How much $ for living expenses?

[Phillip79]

I'm starting at Fordham Law School this fall.  I'll be living off-campus with my wife, so these numbers are for 2 people, but I've estimated the following for monthly expenses:

Rent:  $1600 (including utilities)

Food:  $400

Health insurance:  $300
(The school includes emergency insurance, but we may want better coverage; this figure is flexible).

Transportation:  $200

Misc. Living expenses:

Cable - $50
Road Runner - $45
Cell phones - $60
Other misc. living expenses:  $290

TOTAL:  $35,340 ($2945 * 12 months)

[blizzard of ozz]

Y'all living expenses are insane. I spent 100-150/mnth on food absolute maximum in undergrad. Seriously though, what are you people eating with $500 budgets? Caviar? Or do you just not cook and eat out all the time?

I say live like a student now, so you don't have to later in life.

[Phillip79]

Y'all living expenses are insane. I spent 100-150/mnth on food absolute maximum in undergrad. Seriously though, what are you people eating with $500 budgets? Caviar? Or do you just not cook and eat out all the time?

It depends on your lifestyle, but I don't think $100 a month is a realistic food estimation for a law student, given the fact that there will be times when you eat out because you're too tired to cook or out of time. 

$500 a month for one person is high, though - that's definitely factoring in restaurants.  I budgeted $400 for two people.  I actually budgeted for "Food" (essential groceries), and then created a separate allowance for "spending money," whether it be on fast-food or other things.  It's important to be relatively frugal, but also necessary to be realistic.  You don't want to have a bare-bones budget that gets thrown out of whack when you order a pizza. 

[ruskiegirl]

Your food budget will depend largely on where you live.  I think it a safe assumption that you cannot live on $100 a month in food in New York.  I live in Tennessee right now and spend about $200.  I expect to pay a little more when I move to the west coast.  Also, keep in mind that the budget that the school gives you is the maximum amount you can borrow.  No one mandates that you borrow $500 if you can live on $200.