Can I get funding/low cost loans for student training at my age/in my situation..?

Xenomorhic

Help, I'm really struggling!

I am 26 and I work part time, about 27.5 hours per week. This is due to rise but only slightly. The job pays me just under 10,000 a year.

I'm currently taking a short break from a previously planned career path to work on a career change/alternative career, not decided yet!

I'm training to be a riding instructor and currently meeting all the costs myself. I have membership of the BHS at 55:00 a year, a new stages course roughly every 3 months at 160 pounds a time, and I need to ride well to pass the exams so I am paying for two lessons a week at about 17-20 pounds a time.
I am paying for an extra course I need at the moment which is 70 pounds total and essential for progressing along through the stages.

In the past I have tried the alternative method of working at an approved riding school to work towards the stages, but I did not feel I was progressing fast enough by that method and I was so poor I was not able to focus enough on my riding ability. So I have taken this alternative approach.

In addition to my Instructor training I am still registered at a part time student at Uni- am at stalemate presently because I am waiting for my supervisor to send work back.

I am also attending a college course in creative writing one evening a week.

Overall I am in classes a minimum of 6 hours a week.

Can I get any help from anywhere to be able to afford all this? I'm now getting a credit card which I have avoided for years, to help make ends meet.
I feed myself on about 12 pounds a week and never go anywhere unless it's to work, riding or a course!

I am coming up around 200 pounds a month short most months.

Anyone have any ideas? Thank you!!

Andy_L

A career development loan?

http://www.lifelonglearning.co.uk/cdl/

Andy

Xenomorhic

Heard of them, just didn't know if I would be eligible- thanks, I'll call the advice line I think!

Savvy_Sue

Just a warning that a credit card doen't help 'make ends meet', it just defers the day of reckoning. I don't know how long you expect your 'career break' to be, but a £200 pm shortfall is £2400 per year, plus interest unless you can keep moving your debt from one 0% card to another.

I know this isn't what you want to hear, but you really need to work out how long you're going to have this shortfall, how much you expect to owe at the end of it, and how much you'll then be able to pay off each month. You may find that the sums don't really add up. AFAIK a CDL isn't at all flexible, assuming you can get one: once the period of study comes to an end you're expected to start paying it back immediately, regardless of whether you're working or not.

The Debt-Free board might be a useful place to look for help with reducing outgoings etc. And the OldStyle board could probably reduce your food bill a little. But I fear you'll need to change your signature to reflect the fact that you're eternally in debt rather than poor if you don't think this through carefully!