🎓 Student budget: housing, transport and part-time jobs
Discover the secrets of creating a balanced student budget that's as realistic as a Swiss watch! Find out if working part-time is the key to financial success, with a schedule ranging from 12 to 20 hours a week. Check out the comparison of private accommodation vs. student halls below, the quick calculation of a student travel pass vs. paying per journey, and the interactive "hours → net balance" chart based on your basic budget. All inserts are ready to use and adapted for mobile devices.
🚇 Student monthly pass break-even
If you commute 2–3 days a week, the monthly pass often wins, especially with transfers. But with few trips, PAYG may be cheaper. Mini-calculator below syncs with the transport fields in the budget.
💼 12–20 hours/week: how much is "net" and what is the balance
In student mode, two figures are important: net income from part-time work and net balance after your monthly expenses. Below is a graph that takes the base budget from the constructor and shows how the balance changes as hours increase.
Note: the taxation model has been simplified for estimation purposes (the effective rate depends on the monthly gross income). The figures are demo estimates.
Net income/month
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Net balance
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grant + net − expenses − extrasChart uses your base student budget above. Changing rent/transport/food updates the curve.
All calculations are approximate and provided for quick assessment. Rates, discounts, and rules are subject to change. This material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. For accurate results, substitute your actual figures in the inserts.
FAQ
If the goal is to minimise fixed costs and quickly resolve the issue of furnishing, a dormitory is often more profitable. Hybel offers more privacy and flexibility in terms of location, but increases rent and utilities. Compare not only the price, but also the final balance after all fixed items.
Estimate your actual trips for 4-6 weeks. With 2-3 days on campus/at the office and transfers in one "window", a travel card often wins. If your weeks are "sparse", PAYG with 24-hour tickets for busy days can be cheaper.
Replace some of your meals out with home-cooked lunches, plan your menu for the week and keep a "shelf" of basic products. Review your subscriptions and sports memberships once a semester — many services offer student rates.
At an average rate for student jobs and a simplified tax model, your net income will grow almost linearly, but after a certain level, the effective rate will increase. See the chart above: it takes into account additional expenses for changing jobs.
The rate, number of trips, type of accommodation, utilities, seasonality, discounts, and actual prices all have an impact. Enter your values into the calculator — it is designed for personal input, not "average values".
Spread large one-time expenses (textbooks, equipment) over several months, keep a reserve of at least one month's expenses, and don't buy a monthly travel pass when you hardly ever travel.
