Studying abroad in Rome - how much spending money?

[Anonymous]

every girl that my kids knew who went abroad spent tens of thousands, the guy friends were typically much more frugal and spent less. Take that for what it is LOL.

I will also add that I am good friends with one of my DD's friends' moms and the daughter did not tell the mom nearly half of what she did, and where she was, and how much she spent. Thankfully that kid had like $20K saved up so she paid for most, but the stories my DD told me that the mom certainly didn't know about... terrifying.

[Anonymous]

Whatever she has saved from her summer job. She did have a job, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP again ^^ - I should mention that all of the traveling my DC did was sharing inexpensive AirBnBs and hostels. Nothing was luxurious at all, it just costs a ton to travel in Europe. And about half of DC’s spending money came from their own savings. Not a “spoiled rich kid”.

You're so out of touch it's not even funny. No normal student can afford to travel around like that. It's nice your kid was able to earn and save so much of their own money, but he was able to keep that money for fun spending because YOU are rich, don't need his help and are paying for his education! Many students earn money for their families, PP and many students pay for their education. The money they earn they need to spend on serious things. I was a teaching assistant at a large research university and some of my undergrad students worked very long hours to afford some of their tuition.

You seriously need some perspective, and the other PP does as well. For shame. It's not just the kids who are spoiled in your families, it's YOU.

Look - the OP asked and we answered. There are tons of students who going on study abroad and find ways to see the countries and cities around them when they have free time. Ever heard of backpacking around Europe?

But most importantly, I don't need a lecture about kids who work hard to pay for their own education - both my spouse and I WERE those kids! We have worked hard and are now happy to have the means to send our kid on a study abroad program and help pay for some of his spending money - and I feel no need whatsoever to apologize for that. If anyone needs some perspective here, it's YOU. Those students you describe are no doubt parents now and proud to help their own children experience what they weren't able to. For shame, indeed.

+ a million to all of the above

Not really. These parents are in weird denial that their kids are not privileged. Posters are telling them that they need to recognize their privilege. Schlepping around Europe is not given to most young adults, even in hostels, and the fact that the parents, back in the day, backpacked across Europe, has nothing to do with their children's more comfortable lifestyle. I mean, this is so blindingly obvious. But apparently a nerve was hit and that poster is pushing back, which is incredibly irrational

[Anonymous]

Food and estimated personal expenses (which the schools often underestimate in their published cost of attendance) alone for a semester at UVA are $5k. The same at Georgetown are over $5k. Not sure why people are freaking out about a $7-10k total spend (sans housing) when you take into account the extra travel and unique experiences that you wouldn’t be doing at your home campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP again ^^ - I should mention that all of the traveling my DC did was sharing inexpensive AirBnBs and hostels. Nothing was luxurious at all, it just costs a ton to travel in Europe. And about half of DC’s spending money came from their own savings. Not a “spoiled rich kid”.

You're so out of touch it's not even funny. No normal student can afford to travel around like that. It's nice your kid was able to earn and save so much of their own money, but he was able to keep that money for fun spending because YOU are rich, don't need his help and are paying for his education! Many students earn money for their families, PP and many students pay for their education. The money they earn they need to spend on serious things. I was a teaching assistant at a large research university and some of my undergrad students worked very long hours to afford some of their tuition.

You seriously need some perspective, and the other PP does as well. For shame. It's not just the kids who are spoiled in your families, it's YOU.

Look - the OP asked and we answered. There are tons of students who going on study abroad and find ways to see the countries and cities around them when they have free time. Ever heard of backpacking around Europe?

But most importantly, I don't need a lecture about kids who work hard to pay for their own education - both my spouse and I WERE those kids! We have worked hard and are now happy to have the means to send our kid on a study abroad program and help pay for some of his spending money - and I feel no need whatsoever to apologize for that. If anyone needs some perspective here, it's YOU. Those students you describe are no doubt parents now and proud to help their own children experience what they weren't able to. For shame, indeed.

