how do you live off student loans if it all goes on rent

RachelRa

Ahh I see. So, they cover the summer holidays, but not Christmas and Easter? I swear I read somewhere they didn't cover them because they expected you to go home to parents/work... I could well have dreamt it, though.

Helix

RachelRa wrote: »

Ahh I see. So, they cover the summer holidays, but not Christmas and Easter? I swear I read somewhere they didn't cover them because they expected you to go home to parents/work... I could well have dreamt it, though.

Christmas and Easter are covered in the other two instalments. Christmas and Easter holidays tend to only be 3 maybe 4 weeks long. Compared with upto 16 weeks in the summer holidays so thats why they give more in the final instalment.

melancholly

having been at cambridge - there are cheaper ways to do balls - work at them! you don't get paid but you get lots of time 'off' to join in. much cheaper! i also didn't spend anything like £400 in may week, but i guess it's been a few years and inflation is going up....!

i also did holiday work that wasn't career orientated but just paid - it was indeed rubbish. i think you supporting her financially is fantastic, but i'm also aware that it isn't an option for a lot of parents to that degree.

EDIT - that's a reply to digsby202's post - but i've had a bit to drink and didn't notice the last page - i'll get my coat!

Oldernotwiser

kelloggs36 wrote: »

That is too much of a genarlisation to make.

Well, you were the one who mentioned having "high expenses" and that's pretty much the same as having "expensive stuff".

Oldernotwiser

RachelRa wrote: »

I half wish I was born 25 years earlier... Grants Ahoy!

But grants were assessed on parental income as well and on rather more stringent criteria than they are today. My dad was a postman and my mum a lowest grade clerk in the Civil Service, with an income at today's rates of about £25,000. When I went into HE for the first time they had to contribute about a third of the grant. If your parents were comfortably off, you got virtually nothing.

I'm amazed how many people seem to think that everybody got full grants in those days and don't realise that they were means tested as well!

bestpud

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

But grants were assessed on parental income as well and on rather more stringent criteria than they are today. My dad was a postman and my mum a lowest grade clerk in the Civil Service, with an income at today's rates of about £25,000. When I went into HE for the first time they had to contribute about a third of the grant. If your parents were comfortably off, you got virtually nothing.

I'm amazed how many people seem to think that everybody got full grants in those days and don't realise that they were means tested as well!

I must admit, although I've never said it I don't think, I didn't realise grants were means tested years ago. I'm not sure why really as it seem obvious!

But then I have a lecturer who went to Oxford and talks about being given money to fritter and even claiming benefits during the holidays! This would have been early seventies though I guess, when students got out and protested a lot (he did at least!)

His dad was a teacher I believe so I don't know if that made them well off at that time or not? He describes his family background as middle class.

Oldernotwiser

bestpud wrote: »

I must admit, although I've never said it I don't think, I didn't realise grants were means tested years ago. I'm not sure why really as it seem obvious!

But then I have a lecturer who went to Oxford and talks about being given money to fritter and even claiming benefits during the holidays! This would have been early seventies though I guess, when students got out and protested a lot (he did at least!)

His dad was a teacher I believe so I don't know if that made them well off at that time or not? He describes his family background as middle class.

You used to be able to claim unemployment benefit (nothing else) in the holidays in the mid 70s. Several people I knew were recruited by the DSS (as it was) when they went in to sign on, so they ended up on the other side of the counter, which was quite surreal!

kelloggs36

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Well, you were the one who mentioned having "high expenses" and that's pretty much the same as having "expensive stuff".

Not necessarily - mortgage may be expensive but due to the market conditions isn't choosing expensive stuff, nor is buying supermarket brand food rather than other brands. The other children cost money you know - far more than any allowance given to cover these costs!

Oldernotwiser

kelloggs36 wrote: »

Not necessarily - mortgage may be expensive but due to the market conditions isn't choosing expensive stuff, nor is buying supermarket brand food rather than other brands. The other children cost money you know - far more than any allowance given to cover these costs!

It's not just about buying things though; parents' life choices impinge on their children and I don't see why the government should have to compensate for those choices.

silvercar

In my experience the most "expensive stuff" are the other children. It seems grossly unfair to say to the eldest child, "you are on you own, we have ths costs of the little ones at home" and then when the little one goes to uni offer far more support.

Its also impossible to say that parents should stop buying the expensive stuff to support their offspring, when the expensive stuff are the younger children!