After accommodation... I literally have nothing left

My accommodation is £5300 (no not even london) and £400 deposit (£128 a week). I have £1400 left from student finance.

This isn't enough to live off is it?

Reply 1

Potally_Tissed

19

It is not. Maybe if you budget really really well and only buy cheap stuff and no luxuries ever. Maybe not even then.

Reply 2

citydeer

9

i have about £100 left after accommodation (i am in london) but £1400 will last you a while (depending on how much you spend each week of food/travel/other expenses) but you will most likely need a part time job (tbh most students are in the same situation so dont worry!)

Reply 3

kendall2

1

You're going to have to *gasp* get a job :smile:

Reply 4

Reue

20

Original post by Erulia

My accommodation is £5300 (no not even london) and £400 deposit (£128 a week). I have £1400 left from student finance.

This isn't enough to live off is it?

What's your accommodation and for how long is that? You could almost certainly get cheaper.

How long does the £1400 need to last? If it's only for food that is enough to survive on. Surely you also have some savings from the part time work you did during 6th form, or from the part time work you're going to be doing whilst at uni?

Reply 5

Erulia

OP

10

Original post by Reue

What's your accommodation and for how long is that? You could almost certainly get cheaper.

How long does the £1400 need to last? If it's only for food that is enough to survive on. Surely you also have some savings from the part time work you did during 6th form, or from the part time work you're going to be doing whilst at uni?

accommodation is 42 weeks. £128 a week. its in halls so on campus. and I chose the third cheapest option. Cheapest is a double room at £84 and the other is £115. If I found a house or something with roommates it'll be cheaper but everyone recommends halls. The £1400 is for the rest of the year as that's all i got left from student finance. Savings don't add much.

Part time job needed!
Just need to figure out how to get one now.

Reply 6

Erulia

OP

10

Original post by kendall2

You're going to have to *gasp* get a job :smile:

true horror!

Reply 7

Reue

20

Original post by Erulia

accommodation is 42 weeks. £128 a week. its in halls so on campus. and I chose the third cheapest option. Cheapest is a double room at £84 and the other is £115. If I found a house or something with roommates it'll be cheaper but everyone recommends halls. The £1400 is for the rest of the year as that's all i got left from student finance. Savings don't add much.

Part time job needed!
Just need to figure out how to get one now.

What was wrong with the double room at £84? :s
Basically it leaves you with £33 a week for those 42 weeks. Easily enough for food and cheap socialising. You won't be able to run a car or cover travel with that really though.

Utilise 0% overdrafts and find a job asap.

Before I went to uni I had accumulated well over £5k in savings from working weekends/evenings during 6th form, it surprises me how many people didn't do the same before going to uni.

Reply 8

Erulia

OP

10

Original post by Reue

What was wrong with the double room at £84? :s
Basically it leaves you with £33 a week for those 42 weeks. Easily enough for food and cheap socialising. You won't be able to run a car or cover travel with that really though.

Utilise 0% overdrafts and find a job asap.

Before I went to uni I had accumulated well over £5k in savings from working weekends/evenings during 6th form, it surprises me how many people didn't do the same before going to uni.

the room is shared with someone.
and forget about laundry, books, bus fares and meals out!

You were definitely smart and prepared.

Reply 9

Reue

20

Original post by Erulia

the room is shared with someone.

If finances were tight, I'd have gone for that option. I shared a room in my first year at uni.

Reply 10

claireestelle

22

I d say you should switch to a houseshare , makes rent so much cheaper. Having a double bed and ensuite and the like isn't worth the debt in the end really

Reply 11

claireestelle

22

As for food, find your local lidl and make all your meals as simply as possible and avoid brands for a while

Reply 12

Puddles the Monkey

21

Original post by Erulia

the room is shared with someone.
and forget about laundry, books, bus fares and meals out!

You were definitely smart and prepared.

You'll be alright if you get a part time job and budget food etc. Make sure you cook all your meals in bulk from scratch and make your own lunches to take to uni with you. Don't buy lunch and coffee out, it's a huge expenditure.

You don't need to buy books, you can loan them out from the library.

You won't be able to eat out often - treat that as a real luxury, not as the norm.

Laundry shouldn't be too expensive, buy detergent when it's on offer as it's much, much cheaper that way. See if you can double up with a housemate in one washing machine so you pay half each.

thats enough lol

Original post by Puddles the Monkey

You'll be alright if you get a part time job and budget food etc. Make sure you cook all your meals in bulk from scratch and make your own lunches to take to uni with you. Don't buy lunch and coffee out, it's a huge expenditure.

You don't need to buy books, you can loan them out from the library.

You won't be able to eat out often - treat that as a real luxury, not as the norm.

Laundry shouldn't be too expensive, buy detergent when it's on offer as it's much, much cheaper that way. See if you can double up with a housemate in one washing machine so you pay half each.