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What do I need to buy at university?

Okay, so i'm trying to create a budget spreadsheet for when i'm at uni (because i'm bored and overly organised) and I cant think of all the things that I need to buy weekly and all the extra stuff i'll need.
So far i've got:
Neccessities:

•

Food

•

Travel

•

Course costs

Extras:

•

Clothes

•

Books

•

Leisure

•

Birthdays/christmas

What else do I need to account for?!!!

Reply 1

jesse111

Nights out like the pub, clubbing or cinema

Reply 2

amylea_94

Utensils
Linen
Toiletries

Reply 3

RavinaKang

Original post by jesse111

Nights out like the pub, clubbing or cinema

So how much would that cost me a week? If i only went out once or twice a week? cuz i'm kinda on a tight budget.

Reply 4

jesse111

It really varies, a pub trip would cost you maximum £10 a trip probably, cinema probably 12-15 a trip and clubbing is always a minimum £20 to anything it depends on how well you can control your money.

Reply 5

edjunkie

Original post by jesse111

Cinema 12-15? Orange 2 for 1, student discount, cinema cheap night and don't buy food at the cinema. Should see that cost easily more like £4 - 8 a person even in extortionate London.

Alternate on weekly basis at least the more expensive socialising opportunities. Do not buy rounds, use a kitty, once spent, stop spending.

Reply 6

username782284

In terms of nights out, pre-drinks are your friends. Learn to love Frosty Jack's.

In terms of food, do an online shop if you can find people to split the delivery cost with, it can work out really cheap and allows you to buy in bulk and also stops you from being tempted to buy things that you don't really need.

Depending on your course, you may have very little course costs.

Clothes and books and things like that tended to fall by the wayside a bit (for me anyway). If you're reading for pleasure join the local library, if it's uni books they'll usually be in the uni library (and if it's an important book there should be several copies).

Reply 7

jelly1000

Original post by RavinaKang

So how much would that cost me a week? If i only went out once or twice a week? cuz i'm kinda on a tight budget.

also budget more for freshers because you wont have your loan til the end of the week and you'll probally find that most people will go out a lot more then. And I'd budget at least £10 per night out depending on how you drink.

Reply 8

TenOfThem

Toilet roll

Even now, nearly 30 years later the memory of the realisation that you need to buy it and how expensive it is, is a memory that makes me shudder

Reply 9

Origami Bullets

In my budget, I have
Off Licences
Clothes
Phone top-up
Eating out
Food in supermarkets
Haircuts
Long distance transport (going home for xmas etc.)
Make up
Misc (which includes society costs)
Nights out
Rent (bills are included in the rent when you're in halls)
Shoes
Stationery & printing
Textbooks
Toiletries
Union sub
Bus pass
Laundry (surprisingly expensive in halls)
House deposit (you'll need to put one down for your second year house part way through first year)
Birthdays
Christmas

Obviously, some things will be more or less relevant to you - it's fairly rare for a student to be a trade union member, for instance.

You'll also need to budget for the 'set up' costs - capital costs like buying saucepans and bedding before you come to uni.

pretty much lol

do we have to bring our own cutlery/cups or are they already there in the kitchens in halls ?

Reply 12

DL-6

Original post by tdkr

do we have to bring our own cutlery/cups or are they already there in the kitchens in halls ?

Bring your own cutlery/cups.

None will be provided.

Reply 13

Ollie F

Original post by RavinaKang

•

Food

•

Travel

•

Course costs

Extras:

•

Clothes

•

Books

•

Leisure

•

Birthdays/christmas

What else do I need to account for?!!!

I would really recommend against trying to account for everything because there is simply too much and it gets to arbitrary and complex; how much money do you set aside for things you've never bought before?

The best thing to do, is work out how much you have, pool it all together and after putting a chunk aside as a reserve, divide it among all the weeks your at uni and anymore you need. That way, you have a flexible budget that can be all encompassing.

Reply 14

Bluer.

Going to uni in Sept :biggrin:

think you only really need to work out the essentials. Maybe something like:

- One off purchases - course materials, anything expensive you plan to purchase like a tv or computer, and extra cash for freshers' week is probably a good idea
- Regular bills and payments - rent, phone bill, any memberships/subscriptions
- Living expenses - set a budget for groceries every week, travel expenses - around uni and trips home throughout the year
- Savings - optional I guess but it's good to set aside any spare funds in case of an emergency

After that you have your set amount of 'spending money', for less essential things you can buy as and when you need them such as clothes, toiletries, going out. Whether you want to split that up termly or weekly or anything is up to you I guess.