Spending Money

<p>About how much money, on average, would you say a freshman spends on things that aren't covered in tuitition cost (laundary, eating out, shopping, trips, alcohol)? Are most parties (eating club or not) free alcohol or will partying cost me money also?</p>

<p>I'd like to know that too... (bump) </p>

<p>I have a friend who said the 120$/week he earns at his job are enough to cover all these expenses, but he also said he doesn't buy books and other stuff that this money should be, in part, used for.</p>

<p>Laundry is free, unless you do the plan where they do it for you. But we don't have to pay to use washing machines.</p>

<p>whoa, they have a plan where they do it FOR u? hmm, princeton just became a lot more attractive :p</p>

<p>exactly how much would the aforesaid plan cost, prettyfish?</p>

<p>-H2O-</p>

<p>haha yeah i wish i had known that before....
my mom decided it was more important for me to take home ec this year than a science class bc i cant do laundry, cook, clean, yadda yadda yadda lol</p>

<p>unfortunately for my future roommate, she didnt win the argument</p>

<p>I believe it's 400 dollars a semester. You just set your clothes out and they pick them up, wash them, and return them for you. It's run by students; I'm not sure of the 'official' name of the program, but I know it exists.</p>

<p>Dvd, I'm a parent but I did wonder about your question last year myself, so I'll try to answer it, from my parental point of view of course. </p>

<p>My tiger 08 works a few hours per week on campus and it easily covers the incidental expenses, with some left over to put towards books or I guess next year's expenses. You really don't need much money on campus, but of course you'd have to take your own spending habits into account.</p>

<p>At the beginning of the school year, a book of tickets was given out, I think they're called tiger tickets, and you use them for admission to events and shows and such, or for discounts.
The lectures on campus are incredible--no matter what you're interested in. Authors, choreographers, political and economic headliners, scientists, etc etc etc--you won't be able to go to them all. But the lectures can be crowded, so get there early.
I think the museums are free. The art museum really changes up the exhibits pretty frequently and has lots of lectures too. There are many student performing groups, and the talent is amazing --a cappella and choral and dance troupes, and the jazz and orchestral groups-- they all give performances regularly. And of course you've got all of the games and athletic events too. </p>

<p>Let's see...the movie theatre on Nassau is $6 I think, with your Princeton ID. There are the top box office movies, and foreign flicks there. Million Dollar Baby, Aviator, Neverland...they were there before the Academy Awards. Motorcycle Diaries and Hotel Rowanda were there, and I think now the film that won best documentary is one of the ones playing. </p>

<p>Study breaks are included, the food I mean. I think there's one every week with your RCA (resident college advisor) and those who live near you (it's by floor or parts of the building I think). You might spend money on pizza sometimes, and there are at least several pizza places so you can suit your taste, and there's Thai, Indian, Chinese that I know of, for takeout. You can eat at any dining hall, so you can meet friends from the other colleges (like the ones you meet at OA or CA) for meals if you want.
There's a good 'record store', new and used music. The stores around town are pricey but do have good sales and there is a vintage store and an army and navy. The bookstore has all the Princeton clothing, very acceptable to wear that of course, and they have clothing sales so watch for those.
The McCarter Theatre at the edge of campus is an award-winning regional theatre. There is a play there now called Bells, and Hamlet is coming next. Shows there are more expensive.
It is easy to get to NYC (a lot of people from town commute in to work every day), and there are ways to get discount tickets for shows and concerts in NYC too.</p>

<p>I'm sure some of the Princetonians on the board can tell about the eating club scene better than I can as I've not been to those, but if you like parties, I hear there are some good ones. I can't help you out with the alcohol cost analysis since my kid isn't a drinker.
And Prettyfish is right that for laundry, the washers and driers are free.</p>

<p>Info on the Princeton Credit Union comes in the mail in the summer. They have an atm on campus and an office on Washington, on one side of campus. If you happen to have a bank at home that isn't in town, this is one option.</p>

<p>Hope that helps.</p>

<p>thanks cricket! i'm gonna hafta have all of what I make for work-study go to tuition and books, etc. especially since i'm on the middle class borderline that doesn't get enough fin aid. so is it really feasible to have two jobs. work study and something off campus? is that even allowed? because otherwise i'll have no spending money. :(</p>

