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How much money do you usually leave for yourself for random spending during the school year? Also, how much do you spend on books on average?
How much spending money?
- Thread starter arangatan
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I don't really buy textbooks.
I budget about $500 a month for everything beyond rent, electricity, cable, internet, water and heat (which also run me about $500 a month on average. Maybe a little more when I factor in my phone bill). So the $500 covers everything from groceries to laundry money to gifts. I have a separate travel budget (LDR = 1 flight every month or so) and I allow myself to put small unexpected amounts of money, like money from participating in a study, into a separate account for little things I really want but don't have room in my budget for.
This also doesn't include my moving expenses (moving is expensive, as is setting up a new apartment) or holiday season spending (I always go over-budget between Thanksgiving and Christmas, so next school year I'll be setting aside a separate budget for gifts/electronics/other 'random' bigger purchases. $200 - $500, not sure yet).
I found $600 to be more comfortable living, but that was when I was working. Now that I'm living partially on loans, I'm willing to watch my spending more closely.
... I've been tracking just about every penny I've spent for nearly two years now. 😳 I find it strangely enjoyable.
I budget about $500 a month for everything beyond rent, electricity, cable, internet, water and heat (which also run me about $500 a month on average. Maybe a little more when I factor in my phone bill). So the $500 covers everything from groceries to laundry money to gifts. I have a separate travel budget (LDR = 1 flight every month or so) and I allow myself to put small unexpected amounts of money, like money from participating in a study, into a separate account for little things I really want but don't have room in my budget for.
This also doesn't include my moving expenses (moving is expensive, as is setting up a new apartment) or holiday season spending (I always go over-budget between Thanksgiving and Christmas, so next school year I'll be setting aside a separate budget for gifts/electronics/other 'random' bigger purchases. $200 - $500, not sure yet).
I found $600 to be more comfortable living, but that was when I was working. Now that I'm living partially on loans, I'm willing to watch my spending more closely.
... I've been tracking just about every penny I've spent for nearly two years now. 😳 I find it strangely enjoyable.
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I also do not buy books. You won't have time to read them anyway. And if you need them (say once a week), you always have the medical library. For gross, buy a nettors or rohens and nothing else (for the rest of the year). I got a big kick out of board review books (the cheaper, smaller review books like Roadmap), because you can just read them when your mind is too fried to really study.
Take that money and do what you like with it. Do not buy a opthal/oto kit.
I budget about a 100 bucks a week for food... which puts me around 5k a year in food. This is $500 more than we are alotted from our COA. I make up for it with cheaper housing, no transportation costs, and not buying boks or supplies (what are supplies? folders?).
I buy nice gifts for the gf/family. I go out on the weekends. I buy stuff that i think I need. And I still have managed to save about 8k from the COA this year.
Your budget may be much tighter if you
1. Have a family.
2. Rent an expensive place.
3. Eat out all the time.
4. Have a car that breaks down/high transportation cost.
The COA is usually pretty generous. And, if it is not enough, your financial aid people from the medical school will likely be willing to increase your amount as much as you need.
Take that money and do what you like with it. Do not buy a opthal/oto kit.
I budget about a 100 bucks a week for food... which puts me around 5k a year in food. This is $500 more than we are alotted from our COA. I make up for it with cheaper housing, no transportation costs, and not buying boks or supplies (what are supplies? folders?).
I buy nice gifts for the gf/family. I go out on the weekends. I buy stuff that i think I need. And I still have managed to save about 8k from the COA this year.
Your budget may be much tighter if you
1. Have a family.
2. Rent an expensive place.
3. Eat out all the time.
4. Have a car that breaks down/high transportation cost.
The COA is usually pretty generous. And, if it is not enough, your financial aid people from the medical school will likely be willing to increase your amount as much as you need.
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I am a book person- I think I have spent around $600-$700 on books for the year and then also had to buy ink for my laser printer since I have to print power pointand write on them to fully learn it (ink=$200).
Other monthly budget beyond housing, utilities, cable, internet
$600- ($300 food, $100 gas/car stuff, $50 entertainment, $50 beauty (hair, makeup, etc), $100 clothing)...
my parents are covering my cell phone and all insurance/medical cost (I have a chronic condition) except OTC medicines or an occasional trip to student health for strep or whatnot. They also flew me home to visit 1x per semester and then came to see me 1x per semester.
The budget for MSI, MSII is only for 10 months of living so I went ahead and stretched mine out to include summer so that I could research this summer and not have to worry about not being paid enough to cover all my living (anything I earn this summer is just bonus for me to use for fun!)
Other monthly budget beyond housing, utilities, cable, internet
$600- ($300 food, $100 gas/car stuff, $50 entertainment, $50 beauty (hair, makeup, etc), $100 clothing)...
my parents are covering my cell phone and all insurance/medical cost (I have a chronic condition) except OTC medicines or an occasional trip to student health for strep or whatnot. They also flew me home to visit 1x per semester and then came to see me 1x per semester.
The budget for MSI, MSII is only for 10 months of living so I went ahead and stretched mine out to include summer so that I could research this summer and not have to worry about not being paid enough to cover all my living (anything I earn this summer is just bonus for me to use for fun!)
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It did used to be in Allo. I'm not sure why it was moved.
I don't at my school. Lecture notes and videos are free. We don't have transcribed notes though, since we have the videos.
