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how much do I save before uni?

I want to be able to enjoy my first year so I don’t want to just rely on my maintenance loan. I’ll also be hopefully getting a part time job there too once I’ve settled into everything.

Reply 1

JF ZAK

depends on uni and ur lifestyle also wat u want in ur dorm room

Reply 2

ExeterStudentRep

Official Rep

Original post by kkaaaaa

I want to be able to enjoy my first year so I don’t want to just rely on my maintenance loan. I’ll also be hopefully getting a part time job there too once I’ve settled into everything.

Hi Kkaaaaa,

As another commenter has said, it naturally depends on what kind of lifestyle you want. I’d start by figuring out your outgoings for each week/month.

This will include but is not limited to rent, food and other necessities, money for socialising (going out, society events, etc.) I would say those are the basics. Of course, you might need money for course supplies and other shopping. Also, factor in any subscriptions if you have any!

Tally those things up, and you should have a pretty good idea of what you’re probably going to spend a month. When I did this, I overestimated a little so I could leave myself with some room in case of an emergency, or a particularly expensive month like December.

I hope this helps!

Jen,

University of Exeter student ambassador

Reply 3

University of Huddersfield

Official Rep

Original post by kkaaaaa

I want to be able to enjoy my first year so I don’t want to just rely on my maintenance loan. I’ll also be hopefully getting a part time job there too once I’ve settled into everything.

@kkaaaaa

I think it's good to save as much as possible. (It's better to save too much than not enough!)

If you can buy food at a good price and cook filling but nutritional food at university then this will help. I think a lot of money gets lost to ready made meals, junk food, takeaways, coffees, buying lunch while out etc.. I think the other place where money goes is the unexpected things you realise you need, whether that's stationary, toiletries, cleaning products for the bathroom and kitchen or things like foil (not 100% necessary but makes your life a lot easier!).

Having a good time at uni is not necessarily about spending lots of money. You can be creative and by pooling resources can still have a good time with friends e.g. a pancake party with different types of pancakes : ) It's the people that you meet that really make uni life. You might meet some of those people by joining societies which might require you to spend money for membership, but you might also meet people on your course or in halls who you can hang out with, without having to spend loads.

It's a good idea to see if you can get a part-time job, but you will have to see how you can balance this with your studies and any societies that you join, so you are right: it is a good idea to get settled first to see what you can commit to.

All the best,

Oluwatosin – 3rd year student – University of Huddersfield

Reply 4

Chester Student

Official Rep

Original post by kkaaaaa

I want to be able to enjoy my first year so I don’t want to just rely on my maintenance loan. I’ll also be hopefully getting a part time job there too once I’ve settled into everything.

Hi there,

I'd say save as much as you can!

It's better to have extra money if you need it, than not enough. And even if you don't use it, it'll be there in an emergency.

Try to factor in your expenses based on your lifestyle, and work it out from there. This includes groceries, rent, school supplies (stationary, course fees, smart clothes, etc), toiletries, house items, an emergency fund, sport and society fees, and other activity fees (day trips, nights out, etc).

You'll definitely get a better idea of your expenses once you move in and settle into your routine, but for now, I think it is smart to save as much as you can to prepare for this.

Getting a part-time job after you have settled in also sounds like a great idea. Your university will likely offer flexible, part-time roles that might appeal to you, that often pay quite well.

I hope this helps and best of luck,

Isabella
Third-year Geography with a Year Abroad Student

Reply 5

UCLan Student

Official Rep

Original post by kkaaaaa

I want to be able to enjoy my first year so I don’t want to just rely on my maintenance loan. I’ll also be hopefully getting a part time job there too once I’ve settled into everything.

Hi @kkaaaaa 😃,

as a mature student studying for a veterinary degree I can tell you that is important to save as much as you can!