+ a million to all of the above

Not really. These parents are in weird denial that their kids are not privileged. Posters are telling them that they need to recognize their privilege. Schlepping around Europe is not given to most young adults, even in hostels, and the fact that the parents, back in the day, backpacked across Europe, has nothing to do with their children's more comfortable lifestyle. I mean, this is so blindingly obvious. But apparently a nerve was hit and that poster is pushing back, which is incredibly irrational

You sound unhinged, seriously. Why are you so worked about how others chose to spend their money?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$3,800/month for an apartment in Italy is… certainly a choice. About double the cost of a basic one br in DC.

I’m really confused by this. What part of the city was it in? I almost moved to Rome with my family and we were looking at very large apartments that cost not much more than that. Did you rent them a 3br overlooking a monument or something?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:$3,800/month for an apartment in Italy is… certainly a choice. About double the cost of a basic one br in DC.

I’m really confused by this. What part of the city was it in? I almost moved to Rome with my family and we were looking at very large apartments that cost not much more than that. Did you rent them a 3br overlooking a monument or something?

Not that poster, but imagine there is a premium to rent a fully furnished apartment for only four months.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP again ^^ - I should mention that all of the traveling my DC did was sharing inexpensive AirBnBs and hostels. Nothing was luxurious at all, it just costs a ton to travel in Europe. And about half of DC’s spending money came from their own savings. Not a “spoiled rich kid”.

You're so out of touch it's not even funny. No normal student can afford to travel around like that. It's nice your kid was able to earn and save so much of their own money, but he was able to keep that money for fun spending because YOU are rich, don't need his help and are paying for his education! Many students earn money for their families, PP and many students pay for their education. The money they earn they need to spend on serious things. I was a teaching assistant at a large research university and some of my undergrad students worked very long hours to afford some of their tuition.

You seriously need some perspective, and the other PP does as well. For shame. It's not just the kids who are spoiled in your families, it's YOU.

Dp, this is a very strange response. Everyone gets to chose their own priorities in life. Spending on travel, if one can afford it, is one of the better ways.

Another clueless rich person. Most of the American population has no such option. They spend their money on necessities, not luxuries.

DP. Why are you even on this thread if you have such obvious disdain for those of us who allow our kids to travel, go on study abroad, etc? Did it never occur to you that perhaps we have worked hard to be able to afford this and that it wasn't just handed to us?

[Anonymous]

Couple thousand a week at least

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP again ^^ - I should mention that all of the traveling my DC did was sharing inexpensive AirBnBs and hostels. Nothing was luxurious at all, it just costs a ton to travel in Europe. And about half of DC’s spending money came from their own savings. Not a “spoiled rich kid”.

You're so out of touch it's not even funny. No normal student can afford to travel around like that. It's nice your kid was able to earn and save so much of their own money, but he was able to keep that money for fun spending because YOU are rich, don't need his help and are paying for his education! Many students earn money for their families, PP and many students pay for their education. The money they earn they need to spend on serious things. I was a teaching assistant at a large research university and some of my undergrad students worked very long hours to afford some of their tuition.

You seriously need some perspective, and the other PP does as well. For shame. It's not just the kids who are spoiled in your families, it's YOU.

Look - the OP asked and we answered. There are tons of students who going on study abroad and find ways to see the countries and cities around them when they have free time. Ever heard of backpacking around Europe?

But most importantly, I don't need a lecture about kids who work hard to pay for their own education - both my spouse and I WERE those kids! We have worked hard and are now happy to have the means to send our kid on a study abroad program and help pay for some of his spending money - and I feel no need whatsoever to apologize for that. If anyone needs some perspective here, it's YOU. Those students you describe are no doubt parents now and proud to help their own children experience what they weren't able to. For shame, indeed.

Nope, you are still in the wrong. You do not complain about how expensive it is in the same breath as detailing a wealthy student's life. You do not pretend that your student isn't a spoiled rich kid just because he "slummed" it while doing extra travel he did just for fun.

