‘Essential’ university items near £1,000 mark
by Educate Magazine August 22, 2023 · All News / University News
New research has revealed that the cost of buying ‘essential’ university items for 2023 is now close to £1,000.
Neighbourhood network ‘Nextdoor’, who calculated the cost, has over 100,000 of the necessary items, ranging from bedding and home décor to kitchen utensils and university course books, as now available across the UK on its ‘For Sale & Free’ platform.
With the average support of parents’ monthly support now up to £331, students and parents have the chance to beat the cost of living crisis by leaning on their existing neighbours and new student communities via Nextdoor.
Top university essentials available for free or low cost on Nextdoor include:
- TVs (88,900)
- Desks (10,100)
- Kettles (7,200)
- Office / desk chairs (3,600)
- Laptops (2,100)
- Toasters (1,600)
Alongside financial unease, university can also raise concerns for parents around their children connecting with new friends and moving away from home.
Over a third of students (37%) consider dropping out of university due to loneliness. Nextdoor is trying to tackle this.
The network recently found that Gen Z make the best neighbours, with nearly half (46%) wanting to get to know their communities more, compared to a national average of 36%.
The new student generation also make a point of speaking to their neighbours multiple times a day compared to just 6% of 55-64 year olds.
Laura Roche, managing director at Nextdoor UK says: “Starting university can be daunting for both parents and students which is why Nextdoor is a great hub for getting off to a good start.
“The app is centered around community and encourages users to make meaningful connections – on platform and in real life where possible.
“Nextdoor’s For Sale and Free feature is a really accessible and cost-effective platform and with inflation continuing to rise, it can really help families save a small fortune.
“Nextdoor is also a hub for local events and groups so people can meet like minded individuals – and because every user is verified, students can be sure they are speaking and interacting with real people.”
