{"id":569660,"date":"2023-03-23T17:52:22","date_gmt":"2023-03-23T14:52:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/"},"modified":"2023-03-23T17:52:22","modified_gmt":"2023-03-23T14:52:22","slug":"what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/","title":{"rendered":"#What I spent last month as a Canadian university student"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3e7399bbefd\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3e7399bbefd\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Paul_Ipe_19\" >Paul Ipe, 19<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Mount_Allison_University_biochemistry\" >Mount Allison University, biochemistry<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Rent_475\" >Rent: $475<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Groceries_400\" >Groceries: $400<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Transportation_3333\" >Transportation: $33.33<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Textbooks_70\" >Textbooks: $70<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Entertainment_60\" >Entertainment: $60<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#TSN_World_Cup_package_20\" >TSN World Cup package: $20\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#iPad_and_Apple_Pencil_665\" >iPad and Apple Pencil: $665<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#What_I_spent_172333\" >What I spent:\u00a0$1723.33\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Liyi_Ma_20\" >Liyi Ma, 20<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Queens_University_applied_math_and_engineering\" >Queen\u2019s University, applied math and engineering<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Rent_625\" >Rent: $625<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Utilities_and_internet_80\" >Utilities and internet: $80<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Groceries_100\" >Groceries: $100<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Eating_out_150\" >Eating out: $150<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Fitness_0\" >Fitness: $0\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Transportation_50_every_two_months\" >Transportation: $50 every two months<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Spotify_subscription_564\" >Spotify subscription: $5.64\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Textbooks_0\" >Textbooks: $0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Phone_50_plus_a_67_monthly_payment_plan\" >Phone: $50 plus a $67 monthly payment plan<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Recent_splurges_20\" >Recent splurges: $20<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Leggings_80\" >Leggings: $80<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Crocs_65\" >Crocs: $65<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-25\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#What_I_spent_115364\" >What I spent:\u00a0$1,153.64<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-26\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Shanaya_Barretto_19\" >Shanaya Barretto, 19<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-27\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#University_of_Waterloo_mechatronics_engineering\" >University of Waterloo, mechatronics engineering<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-28\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Rent_652\" >Rent: $652<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-29\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Food_125\" >Food: $125<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-30\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Transportation_60\" >Transportation: $60<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-31\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Textbooks_and_class_fees_0\" >Textbooks and class fees: $0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-32\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Entertainment_45\" >Entertainment: $45<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-33\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Books_60\" >Books: $60<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-34\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Music_60\" >Music: $60<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-35\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#Clothing_20\" >Clothing: $20<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-36\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-i-spent-last-month-as-a-canadian-university-student\/#What_I_spent_1022\" >What I spent:\u00a0$1,022\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>\n<div id=\"attachment_1244708\" style=\"width: 3009px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-sizes=\"auto\" class=\"wp-image-1244708 size-full lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/macleans.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/FINAL_UNI23_COL_IPE1-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2999\" height=\"2000\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Paul Ipe trims his grocery bills with two- for-one deals (Photograph by Meghan Tansey Whitton)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em>This story <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ears in the<\/em> Maclean\u2019s<em><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/canadianmags.ca\/products\/macleans-2023-university-guidebook\"> University Guidebook 2023<\/a>, available now for just\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/canadianmags.ca\/products\/macleans-2023-university-guidebook\">$19.99<\/a><\/em>.<em> Order your copy <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/canadianmags.ca\/products\/macleans-2023-university-guidebook\">here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Paul_Ipe_19\"><\/span><span class=\"s1\"><b>Paul Ipe, 19<\/b><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"p2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mount_Allison_University_biochemistry\"><\/span><em><span class=\"s2\">Mount Allison University, biochemistry<\/span><\/em><span class=\"s3\"><br \/><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p3\">I try to stick to a monthly budget of $1,275. My parents cover my groceries and school costs, like books and big purchases, but I pay for my rent and entertainment by working over the summer and part time during the school year.