Full Time Student - advice needed please!

BFem

Hi - I can completely relate to your prob - I was reading thinking, its such a simiar situation, although I don't have a child.

I started uni last year but was lucky in the sense that it was condensed to three days per week, meaning I could cut my full time job down to two days a week - but only pays about £500 per month (administrator) however, it helps a massive amount towards the mortgage.

Recently though i've been trying to look at options that are more flexible - I find it really hard being tied to a job two days per week as it can really effect my studies I.e - most of the people on the course (who many have kids, mortgage etc) have much more time to meet deadlines than I do and i'm fed up going to work and waiting for the days to be over so I can get on with my life!

I too am doing a course which I am passionate about (Psychology) and although my other half is supportive, he worries so much about right now, rather than thinking about the salary I can be on once I'm qualified!

I have just started (yesterday) part time with betterware, I think that by putting in 5 or so hours per week you can make a couple of hundred a month so I though i'll give it a go.

I'm also hopefully going to be signing up with Usborne at home, where you sell Usborne books at parties (mainly evenings and weekends) and at events, books fairs and charity dos etc (again, mainly weekends and evenings) - you'll be able to fit this in around with your child - who'll also get free books too!

Another option that i'm looking at is Chocolates for Chocoholics - there are apparently BIG profits to be made, and the good thing is is that the work is seasonal (10-12 weeks over xmas and 5-6 weeks over easter) although you do have to work fairly flat out over these times and you have to pay a fair amount for the kit - but might be worth looking into due to the potential profit.

Seeing as though youre on an NHS course surely your fees will be paid? Mine isnt NHS based but in total my student loan (repayable) and maintenance grant (non repayable) come to about £6k-£7k per year.

Anyway - think I have gone on long enough - but just remember that there are lots of people in our situation ('mature students') with a lot to lose by going to uni (which makes it a hard decision) but you have to give it a go - and when you're there you simply 'cope' as, what else can you do? Your other half will thank you and you'll be making your childs life better in the long run, and most of all, you'll thank yourself. You have to follow your dream or you'll end up resenting everything that got in your way. :j

boo304

Hi,

I don't think you need to panic. You will definitely get the whole £4575 from th bursary as it's not means tested. If you've applied for a student loan you'll get at least 75% of it, as this is not means tested (think 75% is around £3500?). As another poster said, you may get more tax credits as well, as student finance doesn't count as income for tax credit purposes. And as far as I know, everyone can get the loan for tuition fees. If I were you, I would check it all out on directgov.uk - all the info is on here, including the figures to show how your loan would be affected by your husband's income.

Good luck

DebtFreeASAP

Thanks for all the responses, much appreciated. I'll let you know when I hear something from SLC, righ tnow I'm trying to get my passport back as I'm off on holiday in October!

DebtFreeASAP

Hi all, this post is long overdue...I got the full nhs bursary which is around £1500 per semester, and I got around £3500 student loan which was non means tested, and the full tuition loan as well.I've had to make a big decision to resign from my main job, which is VERY scary, as working 3 days a week, uni 2 days, and caring for son and home etc just wasnt giving me the time to get school work/assignments done. I leave the job in February and am a bit worried that I will be unable to pay my monthly committments. I still have a p/t job 3 weekends monthly but that isn't nearly enough to cover my loans etc. Husband can't really help me on the financial side of things so I'm on my own to deal with this.I'm wondering if I will pay less tax on my weekend salary if I let HMRC know I work less hours now? Can anyone advise what they did or would do in this situation please?

Oldernotwiser

After the start of the new tax year your income should be under your personal allowance for tax so that shouldn't be a problem.

Have you been in touch with the tax credits department to find out how much these will go up when you give up your job?

Have you notified the council that you are now a student so that you get the 25% discount off your council tax?

Have you pointed out to your husband that your student funding is aabout the same as you were earning before ( the loan and bursary are tax free and the discount on the CT)? Might make the silly sod more supportive of you!

Apologies for all the questions.

DebtFreeASAP

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

After the start of the new tax year your income should be under your personal allowance for tax so that shouldn't be a problem.

Have you been in touch with the tax credits department to find out how much these will go up when you give up your job?

Have you notified the council that you are now a student so that you get the 25% discount off your council tax?

Have you pointed out to your husband that your student funding is aabout the same as you were earning before ( the loan and bursary are tax free and the discount on the CT)? Might make the silly sod more supportive of you!

Apologies for all the questions.

Thank you for the good advice, I haven't done any of this I'm afraid. I'll contact them all ASAP.My husband (the silly sod) doesn't even want to discuss the topic, he is more afraid I will have to ask him for money :-(!I'm doing my best to save as much as I can to supplement the bursary etc, as I also have a 5 year old son to consider.I'll post feedback from the tax credits etc.

ERICS_MUM

I'm a bit surprised that your husband regards the situation as "your" money and "his" money - my mum and dad used to pool their incomes, pay all the bills and buy food for the week (wages were paid weekly in cash then !) and then decided how to spend/save the rest. My dad always put in the lion's share but they just saw it all as "their" money.

Would this be acceptable to your husband, at least while you are studying ?

Good luck

Linda xx

DebtFreeASAP

Unfortunately EricsMum, my husband is quite content keeping our money separate. It's not something I agree with but I'm not going to kill myself over it anymore. He handles the household bills his salary is more than mine, so I no longer bring up the topic as it will get me nowhere.

As long as I can provide for my son's needs, I will be content.

msgnomey

nothing to add really apart from to wish you luck, I too went back to uni at the age of 28 with a 5yr old and in my case on my own, it was worth it as I now have a job I love and enjoy life so much more, keep at it, it will be worth it in the end

DebtFreeASAP

msgnomey wrote: »

nothing to add really apart from to wish you luck, I too went back to uni at the age of 28 with a 5yr old and in my case on my own, it was worth it as I now have a job I love and enjoy life so much more, keep at it, it will be worth it in the end

I'm really pleased that it was worth it for you, makes me hopeful:j. Gosh I'm about 10 years older, sometimes I wonder if I waited too long....but no matter, I'm doing it. It does feel as if I'm doing it on my own though, but I'm a tough cookie.