Surviving as a Mature Student

lamarsi

hiya as a fellow mature student i'd like to say well done on being organised, i'm determined to leave uni with less debt than when i started but i'm shattered already and i only started in september, i've just finished my 1st placement on the wards working 12hour shifts and now i'm driving a taxi over christmas to pay the bills, i wish i'd not run up so much debt b4 doing the course but if i'd waited until i'd paid it of i'd be a pensioner hope the cats ok btw and getting used to having a stump!

Penny2myName

Got a new student loan letter through today, with the Parental Learning allowance, it appears they have raised the amount of student loan I get also. Meaning new working outs for this term.

[FONT=&quot]15 Weeks[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]04/01/2010 Student Support Loan Student £1208.79 [/FONT]£1688.28
[FONT=&quot]04/01/2010 Supplementary Grant Student £969.00 £1472.00[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] Child Tax Credits £2094.60[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]05/01/2010 Child Benefit £185.60[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]02/02/2010 Child Benefit £185.60[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]02/03/2010 Child Benefit £185.60[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]30/03/2010 Child Benefit £185.60[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Term 2 Total £5997.28[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] -£1883.47[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]£4113.81[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Living Costs[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Rent £148.05[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]tv licence £47.80[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Gas £216.00[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Electric £105.00[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Water £93.60[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Virgin Media £300.00[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Term 2 Total £910.45[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Other[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Food £700.00[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]School Dinners Free[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Yorkshire Wildlife £12.00[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Total £700.00[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Debts[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Littlewoods £1156.22[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Overdraft £727.25[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Total £1883.47[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leaving £2503.36[/FONT]

Penny2myName

Yes I must admit I have been using the catalogue again, but shall be clearing that once loan money is in and this time definatly cancelling it. My La Redoute catalogue is now a cash only account, need to see if I can do that with Littlewoods too.

Penny2myName

Well all my bank accounts are back in black, and all Debts cleared again. Now off to get the kids bikes, carpet for room and stairs and a suite thats on sale that will actually fit into my room comfortably unlike my huge thing.

Penny2myName

Today I removed my O/D from my normal currant account. So I just have my Student account with an O/D on it, but am going to try my best this term not to go into it.

Penny2myName

[FONT=&quot]Year 3, Term 2

15 Weeks[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]03/01/2011 Student Support Loan Student £1621.95[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]03/01/2011 Supplementary Grant Student £1472.00[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] Child Tax Credits £2265.45[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]03/01/2011 Child Benefit £188.40[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]31/01/2011 Child Benefit £188.40[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]28/02/2011 Child Benefit £188.40[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]27/03/2011 Child Benefit £188.40[/FONT]
Maintence £300.00
[FONT=&quot]Term 2 Total £6413.00[/FONT]


[FONT=&quot]Living Costs[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Rent £0.00[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]tv licence £49.48[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Gas & [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Electric[/FONT][FONT=&quot] £396.00[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Water £135.20[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Sky £200.00[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Term 2 Total £780.[/FONT]68

[FONT=&quot]Other[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Food £600.00[/FONT] (£40.00 per week)
[FONT=&quot]School Dinners Free[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Yorkshire Wildlife £12.00[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Total £612[/FONT][FONT=&quot].00[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Debts
Capital One £800.00
Ace £49.03
[/FONT] [FONT=&quot]Very £1402.49[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Overdraft £1898[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Total £4149.52[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Leaving £870.80[/FONT]

Penny2myName

Horrid thing is, I need to use £1800 to purchase my fabric for final year show collection (and manufacturing for becoming self employed) So it looks like I will have to reuse my overdraft after it clears from latest student loan payment. Once I get my final loan payment in April, will have to cancel my O/D facility the day after it has been cleared.
My Very, Capital One and Ace accounts, I shall pay on 4th Jan and close each of the accounts down on payment.

Muffin86

Hiya! As another fellow student whose coming to the end of her course I just wanted to say good luck!! you look very organised (unlike me :-/ ) xx

Penny2myName

My challenges for 2012

Join Weekly Flylady thread (and stop just lurking on it)

Sealed Pot £250 target (got £14 in £2 coins to start off)

100 days challenge - No Take-outs/meals out (starting 2th Dec- 8th April) I know this is slightly short but son's birthday is on the 9th.

No new bought clothes for me for 365 days (apart from underwear) (I have a huge box full of fabrics so can use that up by making myself clothes)
Live on £4k for a year

£1 a day savings

January 2012 Grocery Challenge (£40)
NSD challenge of 2012! January (7 Days)

Weekly Spend Challenge (£10)

Penny2myName

Student loan in
Capital One, £543.99 paid, will pay off balance when next statement comes in.
Very £402.49
Ace £49.03