It's crucial to have a clear idea of your expenses and how much of your maintenance loan will cover essentials like groceries, university supplies, rent, and transportation. Personally, I find it helpful to track my essential expenses using a spreadsheet. This way, I can see exactly how much money I have left for leisure activities or other expenses.
For additional guidance on budgeting, the University of Central Lancashire has provided some helpful resources in the following articles:
https://www.uclan.ac.uk/articles/advice/student-budget-calculators https://www.uclan.ac.uk/articles/student-stories/budget-effectively-whilst-studying

Taking on a part-time job can also provide more financial freedom, especially if you can fit it around your studies. Personally, having a flexible part-time job has been a lifesaver for me. Like you, I prioritize saving as much as possible before the start of each academic year. Additionally, I make it a habit to transfer any extra funds into my savings account to build up an emergency fund for unexpected expenses.

I hope it helps 😄

Martina

Reply 6

hallamstudents

Official Rep

Original post by kkaaaaa

I want to be able to enjoy my first year so I don’t want to just rely on my maintenance loan. I’ll also be hopefully getting a part time job there too once I’ve settled into everything.

HI there,

This is different for everyone!

The thing that helped me the best with deciding this was calculating how much loan I was going to receive, and then working out how much my rent would be, how much I thought I'd spend on food and other essentials and then looking at how much I had left over. Some people have a bit left over after this and some people's loan doesn't cover their rent so it is depends from person to person.

I would then, as others have said, look at what you want from going to university. If you think you will want to be going out lots, then you will need more money than if you like to stay in. Things tend to cost more than you might think so I would budget extra money and then best case scenario you will have some left over.

There will also be hidden things that you don't think about budgeting for- e.g. if you have to get public transport into uni this can add up, or extra toiletries you don't think about, or just things like buying a drink or a coffee at uni can add up. Societies also cost money which I didn't think about.

For me personally, I wanted to have enough money so I that I could join on on everything I wanted to do, especially in the first few weeks/months when everyone is getting to know each other and going out lots. But it really comes down to your personal preference and what you think you will be doing!

I hope this helps,

Lucy -SHU student ambassador.

Reply 7

Lancaster Student Ambassador

Official Rep

Original post by kkaaaaa

I want to be able to enjoy my first year so I don’t want to just rely on my maintenance loan. I’ll also be hopefully getting a part time job there too once I’ve settled into everything.

Hi @kkaaaaa,

Hope you're doing well and congratulations on getting your place university. Again it really depends on what you want you student life look like and budgeting according to that. Everyone has offered some really great tips, but I also wanted to add that it may be worth also looking for scholarships/bursaries. They are a really great to claim money without having to pay it back. The first place to look would be the university you're attending to see if they offer additional funding. They may award based on household income or even for academic/extracurricular achievement. Hope this helps!

Faheema (Psychology Ambassador at Lancaster University)

Reply 8

FayeYSJ

Original post by kkaaaaa

I want to be able to enjoy my first year so I don’t want to just rely on my maintenance loan. I’ll also be hopefully getting a part time job there too once I’ve settled into everything.

Hi!
I completely understand this concern, I felt very similar before starting my first year so hopefully I can offer some constructive advice.
Firstly, you need to figure out how much of your maintenance loan will be spent on your rent and how much, if any, will be left for essentials such as food shop.
Then create a budget for you food/essentials shop, consider what you want to spend a little more on as well as what you can find cheap.
Then I suggest thinking about the kind of lifestyle you want to lead - are you going to go clubbing every week? If so create space in your budget for this. If you want to join a gym, create space in your budget.
This should give you a good picture of how much you will want/need per week. You can then figure out how much of this can come from your maintenance loan, how much from a part time job and finally, how much you will need to save beforehand.
It is worth also keeping in mind bigger costs such as trains home, any holidays or birthdays - the general expenses that may also surface.

I hope this helps! Faye :smile:

Reply 9

emily.richards

Original post by kkaaaaa

I want to be able to enjoy my first year so I don’t want to just rely on my maintenance loan. I’ll also be hopefully getting a part time job there too once I’ve settled into everything.

Hi there!

Saving for uni can feel overwhelming, but listen - anything you can stash away will be a lifesaver. Don't stress about a giant number. Focus on what you need for rent, groceries, and some fun stuff (new shoes, nights out, you get it). Research what student life costs in your area and subtract what your loan covers. That gap is what you want to save for. Even a few bucks a week adds up! Trust me, having a little emergency fund and cash for fun will make your first year way smoother. You can always grab a part-time job when you settle in, too!

Good luck!