<p>I'm trying to form preliminary budget plans with regard to my target summer net earnings, so I'm interested to hear from techers how much spending money they bring / use during a year (this being independent of books and academic-related fees, I'm talking entertainment/extra food, plus weekend meals).</p>
<p>For reference, my spending habits tend to be...</p>
<p>Food
-Energy drinks (was very happy to see c-store has Bawls!!) probably averaging at least 1 a day
-Snack food - not an excessive amount, but i do have candy/muffin/bagel/toast/popcorn/chips/etc now and then in the afternoon
-Weekend meals - I would probably eat at Chandler (it's open right?) or $5-10 meals at fast food nearby, or cook myself occasionally</p>
<p>Entertainment
-New computer game every 2-3 months
-The occasional interesting book -- often programming-related
-Occasional movie (maybe once or twice a month)
-Ultimate frisbee (woohoo low-cost fun)</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Food
-Energy drinks (was very happy to see c-store has Bawls!!) probably averaging at least 1 a day
You can comfortably pay for that at the c-store out of declining balance - most people have more than enough to last a term's lunches plus snacks and and drinks and things.
-Snack food - not an excessive amount, but i do have candy/muffin/bagel/toast/popcorn/chips/etc now and then in the afternoon
Ditto.
-Weekend meals - I would probably eat at Chandler (it's open right?) or $5-10 meals at fast food nearby, or cook myself occasionally
Chandler is closed on weekends. People either get food delivered (expect to spend about $10 per meal, maybe $20 per weekend on food total if you do this), go out to eat (a bit more pricey), or cook themselves - most people get by on one large meal a day during weekends.</p>
<p>$5-$10 from nearby fast food is still an option though. </p>
<p>Liz, you may want to look at your sample population when you say "most people get by on one large meal a day during weekends." I think most people take better care of themselves than that. </p>
<p>Cereal and milk for weekend breakfasts, maybe a banana: no more than $1.50/week. Fast food: $5ish per meal. Better food: $10-ish. Cook for self: varies. </p>
<p>Also, the social science experimental laboratory (SSEL) conducts experiments in economics and other things. Participants are usually paid around $20-40, but payoffs in the hundred dollar range are not unheard of. Great way to make spending money during the year. Work study positions are available in the library, students can serve as waiters (I don't think frosh can hold jobs until second or third term, but these are options that will be available to you then). </p>
<p>This thread is now about Will Wright's "Spore".</p>
<p>I eat at the many good (and affordable) restaurants around campus on the weekends. There's Thai (my favorite), Chinese, Indian, American, Middle Eastern, you name it. All within a 10 minute bike ride at most. I rarely spend more than $10 on a meal. If you eat with friends and share a few dishes you can save a few bucks.</p>
<p>On Sundays, the Avery Bistro (on campus) serves wonderful brunch with waiters and white tablecloths, which you can buy using your board money. It's delicious.</p>
<p>If you want to eat multiple times per day, it is indeed possible.</p>
<p>I tend to budget around $1000 a term outside of textbooks and food. However, I'm a girl with a weakness for books, movies and clothes -- guys tend to spend a lot less money. People without a car also spend less money (I didn't count the new monthly parking fee in, but I did count in gas and maintenance.)</p>
<p>While living on campus I usually eat food from the C-Store on the weekends. I rotate between their prepackaged sandwiches, pasta, chef-boy-rd, and calzones. This tends to run me about $100 over declining balance per term. About once every other weekend I go out to eat (for me, it's more a matter of time-saving and weird eating hours than money-saving). </p>
<p>You don't mention any driving related expenses above, so I assume you don't have a car. However, when you do go out, someone will be driving and you should pay for parking, which runs $2-6 in Pasadena and $4-8 in LA. (They're paying gas and maintenance on their car, it's only fair for you to pay parking.) </p>
<p>Movies tend to be expensive here (in my opinion, coming from Texas). Paseo is the most commonly used and most expensive theatre -- student tickets are 8.50 and parking is $2-4.</p>
<p>Lastly, you should budget a slush fund for the beginning of your frosh year and for the beginning of the first time you move off campus. This would be for buying random household things like lamps, desk organizers, bedding, dishes, kitchenware, etc. Once again, I'm a girl so I tend to spend more in this department than a guy would.</p>
<p>I should also add that being a tour guide is a great way to earn money -- they pay very well ($20-$40 for a 1 hour tour) and you get to work on your speaking skills. It's also one of the few jobs on campus that doesn't require work study.</p>
<p>The best job I know (although I'm a bit biased here) is to be a writer for the student newspaper, The California Tech. Pay varies from $15-$30 depending on length/quality of the article, and you can get two free lunches per week.</p>
<p>You don't need to be on work-study for this. Email <a href="mailto:tech@caltech.edu">tech@caltech.edu</a> if you're interested!</p>