Expenses of Moving Away for College

[Vmack]

I'm going to be moving away for a year of college in Ontario this fall. I'm trying to figure out my expenses.

I will be living on campus, so that minimizes gas and travel. My dorm room is furnished with all of the typical appliances.

What are some expenses you have incurred, or would expect to incur while being away for college? I will be trying to keep food costs to a minimum since its not for too long. I wont be eating out all the time, and am going to try limiting drinking and partying.

[leftwing]

Well you covered most of the costs in your post.

Living on campus will make it easy to rip home between classes and grab a bite, but it will also be super easy to just stop at the food court on campus and buy food. I would bet that you will eat out more than you expect. Same goes with partying/drinking. Depending on how social you are, you will most likely spend more (a lot more) on booze than you expect.

Have you thought about flights home? How often, if it all do you expect to fly home?

Texts books are brutally expensive for a lot of programs, especially science classes typically. Not sure if you have factored that in yet.

Would you play intramural sports? They are pretty cheap depending on sport but still costs a few dollars.

[thetransporter]

This maybe unrelated- but what are you planning on learning .. . .

[ExtraSlow]

Most places have a meal plan you can prepurchase. Look into that.

[Vmack]

Originally posted by leftwing
Well you covered most of the costs in your post.

Living on campus will make it easy to rip home between classes and grab a bite, but it will also be super easy to just stop at the food court on campus and buy food. I would bet that you will eat out more than you expect. Same goes with partying/drinking. Depending on how social you are, you will most likely spend more (a lot more) on booze than you expect.

Have you thought about flights home? How often, if it all do you expect to fly home?

Texts books are brutally expensive for a lot of programs, especially science classes typically. Not sure if you have factored that in yet.

Would you play intramural sports? They are pretty cheap depending on sport but still costs a few dollars.

I don't plan on playing sports since its just for a short time. It'll be weird not doing that, but a gym pass is included in my tuition so that'll hold me over in the mean time.

the school said textbooks would cost around 1500, but I found most of them on amazon for a total of under 500 all together.

My parents have offered to pay for my flight over the holidays, if I wanna go home for reading week I'll likely pay it for myself. I have a lot of points I can use towards my flight.

I am social, but I also need to get at least straight B's to graduate, so that may help me focus on school

Originally posted by thetransporter
This maybe unrelated- but what are you planning on learning .. . .

Taking a program in MRI Tech.

Originally posted by ExtraSlow
Most places have a meal plan you can prepurchase. Look into that.

I'll look into that, could help me save a few

[CivicTunr]

Originally posted by Vmack

I don't plan on playing sports since its just for a short time. It'll be weird not doing that, but a gym pass is included in my tuition so that'll hold me over in the mean time.

the school said textbooks would cost around 1500, but I found most of them on amazon for a total of under 500 all together.

My parents have offered to pay for my flight over the holidays, if I wanna go home for reading week I'll likely pay it for myself. I have a lot of points I can use towards my flight.

I am social, but I also need to get at least straight B's to graduate, so that may help me focus on school



Taking a program in MRI Tech.



I'll look into that, could help me save a few

i found the meal plan is actually more expensive than cooking for yourself. and their selection wasn't always the greatest. This was at U of A Lister Center so i dont know about your res. But if you dont mind cooking, do that. Also the food wasn't the greatest.

[woodywoodford]

Originally posted by CivicTunr


i found the meal plan is actually more expensive than cooking for yourself. and their selection wasn't always the greatest. This was at U of A Lister Center so i dont know about your res. But if you dont mind cooking, do that. Also the food wasn't the greatest.

Lister food was TERRIBLE, but having a meal card is nice- one upfront cost and good for the semester

[Vmack]

Originally posted by CivicTunr


i found the meal plan is actually more expensive than cooking for yourself. and their selection wasn't always the greatest. This was at U of A Lister Center so i dont know about your res. But if you dont mind cooking, do that. Also the food wasn't the greatest.

Originally posted by woodywoodford


Lister food was TERRIBLE, but having a meal card is nice- one upfront cost and good for the semester

hopefully I'll stick to my plan of prepping food myself and not going to the campus restaurants too often

[killramos]

Originally posted by Vmack


hopefully I'll stick to my plan of prepping food myself and not going to the campus restaurants too often

i would budget to eat out 4-5 times a month at least. you are going to drunk order pizza etc. its a reality. I had meal plan and you just get tired of the food every once in a while.

Meal plan is good because if you are actually focusing on school (I did engg so this was important) it is just one less thing to think about. You can be pretty self sufficient that way for a month or two without needing to go to the store.

also budget for netflix. period.

That being said i lived on both sides of the spectrum living in res for two years ( one with a roommate ) and having an apartment where i did everything for 2 more years. Both are doable you just need to make a call on what you want to do...

[RX_EVOLV]

Just thinking back to my experience living on Campus @ the UofA many many years ago in addition to Tuition and Books

Major expenses
- Dorm Room
- Meal plan + other spending on fast food (ie Subway, Wendys, Booster Juice, Timmys, and everything else within a 5 block radius)
- Utensils, bowls, cups, pots and pans etc.
- Mini fridge
- Groceries like tooth paste, shampoo, pop, chips, etc.
- Computer (Desktop) + computer speaker
- bed sheets, pillow, blanket, towels etc.
- Redarrow tickets for going home
- Transportation cost (i.e. bus to West Ed or train to downtown)
- Going out (you tend to go out to movies and bars and what not alot more often when you are living in dorm and surrounded by people who are always doing 'stuff')

That's all I can of for the moment...

It definitly wasn't cheap and alot of small stuff adds up.

[Vmack]

Originally posted by RX_EVOLV
Just thinking back to my experience living on Campus @ the UofA many many years ago in addition to Tuition and Books

Major expenses
- Dorm Room
- Meal plan + other spending on fast food (ie Subway, Wendys, Booster Juice, Timmys, and everything else within a 5 block radius)
- Utensils, bowls, cups, pots and pans etc.
- Mini fridge
- Groceries like tooth paste, shampoo, pop, chips, etc.
- Computer (Desktop) + computer speaker
- bed sheets, pillow, blanket, towels etc.
- Redarrow tickets for going home
- Transportation cost (i.e. bus to West Ed or train to downtown)
- Going out (you tend to go out to movies and bars and what not alot more often when you are living in dorm and surrounded by people who are always doing 'stuff')

That's all I can of for the moment...

It definitly wasn't cheap and alot of small stuff adds up.

Thanks, thats a solid list. Since I'm driving out there, I can take utensils and hopefully some of the other hygeine products to get me started, and bedding with me. Living on campus will cut back on gas/bus fare. I think it still comes down to food and nights out. That'll change if I get my practicum in a different city of course. Hoping for a city where I have family who's couch I can crash on.

[leftwing]

While being frugal and smart about your money is important, don't forget to enjoy your university experience!