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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

How much did you spent kitting your DCs out for Uni?

110 replies

MintyCedric · 17/12/2021 12:27

I mean the essentials...and any little extras to make halls a bit cosier for them?

DD won't be going until 2023, all going well but I'm a single parent and currently full time carer for my mum so want to start shuffling a bit away each month ASAP. Unfortunately can't rely on her dad for any meaningful contribution 🙄.

Fortunately she should get full loan and a part-time job she loves who have already said they'd be happy to keep her on remotely, but would like to set her up so she has as few outgoings as possible for the first term at least.

OP posts:
FrenchyQ · 17/12/2021 12:36

For the essentials (bedding, kitchen stuff etc ). I think we spent about £ 200-250 in total. We bought it all in one lump from Asda. But you could probably get the figure down if you bought things in the sales .

ASDmum2 · 17/12/2021 12:40

Similar amount, although once DC got to university they discovered the mattress wasn't comfy and we spent another ~£50 on a mattress topper.

A friend's child got to university and discovered her cookware didn't work on the induction hobs, so they had to get a new set for her.

EmmaGrundyForPM · 17/12/2021 12:40

We didn't spend very much as DS went into catered halls so we didn't need kitchen things. The main things were bedding, a desk light and a new laptop. But only because he was doing a degree which required a really good laptop, otherwise he'd have taken his previous one.

We got stuff from IKEA.

Original poster
MintyCedric · 17/12/2021 12:43

Thanks!

I'm putting a wishlist together on Amazon but won't necessarily buy it all from there.

DD will have her own ideas no doubt.

Have included the essentials though...fairy lights and beer pong!

OP posts:
Original poster
MintyCedric · 17/12/2021 12:44

If she gets into her choice of uni she'll need a kettle and toaster as they're not supplied which seems a bit weird.

OP posts:
CatNamedEaster · 17/12/2021 12:44

I read that quickly and thought it said "how much did you spend knitting your Dc's outfit for Uni?" I was imagining you creating a beauty of a Fair Isle onesie for them.Grin

Sorry, no help at all. I guess as your need isn't urgent you have time to start looking for charity shop/Facebook bargains now if you can afford to buy gradually and store them?

CatNamedEaster · 17/12/2021 12:47

I really didn't read any of did I? You already talked about putting stuff away. Sorry, crappy day, misreading your title cheered me up.

123tigger · 17/12/2021 12:51

Mine have needed new laptops as well. Depends on the course. We spent a few hundred kitting them out. Also clothes as they tend not to go to laundrette too often as expensive to use.

Original poster
MintyCedric · 17/12/2021 12:52

@CatNamedEaster Grin

Glad to be of service...it's all a bit shit now isn't it? Probably why I'm distracting myself with things happening in two years time.

I can knit squares...DD would be buggered if she was relying on me for a uni outfit!

She's also a picky madam, and is hoping to go to uni in London which makes carting stuff more awkward as it's a pull up, shove everything in a trolley and her send her off scenario.

Have already mooted the idea of us going with her dad as he's more experienced with city driving and has a bigger car but she was (probably quite rightly) horrified.

OP posts:
Original poster
MintyCedric · 17/12/2021 12:53

Also clothes as they tend not to go to laundrette too often as expensive to use.

She will love to hear that...any excuse for a blowout on Shein!

OP posts:
Floyi · 17/12/2021 12:55

Good point @MintyCedric

I'd love know how much on average people spent on clothes for their uni dc.

aftonwater · 17/12/2021 12:57

@MintyCedric

If she gets into her choice of uni she'll need a kettle and toaster as they're not supplied which seems a bit weird.
Its best to wait until she gets there to worry about kettle and toaster. They only need one of each per kitchen - my dc bought these with their flatmates on day 1.
EmpressCixi · 17/12/2021 12:59

We spent around £250 at TK Max on kitchen things, bedding, towels, etc. The university had an offer of basic pack of kitchen things and bedding that can be put in your room for you. But we looked at it and it was £75 worth of stuff that they wanted £400 for !! It was cheaper to go to TK Max for better quality things.

EmpressCixi · 17/12/2021 13:01

@MintyCedric

Also clothes as they tend not to go to laundrette too often as expensive to use.

She will love to hear that...any excuse for a blowout on Shein!

Depends on university. My DDs hall has its own laundry and drying rooms and you have a laundry card which you preload funds on to to pay for the use of the washers.
steppemum · 17/12/2021 13:11

ds has just gone, but he started in catered halls.

