Going to university (2019/20 academic year) - finance, flat shares, friends old and new and freshers' week to come...

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

Following on from thread 8 which filled up in just 72 hours.

[Piggywaspushed]

Finance question: when does the first instalment of the maintenance loan get paid to them?

[hopelesschildren]

well, yesterday ds did ask "do I need to get stuff for uni". Al least he had thought about it.....

[bigTillyMint]

Once they register - it takes a few days to clear into their account.

[bigTillyMint]

Sorry, that was to Piggy!

[JennyWreny]

DrMadelineMaxwell I guess it could be subject specific but DD's is there for Maths, including which rooms, which members of staff and which lectures are being recorded.

At the top of the main uni website there's an option which says "staff and students" if you click on that there's a Timetable option which then prompts you to sign in.

[Piggywaspushed]

Thanks tilly. So, he'll need some money in his account at first but not too much.

[DrMadelineMaxwell]

They are very organised!
She's logged on and her timetable is there. Brilliant. No lectures that term til 3pm so phew... plenty of time to take her that morning.
Thanks again Jenny

[bigTillyMint]

Piggy, I think we subbed DD a couple of hundred as it's Freshers week... But obvs people do what they can afford.

The other thing to remember is that the maintenance comes in 3 even chunks whereas the terms are different lengths. That's where an overdraft facility is very useful The summer one is the same as the Autumn one, but they are typically only there half the time.

[boys3]

piggy having a money conversation with DS2 this afternoon. He believes 23rd Sep for him , based on his student finance account info. However I think it is a bit more tailored to uni start dates - so DS1 had a much later start when he went and his maintenance loan payment coincided with that. I suppose the bigger question is when the first set of halls fees are due - you'd hope a Uni would schedule these to be payable after the anticipated arrival of any maintenance loan recognising that in many instances the loan amount will be well short of the hall fees due

[Witchend]

@SoonerthanIthought
Dd doesn't think the rooms have individual locks, just a lock to the flat

She has actually stayed over in one of the flats for the offer holders day and that was true in her flat. I did quiz her on it because I was surprised, but she said they'd commented on it when they were there.

However she doesn't know f it was just her flat for some reason or whether that's true of them all. They do have a lockable cupboard in the kitchen apparently.

Anyone had a dc at Josephine Butler (Durham) and can confirm or deny?

[JennyWreny]

If they log into their student finance account it gives the dates and amounts for the three payments.

[bigTillyMint]

I would be amazed if their room wasn't lockable because of insurance. DDs room had an electronic card (not Durham though!) - I would imagine they had just disabled them for the Open Days incase someone accidentally lost their card or something.

[DrMadelineMaxwell]

I think our contribution is going to be paying for her meals for the first term. She doesn't really need a contribution as she has a good loan amount for maintenance, but unless she gets more in the first term - she hasn't looked or hasn't told me if she has - the first term's rent is that much more than other terms that I may pay for her food as a contribution to save her some money.

Otherwise we are putting aside a contribution that she will get either
a) if she finds she needs it if her budgeting goes awry or
b) when she needs a deposit this year for next year's accommodation.

[Piggywaspushed]

Logging in to student finance us actually stupidly complicated. The laptop remembers my log in details and not his. When you have two log ons you can't use email addresses to log in and on my account it tells me nothing. It's deeply annoying! I think if he doesn't get any money til end Sept we'll just have to transfer money from his savings.

[Piggywaspushed]

OK, and just got in to the website : first payment not til September 23rd, which is annoying given he goes there on the 15th for a Freshers' Week that he isn't even very interested in.

[Mustbetimeforachange]

DS1 (final year) says his will be through on about 23 Sept. In first year it can't come through until you have physically registered at the uni for your course.

[VioletCharlotte]

The first instalment of the maintenance loan will be paid around 23 September, so they need to have other money for the first weeks food, and of course, Freshers Week.

Winchester uni schedule the direct debits to come out just after the loans are paid, and each instalment is equal (even though the terms are different lengths). I think it's varies at others universities though.

I've started making a list of things we need to buy. I'm planning on a trip to Ikea with DS at the end of the month. The only thing he's really worried about is his TV, PlayStation and guitar!

[Piggywaspushed]

Lincoln don't seem to do Direct Debits for accommodation which seems odd?

[Ingles2]

blimey... the thread has been so busy! just catching up now....
I'm having a bit of a crazy time as both of my sons are going to uni for the first time.. we're having very different experiences as well...
Ds1 is going to Loughborough... they give so much info its been easy to find what we need
Ds2 is going to Durham... am really struggling to find actual useful info from them... anyone got any idea on bed size at Hild Bede? or where I can find this info?
Went shopping at Sainsbury's today... can recommend it... Tu have 25% off all clothes , so got some pj's and underwear... and lots of the bedding and towels are half price in the sale, so managed to pick some of that up too...worth a trip..
Next trip, Ikea for Kitchen stuff...

[Monkey2001]

@Piggywaspushed you said that you are not bothering with a student bank account, but there are usually good deals. The Santander 123 student account has a free 4 year railcard.

[justasking111]

DS tends to watch netflix at home. My account is set up so that he is able to watch it when he gets to uni.

[JennyWreny]

I don't know if this is any use to anyone or perhaps I was the only one who was confused about TV licensing. I found this info (section 9). I know DD isn't allowed a TV in her accommodation but nice to know that she can use iPlayer if she wants to - www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/tv-licence/#needtoknow-9

[Piggywaspushed]

I am monkey. We are just stating with the same bank, but swapping to a student account. Railcard not hugely useful in our neck of the woods but thanks for the info !

[justasking111]

DS with Barclays rubbish student account, so he is looking at Santander for rail card and Monzo for budgeting. So he will have three accounts. We have told him to open a savings account with no card in case he loses it or gets hacked.

[Danglingmod]

Ds got his reading list about six weeks ago or maybe more. He's bought and read about right books on it (Eng lit so not talking massive textbooks!)

He will be living at home so no need to switch dentists or GP etc.

RE the bank account, we switched his regular child/bank card account to a student one, not because he'll need an overdraft or anything, but because I assume it will be easier to then transfer to a full adult account in the future than if he still had a basic account.