Girls are smarter than boys when it comes to spending at university – survey finds | Money | guardian.co.uk

hive worcester

Young men at university spend more time talking on phone, buying clothes and eating out with friends than female students, according to a survey by the Student Loans Company, which found that about the only thing that boys skimp on is the rent.

The SLC said that, on average, girls spend nearly £1,500 less than boys every year at university. Beer is the biggest difference - with boys clocking up £76 a month in pubs and clubs compared to £46 spent by girls. They also spend much more heavily on food (£76 compared to £60) every month, and twice as much on sports (£25 versus £14).

The survey debunks a number of gender stereotypes around spending, revealing that on average males at university spend £34 a month on clothes compared to the £31 spent by females. They also spend more on restaurants - £37 a month compared to £29, and more on their phones, £29 compared to £22.

But the SLC says that part of the reason why females spend less than males at college is that they are often better at shopping around for the best deals on a range of goods from gas and electricity to phones and broadband. Around half of female students buy second hand textbooks, compared to one-third of male students, it found.

Financial expert Jasmine Birtles, who has produced a guide to student finance at moneymagpie.com/tag/students says: "It's sad, but it still seems to be the case that girls master household management before boys. Maybe we should blame their mothers for not teaching boys in the same way. It's also amazing how few boys can even manage the basics of cooking when they arrive at university and end up spending more as a result.

"But I was surprised to find from the survey that girls spend less on clothes than boys. My guess is that girls will look around for the latest £20 off at Asos and share that with their friends, or buy in Primark, while boys don't shop around so much."

The SLC carried out the survey to prod males into applying earlier for a student loan. The application process is open now, but every year the SLC finds that females are much more likely to apply early and meet the final deadline than males.

Andy Topham, assessment manager for the SLC, said: "Our research shows that female students are the best at applying for their student finance – online and on time. September might seem a long way off, but it is really important that students act now and don't wait until their place at university has been confirmed. Students can apply now by visiting Studentfinance. This is the best way to make sure they get the first instalment of their loan at the start of the term at university. There is also a calculator on the website that students can use to work out how much money they are entitled to."

via guardian.co.uk