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p3\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rent_475\"><\/span><span class=\"s2\"><b>Rent: <\/b><\/span><span class=\"s4\">$475<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\">I live in a house with five girls. I know one of them from back home, which is Halifax. Each of us pays $475 a month, except for one roommate who has the biggest room in the house. She pays for our Wi-Fi, which is an extra $69 a month. Aside from internet, all other utilities are included. Our rent will be going up soon to $500 a month, but I plan to stay here. It\u2019s a good house and I\u2019m a six-minute walk to most of my classes on campus. I usually work in the summer to save up money for housing, so I can afford the extra cost. Last summer, I helped run a tennis camp in Halifax and I also worked as a busboy in a restaurant.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p3\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Groceries_400\"><\/span><span class=\"s2\">Groceries: <\/span><span class=\"s4\">$400<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\">Every Tuesday, the Foodland in Sackville offers a 15 per cent discount to students. But it\u2019s a 20-minute walk or a five-minute drive, so I pitch in a few dollars a month to cover gas for my roommate\u2019s car. The store has pretty good deals and two-for-one specials. I\u2019ll stock up on yogurt, frozen fruit and milk to make smoothies; bread and deli meat for lunch sandwiches; and chips and raw vegetables to snack on. I\u2019ll make pasta, chicken burgers and stir-frys with rice for dinner. My parents give me a grocery budget of $700 a month, which is 75 per cent of what my meal plan cost last year, so I\u2019m actually spending way less than that.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>READ:\u00a0The <em>Maclean\u2019s<\/em> University Guidebook is here to help<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3 class=\"p3\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Transportation_3333\"><\/span><span class=\"s2\"><b>Transportation:<\/b><\/span><b> <\/b><span class=\"s4\">$33.33<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\">Sackville is very small. I can walk pretty much everywhere\u2014except to the grocery store, of course. But for reading week, I borrowed a car and drove myself and two friends back to Halifax. We split $100 worth of gas<br \/>three ways.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p3\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Textbooks_70\"><\/span><span class=\"s2\"><b>Textbooks: <\/b><\/span><span class=\"s4\">$70<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\">In first year, I bought all my textbooks before the first day of classes. I found out the hard way that some professors don\u2019t end up using the textbooks listed in the syllabus. This year, I waited until after the first class and found out what I\u2019d actually need to buy. I was also able to find PDFs for some textbooks online. I spent about $280 for the fall semester, which averaged out to $70 a month.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p3\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Entertainment_60\"><\/span><span class=\"s2\"><b>Entertainment:<\/b><\/span><span class=\"s4\"> $60<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s2\">I tutor first-year chemistry students two or three times a week at a rate of $15 an hour. That\u2019s how I earn myself a fun budget. I usually go out with my friends every weekend. I don\u2019t drink a lot, so a $19 six-pack of Smirnoff Ice is enough for two months of pre-drinking. Then we\u2019ll do a club night at Ducky\u2019s, which costs $2 for cover and $7 for a fruity cocktail. Or we\u2019ll go to the Pond, which is the on-campus bar. It\u2019s really cheap to drink there. A pitcher of Pond Water, a cocktail that tastes like blue raspberry lemonade, only costs $10, and you can split it between two people. After a night out, I love buying garlic fingers at Goya\u2019s, the pizza place near us, and I\u2019ll share them with my friends. The local movie theatre recently held a $2 movie night for students. They show older <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/watch-movies-tv-seriess\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Watch Movies &amp; TV Series\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">movies<\/a>, like <i>Ice Age.<\/i> After paying for the movie ticket, I\u2019ll spend the rest of my entertainment budget on movie snacks, like popcorn, candy and a Sprite.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p3\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"TSN_World_Cup_package_20\"><\/span><span class=\"s2\"><b>TSN World Cup package: <\/b><\/span><span class=\"s4\">$20<\/span><span class=\"s2\"><b><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\">I\u2019m a big soccer fan. My buddy and I went in on the $40 TSN subscription for the World Cup, which included access for two devices. I\u2019m privileged enough that my parents let me stay on their family plans for Netflix, Disney+ and Apple Music. I watch a lot of adult animation series, like <i>Futurama. <\/i>And I love country music. I\u2019m a big fan of Thomas Rhett and Luke Combs.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p3\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"iPad_and_Apple_Pencil_665\"><\/span><span class=\"s2\"><b>iPad and Apple Pencil: <\/b><\/span><span class=\"s4\">$665<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s2\">Initially, I was super against buying an iPad. I\u2019m a paper-and-pencil kind of guy when it comes to taking notes. But this semester, I have a professor who posts her lecture slides online before class. People with iPads were able to take notes on the slides directly, but I had to copy everything down. So I bought an iPad and an Apple Pencil for $665. My parents covered the cost for me since it was such a big purchase.