I am wealthy. My kids are "spoiled rich kids" because they were born into my family (very nice ones, and they volunteer and are aware of their privilege). I would NEVER write what you wrote, or what the other PP wrote. We can afford some luxuries. We do not complain about how expensive they are. We do not pretend that our extras in life, however modest they might seem to our circle, are anything but privilege.

Most of the US is suffering under inflation and struggling to buy what they need, let alone what they want. Get out of your bubble and choose your words more carefully.

The chip on your shoulder must be visible from space. Nowhere did I "complain" about how expensive Europe/study abroad is - I simply acknowledged that yes, it IS indeed expensive. I also said my kid's spending money was about half his own - money that HE EARNED.

Not sure what your problem is, but may I remind you this thread is specifically about how much money (on average) to budget for study abroad. The PP and I - and others - have answered based on our kids' experiences. All you seem to want to do is troll by accusing us of something - not even sure what, nor do I care. Go away and start your own sullen, sulky, pious thread if you want, but the rest of us will continue discussing the topic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP again ^^ - I should mention that all of the traveling my DC did was sharing inexpensive AirBnBs and hostels. Nothing was luxurious at all, it just costs a ton to travel in Europe. And about half of DC’s spending money came from their own savings. Not a “spoiled rich kid”.

You're so out of touch it's not even funny. No normal student can afford to travel around like that. It's nice your kid was able to earn and save so much of their own money, but he was able to keep that money for fun spending because YOU are rich, don't need his help and are paying for his education! Many students earn money for their families, PP and many students pay for their education. The money they earn they need to spend on serious things. I was a teaching assistant at a large research university and some of my undergrad students worked very long hours to afford some of their tuition.

You seriously need some perspective, and the other PP does as well. For shame. It's not just the kids who are spoiled in your families, it's YOU.

Look - the OP asked and we answered. There are tons of students who going on study abroad and find ways to see the countries and cities around them when they have free time. Ever heard of backpacking around Europe?

But most importantly, I don't need a lecture about kids who work hard to pay for their own education - both my spouse and I WERE those kids! We have worked hard and are now happy to have the means to send our kid on a study abroad program and help pay for some of his spending money - and I feel no need whatsoever to apologize for that. If anyone needs some perspective here, it's YOU. Those students you describe are no doubt parents now and proud to help their own children experience what they weren't able to. For shame, indeed.

+ a million to all of the above

Not really. These parents are in weird denial that their kids are not privileged. Posters are telling them that they need to recognize their privilege. Schlepping around Europe is not given to most young adults, even in hostels, and the fact that the parents, back in the day, backpacked across Europe, has nothing to do with their children's more comfortable lifestyle. I mean, this is so blindingly obvious. But apparently a nerve was hit and that poster is pushing back, which is incredibly irrational

Lady, you are the one whose nerve was hit and who is irrationally "pushing back". I'm the poster who said that my spouse and I had to work to put ourselves through college. After all that work, we did well and are now happy to give our kids opportunities that we didn't have. You seem upset by that. This is solely a you problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Food and estimated personal expenses (which the schools often underestimate in their published cost of attendance) alone for a semester at UVA are $5k. The same at Georgetown are over $5k. Not sure why people are freaking out about a $7-10k total spend (sans housing) when you take into account the extra travel and unique experiences that you wouldn’t be doing at your home campus.

+1
There's only one person freaking out and she clearly has issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:$3,800/month for an apartment in Italy is… certainly a choice. About double the cost of a basic one br in DC.

I’m really confused by this. What part of the city was it in? I almost moved to Rome with my family and we were looking at very large apartments that cost not much more than that. Did you rent them a 3br overlooking a monument or something?

Not that poster, but imagine there is a premium to rent a fully furnished apartment for only four months.

Calling BS - Found a VRBO about 20 mins near Vatican for $2K a month. Get a roommate and it's $1K.

the kid stayed at a nice hotel for 4 months. If he can afford it then great but don't equate it with a barebones.