MSE Parents Club Part 15

SusanC_2

weezl74 wrote: »

interesting!

And have you got plans to save for the fees, or another idea in mind?

I think it's pretty hard to predict and plan for where our finances will be in fifteen plus years time, what higher education will be like then and whether any of our children will need higher education for their chosen path in life. Based on rough forecasts I reckon we'd probably have something in the region of £10k available per child but what we would actually pay for each individual child would depend on the circumstances. I wouldn't want any of my children to enter into higher education without careful thought and consideration of their longer term plans and how best to achieve them. If my child was doing a very intensive course with a high workload and we were able to fully support them then I would do so. If they had a low workload then I would expect them to be making some contribution themselves. If we were unable to contribute fully (which is the most likely scenario and the one I would expect them to be planning on) then a gap year or part time study could be options which would enable them to provide some finance themselves.

weezl74

tiamai_d wrote: »

Weezl, I'm not saving yet. But I need to start thinking about it too!

I want to encourage the kids to go to Uni but for one I have no idea how much I would have to save to pay fee's. Or even if we will be paying fees in the future (probably). Maintenence... dunno. I'd hopefully let them live at home rent free but if they went to stay at a Uni... I'd try?

Mleh, I have no idea at all.

me neither tia! Am just playing around with some figures using this. It's higher than I thought. Am currently coming out as needing to start now and save £250 a month to cover fees and maintenance at today's costs- eeeeeeeeeeeep! Am due to chat this through with DH tonight....

aless02

weezl, my parents paid for fees plus housing costs and a meal plan that included 15 meals per week. Anything beyond that was my responsibility - in an ideal world, that's what I'd like to be able to do for my children who choose to go to university, but I simply don't know if that will be possible as my parents were in a different place financially when I was born than we are now . (PLUS I was a 2nd child and my sister only did 3 semesters so I suppose I got 'more' money b/c of her actions IYSWIM)

kitkat5566

Weezl I have to confess we have no immediate plans to save for education, the past 4 years we have struggled to pay bills/ even buy food so now OH is working most of our money is paying back money we owe. We have a couple of money pots around the house that we contribute any spare change that will be kept for T, I know its a fairly pathetic amount but while we are paying off debts its all we can do. I have got bits of money friends/ family gave T when he was born and that will probably go into a bank AC for him and maybe we will set up a DD when we clear the debts.

My parents could never afford to save for an education fund for me and TBH it never bothered me, I never went to uni but the lack of money never phased me, I just never wanted to go. I think I would probably prefer to save up for driving lessons/ money towards a car if I considered saving for T, I know this was the most important thing to me in college!! And the prices of lessons/ driving licences and tests is ridiculous!!!

Hope this helps... but probably not!!

SusanC_2

I think something which is more important than the actual amount you provide is that you are clear about what you are providing and that (extreme/unforeseen circumstances aside) you stick to it. The money I got changed/reduced at random and some terms I just didn't get any which rather stressful. (The unpredictability was the stressful bit - not the actual not getting anything.)

workinmummy

Hello :wave:

I'm up and out of my sick bed and back at work. Feeling a million times better, so hoping there is no going backwards this time. Have been confined to my bed with a chest infection and severe dizziness and have never spent so much time horizontal in my life.

It's Joes school play this evening and he is playing the "Kind Angel", and even has a solo speaking and singing part. Can't wait to see him :A.

Poor little boy was 7 on Friday and had to be content with his presents and no treat, as I was too ill. I think it will be a trip to the cinema this weekend to watch the new Harry Potter film. He has been very good and not moaned or got upset. But Bayblades and Hot Wheels seem to have gone down a storm - if anyone has boys of a similar age to buy for and is stuck.

Glad you are finally in your new house Red. Hugs and yays for those required.

r.mac_2

Susan - I've just seen your signature! :eek: I do hope you and everyone who reads it understands it, otherwise They will think I'm a right odd one..... :rotfl::rotfl:

SusanC wrote: »

If anyone felt like writing an outline angry e-mail to Emma's Diary for me so that all I need to do is add the details of all the times I've unsubscribed and they've e-mailed me I would be very grateful. They're still sending me them and I all my complaint energies have gone into the hospital complaint.

If the wonderful email by weexl doesn't help - I will call them on your behalf.

SugarSpun wrote: »

*fume*

A friend of mine picked up Husband's Christmas gift from Molly and said she would post it last week. She still hasn't posted it, and because she is in Edinburgh it is unlikely to arrive in time for Christmas if she posts it. I just tried to organise a courier and either I spend £90 for it to arrive *possibly* on the 23rd or it won't arrive for Christmas.

She knows it's a Christmas gift and has just been faffing for a week.

*fume*

Epic trip to collect my parents from the airport, there was a fire alarm in the underground system and a subset of trains weren't running in the central zone. So Miss M and I took a tram to a different underground and then that underground to the eastern main station where we eventually picked up the airport train. Came home to find that after my offer last week to organise a courier was refused she's not actually been to a PO in all that time so *fume*

Don't panic just yet. I posted parcels today and the PO in Edinburgh are still assuring me that royal mail will deliver 2nd and 1st class parcels items before christmas. They must be feeling a bit more confident. I think the problem is those currently stuck in transit - like mine

r.mac_2

weezl. Interesting question and one which I'll mull over with regards to my reply. I'll get back to you x

MadDogWoman_2

Katie has a CTF that we're paying into, have not other savings for her at the moment, too busy trying to pay the CCCS off (2015 at current estimates!)

Jillie - re your question about TV Katie's favourite programmes are I Can Cook and Something Special. She doesn't watch much during the day as she's out. In the morning she watches Milkshake on Five. It's just on in the background and if something catches her interest she will watch it - she's just been watching Horrible Histories about the Romans. She also loves dancing so any music is an opportunity for dancing. I'm currently doing an online course and I've never been able to concentrate without background noise. I hate being in offices where I can't have a radio on.

smartie12

weezl74 wrote: »

On the radio yesterday there was a discussion about whether parents of babies now should be rethinking their savings strategies in the light of possible future changes to university education.

I wondered what you guys were all thinking of doing, if your children going to uni is something you'd like, that is!

Thanks in advance if anyone is willing to share their thoughts on this.

DS is 14 and as soon as he could speak he said he wanted to go uni. I saved for him what I could but as a single parent (before I met DH) it was hardly anything. He still wants to go but not sure how exactly he will be able to fund it. We will help as much as possible. If he decides to not go uni and go straight into job the money I have saved for him will be for a car/deposit for flat etc.

Being in a better situation financially now means we can save for Daisy a lot more money. Again this will be for uni - or like with DS will be for a flat or whatever.

My parents saved about £100 for me... but my mother took it *sigh*