Hi folks, DS is moving off campus next year as a junior. The apartment he’s moving into is more expensive than his dorm fees, and we are trying to figure out what his monthly grocery budget would be (if he eats out, he’s on his own). He thought $200 a month would be fine, but I don’t want him to be eating ramen and hotdogs for the next year, and I thought groceries would be higher. What do you all think? BTW, he still loves O.U. and really feels at home there. Hope your kids are well also!
Our D is doing the same thing next year. There is is both a Kroger and a Walmart out on E. State St. and their prices are much less than anything near campus. It depends on what is included in the food budget and how much he likes to cook. Pastas, breads, rice, beans etc. are all pretty cheap but can take some forethought. If he shops at Kroger I would get my meats from the deli or the meat counter. He can get just what he need rather than purchasing it in preset packages and having it go bad. I recommend frozen vegetables as opposed to fresh as they can be kept for future meals and not spoil. The less processed the food the cheaper it will be. One big trip when he first move in to get some staples such as cooking oil, spices, vinegars, salt, pepper, soy sauce, etc. can go a long way in setting him up for planning a variety of meals. Toiletries can add to the budget as can eating out. For a single person $50 a week might be enough if he isn’t including eating out or alcohol in his budget and he’s willing to do some cooking and not eat all processed foods. I think that’s the budget my older D has set up. She’s lived off campus since her sophomore year and she’s a senior.
A couple of side notes. I think OU’s off campus housing is expensive compared to my other D’s school (Purdue). Our OU child is having a great time and doing great. I know she’s looking forward to having a vehicle on campus next year.
@JessicaO An update here. D is moving in to her first apt. next Tuesday. Athens does have an Aldi. It’s a less expensive alternative for staples such as milk, eggs, some types of cheeses, certain vegetables and fruits, coffee, and canned goods. He will need to keep his own grocery bags though they will sell them for 7 cents each. It’s also a good idea to keep a quarter available. You put a quarter in to get a shopping cart and they give it back to you when you return it. It really is considerably cheaper for these items. I still would recommend shopping at a meat counter for most meats. It may be cheaper at Aldi but at the meat counter at Kroger you purchase just what you need. Less chance of it going bad. Good luck this year!