How much did your bills go down when your teen left for university?

[doistayordoigo]

Reading another thread about what things cost more than you realised, and several people saying teenagers, which I'd have to agree with!

But it got me thinking...I've been trying to work out how much we'll need to supplement DS2 when he goes off to uni in September, but I haven't factored in how much we might save as a result of him going. If you've already had teens go off to uni, did you notice a drop in your bills and if so which bills and how much?

Agree it's a huge change in income. I understand why the CHB and tax credits need to stop of course. But they still need to be housed at home and fed in uni holidays, travel costs back and forth etc etc. So it seems unfair that child maintenance stops too.... there's not even any requirement for the NRP to pay anything direct to the student. IME this huge drop and still the new costs above for the RP to meet has a big impact on younger children still in the household.

I was thinking about this thread today, and realised that it will be quite different if this is your eldest dc going off to university leaving 2 parents and 3 other teens at home, from a ingle parent and this is their only child.
In the case of the latter, then you probably would notice quite a change in your bills - food, toilet rolls, electricity, particularly. Whereas if it were the former, the difference would be a much smaller fraction or % of your bills, so less noticeable. Even losing 1 child benefit is proportionately a lot less of your family budget.

I've been trying to work it out too - ds will be gone next year.

Losses
child benefit 82 pcm
uni support ? 200 pcm

Gains
piano lessons 92 ppm
food, groceries, toiletries 160 pcm (I buy a lot of food for him)
athletics club 10pcm
athletics events entry works out about 5 pcm over the year
pocket money 40pcm
clothes and shoes 20pcm

so a very rough feel might be gaining £150 a month or so.