The "Pay ALL your debt off by Xmas 2012" challenge - PART 2!!!

antonia1

rdchick wrote: »

I would make sure everything was set in stone first, like you've spoken to the universities you want to go to, made sure you have all the stuff you need and the funding you will definitely get and how much you would need to borrow and if you can get any grants etc.

Thanks, I'm sure of the funding - it is a £15k grant, which would be tax-free and living up North rather than here. I've also worked out that I will be able to reclaim enough tax by the end of July to pay off the rest of my debts at that point so I can still be debt-free by Christmas.

mf0u1098 wrote: »

When is the cut off point for joining the courses? I was looking to train as a secondary school maths teacher a few years ago and was looking to do the GTP where they paid you as you trained on the job.

Life is not a dress rehearsal and you have to live everyday without regrets. Imagine your life 3 years from now in your current job. Will you be happy??? Imagine your life 30 years from now, what would you tell yourself to do...?

There isn't really a cut-off point for PGCE, universities will still look at applications as long as they have spaces left. Surprisingly, they still have places left for secondary school physics :rotfl:. You have to rank the unis in order as you apply so I'd need to decide which to go to. I think in 30 years from now I would tell myself to do what makes me happy. And I think teaching in the North East near my boyfriend will make me happy.

camuk81 wrote: »

Antonia - My mother in law was like that too! We will always need teachers, Can you look at Petals course

Never heard of a Petals course - I will do some googling.

Thanks everyone, I just need a bit of a push to be brave sometimes, I have a tendency to resist change if left to my own devices!

HelenPie

mf0u1098 wrote: »

I always like my last days at work although I've been with my current company over 4 years so am starting to get itchy feet... Are you doing anything tonight to celebrate? When is the OH coming down to see you hun?

p.s. cheers for the free listing info as I REALLY need to get my butt in gear with this fleabaying mallarky again as I've been a really bad Jemma...

xxx

You're not alone Jemma

antonia1 wrote: »

Morning all! Glad you had a good birthday Jemma, and enjoy your last day at work Kerri.

I'm in a bit of a dilemma, and need some advice. I've been thinking for ages that I'd like to do teaching and I'm wondering if this might be the time to go for it. My current career isn't going anywhere and I'm fed up of living in the South East. With training to teach physics I could get a tax-free grant for living expenses which would be approximately the same as my take-home pay now, but I would have to either get another student loan to cover tuition fees or live at home and use the grant to pay fees (+ living expenses to parents obv).

The problem with living with my parents is that they live 2 1/2 hours away from my boyfriend, and by doing a course there I'd be committed to living away until July next year. He said I could live with him and go to uni there, but I don't want to move in unless I'm married (I'm Catholic btw). I think he was joking when he said "lets just married sooner rather than later then".

So, my two questions are:

1) Is it really stupid to give up a stable job in the current economic climate, even though I don't enjoy it and I'm sure I would enjoy teaching?

2) Is it really stupid to live away from my parents and take another student loan just because I want to live near my boyfriend?

Absolutely, do it! I wish I could/would (maths for me) Unfortunately overcommitted financially to take the income drop If you can, do it!!!

I think that the decision on living arrangements is another "follow your instincts" matter. Is being near your boyfriend worth the loan? - sounds as though you already know your answer

rdchick wrote: »

Follow your heart and my motto is:

Life is too short not to love what you do

xxx

Couldn't agree more :beer:

rdchick

Can you be my maths teachers?! I had a terrible maths teacher (turned out to be an alcoholic and no longer works at the school) but he refused to teach me... I would do the work the best I could but then he wouldn't mark it so I was back to square one. I got a D in my GCSE so in college they told me I didn't need to retake it but to just do Key Skills... which I did and passed... and now it's not worth the paper it's written on

I need maths GCSE to be a nurse or a teacher so I am retaking it this June, petrified! xxx

mf0u1098

I've decided I definitely need to keep a spending diary as I have just worked out my total debt and I've managed to shave a whole month off my DFD so it's now looking to be November 12!!! It's quite shocking as I am paying about £1100 per month off my debt so to knock a whole month off means I've overpaid by £1100 since November 11. Crikey!!! Trouble is, I have no idea how I'm doing this which is worrying. Since my income has remained the same then all I can assume is that I'm not spending my £500/month allowance for food/fuel and other bits'n'bobs... am happy but confused as to how I'm doing it...!

