Planning for success
It's hard to know how much you'll need to save for university if you're not sure how much you're spending. Let's work it out, step by step.
If you're feeling concerned, stressed, or overwhelmed by the costs of university, your first step is to create a budget. Set aside some time to figure out your expenses and the income from scholarships, bursaries, savings, loans, co-op, and work.
Once you've created a budget, try to stick to it as best you can. We encourage you to consider averaging out what your monthly expenses will be. When you receive a large loan or sum of money, it may feel like you have plenty to spend, but you need to think about making your money last throughout the year.
Budgeting Resources
- short videos created by Rob Brown, the author of Wealthing Like Rabbits
- Government of Canada - and
Use our budget calculator to help guide your saving and budgeting plans.
Budget CalculatorLiving Expenses
Check out our sample estimates of local living expenses.
Monthly ExpensesConsider our tips for saving money and planning your living expenses.
Saving MoneyIncome Opportunities
Our Co-op program can offer you valuable income and invaluable experience.
Co-opOpportunities
Find campus job opportunities in retail, research, and more.
EmploymentBUDGETING CALCULATOR
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Expenses in Wolfville
Your monthly budget will vary depending on your hobbies, interests, and living situation. The numbers below are ballpark estimates to give you an idea of what your expenses may look like. Keep in mind that some expenses may vary depending on your living space (ex. the cost of heating), your lifestyle (how much you would allocate towards entertainment, etc.), and your food preferences.
- Rent and Tenant's Insurance: $500-600 per person (shared apartments) or $800-1200 (1 bedroom), $30 tenant's insurance
- Electricity, heat, hot water: $35-150 (some utilities may or may not be included in rent)
- Groceries: $275-400
- High-Speed Internet: $80-110 (cable or fibre)
- Smartphone: $55-70 per month plan cost (unlimited texting and 1-4 GB data), purchase a phone ($250-1500)
- Entertainment: $270+ (one night out each week [$50], two movie tickets, and subscriptions for video streaming and music streaming)
Expenses & Saving Money
- Utilities: How much does heat, hot water, and electricity cost? It may vary quite a bit depending on what type of heat source (oil, electric, etc.) your building offers. Some buildings may include some or all utilities.
- The more the merrier?: Living with roommates will cut down your costs. You'll save money on rent and you'll be able to share expenses for food, utilities, and internet service. Hanging out with friends at home to chat, watch movies, or play games is also often cheaper than going out.
- The costs of a car: Most students live within 2km of campus, which makes walking or biking a great choice. is also available from several neighbouring communities. If you plan to drive a car, you'll need to budget for your car payment, insurance, maintenance, and consider a parking pass. We also recommend that you purchase snow tires for the winter.
- Bills build up: Avoid extra services and perks that you don't need, especially when it comes to your phone and entertainment. Could you use Wifi and videochat apps like Skype or FaceTime to avoid expensive data overages and long distance calling fees? Do you really need cable or more than one streaming service?
- Think thrifty: You can purchase a lot of things that you'll need like clothing, furniture, and textbooks on the used market. There are lots of local secondhand stores, yard sales, clothing swaps, and vintage shops, and you can check local or online marketplaces like Kijiji for items like furniture. Remember to stay safe when buying from an online seller by meeting in a public place, bringing a friend, or making sure people you trust know where you're going.
- Student benefits: As a full-time student, you'll have a student health plan, free access to the library and gym, and free tickets to Acadia varsity sports games.
- Credit card caution: If you don't pay off your balance each month, your credit card bill can quickly snowball. The average annual interest rate for student credit cards is 18.11%!
- H.A.L.T.: You should budget for things you enjoy like eating out, going to movies, and buying clothes, but remember that these are sneaky expenses that can add up quickly. We tend to make more impulsive decisions when we're Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired—and this definitely applies to shopping. Use a grocery list (and coupons or savings apps) and avoid using "retail therapy" if you're feeling stressed or unhappy.
Co-Op Opportunities
Our can be valuable to you in many ways. At Acadia, Co-op options are available for 80% of our different degree programs.
- Co-op will provide you with a professional salary that can make a major impact in financing your education. Your three Co-op work terms will amount to a year of wages.
- Co-op provides you with great work experience, and the opportunity to see what your future career could look like. This work experience could lead to job opportunities in the future.
Employment
Acadia creates jobs for students that provide income and look great on your résumé. We also post job opportunities on behalf of other employers: check out myAcadia for job opportunities on-campus and beyond.
Typical types of jobs available on-campus include:
- Lab and research work
- Working with youth (activity leaders or camp counselors for youth sports, summer camps, etc.)
- Customer service
- Retail
- Food service
You may also find opportunities available in Wolfville and nearby communities. Many students work part-time in Wolfville's shops and restaurants.
While working part-time can be a very helpful way to earn money for your living expenses, it's important to balance it with your studies. We suggest working 15 hours per week or less to ensure that you have plenty of time for your studies and time to relax.