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p3\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_I_spent_172333\"><\/span><b>What I spent:\u00a0<\/b><span class=\"s4\">$1723.33<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1244712\" style=\"width: 2000px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-sizes=\"auto\" class=\"wp-image-1244712 size-full lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/macleans.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/COL_MA3-copy-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1990\" height=\"2025\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Liyi Ma, a third year student at the Mathematics and Engineering program at Queen\u2019s university, photographed in her room in Kingston. She shares a house with five other female students (Photo by Johnny C.Y. Lam)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Liyi_Ma_20\"><\/span><span class=\"s1\"><b>Liyi Ma, 20<\/b><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"p2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Queens_University_applied_math_and_engineering\"><\/span><em><span class=\"s3\">Queen\u2019s University, applied math and engineering<\/span><\/em><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p4\">I spend anywhere from $1,200 to $1,400 most months. I don\u2019t really have a set budget, but I was raised not to spend a lot, and it would eat at me if I went out for dinner two nights in a row. Right now, I\u2019m completely independent from my parents in terms of money. Last summer, I had a paid, four-month finance internship with CIBC that covered two semesters of tuition, rent and living expenses. I\u2019m also a Schulich Leader Scholar, which comes with a $25,000 scholarship annually over four years. And I work two to three hours a week for the Queen\u2019s Student Academic Success Services, where I earn $16 an hour by managing a group of mentors for first-year engineering students.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p4\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rent_625\"><\/span><span class=\"s3\"><b>Rent:<\/b><\/span><span class=\"s5\"> $625<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\">I have my own room in a house I share with five other girls. The rooms are different sizes, so we did a draw to divvy them up. I\u2019m in a medium-sized room, which is $25 cheaper than the large spaces.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p4\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Utilities_and_internet_80\"><\/span><span class=\"s3\"><b>Utilities and internet: <\/b><\/span><span class=\"s5\">$80<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\">I\u2019m in charge of our hydro, gas and water bills. I have an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of everything. Another roommate is in charge of the internet, which is $18 a month per person. The rest of our utilities average out to about $62 a month each.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>RELATED:\u00a0The best application help money can buy<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3 class=\"p4\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Groceries_100\"><\/span><span class=\"s3\"><b>Groceries:<\/b><\/span> <span class=\"s5\">$100<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s7\">I usually prepare meals with my boyfriend, who lives nearby in a house with three guys. We shop on Tuesdays at Food Basics because they give 10 per cent off for students. We buy a lot of frozen dumplings because they\u2019re easy to make and not too expensive.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p4\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Eating_out_150\"><\/span><span class=\"s3\"><b>Eating out:<\/b><\/span><span class=\"s5\"> $150<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\">About twice a month we\u2019ll go out for dinner or order delivery. One of our favourites is a Korean restaurant, Gangnam Style, for their soups and pork belly. One meal usually comes to $25 per person with tax and tip.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s3\">My boyfriend\u2019s roommate found out about a secret code that gets you 50 per cent off Domino\u2019s pizzas every Monday, so an extra-large pizza costs $14 when you order online and pick it up. If I\u2019m in class and I get hungry (but I need to stay for meetings or to study), I\u2019ll go to one of the campus caf\u00e9s for a $4 bagel and a $3 iced coffee.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p4\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Fitness_0\"><\/span><span class=\"s3\"><b>Fitness: <\/b><\/span><span class=\"s5\">$0<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\">Queen\u2019s offers access to a student gym as part of our tuition. It\u2019s really busy, all the time. So I joined two intramural sports teams instead, which are also free for students. I do volleyball on Thursdays and dodgeball on Sundays. It\u2019s really fun. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Transportation_50_every_two_months\"><\/span><span class=\"s8\"><b>Transportation:<\/b><\/span> <span class=\"s7\">$50 every two months<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\">Both Kingston and the Queen\u2019s campus are pretty walkable, but there\u2019s a bus pass included in our tuition. I only use it about once a month, when I want to get to class faster. My boyfriend drives us back to Guelph every two months to visit my family. I usually e-transfer him $50 to chip in for gas on these longer <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">trip<\/a>s.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p4\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Spotify_subscription_564\"><\/span><span class=\"s3\"><b>Spotify subscription: <\/b><\/span><span class=\"s5\">$5.64<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\">Last year I listened to 28,000 minutes of music on Spotify. I\u2019ll put on a playlist of relaxing or calming music if I have to do intense studying. Otherwise, if I\u2019m doing homework that doesn\u2019t require too much thought, I\u2019ll put on pop music, like Taylor Swift or Adele.