How Much Is Enough?
5 Nigerian students share how they spend their pocket money in a month
Welcome to Sapa Diaries, where we get real about student struggles. This is your go-to spot for stories about money, hustle, and how students survive without breaking the bank. From budgeting tips, and saving hacks to straight up survival stories, we explore how to survive and thrive as a student without losing your mind or your wallets. This is the place where we dive into the grind, hustle and survival while keeping it relatable and real.
Money is one of those things we don’t like to talk about openly. But somehow, it rules our campus lives: from data subscriptions to cravings that sneak their way into our budget. So we asked a few students to anonymously share what pocket money looks like for them. How much comes in, where it all disappears to, and how they’re trying (and sometimes failing) to manage it.
Here’s what 4 Nigerian students had to say; raw, unfiltered, and anonymously real.
1. “Best in Spending” — ₦40k–₦60k/month
A 200 level student who spends too much of her allowance on data.
How much pocket money do you get in a month?
₦40k–₦60k
Do you think it's enough for your needs and why?
I know it's enough, I'm just still learning how to manage my spending habits.
Top spends:
Food and data
Can you give a rough breakdown of how much you spend in a month?
10k for data
25k for food
5k for tithe even though sometimes I don't pay tithes
5k–10k for savings depending on how much I get in a month
Most times I spend more on food. This is just an average. I don't spend money on transport. I live at a walking distance to school.
One thing you'll always find money for:
Data
Biggest impulse buy/unnecessary spending this semester:
New earpods
What's your top budgeting survival hack?
Buy important things first, money for food will always come.
Any advice for students reading this about money?
Learn how to save ohh, because one day you'll need your savings to save you.
Anything else you'd like to say to Campus Chronicles?
Keep doing the good work. I learn a little from your stories as a Nigerian student.
Thank you!
2. “Trust Fund Babe” — ₦320k/month
Financially responsible but I can’t stay away from pastries.
How much pocket money do you get in a month?
200k from my parents. 120k from my side hustle.
Do you think it's enough for your needs and why?
Needs? Yes it is. Wants? No.
Top spends:
Food, skincare, cravings, data.
Can you give a rough breakdown of how much you spend in a month?
Food- 100k, skincare- 30k, cravings- 70k
One thing you'll always find money for:
Food
Biggest impulse buy/unnecessary spending this semester:
Product because a girl loves to have things coming!
What's your top budgeting survival hack?
Immediately i get my allowance/side hustle money, i lock my savings(80k monthly) in piggyvest.
Any advice for students reading this about money?
It’s not easy but all those people you see that immediately they graduate they are going out and having fun immediately after graduation, they have been saving since their uni days. We all know that nigerian parents relationship are best long distance, so if you want to get your freedom asap! Start saving up for rent or how you’ll survive after uni.
Anything else you'd like to say to Campus Chronicles?
Feature me.
Hehe! Please send us a dm if you'll like to be featured.
3. “Always on a budget” — ₦120k-₦15k/month
A 400 level student always on a budget, but never sees where the money she’s saving keeps going to.
How much pocket money do you get in a month?
120-150k in a month.
Do you think it's enough for your needs and why?
Yes. It covers all my basic needs and I still have some change to spare after.
Top spends:
Food, Data, cravings.
Can you give a rough breakdown of how much you spend in a month?
15k for data, 100k for food, 20k for cravings.
One thing you'll always find money for:
Food
Biggest impulse buy/unnecessary spending this semester:
A designer bag
What's your top budgeting survival hack?
Eating once in a day and saying no to cravings
Any advice for students reading this about money?
To be honest, no matter how much you receive as allowance, it would never be enough if you don’t have financial wisdom. Yes you need to spoil yourself once in a while but always have something you can run back to.
Anything else you'd like to say to Campus Chronicles?
Money is for spending but spending wisely.
You heard right!
4. “Queen of 5k” — ₦0k-₦50k/month
A final year student who works to.make extra cash but won't hesitate to call her dad for urgent 4ks
How much pocket money do you get in a month?
