How much does your child spend at college?

[Anonymous]

After tuition, housing, meal plan, fees... do you have a sense of how much your kid spends per semester?

Mine kid got scholarships that cover the full tuition; I can afford the housing and other ancillary costs. But I don't know what to budget for spending money, or if I even should. I don't want them to work much, especially not freshman year.

I think my folks gave me $1000 per semester, from which I was expected to buy books and pizza and the occasional train ticket to the city/ concert ticket etc; they figured there wouldn't be much left over for booze.

[Anonymous]

I'm pretty sure that this will vary based on the norms at the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:After tuition, housing, meal plan, fees... do you have a sense of how much your kid spends per semester?

Mine kid got scholarships that cover the full tuition; I can afford the housing and other ancillary costs. But I don't know what to budget for spending money, or if I even should. I don't want them to work much, especially not freshman year.

I think my folks gave me $1000 per semester, from which I was expected to buy books and pizza and the occasional train ticket to the city/ concert ticket etc; they figured there wouldn't be much left over for booze.

I don't track it, but I'd say less than $2000 a semester - I just give him a credit card and let him use it for incidentals and occasional take-out meals. I probably spoil him a little, but I don't want him to have my experience (dining hall card running out of $$ with a month of classes left, and scrambling for food with no money in my pocket).

[Anonymous]

My kid gets $1200 per month to cover all food and other expenses (no cafeteria). My husband thinks it's far too much, and it's been a bit of a tension, but I've told the kid I don't want them to ever say no to a social or academic experience due to money. Kid is not the party type . . . .

We can afford this (kid got a scholarship); I realize we are lucky to be able to do so.

[Anonymous]

$75 per week or so

[Anonymous]

OP here-- I should mention that I want to give an upfront amount to last the full semester, to encourage budgeting. I know too many folks who never had to learn, and I think it's a crucial skill for financial well-being. If they spend it all by October *shrug* they'll still have a dorm room and a meal plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After tuition, housing, meal plan, fees... do you have a sense of how much your kid spends per semester?

Mine kid got scholarships that cover the full tuition; I can afford the housing and other ancillary costs. But I don't know what to budget for spending money, or if I even should. I don't want them to work much, especially not freshman year.

I think my folks gave me $1000 per semester, from which I was expected to buy books and pizza and the occasional train ticket to the city/ concert ticket etc; they figured there wouldn't be much left over for booze.

I don't track it, but I'd say less than $2000 a semester - I just give him a credit card and let him use it for incidentals and occasional take-out meals. I probably spoil him a little, but I don't want him to have my experience (dining hall card running out of $$ with a month of classes left, and scrambling for food with no money in my pocket).

Same here. I have no idea because we don't track it. We do monitor the credit card and there is never anything excessive on there. Food, amazon, grocery store runs are pretty much most of it. If they go out to bars they spend their own money.

[Anonymous]

No idea. Not much. It’s his money so I don’t know.

[Anonymous]

Depends a lot, I think, on your specific kid and where they are.

My super frugal DD at a rural school spends barely anything. She thinks it is a waste of money to spend money on food off campus when she has a dining plan covering everything she could need. There's not a ton to do off campus but she does some thrift store shopping and orders art supplies from Amazon. Her books/supplies are all included in tuition.

Less frugal DS at a big school in a lively town eats out a lot, goes to movies, bowling, golfing, football games, buys clothes, pays for books (those we reimburse from his 529 account).

Both had money from summer jobs going into freshman year so we don't pay for any of those expenses. DS did run through his summer earnings during 1st year, a couple thousand maybe? That made him very motivated to work the next summer and then got an on campus job for 10 hrs a week the next year.

[Anonymous]

We put $750/semester into our child's bank account. They are responsible for paying their own credit card bills; and have always paid in full and on time. They only use our credit card for books and plane tickets home. Haircuts, clothes, meals out, etc they pay for on their own. They are at a school where most activities happen on campus and they are not in a city, so kids aren't going out to dinner or clubs every night.

I think the money we give, plus their summer job money, has been plenty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here-- I should mention that I want to give an upfront amount to last the full semester, to encourage budgeting. I know too many folks who never had to learn, and I think it's a crucial skill for financial well-being. If they spend it all by October *shrug* they'll still have a dorm room and a meal plan.

I'd start with giving an amount each month for the first semester. Maybe spring semester you give the lump sum for all the months combined. Ease him in to budgeting.

[Anonymous]

College Board's Big Future website has a section on costs (other than tuition and on-campus housing) We found it spot-on

[Anonymous]

They are on a meal plan and live on campus. We limit them to roughly $1,000 month spend for things like frat dues, meals out, clothing purchases, ubers, etc.

[Anonymous]

My husband gets the charge and he doesn’t really check, except he said he seems to have less money than he thinks he should. 🤕🙈

[Anonymous]

We auto transfer $200/month. Separately from that, we pay for frat dues, books (minimal) and the occasional t-shirt. He doesn't use Uber where he attends and rarely eats out. Meal plan and laundry card cover the rest of his expenses.