Maintenance/living costs for first year students?

[CKCKCK]

First son is off to Uni soon (Bristol). Ignoring course fees and accommodation costs, what is reasonable to pay for living expenses? I.E. food, travel, washing/laundry, social/going out, activities, extra clothes if needed etc

Some of our friends seem to be giving about £80 per week for this, but that feels high to me, so wondering what others think or have experience of?

[AlexanderHamilton]

I made a list of what dd needs to buy

Lunch x 7 days (she gets packed lunch stuff at weekends but there arnt any walkable shops in the week)
Personal toiletries/sanitary products
Books & clothes (including replacement tights and hair stuff for her course)
Bus/train/taxi fayres once a week to get into town (its not particurlaly safe to walk the lane to her college)

On £30 a week she's not going to have much left over.

[Xenia]

I cycled a lot at university by the way including in driving rain on awful roads - that is one way to save money.

[AlexanderHamilton]

We thought about dd cycling. But its a country lane with no pavement and no lights & she will have to not only carry books and folders most days but she will also have to carry a hefty dance kit bag the size of a large sports holdall and a gym mat. She will be able to get lifts most days though.

[Xenia]

I agree it is best avoided. I used to have my violin across the back so a very wide load a lot of the time too and then things hanging over the handle bars including 2 bags of supermarket shopping too - not the best ride in the rain although cycling always makes me feel very good (mind you a dancing daughter will be getting more than enough exercise I am sure without needing to add cycling to it)

[AlexanderHamilton]

Mind you ds went to school today on his bike with two carrier bags on his handlebars (lunch and PE kit) He has got proper kitbags he just refuses to use them!

[Millipedewithherfeetup]

I bought loads of shampoo/shower gel/tampax etc. Before dd went to uni....just popped one or two things in with my shopping every week or so and pit then to one side....also stocked her with box full of dried foods/tins etc. We also bought freezer stuff on the day...she only had to buy fresh a couple of times a week.....she probably spent no more than £15 a week on shopping !

[Needmoresleep]

Agree with swing. We pay, as we would much prefer DC to leave University without loans, but are not loaded. DD knows that we dont spend much on ourselves so understands that we are unlikely to fund her for things we dont buy ourselves.

She went down on her own with a couple of suitcases and I followed a week later with stuff for the kitchen etc. This worked out well. She was able to order a mattress topper via Amazon (who also have collection points in local shops if you cant work out the University system), plus add and subtract things from the pile she had left me to bring. We did a big Lidl shop for staples plus some meat for the freezer, and TKMaxx for shampoo etc. The stethoscope was a Christmas gift from GPs, whilst I ordered a couple of text books for her from Amazon. (In the internet age she has only needed a couple.)

Once the annual stuff like sports subs were paid for she has not needed much. The student cookery course she took has paid for itself many times over.

Going into second year it is useful to have a good credit record, as wifi and other suppliers will run credit checks. So perhaps an idea to have a phone contract in your own name and not be maxed out on your overdraft. Her new driver (placements are all over the place) insurance is also surprisingly low, again I assume partly because her credit record is good.

[captainoftheshipwreck]

needmoresleep DD had very similar experience last year - it was traumatic. Can’t get my head round how much money some students had.

[Squirrills]

DS is not a fresher but is going into halls for his third year. His loan doesn't cover the rent so we will top that up.
On top of that we will give him £200 a month to live on plus pay for sports membership and bus pass. He is the youngest and in his third year so I have some experience in how much is needed. Both DC have managed very well on £200 a month without term time working. It seems enough to cover phone, food and drink and socialising. He doesn't spend a lot on clothes but has some money from summer work.

[scaryteacher]

@HostessTrolley My ds has just left RHUL after 4 years doing his BA then MA. Is yours enjoying it? My ds loved it.

[ChangoMutney]

Dd1 is off in a couple of weeks, she'll get the min loan which is less then her accommodation so well top that up. In addition we'll continue to pay for her mobile and will give her £60 pw, this will go down to £50 after Christmas if she doesn't get a job. She has a lot of equipment to buy and will continue to do so and we will cover most of this, next week we will be buying a Mac book air. There's a washing machine in her flat so no charge and the gym is included in rent.

I know there will be others getting more, but I don't think this does them any favours.