Hi,
I have just been awarded a studentship to start in October. I am being funded by the University directly and the stipend is for approx 13k. I have done some sums based on £350 p/m for accommodation, £150 for food and £80 for bills. I know that the rent is realistic but with regards to other outgoings am I being realistic. My sums suggest I should be able to live comfortably? I have come straight from my undergraduate degree in London so moving away from London to do my PhD things seem much less expensive (esp. accommodation!). Can anyone help?

I'm in vaguely the same situation, so I can't help,
but I've found this site

http://www.moneymadeclear.fsa.gov.uk/tools.aspx?Tool=budget_calculator

to be more useful than staring at Excel spreadsheets!

That should be pretty comfortable. I got 8k from the AHRC this year for my MA and, whilst living with my fiancé has reduced some costs, I had more than enough to get by. If I hadn't bought a lot of new things (pc, tv, games, sky, antique books, etc) then I'd probably have a fair bit saved up now.

A lot of things depend on your accommodation; we pay £550 pm between us for a 1 bed flat in Manchester, and the electric/gas bill seems to hover between £40 and £80 pm, food I'm not so certain of. Unless you live on lobsters and caviare, with 13k you should be able to live comfortably and have enough spare cash for a few luxuries.

Outside London, £13k is sufficient to live on. I find student digs are around £400-500 in most places.

In London, £13k would not cover you -I ended up taking out a loan to cover expenses.

Good job you're moving outside London!

you'll really notice the difference outside London. Sometimes wish I'd stayed up north to do PhD.
Provided you don't start with a lot of debt a 13K studentship is very livable. I don't go crazy with spending, but I do go out, and I do trea myself to some stuff, and at the end of my first year my out goings are a bit less than my incomings.

Just looking at property I can see the difference. A typical student room where I was in London was £500 p/m. I am going to Cardiff, another capital city but very different... A luxury apartment for two people works out at about £350 p/m. Rooms are smallish though, will I need a desk at home?

personally i work from home once a week or so. Def like having a desk here.