0-50k in a month.
Do you think it's enough for your needs and why?
To some extent, yes. This is because I have learnt to cut my coat according to my size and plan ahead of time
Top spends:
Food, data, transport
Can you give a rough breakdown of how much you spend in a month?
6k for data, 20k for food, 3k for transport
One thing you'll always find money for:
For data and Food oh.
Biggest impulse buy/unnecessary spending this semester:
A product I didn't like...one foundation oil, one pink gloss that was nearly useless
What's your top budgeting survival hack?
Have at least 10% of your allowance or earnings tucked up in another account e.g piggyvest
Any advice for students reading this about money?
Money is like a wind. Spend it wisely, save up wisely, and have financial plans else you'd regret it.
Anything else you'd like to say to Campus Chronicles?
Money is like a wind. Spend it wisely, save up wisely, and have financial plans else you'd regret it.
Roger that!
5. “Just Use Any” — ₦35k/month
School is the weapon fashioned against my saving goals
How much pocket money do you get in a month?
I don't get any pocket money. Income... Let's say 35k a month but even that is not consistent AT ALL. So I'm almost always on 'God abeg'.
Do you think it's enough for your needs and why?
Absolutely not. I'm a student who hardly gets money from home because things are tough there, and I'm staying at the hostel. Some months I don't even have zero naira to my name.
And I need things for school. Manuals, unnecessary textbooks the lecturers make us buy, feeding, clothing (especially footwears. The ones I have are falling apart, and one is definitely sucking my blood).
Food, food, and good food.
There are certain foods the doctor told me to avoid, but how do I avoid eating rice, noodles, bread and spaghetti when that's all there is on the menu? Rice is the only one on the menu sef, the rest are occasional spice
Top spends:
Tithe, Data, and Food.
Can you give a rough breakdown of how much you spend in a month?
I don't really track it so I wouldn't know. I don't really go out so transport is really low (since I mostly walk). 9k for data 💀 — It's just this month, but if I keep buying data small small, I'll use way more than that.
Used to be 6k till MTN decided to milk me of the money I'm trying to manage.
For food... I dunno. I mostly eat breakfast and dinner at home so I can't really say. On the days when that doesn't happen, I mostly make do with snacks and biscuits so I can't say either.
I honestly don't know.
One thing you'll always find money for:
Data. I have to be online to earn.
Biggest impulse buy/unnecessary spending this semester:
We just resumed so none yet. But last semester was Viju milk. Instead of water, I opted for that. Nowadays, I just use it as a reward system.And maybe ice-cream? But that was twice and as a reward, so just Viju
What's your top budgeting survival hack?
50% savings, 10% tithe, 40% needs and wants. Sometimes I think of the 40% as savings so I don't touch it anyhow. Although I've currently used up my savings, it still helped me a lot—and it's more like an investment actually.
Any advice for students reading this about money?
No matter how little your income is, save as much as you can. And don't touch it unless it's extremely important and there's no other option. It's saved me countless times... And most importantly, when you take from your savings, it's a loan. Repay it.
Anything else you'd like to say to Campus Chronicles?
You're doing amazing.
And thank you for the opportunity to share my story/rant.
Thank you for sharing!
That’s a wrap for Part 1 of “How Much Is Enough?” A sneak peek into the real struggles, hacks, and money moves of Nigerian students trying to survive campus life. These stories remind us money is complicated, sometimes it's enough, sometimes not, and often a balancing act.
But this story isn’t over yet. In Part 2, we’ll share even more student truths and struggles, plus drop a FREE Budget Tracker with automation to help you manage your own pocket money and track your spending like a pro. Because trust me, budgeting is a game changer when it comes to stress-free campus living.
What part of this story resonated with you? Don't forget to share with one or two students.
I’m not kidding, campus chronicles is one of my favourite places on Substack
And thank you to everyone who shared their story, I could relate to many things and I learnt saving tips
Love this so much Timi