Freshers Week Budget: How Much Should I Expect To Spend?
Freshers week 2022 is fast approaching for students across the country – we bet you’re buzzing!
It’s an exciting time for you, moving away to university and into student accommodation, getting to know the ins and outs of your timetable, meeting course mates, future friends, and trying out university societies, clubs, and figuring out how your first year at university is going to shape up.
One of the things you need to be wary of as a new student is learning how to budget. You don’t want to spend all your cash during Freshers Week, leaving yourself short for the coming semester.
So, how much money should you expect to spend during Freshers Week 2022?
What is Freshers’ Week?
Freshers’ Week is the first week at the beginning of your time at university, at some universities you might see it referred to as ‘Welcome Week’.
You’ll have had a little glimpse into what the academic side of university life is like if you visited your first-choice location for an open day during the application process.
Freshers’ Week is all about acclimatising to all aspects of your new university life though – academic, social, and the everyday essentials of life that you’ll need to get by.
Your social life
For many people this is what Freshers’ Week is all about – a big night out or three with your new friends.
There will be loads of big parties and nights out to get involved with.
Every bar and club in town will have special nights on for freshers, the Students’ Union will have some nights on, and everywhere you go you’ll be bombarded with special discounts and offers.
This is the best way to relax, to meet new people, and to shrug off your nerves and embrace your new surroundings.
Students’ Union
This week is the perfect time to acclimatise to campus and get to know how to get around.
Your Students’ Union (SU) is a central part of university life. It is the hub where you can get advice on so many different things.
If you’re in need of financial support, want help with mental health support, accommodation issues, or something with your university, you can find this help at your SU.
It’s always a location to relax, to have a drink, to party and much more.
During Freshers’ Week this will be the location of fairs that showcase different societies, sports clubs, local jobs, and volunteer opportunities, alongside themed party nights.
Your Student Union could become the heart of your university life, so embrace it during your first week in town.
Societies & Clubs
One of the best ways to get involved at university and to make friends is to think about what hobbies and interests you have and look for a society or club to join.
When you are at the Freshers Fair at the SU, you’ll find information and be introduced to all kinds of societies and clubs on offer.
Have a chat with other students who have similar interests to you and join the societies that interest you the most.
Whenever you speak to students who have joined societies, they always say what a great choice it was in helping them settle in a new environment, make new friends, and have fun!
When is Freshers’ Week 2022?
Every university’s Freshers’ Week takes place at different times, but generally expect it to start somewhere in the middle of September, with some ending in the first week of October, depending on the university.
We know that this doesn’t necessarily help you out with specifics, but we would advise is that you look at the university website or the Students’ Union website where you are attending.
They will have all the dates listed of freshers’ week events and set dates.
The last thing you want is to miss a chunk (or all) of Freshers’ Week because you’ve got the wrong date in your head.
How Much Money Will I Have As A Fresher?
Before working out how much Freshers Week 2022 will cost you, let’s first think about how much money you might have, and where that money comes from.
Student loan – If you get a student loan this will most likely cover part of (or all) your tuition fees. This could be a sizeable amount that you’ll pay off over the course of your employment post-university.
Student maintenance – This loan is what you’ll use to get by during your time living at university and is used to cover the basics.
Part-time job – If you feel like you need some extra help and money in your back pocket, there will be plenty of opportunities for part-time work in your new town or city. Always make sure that you don’t work too much and that it doesn’t interfere with your studies.
How Much Will Freshers Week Cost?
Before setting off for university it is important that you have some idea of your finances and what is available to you.
We would highly recommend that you create a weekly budget that you more or less stick to throughout the year.
However, we also realise that during Freshers’ Week this might go out the window as you adapt to independence and the excitement of all the options and events happening around you.
Your First Shop
Before you head out for a night out and get lost in the fun of your first week, look at getting in some essential food items. You’ll likely be out for long nights, and the last thing you want to do is go drinking on an empty stomach.
This first grocery shop is so important, as it is here that you can get in those stock cupboard items that will last for quite a while, your spices, stocks, seasonings, pasta, all those pantry fillers that will stand you in good stead.
Expect to pay about £30-£50 on this first shop (maybe cheaper if you go to an Aldi or a Lidl instead of some other supermarkets) and every week after this the price should be lower.
Nights Out
Everyone you meet during this first week is in the same position as you. You’re living somewhere new, you don’t know anyone, and you want to go out as often as you can to have fun and to meet new people.
The worry with this though, is that it can seriously deplete your budget if you allow it to.
It is hard for us to put even a general figure on how much you’ll spend on your social life this week as it will depend on how many nights you go out, how much you’ll have to drink (or if you don’t drink alcohol at all), and what offers you take advantage of.
Buy tickets for freshers’ events in advance, as you’ll often save money this way, and this can be money that is already spent and doesn’t have to come out of your freshers’ week allowance.
If you want to save more money, pre-drink in your student apartment with others in your building, this will save you a fair bit of cash.
Eating Out
We know we’ve told you to get the shopping in at the start of the week, but it wouldn’t be right to eat at home all week, would it? It might be that some people from your course or a society you’ve joined are heading out for dinner to get to know each other a bit better.
If you want to go out for one meal, or maybe a takeout with new friends, put aside £10-15. This should be enough to find a decent feed, especially with the different student discounts on offer from restaurants and brand takeaways.
University Books & Reading Material
The average UK student spends £17 per month on textbooks. This price will vary depending on the type of course, but it is a cost that will likely only increase as the cost-of-living crisis continues to worsen.
There are different ways you can save money on textbooks, including buying second-hand books from charity shops close to your university, from former students, buying online, or looking for student discounts in bookshops like Waterstones.
Tips To Get Through Freshers’ Week 2022
Enjoy Yourself
The biggest tip we can give you for this first week is to enjoy your time this freshers week 2022.
In the build-up to this first week try to save as much money as you can, so that you can relax a bit without worrying about overspending.
You don’t need to go mad to have fun, but we do want you to relax and enjoy the time without counting every penny that you spend.
Try To Budget Afterwards
It is important though that you do set a budget and stick to it after this first week.
This will help you to have everything you need to look after yourself at university this coming year.
Fresher’s is an amazing experience and whilst we want you to enjoy your time here, you do have to set some sort of budget as your loan should last for the whole term (most of the time).
Make A Plan
There will most likely be loads of events and things to do and see during freshers week 2022, so it’s best to be as informed as possible before you arrive, have a loose plan of the things you want to attend.
You can even create plans with your flatmates or those within your accommodation before you move in through creating social media groups, this way you can get a gist of the places you’ll be going, and how much money you roughly need.
In conclusion, we can’t tell you how much you should expect to spend during fresher’s week 2022, this all depends on you. As we’ve mentioned, if you’re going to be going on lots of nights out then expect to spend more than if you were opting for a chilled games night in your flat.
It can be an expensive time but it can also be done on a budget so don’t worry!
Enjoy every second, get to meet new friends, explore your new city and surroundings, go on some wild nights out, and learn everything you need to know to set you up for a great year of university ahead!
Let us know how you settle in @_homesforstudents. We’re always keen to hear your stories and tips for the towns and cities we have student accommodation on offer.
If you’re wanting to be organised for the next academic year, then read our guide on how to start using an academic diary.