<p>Later this week, I'll be going to a state college and living on campus in a 4-person suite. Scholarships are paying for my tuition. My parents are paying for housing, a meal plan, and most of my textbooks (I only really had to pay for one book). So what I have to pay for myself is just additional stuff like snacks, toiletries, bathroom stuff (roommates and I have to get own toilet paper, clean own bathroom, etc.), club membership fees, going out to dinner/movies with people, etc. </p>
<p>But, I know from experience that I'm not too good at managing the "etc" part of my expenses. In the past week, I've spent $70 just buying stuff on the Internet that isn't really essential. That was fine when I had a job, but I just quit my job this week and I won't be having a job during freshman year (Lots of classes, hard to get a job in a college town, plus I'm volunteering at a research lab). I really need to make a budget and manage my money better.</p>
<p>So, that being said, how does $150 a month sound? With the current state of my savings, that should last me until April, and hopefully my parents can help with the last month. Is this too much, too little, or about right?</p>
<p>I would try to spend less than that even if possible. It doesn’t have to be every month, but if there was ever an emergency or something you don’t want to be stuck because you’ve spent your limit. Not that your parents wouldn’t help you out if it were an emergency (I’m sure they would), but we’ve all got to learn to be self-efficient as much as possible because someday they may not help us. Good luck!</p>
<p>If that would cause you to deplete your savings by April, all of your other expenses (food, rent, tuition, etc) are paid for, and you have a history of trouble managing your money, I would try to lower that amount. Try to spread out your money over the entire school year, at least, or make it even lower so you have some left over just in case something comes up.</p>
<p>If it’s way too low, you can always increase the amount, but it might help you manage your money better if you restrain the amount in the beginning at least.</p>
<p>In reality if all of your food, housing, books, and general expenses are already paid for, you probably can get by with spending less than $100 a month if you don’t buy anything other than the things you really need such as laundry, soap, transportation, etc.</p>
<p>Yeah I am going to second NCISriss. You are going to want to actually save up a bit for emergencies. As a college student you should shoot for always having $1K in cash as a safety measure (and in your situation its completely doable without book/class expenses). It will get you out of pretty much any jam that you get in (Suddenly needing to move, broken down car, etc) and you will also never feel broke.</p>