<p>Pegdiver, are you an ED admit? Are you a recruited athlete? Check your financial aid award. There is an estimate for Books & Personal expenses. In our experience, that is more than is needed for books and personal expenses. Granted, my kid isn't a big spender. You don't NEED much in the way of spending money, I guess that was my point above. Unless you eat a lot of pizza, or like to shop and so on. And you're going to have summer earnings probably? There should have been an estimate for those on your aid award. Since you have to work, it might be advantagous to work more during the summer rather than too much during the school year, especially if you're diving during the school year. If your diving is precluding summer work, and you won't meet the summer savings expectations-- I'd definitely write or email the aid office with your questions and concerns. (As in,the summer work if that is an issue, as well as diving and working two jobs.) Obviously it does come up that sometimes there is not the opportunity to earn money-- or enough money-- over the summer, because there is a form for this under financial aid on the web site. Maybe check with them after they've finished with the RD aid, in a week or so.</p>

<p>yes i was admitted ed and i was a recruited athlete. unfortunately diving doesn't let me work during the summer. but fortunately they're going to waive my summer savings contribution. mainly because even if i could get a job they'd probably fire me after a week when i could only work past 5 pm in the afternoon, i was tired when i came in, and i was out of town every other weekend. lol. mainly my second job wouldn't be for spending money, most of it would probably still be going to tuition. i've tried talking to the fin aid office about getting more aid, but they told me tough luck, get a student loan. and yah i could do that. but student loans, even tho they have a lower interest rate, etc., still stink. :(</p>

<p>great thread! and thanks so much to pavalon, prettyfish and cricket for the really helpful information.</p>

<p>Hmm, this is what I'm budgeting for next year:</p>

<p>-$30/wk dry cleaning, if I'm careful (basically all my cold-weather clothes and about 1/2 my warm-weather clothes are dry-clean only, which is a pain)
-$35/wk extraneous food expenses... food to keep in my dorm room as well as coffee drinks, maybe a niceish night out
-$20/wk other expenses</p>

<p>Even that $85/wk will be a struggle, seeing as I have never had a job before and am particularly suseptible to Ralph Lauren sales. :)</p>

<p>One key thing to remember is that, as a girl, a lot of things are given to you free by boys! When I go out to eat with a guy and offer to pay, he usually wants to pay all by himself. Or alcohol, ice cream (the two essentials of life ;)), etc. are usually purchased for you even if you have to go dutch on a meal. Hopefully things operate in a similar fashion wherever I end up for college.</p>

<p>Gianievve, you are welcome.</p>

<p>Pegdiver, good of them to waive your summer earnings expectations for you. So a supplementary loan of about $2000-3000 a year or so, then. I guess in your shoes I would really search for outside scholarships, on the scholarship web sites (fastweb and so on?) and especially in your community and your region. Check in your high school counseling office, and also let all of the counselors know you are looking, and your coaches too, in case they hear of anything.
Makes me dizzy even thinking about being up on those diving boards...to be nationally ranked or so, I can't even imagine! Congrats on all of your academic and athletic accomplishments.
And congrats to all of you in the Princeton Class of '09. You have such an incredible time to look forward to!</p>

<p>damn, Ralph Lauren is hella expensive. I went to this outlet in Pennsylvania and the ties were like 55 DOLLARS! Jeez! But it used to be worth 95 dollars. imagine. a tie.... for 95 DOLLARS! ***?</p>

<p>
[quote]
originally posted by **hobbes334**
damn, Ralph Lauren is hella expensive. I went to this outlet in Pennsylvania and the ties were like 55 DOLLARS! Jeez! But it used to be worth 95 dollars. imagine. a tie.... for 95 DOLLARS! ***?

[/quote]
That's when you go, "Hey, mum, can I have a credit card in my name that's linked to your account?" while making big googly Bambi eyes at her. Works like a charm and your bills go to her, so you never have to pay them off. ;) Also works well to remind her that you're going far, far away to school next year - she'll get all teared up and want to spend quality time with you at the mall.</p>

<p>The "Easter Bunny" brought me a lime green RL polo in my basket today; I was very happy until I proceded to get chocolate on it during a bunny-ears binge.</p>

<p>thanks, all for the information. about the mean plans, how much do they cost and what is included? (is the mean plan price included in tuition/room/board)?</p>

<p>Haha I totally agree about the Ralph Lauren outlets... or "outlets".. they dont have much of a sale going on there ever, I think they just purposefully mark them up to crazy prices just so they can mark them down alot so they're an "outlet".. ebay all the way for me. :-p</p>

<p>I use ebay for all my clothing purchases. </p>

<p>RL polos on ebay go for $10-20 new. There's no reason to go to the store or even an outlet.</p>

<p>You'll find that most students are surprisingly cheap about spending. None of my roommates are on financial aid, but they all do not spend excessively. In fact, even though I'm on financial aid, I probably spend more than they do because I have a job and they do not.</p>

<p>Just a comment on laundry service: My Yale friend told me that one of his friends used to use it at Yale, until they lost his laundry for two weeks and his friend had no clean clothes for that time. If it's student done for workstudy, it probably isn't the best service.</p>