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Textbooks_0\"><\/span><span class=\"s10\"><b>Textbooks:<\/b><\/span><span class=\"s11\"> $0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s7\">It\u2019s pretty easy to find a free online version of the textbooks I need. Plus, I don\u2019t have to carry around a heavy textbook if I have it on my laptop.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Phone_50_plus_a_67_monthly_payment_plan\"><\/span><span class=\"s8\"><b>Phone:<\/b><\/span> <span class=\"s7\">$50 plus a $67 monthly payment plan<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s3\">Last year, after I finished my summer internship, I got an iPhone 14 Pro. I had an older model for the longest time and it was getting really laggy. I opted to split the cost into 24 monthly payments without interest so it didn\u2019t affect my bank account as much. On top of that, I pay $50 for a 15GB monthly plan.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p4\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Recent_splurges_20\"><\/span><span class=\"s3\"><b>Recent splurges:<\/b><\/span><b> <\/b><span class=\"s12\">$20<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\">There are often poster and sticker sales at our campus. Last semester, I bought a big world map poster for my room for $19. There are also student clubs that raise funds by selling fun stuff. When I went to the recreation centre the other day, a Taylor Swift fan club was selling stickers. I bought four for $7 and put them all over my phone and my laptop.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p4\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Leggings_80\"><\/span><span class=\"s3\"><b>Leggings:<\/b><\/span> <span class=\"s12\">$80<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\">I\u2019ve never owned a pair of Lululemon leggings before, but my friends love them. I recently bought a pair on sale. I hope they\u2019re worth it, because $80 is really expensive for leggings.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p4\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Crocs_65\"><\/span><span class=\"s3\"><b>Crocs:<\/b><\/span><span class=\"s12\"><b> <\/b>$65<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\">Crocs was also having a sale\u2014everything was 50 per cent off. I got matching pairs for me and my boyfriend.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p4\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_I_spent_115364\"><\/span><b>What I spent:\u00a0<\/b><span class=\"s5\">$1,153.64<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1244710\" style=\"width: 2010px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-sizes=\"auto\" class=\"wp-image-1244710 size-full lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/macleans.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/FINAL_UNI23_COL_BARETTO3-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2667\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shanaya Barretto saves on textbooks and splurges on music (Photo by Claudine Baltazar)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Shanaya_Barretto_19\"><\/span><span class=\"s1\"><b>Shanaya Barretto, 19<\/b><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"p2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"University_of_Waterloo_mechatronics_engineering\"><\/span><em><span class=\"s2\">University of Waterloo, mechatronics engineering<\/span><\/em><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p3\">When I\u2019m on a co-op term, I\u2019ll spend 40 per cent of my paycheque, which works out to about $1,300 a month, and save the rest. If it\u2019s a study semester and I don\u2019t have any income, I don\u2019t do any \u201cfun\u201d spending, and I use a portion of a scholarship I received to cover my rent and other school expenses.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rent_652\"><\/span><span class=\"s4\"><b>Rent:<\/b> <\/span><span class=\"s5\">$652<\/span><span class=\"s4\"><b><br \/><\/b><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s6\">I share a five-bedroom basement apartment with four other second-year engineering students. The unit is half above ground, so we still get a lot of sunlight. It\u2019s a bit further from campus\u2014a 20-minute walk or a seven-minute bus ride. We\u2019re saving about $125 a month by living further away, so it was a worthwhile trade-off for us. In addition to rent, I pay $15 for my share of the internet bill and $12 for hydro.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Food_125\"><\/span><span class=\"s7\"><b>Food: <\/b><\/span><span class=\"s8\">$125<\/span><span class=\"s7\"><b><br \/><\/b><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\">I go home to my parents\u2019 place in Mississauga every weekend, and they always<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">send me back to school with enough leftovers for the week. I\u2019m not very good at cooking on my own, but I\u2019ll help my parents cook things like biryani and samosas. Sometimes I get bored of eating leftovers, so I\u2019ll get takeout twice a week. It\u2019s usually a crispy chicken wrap from Tim Hortons or a sub from Subway, which cost about $7. Sometimes I\u2019ll get a chicken shawarma plate from Lazeez, a shawarma place in Waterloo, which is about $14. I\u2019ll also get a $2 medium double-double coffee two or three times a week from Tim Hortons.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>MORE:\u00a0What universities really think about your application<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3 class=\"p3\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Transportation_60\"><\/span><span class=\"s2\"><b>Transportation: <\/b><\/span><span class=\"s9\">$60<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s6\">I\u2019m currently on a co-op term, so I take a bus 30 minutes to the office of a tech company. The bus pass is included in the cost of our tuition, so I don\u2019t have to pay extra for that. I do, however, pay for regional bus trips home to Mississauga. It\u2019s about an hour and 30 minutes. A one-way student ticket costs $10, so that\u2019s $20 a weekend. About once a month, my dad will come to Waterloo to pick me up.