Could you live off £11000 per year? With the average salary for entry level positions in Bristol starting at £25,134 it may seem increasingly challenging to work out how to live independently on an apprentice wage. Today we will be speaking with Millie on her tips on how she managed to stay afloat during her student years.
How to live of £11000 per year!
With the average cost of everything going up, According to new figures released today, Bristol is the second most expensive city to live if you’re a single person, in the UK.
Renting & Utilities
During my study years, I chose to do an apprenticeship which was away from home as I still wanted to have the experience of independence while being close to family. Living in Bristol, it was soon very clear I wasn’t able to afford rent on my own so I had to look at other means.
Spare Room is a great website for house/flat sharers and I was really lucky to find somewhere that cost me about £400 per month including bills. I chose to look in Fishponds area and was lucky enough to find a house share with a group of similar aged people.
When searching a lot of options were over £700 per month just for rent! It’s a great idea to join Facebook groups such as Bristol Alternative Community Abodes, or Rooms, Houses, Flats for Rent in BRISTOL, UK.
As the landlord covered the council tax, and utilities like electric and gas were including in the rent this was really easy to keep on top of. We also had a chitty between the 4 of us where would would each put in £20 for this like salt & pepper, toilet roll and washing up liquid.
Socialising & Nights Out
I love to socialise but I’m happy keeping it simple. We shared the house and it wasn’t huge we would let each other know if anyone was coming over and would be considerate of others. We would have chilled nights-in watching movies, sharing a bottle of wine, or organising a BBQ with friends in the park. I am very family oriented so often my parents would pop-in or take me out for lunch which was a massive help.
If you like clubbing Bristol can be quite expensive, there were a lot of local pubs which have student discount. We also won a couple pub quizzes and gained a £50 bar tab!
Food
Aside from the odd food delivery from my parents I did do some shopping! I turned to Lidl, and Aldi as they offer amazing food for a great value. I would also shop about as much as possible. There are some really excellent food markets on Gloucester Road, Bristol. Here I could get fresh vegetables for half of the price as they wouldn’t be sold in a shop.
I downloaded an excellent app called Olio where people can share food that may be going off that day or that they just don’t need. Companies like Tesco, Pret a Manger etc are on there and often distribute it around the city so you can pick up yummy food for free!
Or you can use Too Good To Go for loads of options such as Eat a Pitta, Better Food, Starbucks, Co-op, and Morrisons. Basically they choose the produce that hasn’t sold that day, or it might be a little out of date and fill a surprise bag full of fruit & veg!
Budgeting
Next level offered a really good budgeting lesson to do on Excel, now I have the formula I am able to track my monthly costs and spend and even save a bit.
By setting myself realistic limits I have been able to see where I can potentially save money and where I can afford to splash out!
I also went to Reflections Training Academy to get my hair done for free! As the students there were also learning and when studying an apprenticeship with Next Level you can be a model. If you don’t like what the student has done, the teachers are great and have fixed it before.
Think about a part time job
I love attending festivals and really like to prioritise this over the summer so it’s good to see live music whenever I can. How I did this was by working at a few, saving the money and spending it on tickets to events I really wanted to go to.
Companies like Limber or The Waiting Game act as an agency so you can register for festivals or events, or the odd shift at a local pub. Once, you’ve done a few you can make excellent contacts, and hopefully be invited again!
Now that you are earning more, what has changed?
I was really lucky in my apprenticeship as I was kept on after and offered a full-time contract. Since being promoted, I am now on more money. I still stick to my roots when it comes to saving, but do like to enjoy life.
I’m happy to spend more on socialising and going out for a lot of meals out, drinks or date nights.
Living on £11,000 per year in the UK has been a journey of careful planning, disciplined budgeting, and making mindful choices. By prioritising essential expenses, seeking affordable housing options, shopping wisely, minimising transport costs, embracing a frugal lifestyle, you can still enjoy life!
With patience and good people around you this will be much easier!