How much money should I start uni with?
I'm 18, starting uni in September. This year I've been on a gap year, working, travelling, volunteering etc.
I've already done a month interrailing trip in April, for which I had saved up and spent about £1500. After this I have around 2k left in savings which I was planning on saving for uni (obviously I intend on getting a job, but I wanted to have at least a few months of living off savings and get used to the new city first).
But now my gf has asked me to go travelling again, to Thailand for a couple of weeks to do a boxing training camp (it looks super fun). I would LOVE this trip but plane tickets cost about £1,300 if I'm lucky so this trip will definitely empty my bank account!!
So I'm asking you, wise people of tsr, should I go for it?? Or should I save what I have and stay at home this summer? How much in savings should I start uni with?
A lot of my friends who have started first year before me didn't start with a job OR savings, so I'm wondering if it's fine to go in with nothing and just scrounge for a while. What are you guys doing and how much are you taking with you into first year?
I've already done a month interrailing trip in April, for which I had saved up and spent about £1500. After this I have around 2k left in savings which I was planning on saving for uni (obviously I intend on getting a job, but I wanted to have at least a few months of living off savings and get used to the new city first).
But now my gf has asked me to go travelling again, to Thailand for a couple of weeks to do a boxing training camp (it looks super fun). I would LOVE this trip but plane tickets cost about £1,300 if I'm lucky so this trip will definitely empty my bank account!!
So I'm asking you, wise people of tsr, should I go for it?? Or should I save what I have and stay at home this summer? How much in savings should I start uni with?
A lot of my friends who have started first year before me didn't start with a job OR savings, so I'm wondering if it's fine to go in with nothing and just scrounge for a while. What are you guys doing and how much are you taking with you into first year?
Original post by MocleXPip
I'm 18, starting uni in September. This year I've been on a gap year, working, travelling, volunteering etc.
I've already done a month interrailing trip in April, for which I had saved up and spent about £1500. After this I have around 2k left in savings which I was planning on saving for uni (obviously I intend on getting a job, but I wanted to have at least a few months of living off savings and get used to the new city first).
But now my gf has asked me to go travelling again, to Thailand for a couple of weeks to do a boxing training camp (it looks super fun). I would LOVE this trip but plane tickets cost about £1,300 if I'm lucky so this trip will definitely empty my bank account!!
So I'm asking you, wise people of tsr, should I go for it?? Or should I save what I have and stay at home this summer? How much in savings should I start uni with?
A lot of my friends who have started first year before me didn't start with a job OR savings, so I'm wondering if it's fine to go in with nothing and just scrounge for a while. What are you guys doing and how much are you taking with you into first year?
I've already done a month interrailing trip in April, for which I had saved up and spent about £1500. After this I have around 2k left in savings which I was planning on saving for uni (obviously I intend on getting a job, but I wanted to have at least a few months of living off savings and get used to the new city first).
But now my gf has asked me to go travelling again, to Thailand for a couple of weeks to do a boxing training camp (it looks super fun). I would LOVE this trip but plane tickets cost about £1,300 if I'm lucky so this trip will definitely empty my bank account!!
So I'm asking you, wise people of tsr, should I go for it?? Or should I save what I have and stay at home this summer? How much in savings should I start uni with?
A lot of my friends who have started first year before me didn't start with a job OR savings, so I'm wondering if it's fine to go in with nothing and just scrounge for a while. What are you guys doing and how much are you taking with you into first year?
If you are on full maintenance loan (or less than full and your parents are topping it up to a similar level), you should be able to manage at uni. But it will depend on how sociable you are. After accommodation costs, nights out appear to be the biggest drain on student finances.
Look at how much your maintenance loan is or will be.
Knock off accommodation costs for the year including for next summer if necessary - if you have any idea what they will be yet.
Look at what your parents are contributing if anything.
That gives you an idea of what you will have from when you start university to when you may move back for the summer.
Food, bills (if not included though usually are in halls), some books, transport maybe unless you walk to uni and are not visiting home much. Freshers week. Nights out can be costly. Clubs, drinks, shared ubers. Maybe the odd clothes item (more than the odd one in my daughter's case😁), toiletries etc.
Knock off accommodation costs for the year including for next summer if necessary - if you have any idea what they will be yet.
Look at what your parents are contributing if anything.
That gives you an idea of what you will have from when you start university to when you may move back for the summer.
Food, bills (if not included though usually are in halls), some books, transport maybe unless you walk to uni and are not visiting home much. Freshers week. Nights out can be costly. Clubs, drinks, shared ubers. Maybe the odd clothes item (more than the odd one in my daughter's case😁), toiletries etc.
(edited 10 months ago)
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