Monthly Budget

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princeafrica

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Hi!

For current dental students -

How much would you say you spend (living) monthly on average while in dental school? Minus your housing and bills associated with housing.

Thanks!

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Hi!

For current dental students -

How much would you say you spend (living) monthly on average while in dental school? Minus your housing and bills associated with housing.

Thanks!
This question has such a broad range of answers, it's almost not worth asking (similar to me writing this post).

This will depend on SO many things. I know students who have memberships to $300 gyms. Others like myself have kids and that changes things drastically.

Better question is what is the average budget for what aspect of life? Car, entertainment, booze?

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I spent about 20k per year, about 9 of which was on housing.
So... a little less than a grand a month I guess?
This was in a low cost of living area during the fall out of the 2008 recession though.
 
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You can also save $200 bucks a month if you apply for food stamps. + you can waive your school's health insurance if you get on Medi-Cal
 
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You can also save $200 bucks a month if you apply for food stamps. + you can waive your school's health insurance if you get on Medi-Cal

I don't qualify food stamps

Students who meet income guidelines may qualify if they meet at least one of the following criteria:
* are a full-time students who work at least 20 hours per week
* are a full-time single students who are caring for children younger than the age of 12
* are a full-time two parent students who are caring for children younger than the age of 6
* are at least half-time students who are actively working any hours in a work-study program
 
You say minus housing and housing-related - those are the major part of my monthly bills. My budget is about $2200/mo with about $800 being not related to housing.

Writing that makes me think that I need to track my spending better because I have no idea what I'm spending all of that on.
 
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I don't qualify food stamps

Students who meet income guidelines may qualify if they meet at least one of the following criteria:
* are a full-time students who work at least 20 hours per week
* are a full-time single students who are caring for children younger than the age of 12
* are a full-time two parent students who are caring for children younger than the age of 6
* are at least half-time students who are actively working any hours in a work-study program


I would verify that with your school's financial aid office and your city's food stamp office. Almost every single student at my school is on Food Stamps and Medicaid and 99% of us do not work in any work-study program. The Food Stamp office asked us to provide proof that we are in school and that we have some sort of work-study in our financial aid. Our school just gave everyone 5k in work-study money if we told them we're trying to apply for food stamps.
 
I would verify that with your school's financial aid office and your city's food stamp office. Almost every single student at my school is on Food Stamps and Medicaid and 99% of us do not work in any work-study program. The Food Stamp office asked us to provide proof that we are in school and that we have some sort of work-study in our financial aid. Our school just gave everyone 5k in work-study money if we told them we're trying to apply for food stamps.

Do any of those students live with their parents?

I live with my parents but I pretty much pay for my own food since I have a weird schedule
 
Do any of those students live with their parents?

I live with my parents but I pretty much pay for my own food since I have a weird schedule
If that were my situation, I'd probably be close to the $4-500 range. Car insurance, gas, food... That's about it. Part of not knowing what happens to my budget can be attributed to a wife and kid.
 
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I would verify that with your school's financial aid office and your city's food stamp office. Almost every single student at my school is on Food Stamps and Medicaid and 99% of us do not work in any work-study program. The Food Stamp office asked us to provide proof that we are in school and that we have some sort of work-study in our financial aid. Our school just gave everyone 5k in work-study money if we told them we're trying to apply for food stamps.
Also depends on state, as both programs are state run. Example, where I'm from in Texas it's a pain to get on Medicaid as adult. Massachusetts, whole different story.

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I would verify that with your school's financial aid office and your city's food stamp office. Almost every single student at my school is on Food Stamps and Medicaid and 99% of us do not work in any work-study program. The Food Stamp office asked us to provide proof that we are in school and that we have some sort of work-study in our financial aid. Our school just gave everyone 5k in work-study money if we told them we're trying to apply for food stamps.

This has got to be a joke, I don’t know a single student who is on food stamps. I know plenty who have their school paid for courtesy of parents and driving BMW.

Is this a CA thing?
 
This has got to be a joke, I don’t know a single student who is on food stamps. I know plenty who have their school paid for courtesy of parents and driving BMW.

Is this a CA thing?

I've heard of students are many schools that have food stamps but they usually have kids
 
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