Monthly Budget

[princeafrica]

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!

 

[BluntForceTrauma]

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?

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

 

[hellopeople]

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.

 

[BJDollaz]

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

 

[princeafrica]

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

 

[knewstance]

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.

 

[BJDollaz]

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.

 

[princeafrica]

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

 

[knewstance]

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.

 

[BluntForceTrauma]

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.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

 

[allantois]

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?

 

[princeafrica]

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