stressed , fed up and very down

hippychick1

I am a single parent student nurse and I make it work. It definitely is hard work, and I only have my dad to chip in every now and again with help.

The course is more than possible for you, especially with your obvious enthusiasm. I have three young children and manage. Yes money is tight, so I work too. Your bursary is definitely not taken into account for tax credits purposes. You will be able to take out a student loan too, as you are doing the degree, not diploma. It is worth cutting out a few luxuries, eg dropping the sky package a bit.

This job is so rewarding, and yes it's tough too. I really do not see why another poster is being so negative towards it. And if her sister is staying up so late to finish work before uni the next day she obviously has no time management skills. The work is perfectly manageable as long as you keep on top of it, and don't leave it till the last minute.

The job situation is the same as anywhere... its tough to get jobs. I was an accountant who would be on 50 grand a year by now if i had stayed in that job, but I had to do this for me. I currently scrape by financially, and when on placement I don't see the children much, but it will all be worth it in the end. You will make this work for you, just as I have done. Good luck!!

teddyclown

Hi Jay, I just wanted to add my support as well. I just couldn't believe what I was reading - all the doom and gloom from someone in such a supposedly caring profession.
You've done brilliantly getting to uni, well done!
All the best,
Teddyclown

mogsi80

Well done to you, for having the determination to get into uni and stick with it rather than chuck in the towel at the first hurdle, I think you are providing a brilliant environment for your kids, they'll grow up to know with some hard work you can achieve your goals, rather than just give up or expect it to be handed out on a plate..

I was shocked at the previous comments, but don't worry I think she might be a one off (I hope!!)

jwil

Good luck with it all Jay, you should continue to follow your dreams. It is hard out there in every profession at the moment, and if we all gave up because there were few jobs out there at the moment, then we'd be in a right mess. There's no guarantee of a job at the end of any course, but it's not a reason to not do it.

crystaltipps

Can I just add that I think now is an ideal time to return to study. Getting a decent job at the moment is extremely difficult. My boyfriend is lucky to be working in a good but demanding job and we saw a position last week on a jobsite that he fancied so we sent off his details and he called them the next day to confirm receipt of them. They told him that they had had 170 applications at that point to go through. This was for a middle management qualified position paying between 30-35,000.

Also, last autumn, after a conversation with friends about the general ineptness of our local KFC staff, I applied for a job there myself to see how far I could go with the application. Because of my age, and the fact that I was not prepared to be available for work at all opening hours, they turned me down even before interview. They wanted people that they could pay the least amount for the most hours - i don't think there is anyone in our local 'service staff' branch that is over 21. I am a qualified chef with hygiene cert up to management level (not just the basic) and have an NVQ in customer service etc.

I would be bricking it if I was being made redundant or unemployed and feel glad to be out of the running for at least the next year if not two.

(Although trying to ignore the student debt I am racking up is not fun!!!)

mummyofboys

Hi everyone

Thankyou for all your kind messages is very nice to know there is support, I got abit scared off before! Glad I came back and checked.

I think I am going to consider CCCS and do a DMP at least that way I can clear my debts down slowly but surely without going without the basics such as food and paying rent. Should I stop paying my unsecured debts for the time being?

I wasn't aware that I could claim a student bursary aswell... thanks so much for that advice I have found that I can top up my bursary with a student loan of up to £2000 roughly.

I just have to keep telling myself it will be all worth it, I could walk into a job tomorrow working for my friend at £1300 take home every month, however it is a dead end job and something that has no prospects and I dont really want to do. Its abit like to get what you want in life you have to get worse before you get better if you get me I will keep focusing on the long term goals ..

Wish my little boy luck for tomorrow, I am nervous and abit scared of what the tests will say...sometimes it feels( even though I know its not really ) that not knowing is better for both that and debts.

However I am pulling my head out of the sand and going to try and tackle it... I wish I could share this with my husband, I feel like If I crumble what will happen then

maganan

jay_mi10 wrote: »

Also yes my bursary will be minimum however

I only earn 96 per week currently.
I pay £453 for childcare ( my eldest starts school in september so that will be half that cost gone)
Tax credits do not class bursary as an income so my household income will "go down" therefore evening itself out.

Hi Jay,

havnt yet read everything (will do in a minute!) If your doing a degree the tax credits will count it as an income (they didn't when i did it but do now). Regarding shifts etc you sound pretty flexible and willing to work and most mentors will try and accomodate genuine needs etc I certainly do when allocating students. Yes the job situation is bleak at the moment but things change/we are an aging population (in the NHS!) hence people retire/at point of qualification you will be cheap (band 5 compared to top band 6) so if its what you want to do go for it you'll get there!

Here and now...............when I did my access course any course over 16hrs/week entitled you to a reduction in council tax we just had to get a letter from the college might be worth looking into.

good luck, particularly with your son and stay strong x

brokemedic

Good luck with the results. I will keep my fingers crossed for you. I hope that you find some relief either way. If it's positive, then at least you can start getting him the treatment that he needs and from what I understand there are many more treatment options available these days.

Please don't let one person's words put you off, especially when it sounds like you have a few people here rooting for you. Also think of the example you are setting your children if you do pursue nursing - if you want something enough, then try your hardest to get there and the rewards that you will get - I don't mean just financial here. Personally, what motivated me was the thought that I didn't want to look back when I was 70 thinking "If only I had...."

Good luck with it all.

maganan

brokemedic wrote: »

Not sure if this is applies to you but can you apply for a student loan at all with the degree programme. I trained years and years ago when they did the Diploma programme and I received a bursary. But I know when they introduced the degree programme, there was some talk of the possibilty of being able to apply for it in the final year. I never looked into it as there was no need to for me but it might be a possibility.

Also don't buy new books. Amazon and other students are always selling off old textbooks.

bm

When I did my degree we were entitled to half (i think) the non means tested student loan on top of the bursary

mummyofboys

Thank you all I shall keep you updated