[diana78]

Besides basic tuition and room/board, how much do each of you college students typically spend in a month? Please specify if you have a meal plan, if you are funded by your parents, and if you have a job. I'm just curious, since I'm going to college soon, and I want to get a general sense of it.

[<3 Kim]

First year I used to go out like every week, eat out every week and spent heaps of money, probably $50 a week or more. My parents used to give me $50 a week last year since I didn't have a job. Now I don't go out as much anymore as I'm more busier, and I bring food from home so I don't have to eat out. I have a job now but I rarely spend money as I used to

[loveesky]

i haven't spend much money cause i just don't have the car to get around
but i got a meal plan that can change my meal to money
1 meal = 5bux and i got 160 meals =]
not funded by my parent and currently jobless. ;p
but i have money in my bank from my old job before quitting

[phalken]

My parents fund me and I don't have a job, and I have an unlimited meal plan, but besides school-related stuff, I probably spend around 50 dollars a month, mostly on random food/snacks and the occasional trip to nyc.

[Nanciie]

First year - I had no car, so I couldn't go out much. I ate food that my mom brought down for me; therefore, I saved money. I probably used >50 bucks every weeks

Second year - I had my car and got a job. I had extra cash and did not need my parent to support me, so I was out every week (shopping and eating). I spend the most this year. $$>50 buck every week

Third year - I did not have a job and had my car. I did not going out often as I did my sophomore year. My time was always filled up. I spent on stuff that I really need.

I hope this helps :]

[bitter SOOweet]

gas = about $35 / week
food = about $80-100 / week


then theres all the misc. stuff.

i don't have a meal plan and my parents fund for a good portion of it all

[StephyT]

In my first semester of college, I ate out a lot, and tuition was cheaper so I had extra money. I also shopped a lot more than I should have. So I guess about $50-$80 per month?
Then after that first semester, tuition and parking was more expensive, so I started eating out less to save some money. I would eat food I prepared myself. Shopping was about the same... a little less, I guess. I started doing a lot of coupon hunting and deals, so I saved more money like that.
This semester just started. But I highly doubt I'll eat out more than twice a month. I absolutely do no have money to eat out and shop for things that are necessities ever since the CSU system raised tuition like.. 30%.

Btw, I should mention that I had NO job. I've never worked a day in my life, so I had nothing saved up except for bday, Chinese New Year and Christmas money. I used my parent's car to drive to school and home. I'm not allowed to go out...well, ever. And I don't pay for gas or insurance - my parents do.

[Redux-Analogy]

It depends on what you want to do really. Of course, you pretty much so know what your tuition is going to be once you apply for the college. mine for all four years is supposed to be around the 45k range. My school also requires you to have a meal plan for your first year, so whin I was a freshman, I had one. There are options as to how many meals you can have and some of the money you spend on the meal plan includes tax free "points" where you can purchase food on campus. I think all of the meal plans equate to about $1,100.00 (unless you change when you're a sophmore and get the cheap-o plans like me XD)

Since there's nothing to do in this town, I usually spend all my money on food and gas to get back home. $50 bucks sounds about like the ammount I spend a month on things...maybe $70 ish when my supplies run low (or there's a sale on clothing haha)

[agnuque]

Tuition per semester is P10,000, which is around $250. Parents usually gave me P4500 a month ($100) and I usually spent a truckload of that on coffee. No joke.

[JUSTSM1LE x]

My class is free but I'm only taking a PE class and it cost me about $2 for a jumprope , $30 for shoes, $10 for dumbells.. and $20 for yogamat ;p so around $60ish .. but I'm not a full time student. I'm taking only one unit this semester =)

[j.adore]

My parents give me money for everything and i don't have a job... but

My apartment is... $550
I put in gas about every two weeks... so thats like $50
Utility... $60
Internet+Cable... $70
Allowance for food, shopping, etc etc. $1000 (well I don't usually use all the 1000$ because I just have a credit card and my parents pay off however much I spent and the limit on my card is a 1000$. But I usually average to about 300-400 dollars on month when I dont go shopping)

Wow I use a lot more than I thought...

