A recent study from the annual “State of Work” report, conducted by videoconferencing company Owl Labs, found that about 66% employees spend $51 per day when they work in person.
This $51 on average was broken down by researchers into four main costs. $16 for lunch, $14 for commuting, $13 for breakfast and coffee, and $8 for parking.
We talked to USC students to find out how much they spend while they’re on campus. Junior Max Kranzler talked about how living far from campus can be a challenge when it comes to saving money on food.
Max Kranzler: It probably ranges from, you know, like as little as like maybe $15 if I’m just like, grabbing a star, maybe I’m grabbing a Starbucks, I’m grabbing like a little booster snack to $50 if I have to if I’m buying on all three meals that I eat... You know, I cook a lot, but I am also not a computer student, but I do live kind of far. I live on 37th drive, so it’s like a few blocks away. So I can’t be in between classes, I can’t go back home and cook and then come back and then make it in time. So I find that I also really have to spend money on the food they have here.
However, commuter students, such a senior Gabby Poli, had to account for transportation costs when traveling to class.
Gabby Poli: I have not calculated it, but I commute, so I actually don’t I don’t pay for gas. So because I, I drive a Tesla. So that has cut down my costs. But last year, when I was spending money on gas, I was spending a crazy amount of money. But now I really only spend on like food and coffee. So probably like $30 or $30 a day on like food.
Freshman Alma Wariso tries to reduce her spending by utilizing her meal plan at one of the three dining halls on campus.
Alma Wariso: As a USC student. I spend about 15 a day because I’m really trying to save money... So big because of the cost of U.S. I do primarily eat at the dining halls because with my meal plan that I’m already paying for, it’s it’s free. I mean, I’m paying for it, but it’s not an additional cost every day. So I purely eat at the dining halls and try to refrain from buying food just because I’m already paying for food. So I might as well be that food. Yeah.
Well there you have it, it seems that many USC students spend the same amount of money on campus as the average working class employee in the office, without the cost of transportation unless you are a commuter. Students can prioritize saving money by packing a lunch, breakfast and coffee before heading to class.
For Annenberg Radio News, I’m Grayson Salomon