We spent £200-£300
But to be honest, not all of that was necessary.
So I bouhgt him duvet, pillows and then duvet covers etc and towels.

If I couldn't have bought that, then he would have taken the duvet and pillows from his bed, and his bedding. We have enough spare for guests which he could use when home for holidays.

Same with kitchen, we went out and bought a sharp knife, some mugs etc, but he could have taken 3 mugs from the cupboard.

If sharing a kitchen, they don;t all need everything either.
So don't panic about being able to afford it. It isn't all necessary. And if you are a charity shop person, keeping your eye out for plain plates and bowls for example is a cheap way to go (and as they get broken/nicked/lost not point on spending a lot)

Original poster
MintyCedric · 17/12/2021 13:46

And if you are a charity shop person, keeping your eye out for plain plates and bowls for example is a cheap way to go (and as they get broken/nicked/lost not point on spending a lot)

That's a really good point.

I think I'm going to aim for £250-300 which should cover at least the essentials, and another £100 for groceries/grocery card, laundry card or coins, toiletries etc.

If she wants to be pedantic about crockery, duvet covers etc she'll have to budget for that from her part time job. She'll happily buy her own clothes anyway.

There's about £3.5k stashed away for her in savings/inheritance, but I'd rather she didn't have to use that for everyday stuff if it can be avoided.

Hoping to get a part-time job or some freelance work in the new year which will help.

OP posts:
ClerkMaxwell · 17/12/2021 15:50

DD has a halls job (2nd year) and some of the parents in her block paid the John Lewis interior design service to kit out their 1st year DDs rooms!!

She's hoping some of the JL soft furnishings don't go with the decor in their next year flats and she inherits it.

Original poster
MintyCedric · 17/12/2021 15:57

@ClerkMaxwell

DD has a halls job (2nd year) and some of the parents in her block paid the John Lewis interior design service to kit out their 1st year DDs rooms!!

She's hoping some of the JL soft furnishings don't go with the decor in their next year flats and she inherits it.

Bloody hell that's mental!

I feel less bad about considering pretty bedding and good quality mattress topper for DD now!

OP posts:
ClerkMaxwell · 17/12/2021 16:16

My feelings exactly. I kitted DD out from Wilcos and B&M.

I think your budget is sound and good you are thinking about it in advance.

Bagelsandbrie · 17/12/2021 16:22

We spent about £300 but some of that was excessive to be honest… Like others have said they can take their own bedding, some plates from the kitchen etc. Things dd now says she’s really grateful for are her mattress topper - uni beds aren’t comfy- and her heated overblanket.

Whattochoosenow · 17/12/2021 16:22

Keep an eye on Aldi centre aisles for stuff too.
Also you can pick up some really nice plates and mugs in charity shops.

LiterallyKnowsBest · 17/12/2021 16:27

DD has a halls job (2nd year) and some of the parents in her block paid the John Lewis interior design service to kit out their 1st year DDs rooms!!

Having read this, I am not sure I can ever be happy again.

All the hours (days) I spent on the Conran Shop / David Mellor / Divertimenti websites, building imaginary castles of gorgeous stuff our university-bound teen had no interest in … (Cue mad dash around local shopping mall hours before leaving. Xmas Hmm ) Losers, the lot of us; we were Doing It All Wrong.

Unsuremover · 17/12/2021 16:30

My mum kept an ear to ground the few years I went for people upgrading plates and mugs etc. you only need a couple of plates and bowls not a set of 8, so while they weren’t new they also weren’t Asda basics. Obviously doesn’t work for clothes and bedding.
Also my friends grandad gave all his grandkids a prepaid credit card with enough to get a last minute ticket home, only to be used for that. I thought that was lovely, whatever happens you’ve got the money to get home (in case anyone is wanting to get her a present).

vjg13 · 17/12/2021 16:31

I spent a few hundred but did get things in the Summer Next sale, B&M, pans from Asda etc. and storage bags and bits from Ikea. My daughter was really pleased with it all.

BlueCowWonders · 17/12/2021 16:32

Don't forget that first year (maybe catered) halls will need a lot less 'stuff' than when the students go into shared house/ flat for second and subsequent years. So keep money (and goodwill Grin ) back for then.
But most will need the basics of laptop and electronics, bedding, towels and odds and ends of crockery etc

NB you might need to break it to your dd now that fairy lights are banned in some uni halls!

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