mf0u1098

rdchick wrote: »

Can you be my maths teachers?! I had a terrible maths teacher (turned out to be an alcoholic and no longer works at the school) but he refused to teach me... I would do the work the best I could but then he wouldn't mark it so I was back to square one. I got a D in my GCSE so in college they told me I didn't need to retake it but to just do Key Skills... which I did and passed... and now it's not worth the paper it's written on

I need maths GCSE to be a nurse or a teacher so I am retaking it this June, petrified! xxx

Hey rdchick, there seem to be a few of us on here who have either got Maths degrees or accountancy so I'm sure we can help you hun.

I have a load of maths GCSE resources and notes from my teacher training that may help and I also taught my older sister maths for her teacher training for primary school and that was done by email as she lives an hour away so it is possible to be taught remotely.

If you need any pointers or have any past exam papers that you need any help with then please please please just ask my dear. You can pm me and I'll help in any way I can :A xxx

camuk81

mf0u1098 wrote: »

I've decided I definitely need to keep a spending diary as I have just worked out my total debt and I've managed to shave a whole month off my DFD so it's now looking to be November 12!!! It's quite shocking as I am paying about £1100 per month off my debt so to knock a whole month off means I've overpaid by £1100 since November 11. Crikey!!! Trouble is, I have no idea how I'm doing this which is worrying. Since my income has remained the same then all I can assume is that I'm not spending my £500/month allowance for food/fuel and other bits'n'bobs... am happy but confused as to how I'm doing it...!

Jemma, I'm so glad I'm not the only one in the same boat! I have nearly £200 till the end of the month and the only outlay I have is the shop for this week. I can account for everything and everything is paid. Nothing outstanding but still can't work out why I have too much! I suppose it's a blessing!

HelenPie

mf0u1098 wrote: »

Hey rdchick, there seem to be a few of us on here who have either got Maths degrees or accountancy so I'm sure we can help you hun.

I have a load of maths GCSE resources and notes from my teacher training that may help and I also taught my older sister maths for her teacher training for primary school and that was done by email as she lives an hour away so it is possible to be taught remotely.

If you need any pointers or have any past exam papers that you need any help with then please please please just ask my dear. You can pm me and I'll help in any way I can :A xxx

ditto here x

Mrs_Addicted_to_Spending

Antonia1 - I think you should do what will make you happy. I left my job that I hated a few years ago to go to Uni and study for a degree in Science - i've got one more year left to do. I've never looked back - I totally love it even though we are skint :j. Happiness is much better than money.
PS when I looked into courses, teacher training for in-demand subjects like Physics and Maths actually offered bursaries to train (not just loans but actual money) which would have at least covered the course fees - has this changed as it was a few years ago when I was researching options?

kerri_dfw

antonia if you're even considering the prospect of a different job then you need to leave your current one and go do it. Otherwise you'll end up wondering "what if?" for the rest of your life.
If you love your OH and can see yourself with him in 5... 10... 15... 20 years time then there's no reason why marriage shouldn't just happen. It doesn't have to be this big drawn out stressful affair, personally I think the whole engagement bit is a big hoohar anyway. All that matters is if you love each other and want to spend your lives together, the rest is just tat that's stored in the attic or thrown away after the ceremony

Debt busting note, I've had 8 items sell on fleabay. That's another £38 + p&p to put towards freemans, almost there!!!

rdchick

mf0u1098 wrote: »

Hey rdchick, there seem to be a few of us on here who have either got Maths degrees or accountancy so I'm sure we can help you hun.

I have a load of maths GCSE resources and notes from my teacher training that may help and I also taught my older sister maths for her teacher training for primary school and that was done by email as she lives an hour away so it is possible to be taught remotely.

If you need any pointers or have any past exam papers that you need any help with then please please please just ask my dear. You can pm me and I'll help in any way I can :A xxx

Thanks sweet, maths has never been my strong point but it's just another thing I need to get under my belt to get to where I want to be.

I need to lose 3 stone, lose £7K (in debt obviously lol) get my maths GCSE and experience in a ward before November! No pressure :rotfl:

But thank you Jemma and Helen much appreciated :A xxx