The Student Room Group

How much money do you have leftover after necessities at uni?

I want to be able to go for nights out drinking and spend around £10 per day on food. As well as other extras but they aren't that important. I know budgeting is going to be hard with low finances, but how much do you have leftover to spend after everything that HAS to be paid? And is that with or without a job?
(edited 6 years ago)

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Reply 1
I had to read the title and the OP four times before understanding the syntactical peculiarities of your writing and deciphering your question.

On average I spend about 1000/month after accommodation, food, bills and books. No job. It's not an extraordinary amount but I read that most people at average universities spend less, so take this into account.
Reply 2
Original post by usualsuspects
I had to read the title and the OP four times before understanding the syntactical peculiarities of your writing and deciphering your question.

On average I spend about 1000/month after accommodation, food, bills and books. No job. It's not an extraordinary amount but I read that most people at average universities spend less, so take this into account.


4 times?

Is that money from your student loan? If not, where does it come from? What are you classing as an 'average university'?
Reply 3
Original post by ruby17x
4 times?

Is that money from your student loan? If not, where does it come from? What are you classing as an 'average university'?


Yes, but that's probably due to math revision mentally exhausting me.

Parents. Most universities. I guess the average figure is around £200-300 after accommodation and food.
I spend i'd say £400 a month on food and petrol
My rent is paid termly and I use all of my loan for that and work for the rest
Reply 5
Original post by usualsuspects
Yes, but that's probably due to math revision mentally exhausting me.

Parents. Most universities. I guess the average figure is around £200-300 after accommodation and food.


I made it a bit clearer anyway. Thanks for pointing it out.

But thanks that's more than I was expecting :smile:
Reply 6
Original post by Jackieox
I spend i'd say £400 a month on food and petrol
My rent is paid termly and I use all of my loan for that and work for the rest


That sounds doable. How much do you get from your job?
I save all of my loan, and just live off my work money - about £300 per month (I only work 1 day a week!) and I also live at home, so only travel costs for me :smile:
For the last 4 years I have been living on between 7.5 -8k. For the last 2 years my rent has been around 3.5k annually (bills included). So I had more than enough money left over to survive. I saved a good amount of money too and was able to socialise just fine.

Hoe strict you have to be with your budget though will largely depend on how much student finance you get + the cost of living in your university city. I'm doing okay because Liverpool is an incredibly cheap place to live, other places I would be doing much worse as rent would be higher.

I'm starting a Masters in September though and once tuition is deducted I'll only have 5k left for the year to pay for rent, food and everything else. While doable it would be very tight so I'm currently looking for a part time job and hoping to keep it over my studies as it's a low contact hours course.
Reply 9
Original post by ruby17x

But thanks that's more than I was expecting :smile:


I'm probably wrong, it might be less than what I said, judging by responses to the thread.
Reply 10
Original post by usualsuspects
I'm probably wrong, it might be less than what I said, judging by responses to the thread.


How do *you* spend £12k a year excluding accommodation/food/bills?
Original post by ruby17x
That sounds doable. How much do you get from your job?


It depends, all three of them are zero hour. Usually around 6-700 a month and the uni pay quite a bit of my fuel costs as well so i get money from that =)
Reply 12
Original post by Doonesbury
How do *you* spend £12k a year excluding accommodation/food/bills?


Not sure if it's 12k or more, but recurring expenses are clothes, gadgets, alcohol, restaurants, bars, clubs, trips, travelling business class, taxis, cleaner, dry cleaner. My parents usually pay my holidays directly, but when I go on my own I sometimes use my money, and they are quite expensive (renting boats, 5 star hotels, etc.).
Reply 13
Original post by usualsuspects
Not sure if it's 12k or more, but recurring expenses are clothes, gadgets, alcohol, restaurants, bars, clubs, trips, travelling business class, taxis, cleaner, dry cleaner. My parents usually pay my holidays directly, but when I go on my own I sometimes use my money, and they are quite expensive (renting boats, 5 star hotels, etc.).


Not exactly a typical student then...

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Original post by usualsuspects
I had to read the title and the OP four times before understanding the syntactical peculiarities of your writing and deciphering your question.

On average I spend about 1000/month after accommodation, food, bills and books. No job. It's not an extraordinary amount but I read that most people at average universities spend less, so take this into account.


Took me only once to get it. Don't know what you're trying to do with all those fancy words in your reply.
Reply 15
Original post by Metalfros
Took me only once to get it. Don't know what you're trying to do with all those fancy words in your reply.


The OP changed both the title and the post and made it much clearer.

I'm currently revising applied mathematics which I hate so using the word "syntactical", which has a straightforward etymology from Ancient Greek, reminds me of the good old times in shool when I used to deal with Classics instead of integrals. It relieves me from my present suffering.
Reply 16
Here's a tip, find places that actually allow you get everything you need in bulk or special package deals. It saves money and you'll have some left over too

Personally I'm quite smart with my money, i subscribed to a company that gave me everything for a reduced price!
Original post by jjbunker
Here's a tip, find places that actually allow you get everything you need in bulk or special package deals. It saves money and you'll have some left over too

Personally I'm quite smart with my money, i subscribed to a company that gave me everything for a reduced price!


Can you share more info about the company you subscribed too? Im curious.
Reply 18
Original post by Redundan1
Can you share more info about the company you subscribed too? Im curious.


Free the Fresher? I saw it on Facebook
Original post by usualsuspects
The OP changed both the title and the post and made it much clearer.

I'm currently revising applied mathematics which I hate so using the word "syntactical", which has a straightforward etymology from Ancient Greek, reminds me of the good old times in shool when I used to deal with Classics instead of integrals. It relieves me from my present suffering.


I don't know, just makes you sound pretentious. You could've said "I read the OP and title four times before understanding your question", which is much more simple. Wouldn't that simplicity have given you more relief from your suffering?

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