<p>^ If you live on campus at my public state U, you are required to get the unlimited meal plan. Cheapest one? $2400/semester.</p>
<p>My kids are super skinny, so we weren’t going to cut back on food expenses. We also paid for plane tickets four RT a year, (T-gvg, Dec, spring break, plus start/end). We also paid for books. So how much did they pay?</p>
<p>Entertainment, any food not on the meal plan, club fees, gas/transportation on any trips into the city with friends, any clothes they bought while at college, misc. Answer: no idea. We did get a call once at 12:00 at night, asking if we’d pay for some replacement of a computer part, @ $29. Otherwise, they were on their own.</p>
<p>It’s so variable.
Oldest attended college in a city with great public transportation.
She wore mostly clothes from high school, and the hipster thing to do was shop the free bins at goodwill.
She was too busy to go out to eat, or drink much ( or at all). She had a meal plan all four years ( smallest one), even when she lived in a townhouse with a roommate, ( college owned), as he could also use her points in the cafeteria.
Appointments at the medical clinic on campus were also included in tuition & fees.
Even free massage!</p>
<p>Her sister on the other hand has lived off campus for the past two years.
More expensive. ( this year in a house, last year in an apt)
Out of rent comes utilities, inc Internet ( & I think the house has cable as well.).
She doesn’t have a car, and public transportation is limited. The closest grocery store is more expensive than the national chains.
She also has much more expensive taste in clothing than her sister. She still is pretty frugal, but she likes high end jeans even if she finds them at consignment shops.
She also works hard, but goes off campus much more than her sister. She goes skiing at a local resort, and goes out with friends on weekends to a pub or restaurant.
Personally, I am happy she does that. While her sister loved her college, the workload could be a little ridiculous.
Transportaction costs have also been higher. She lives about twice as close as her sister, and will come home by bus or car, every other month or so. She also goes to visit her sister during breaks by train which is about 250 miles away from where she is.
She also needs to go to the school clinic regularly to monitor her medication, but ths is public school so those costs are separate ( & they won’t bill insurance).</p>
<p>All the expenses seem reasonable, just higher.</p>
<p>
When DS went back to school over winter break, he and his gf broke up, and his expenses dipped. I was actually happy to see them up a bit a month later - it meant he was going out with friends again!</p>
<p>DS is quite frugal. We pay room/board/books, and he pays all else. We don’t have access to his bank account, but I check with him every so often and he says he’s “good.” </p>
<p>Debated meal plan for next year. This kid loses weight at school b/c he’s picky and b/c he skips meals. Was worried this year about having enough money to make it through. Given his weight issues, decided to leave him on unlimited plan and encourage him to use it!
Made it through the year on $100 laundry as far as I know. Here at home, he throws clothes in the hamper that have been barely worn. Empathize w/ others re showers, etc - his are at least 1/2 hour and often more than once/day. He hates dorm showers (coed bathrooms) so it’s a little present for him. My food bill way up - in milk alone. Noticed this at winter break also - food and utilities all up - but worth it to have him home!</p>
<p>My S definitely spends more than $5500. He is 6’3" and needs a lot of food to maintain his healthy weight, plus he is in an expensive city.</p>
<p>Really good to have a heart-to-heart with kiddo to see whether they will USE the meal plan and what they WANT. Our kids were so happy they could get off the meal plan. They much prefer to grab a bite one campus from time to time when they’re interested and otherwise skip it. They like being able to prepare their own food and eat with friends–buying a LOT of food and supplies from Costco as well as nearby stores.</p>
<p>My friend has her college-aged kids write a budget that they present to the parents to get funded. If it needs to be adjusted, they prepare an amended budget and present it as well. She’s trying to get them to be more conscious of these things. When I asked S to prepare and present a budget, he chose not to and never asked us for money. We agreed that we’d give him funds equal to the lowest-priced meal plan for folks dorming at the school. He was happy with that & stretched it so he used the excess as he chose. We’ve done the same with D. In 2010-2011, it was $2450/semester for the meal plan.</p>