[crappy22]

My parents give me money for everything and i don't have a job... but

My apartment is... $550
I put in gas about every two weeks... so thats like $50
Utility... $60
Internet+Cable... $70
Allowance for food, shopping, etc etc. $1000 (well I don't usually use all the 1000$ because I just have a credit card and my parents pay off however much I spent and the limit on my card is a 1000$. But I usually average to about 300-400 dollars on month when I dont go shopping)

Wow I use a lot more than I thought...

haha I was the same! my parents gave me like $500 each month and $250 went to rent and $100 to electricity and internet. Then i could use the rest freely for the rest of the month. But sometimes i would have to ask for more within the month haha, it's a good thing i had roommates tho. Kept everything alot cheaper.

[SHARK]

Uhh, let's see!

I spend 585 on my apartment each month for rent.
I spend roughly 30-50 for Electricity(Not sure how much we use, but we don't even use our A/C that much), Internet ($10 between Roomie and Me), Water (Again, not sure how much we use, but it's only two of us. Laundry is a weekly or bi-weekly thing).
How much I spend on food varies. Sometimes I'll spend more, sometimes less. A typical meal at home will usually be something like Pasta, or Rice + Meat + Veggies, or Pizza. I usually end up cooking enough food for 2 meals, so... I dunno. Last time I had take-out food from a Korean Market, the meat lasted 2 meals and the banchan spinach lasted 3. And that was for $5, not including the cup of rice.
But if I eat out, I might spend maybe 5-7 a single meal, depending on what it is. I tend to eat out maybe once or twice a week. My grocery trips vary, between Chino/Diamond Bar and Costco and local supermarkets, but it's usually $40 or less a week. I always buy stuff on sale and I'm going to try to get my pantry all stocked up early so I don't spend as much on things like snacks later on. Once that happens, I'll probably be reduced to 30 a week or less.
Gas for my Corolla is roughly 25 a week... usually a bit more than a week. I don't drive all that much.
We're still buying furniture, we need a TV, TV Stand, Wii, Vacuum, etc. So that's not really a viable thing to calculate.

I currently don't make any money, but if Kaplan gives me a position, I'll get maybe 100 after taxes each week I'm working for them or something like that. And if the school tutoring one pulls in, I'll get another 120 a week after taxes maybe.

My parents pay for most of everything right now... I'm trying to avoid buying things that are extremities like the TV and stuff until I get my income going in, then maybe I can.

EDIT: Wow, you guys have some outrageous utility bills! Our Internet is only $20 a month, and I got a $50 Credit so that's two months free. Plus I don't know how you rack up those electricity bills...

[xiao jia]

i have a $7300/semester job but don't have a meal plan, BUT i bring food from home. I still end up using like $7 per day... T_T... because stuff at school is so expensive. so that's 50 per week. i need to start conserving money.

[viedeluxe]

I eat out mostly because that is much cheaper than getting a meal plan. Meal plans cost roughly $12-15 per meal, but when i eat out i can get something filling from $7-11, besides it tastes better than dining hall food.

[WitchGoddess]

I spend like ten dollars a week. I have a job (actually two now) and I have a meal plan/room board so there isn't much to spend money on. I try to save as much as I can so I have money to buy a plane ticket without asking my parents for it. I feel so bad doing that.

[delightful123]

I rarely spent much money outside of tuition and stuff, but junior and senior year, I started going out way more often, and going out is expensive : (. I also end up eating out a lot when I meet up with people for lunch, so that costs money too. Overall, my spending went up from freshman year.

[StayFresh]

as far as college and tuition as a freshmen, i spent about 600 total this semester. i currently have a job that pays about 800 a month, lol it isnt that much but about 500 goes to my car and the rest i just try to save up. i love eating out but rarely since that costs money. occasionally ill buy fast food for about 5 bucks a meal. staying at home with parents really help as i dont have to worry about paying for anything. clothing, i often buy shoes lol which is about 100-250 a month. not really a big spender here

[yeuthuong]

I still live on campus but I have no meal plan. I try not to eat out much, maybe just once or twice a week. I usually just buy my own ingredients from the store and cook. So, I just end up spending $15-$20 a week. There's grocery stores and lots of restaurants within walking distance so I don't need a car = no gas money.

[smileD]

Oh my never thought of that. Give me a moment.

Minimum of $100 a month (Gas, Food, Insurance (lucky me I only have to pay $25 month). Lucky I live with my parents.

I don't have a meal plan. Most of my classes are in the morning so I only need to eat lunch before coming home.