How Much Spending Money?

rmldad
Thu, 25 Jul 2013 14:55:10 +0000

DD will be a freshman this fall. I am wondering how much money she is likely to need over the course of her first semester/academic year for incidentals. I am hoping the current students and parents might offer some insight.

The meal plan, especially with only one meal per day on weekends, seems a bit skimpy. Do students end up going off campus or ordering pizza frequently? Do they buy groceries to keep in their rooms and use the dorm kitchens to cook?

It seems that most entertainment functions such as sprts tickets or movies are already paid for. Do students go off campus for concerts or other events? How often and how much do they usually spend? How much is a typical cab fare?

Are the other things that I am not considering, beyond the basic toothpaste and shampoo?