<p>How much does the average Cal student spend per week or month on things like eating off campus, school supplies, toiletries, just general expenses, etc? I'm opening my own bank account for my 1st year at Cal and trying to figure out how much to put in.</p>
<p>Probably 1k per semester.</p>
<p>I’ve spent about 3k each semester I’ve been here.</p>
<p>Well, back when I had meal plans, I’d only spend about 2k.</p>
<p>does that include textbooks?</p>
<p>Daaaang people. What are you buying?</p>
<p>I actually calculated my expenses for fall 2009 last year, then I lost the paper but I still remember them vaguely. Under 1K for sure. My parents gave me spending money and there’s no way in h*ll they’d give me 1K.</p>
<p>~$200 for outside food (had mealplan)
~$150 for the random buy (also random used books that I never read because I took heavy-reading courses)
~$200 for toiletries, girl stuff
~$200 for clothes/shopping in SF with friends and whatnot</p>
<p>I was better in the spring. I got a credit card and paid for everything, including small things like $7 meals, with it. I spent like $500 and I’ll give in an extra $100 for stuff I bought with cash that I can’t remember.</p>
<p>sup3rus3r: My totals don’t include textbooks. I probably spent $550 on books and school supplies (I stocked up at Target before school started and Welcome Week — didn’t buy school supplies during school).</p>
<p>Err… my mom’s giving me $500 a month, but that’s probably overkill xD I spend a lot on food each week at home during high school, but I didn’t have a meal plan back then.</p>
<p>Yeah, my parents think I spend a lot. But in the beginning with meal points, I didn’t spend very much. I went to san francisco a few times and bought clothes so that took all of my $200 and I needed more but I ordered online with their credit card. : ] and then I did some of the summer events which cost 20 bucks each and that took a little bit of it too. So I’d say $300 is good and then ask them again when you need money or they’ll think you’re asking for too much.</p>
<p>How on Earth does anyone get by on a $200 food budget? The basic meal plan only gives you enough points for 14 meals a week. Even if you skip breakfast on weekends, you are still short 5 meals a week.</p>
<p>I also question spending $200 on toiletries. My total expense on toiletries probably did not exceed $50 and certainly did not exceed $100. But then again I am not a girl so that’s probably why.</p>
<p>re: Cavilier</p>
<p>I ate cereal every weekday morning (Costco cereal and meal point milk) and usually woke up so late on weekends I missed breakfast/sometimes missed lunch, oops. I also lived in Foothill, so I usually spent 4 meal points on a combo lunch and maybe 5-7 meal points on a combo dinner. I think my food budget will rise now that Foothill is back to all-you-can eat.</p>
<p>And, I get a little excited in lotion and makeup stores, okay?</p>
<p>Cavilier, I was wondering the exact same thing! I mean, girls can probably get by but idk I eat more than the average girl… You’d think Cal would at least give us enough points for 3 meals a day per semester…</p>
<p>@arduouspallor-That’s a good angle, but eating Costco cereal every morning must have been really boring. For a while I did the same thing, but it was peanut butter sandwiches not cereal and milk. I’m not sure if I would advise anyone to do the same because the blandness is overwhelming.</p>
<p>Oh now I get it lol. Sorry if it seemed like I was teasing you about spending $200 dollars on toiletries. That’s actually kinda cute.</p>
<p>@cantsaywho- On the bright side it does give you a chance to try outside food. Berkeley has a lot of restaurants that are pretty good.</p>
<p>From my experience, I don’t advise anyone to spend all their meals at the dining halls. The dining halls usually aren’t that great, but even if you find them okay they will get boring REALLY fast.</p>
<p>where else would you spend your meal points? if anything, i’d say to minimize sprees at any of the campus stores (GBC, Den, Ramona’s, etc) because everything there is clearly overpriced (clif bar: 99 cents, at GBC/anywhere campus store: 2.85…)</p>
<p>I mean to not spend 3 meals/day, 7 days/week at the dining halls.</p>
<p>oh. haha yeah. i don’t even think that’s possible on a regular meal plan. that’s how they get the freshmen to buy more points. hah
i sure wish i had gone to breakfast a lot more though. omelettes are an awesome way to kick off the day.</p>
<p>My spendings (living by myself and no meal plan)
- Groceries: $200-250/month
- Going out/drinks: ~$50-100/month
- Toiletries/Household stuff: ~$30/month
- Shopping random stuff/clothes: < $100/month</p>
<p>Other expenses include rent, internet, electricity, etc. In total I spent around $1200/month.</p>
<p>People’s parents give them money? Wut.</p>
<p>I spend about $300-$400 on textbooks a semester and I might eat out… Once a month. So overall, $600 a semester.</p>
<p>Nice chao! What groceries do you buy for 200 bucks that can last you five months???</p>
<p>This awesome thing called a meal plan! It’s like, included in your room and board!</p>
<p>oh what. i thought you were living in an apartment. haha</p>