how do you do your budget for uni?

I'm budgeting now with what I've been assessed for student finance and my savings from working the past few years , and I'll be able to make a more accurate one in summer once I've (hopefully) earn more from summer overtime, and I know exactly which accommodation I'm in.

but there's still a lot of unknowns, I don't know when I'll get a job at uni, or how many hours they'll give me, or what the wage will be etc. I've conservatively estimated I will earn 2000 for the (academic) year (not incl next summer, at the very least I should be able to get a few hours when I go home for Christmas and easter.

Also do most people budget by calendar year (52 weeks) or academic year (40 weeks)? Because one will have much higher expenses than the other. There's not a massive amount to do in my area at home, so it's not like I'll be spending loads on going out, and my mum has said she doesn't expect me to pay any rent or bills while I'm at home. Vs at uni with buses + food + laundry + going out and whatever else.

Just curious to see how others are doing/ have done their budgets?

Reply 1

tinyperson

Try Excel. I used to use Word but that takes a bit of time. Eventually I turned it into a monthly financial report detailing my student expenses each month. I had a monthly budget set by my parents (£50 was my limit) for me to use on night outs etc. I mostly bought cookbooks in the early days however. You could also try saving up your money for a cheap but fun student trip somewhere rather new and nice as well. That was what I did. I used to freely volunteer at a charity shop in my hometown during my very first year of university whilst I looked at proper jobs.