<p>On average, how much did you spend a year while attending UF? The current cost of attendance for freshman starting in Fall 2012 is approximately $20,000 but I would like to know how much students truly spend when taking all costs into consideration. My full need is not met by UF (I'm still going though) and I'm worried that I may suffer due to insufficient funds. They're giving me about 15,800 in financial aid, and this includes BF, Pell Grant, Stafford Loan, and Douglas Turner Grant. I have $3,000 in savings from a job I've had for a few months, but I will be quitting that job in August, since I obviously can't work there if I'm 6 hours away at school. I don't want to spend all my savings if I don't have to because my family does not make a lot of money, so they really can't give me much more. Any info that you can provide would be greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>15k is enough. I spent 7000 on tuition over the last 10 months, and made about 10k in other transactions. i don’t live particularly frugally, i take some graduate classes which are more expensive than undergrad level classes, have already paid tuition for summer A and summer B, and i don’t exactly live in a cheap apartment complex.</p>
<p>i spent considerably less on non-tuition stuff my freshman year.</p>
<p>15k is enough to make it until next summer, where you can work in gainesville or your home town. after that second summer, being able to afford stuff should get easier.</p>
<p>Oh thank goodness. x) It’s really good to know this sort of thing. I don’t expect to live luxuriously but I do want to be comfortable and not stress about money more than I have to. Did you have a meal plan your freshman year or did you buy your own food?</p>
<p>You should also consider getting a job during the school year. There are many jobs on campus and nearby off-campus. Most students can handle working 15-20 hours a week during the school year.</p>
<p>Sounds like we’re living off of the same amount! That’s what I receive from UF (not as a freshman though), and it’s definitely doable, especially since you’ll have a meal plan and won’t be paying out of pocket for groceries and other food things (at least not regularly). I live in one of the more expensive apartment complexes around here, and I’m not frugal either, and I do fine. I think you could probably live off of that and maybe take a small amount out of your savings just to help out your bank account (like $500 per semester, so $1000 total).</p>