave ds) £35 per week, but in terms of "supermarket shop" he never spent anything like that.... I haven't asked dd but I think our new starters are still settling in to things a bit.
I also left her with an 18 pack of toilet rolls, so she probbly won't need any for a while

I'm not sure what the £20 exactly covers, but I imagine it is food only and she is not counting in any eating out (Wetherspoons mainly) However, she quickly discovered she could make a sandwich and take water for a lot less than a Meal Deal!

DS spends £45 a week on food but is 6'2 and eats lots of protein.

He needs to cut back from Reading this but I'm not sure what he would eat that's filling and cheaper.

I'm finding the talk about food budgets interesting. DS asked me what he should budget for food and I was unable to tell him.

DS has coeliac disease so it's really hard for him. Even GF pasta costs twice as much as normal. A loaf of bread is £3.50. He asked if we could do a food shop when we take him out for lunch this weekend. I was already planning to bring a big bag of M&S GF stuff for him as they are the nicest - at M&S prices!

I don't really see how anyone could manage on less than £5 a day if they are eating meat & fresh vegetables.

If they're eating meat and fresh vegetables

That's it. I think DD eats pasta and cheese mostly

DD is only 5foot 2! She eats lots of eggs, pasta, rice and cheese AFAIK! And quick noodles and Bisto gravy

My DD said she doesnt spend much on food but she is used to basics and isnt much into cooking and doesnt eat meat/dairy one of her favourite meals is butter beans and peas so she doesnt exactly have expensive taste !
i think it depends on what food DC prefer and where they are buying it from, lots of meat will add up and the same with just popping into the express shop for a meal deal/snack or few bits when you need them. Also with drinks,my dd doesnt drink and tends to stick to tap water and tea (she took her massive stash with her) but was telling me a few of her housemates get through a lot of diet coke and energy drinks each week which wont be cheap !

missed the bit about Fresh ! Most of DD veg will be frozen and the only fruit she will get will be frozen berries or banana which she buys reduced as she likes them brown !

Mine claims to have discovered Quorn. Just as well as she has decided meat is too expensive. She is also copying her brother and taking in packed lunches. University will be more expensive for her as text books cost more, and sports costs add up. DS was in London so benefited from us taking him out for the occasional lunch or supper. (Picking stuff up from home always seemed to coincide with Sunday lunch.) She is cycling a lot, especially to sports training, which helps. And, now freshers is over and forgotten, there seem to be more opportunities for non-clubbers to socialise. An inter-flat quiz last night, which was apparently fun, and a chance for the quieter ones to shine.

One of mine whose bank card was swallowed (the new one should arrive today) took out £50 cash and the night before last it was either spent, stolen or he dropped it!!!! He says he hates cash and will never use it again. Some people find cash much easier to manage however as you can take out the sum and then only spend that amount.

DS's DSA paperwork has been received and progressed so hopefully equipment will arrive soon and that will make life easier for him. Hes been using the library quite a bit up to now.

Hes been quite poorly all week though with freshers flu! His grandparents live very close by so am asking them to collect him Friday and give a weekend of care!

my dd hates cash too, she transfers a set amount each week from her student account to her other account and just uses that one for the week. i use to always tell my dc it was handy to have a little bit of cash for emergency but dd rarely ever takes cash out

DD has also lost her bank card already. Having to deal with the bank and sort it out is all part of the learning curve.

I used to say the same thing too hoyhoy. Now that contactless is everywhere, I wonder what kind of emergency would occur where you need money and could not pay by card. I can't think of anything.

Hurrah for the grandparents Eve. How far from your DS are you?

I think it's best they have a bit of cash and a card but then I like safety nets. it's one reason I have a London oyster card and separately my bank card. If you lose one and not the other you have the back up, whereas my son would like to use his phone or one card for everything. i can see the sense of that but then if you lose that one card you are stuck although he can apparently go to his bank with ID if he has no card yet and get cash over the counter. Anyway I sent his new card by special delivery from home yesterday to arrive at university today (his banking address is home to make things even more complicated). Mind you if he has no card or cash for a bit that might be a good thing 0 - less spending and less to lose.