[IrishPerson]

I just recieved my student finance forms back and im getting £6000 a year HOWEVER my catered accomodation is £4800 so I have calculated that I am left with £40 a week for the year

Is this manageable for living in manchester?
also how hard is it to get a job???

[SpicyStrawberry]

£40 a week is enough since your food is already paid for, you'll just have to learn how to budget. Make a list of the items you need, then a list of items you want. Often when you read it back you'll find you don't really need some of the things you've written down so you'll save money that way. Just avoid spending money on unnecessary things and make good use of student discounts. It's definitely manageable.

When I first found out how much I was getting from student finance, I made a document outlining how much I get paid and when, with expenses next to it with a rough estimate of how much it will cost (travel, food, phone, going out etc.) It's a good way to easily show where you're up to.

As for finding part-time jobs, as you can imagine it's hard wherever you go but things are looking up in Manchester, just keep searching and make sure your CV is up to scratch. I wouldn't assume you'll land a job straight away though just to be on the safe side - it's best to look at worst case scenario when it comes to money so you don't fall short.

[IrishPerson]

Thank you!! I don't have a CV yet so I will need to make one haha
When would you suggest applying for a job??? I live in Ireland and will be in America all summer so I'm not sure what to do?! I feel like waiting until freshers week will be too long so Im gonna try apply online throughout the summer

[charlie9872]

Yeah it should be enough, as long as you're careful. I'd suggest working over the summer though and putting some aside, just in case.

[IrishPerson]

Thats the problem. Ill be in America all summer with Camp America and wont have any money left after the summer :/

[plimsolls]

Very doable as long as you budget. Although in the first term there will be pressure to spend a lot as you will want to do a lot of socialising. I spent a grand in the first term because of this.

[Origami Bullets]

Bear in mind that with catered accommodation, you only get 10 meals a week (and people often complain about the quality), so you're still going to be cooking half your meals. You're paying ~£30 a week for that, and then you will be spending another £10 or so on other food. Alternatively, you could go self catered, eat well for £20 a week, and have an extra £20 a week to play with.

[IrishPerson]

oh i can survive of 10 meals a week ill buy my own meals at weekends

[lonelykatana]

£40 a week without having to buy food?
You're literally rolling in it mate!

I get 7.5k, mostly from grants. Granted my rent is cheap but I've not budgeted at all and I've had no issue living
If I budget I can happily live of £40 a week for food, and thats eating very well! You'll be fine

[rogan]

I'd fight for non catered accommodation tbh, can live much cheaper than way, unless hall prices went up anyway I think i paid £90 a week, which would leave you a fair wad extra

[Origami Bullets]

(Original post by IrishPerson)
oh i can survive of 10 meals a week ill buy my own meals at weekends

I'm sure you could - but the point is that you would be much more comfortably off if you went self catered!

You'll have to be self-catered when you move into a shared house for second year, so IMHO it's best to learn to cook (if you can't already) in first year when grades don't matter, and you're living in a bigger flat where it's more likely that there will be people around who can / are willing to show you the basics (and even the most proficient cook tends to learn something from others in halls).

[YB101]

How much would a non-catered student be living on per week ? I'll hopefully be transferred to work in the Arndale centre at River Island and would like to know how many hours to work vs how many hours I should work so that it doesn't interfere with my studies.

[Origami Bullets]

(Original post by YB101)
How much would a non-catered student be living on per week ? I'll hopefully be transferred to work in the Arndale centre at River Island and would like to know how many hours to work vs how many hours I should work so that it doesn't interfere with my studies.

It varies by living standards, and to some extent people's outgoings will always rise to meet their income.

However, you're looking at £20-25 for food, £185 a year for a bus pass, £2.50 for a wash and £1 for a dry (in halls laundrettes which TBF are larger than domestic ones; no the other laundrettes nearby aren't cheaper), train tickets home, nights out (I spend about £10 per night out + pre drinks), £100pa or so for textbooks (obviously v variable depending on what subject you study e.g. law is expensive, economics is cheap).

And then there are all the things that are fairly changeable based on you - birthday presents, pre-drinks, clothes & shoes, phone bill, haircuts, make up, toiletries . . . and don't forget to have a 'miscellaneous' column in your budget - there's always something that doesn't fit in elsewhere e.g. buying an inner tube for your bike or buying a packet of cable ties. In my budget, that's also where society costs go. I put £10 a week into the misc section.

Anyway, the university recommends that you work no more than 16 hours pw during termtime, but IMHO that's too much to do all your work, have a social life and sleep enough on top. Don't think that you will have an overdraft, and most people work over the summer to pay that off.