Living Expenses

[KittyMcKitty]

I know this has been discussed in the past and people have vastly differing viewpoints but how much per week (term time) is a reasonable amount after hall fees?

Dc is going to Manchester and has their hall allocation as already has grades (Oak House - oh the glamour 😂) so we are figuring out living expenses and considering around £150pw for everything else?

Woukd really appreciate hearing what others have done.

Thank you

Mine got £4K in top up for the year and both managed fine, one sings for extra money, the other less glamorous work.

Thank you - sorry to sound thick you say in top up so what was the total amount?

Sorry should have probably said dc not getting student loan.

They got the £4500 minimum loan for maintenance

Should add dc1 in a cheapish city, dd2 bit more expensive but has good earnings

Ours used the loan (minimum) towards halls rent and then we paid the rest (another approx £1,500) and then we gave a standing order of £300 per month for living expenses. They coped well with this.

Thank you - yes it’s the living expenses after hall fee we’re trying to figure out as we’ll be providing this.

We pay rent, be that hall or private rental cost then leave DCs, two at different unis in last academic year, to live on minimum loan which unless they are complete spendthrifts is more than adequate. So approx £4500 for living expenses term time in a year. Both have vacation jobs so beyond the free board and lodging they get when at home we expect them to manage any other costs during the vacation periods themselves.

So if they do find themselves strapped even on what you give them (which in theory with the hall fees should at least make the total up to the maximum not London, living away, loan), they can always apply for the minimum loan as well.

@MarchingFrogs thank you for taking the time to reply but my question wasn’t regarding student loans. I’m just asking what a reasonable amount pw during term time is to live on after accommodation is paid for. I’m not being awkward but that really is all I want to find out. Obviously dc coukd apply for a maintenance loan, could work, could use their savings from previous work (and may well be doing some of these things but I don’t want to discuss our personal finances) but I just want a ballpark figure for a city like Manchester for living expenses.

as I say I’m not trying to be awkward or antagonist I’m just trying to figure out the cost of living.

@boys3 thank you that’s really helpful- yes we are also expecting them to fund their lifestyle during holidays.

@KittyMcKitty , if you discount the part of my post re your DC applying for the loan regardless if they feel they need to, then my other comment was that the total provided should, at least in theory, add up to the full loan available to those whose household income is below the contribution threshold. So c.£9700 for the coming academic year.

(With a PS that those on the minimum loan are often eligible for university-funded bursaries, so perhaps with a thousand or so on top?).

@MarchingFrogs yes of course I understand that and thank you. However with accommodation costing between 4.5 and 7 thousand and Manchester Uni it was more a cost of living after hall costs which I was after as obviously a student with max maintenance grant paying 7k for halls would be in a v different situation then one paying 4k. At Manchester it’s not relevant to say apply for certain halls - you put 5 down and then are randomly allocated (not always one of the 5 you specified).

Every university will have a breakdown of students expected living costs on their website.

Which is a great idea sadly if Manchester haas one it’s impossible to find 😂

My DDs get most of the maintenance loan and manage to pay their accommodation and all living expenses from it. They are good creative cooks and self-cater. I'm pretty sure that Oak House is s/c. If your DC can get to a supermarket, they can shop cheaply. If they choose to go to the myriad of eating places in Fallowfield, it will cost more.

OP have you checked the websites of other unis close by like MMU, Salford, Huddersfield or even Leeds for the costs?

£150pw sounds an awful lot, although I guess prices have risen even since mine were there a few years ago. We used to put 50pw on a Monzo card (easier to budget) he would spend about 25 on food and the rest on beer but also got £100pm from grandparent. Wasn't that much of a party animal though so didn't go out every week.

We will top up to the max loan amount of £9,706. Hall fees are £7,037 so that leaves £2,669 to live on. Divided over 39 weeks it’s just over £68 per week to live on.

@KittyMcKitty I've looked at this one to try and understand what living the lenses may be

www.savethestudent.org/money/student-budgeting/what-do-students-spend-their-money-on.html

If you scroll down it lists all the universities and then breaks down average monthly costs

www.manchester.ac.uk/study/experience/student-life/living-costs/

We give ours £1100 a month
rent about 500 so leaves them around 150 a month
Also pay for their mobiles ,contact lenses

Sorry 150 a week

Ha! Hope @KittyMcKitty comes back to thank you for finding the impossible.

@KittyMcKitty DD just finished 1st yr. we gave her £85 pw living expenses. She managed to feed herself, pay her phone, transport costs from that. We also bought all necessary clothes, paid for clubs etc.

She worked last summer so had an additional £2000 of her own to spend on socialising, non-essential clothes, trips, concerts etc.
But she's still got some of that left so I think she spent about an additional £40 a week on top of the £85 we gave her

Ok here I am laugh away - I spent ages looking and couldn’t find it - you win!