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p3\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Textbooks_and_class_fees_0\"><\/span><span class=\"s2\"><b>Textbooks and class fees:<\/b><\/span> <span class=\"s9\">$0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s6\">Honestly, I haven\u2019t bought a single textbook in my studies so far. My professors have told us that we don\u2019t need them. <\/span>They upload PowerPoint slides and PDFs and we get information from there. It\u2019s pretty common, at least for my program. Our physics and circuits courses involve a lot of practice problems for homework, but our professor just posts them online.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p3\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Entertainment_45\"><\/span><span class=\"s2\"><b>Entertainment: <\/b><\/span><span class=\"s9\">$45<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s6\">I don\u2019t really go to bars or clubs, but I love going to concerts. Last November, I went to see Maisie Peters in Toronto. (It was over the weekend, so I was able to take transit in from my parents\u2019 place in Mississauga.) The ticket cost $40. I also <\/span>spend $5 a month on a Spot<span class=\"s6\">ify subscription. I listen to music when I\u2019m studying and commuting. It\u2019s usually a lot of Taylor Swift, Bleachers, Gracie Abrams and Maisie Peters. I don\u2019t have a Netflix subscription, but my parents do, so I\u2019ll usually watch shows when I\u2019m back at home.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Books_60\"><\/span><span class=\"s7\"><b>Books: <\/b><\/span><span class=\"s8\">$60<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\">I love reading sci-fi and historical fiction. When a new book comes out, I\u2019m often too impatient to wait for it at the library, so I\u2019ll buy it at Indigo. Last month, I bought <i>The Martian, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo <\/i>and <i>Talking to Strangers.<\/i><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p3\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Music_60\"><\/span><span class=\"s2\"><b>Music:<\/b><\/span> <span class=\"s9\">$60<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\">I love vinyl. I recently got a Victrola suitcase record player as a birthday gift from my parents. I bought the new Taylor Swift album from her online shop when it came out. It cost $40 for the record and $20 for shipping.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p3\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Clothing_20\"><\/span><span class=\"s2\"><b>Clothing: <\/b><\/span><span class=\"s9\">$20<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\">I wear a lot of flannel. My old jacket was getting worn out, so I bought a new one on sale from Ardene at the mall.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p3\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_I_spent_1022\"><\/span><b>What I spent:<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span class=\"s6\">$1,022<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><em>\u2014 As told to Andrea Yu<\/em><\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p><em>This story appears in the<\/em> Maclean\u2019s<em><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/canadianmags.ca\/products\/macleans-2023-university-guidebook\"> University Guidebook 2023<\/a>, available now for just\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/canadianmags.ca\/products\/macleans-2023-university-guidebook\">$19.99<\/a><\/em>.<em> Order your copy <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/canadianmags.ca\/products\/macleans-2023-university-guidebook\">here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-sizes=\"auto\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1244723 size-full lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/macleans.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/COVER_Uni2023_FINAL_DRE_RGB-1-e1679533574204.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"666\" height=\"909\"\/><\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async defer crossorigin=\"anonymous\" src=\"https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/sdk.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a> articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/general\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">General category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/macleans.ca\/education\/spending-budget-university-students\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Paul Ipe trims his grocery bills with two- for-one deals (Photograph by Meghan Tansey Whitton) This story appears in the Maclean\u2019s University Guidebook 2023, available now for just\u00a0$19.99. Order your copy here. Paul Ipe, 19 Mount Allison University, biochemistry I try to stick to a monthly budget of $1,275. My parents cover my groceries and&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":569661,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/macleans.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/FINAL_UNI23_COL_BARETTO3-copy-766x431.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[133995,10574],"class_list":["post-569660","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general","tag-2023-university-rankings","tag-education"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/569660","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=569660"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/569660\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/569661"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=569660"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=569660"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=569660"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}