Everything changes

itsthelittlethings

Weekend plans: tidy, vacuum, wash up. Maybe gym for a light session (20 minutes on the treadmill and a bit of posing with dumbbells). Tomorrow is all about study. I have 3 one hour videos to watch and maybe two chapters to read and make notes on, can’t remember how I divided up my time. Absolutely no socialising this weekend. I am going out for my friend’s birthday dinner so so I can’t spend any money. I may have to borrow £20 from my mum if any unexpected expenses come up. I know, that is what an emergency fund is for. It’s £15.90 for the thing I want at dinner. I would also like to get a mocktail but will need to sell a skein or two of wool to do that.

I came up with a great last line for my essay last night. My tutor and me had a good chat on Tuesday. He is cool.

I think I will study the art thing I want to do (it’s on my bucket list to have an art qualification) and then maybe the degree I have earmarked. It’s annoying that I can’t read as I have my head so full of the things I am studying. On the whole I would rather just read books I think and learn about the world through fiction and autobiography.

Maybe if I will protect two hours every Saturday evening for reading then I can do it all.

Emmia

"I think I will study the art thing I want to do (it’s on my bucket list to have an art qualification) and then maybe the degree I have earmarked. It’s annoying that I can’t read as I have my head so full of the things I am studying. On the whole I would rather just read books I think and learn about the world through fiction and autobiography."

Once you finish your current course, you could just learn through self directed reading. I seem to recall you have an undergraduate degree already, so if that's the case why another one at the same level?

If it's a geography degree... I have one and it's great and interesting... But qualifies you for nowt! I'd also say geography degrees (or at least the one I have/where I studied) are wildly different from geography at school. In my case there was a lot more intensive/advanced maths and physics than I was expecting for a BA (Hons).

I'm also currently studying (for fun) and I completely understand the "everything in your head relates to that thing" issue. I'm personally looking forward to finishing!

itsthelittlethings

I finished my chores yesterday morning and then slept the rest of the day until now, only waking up to brush my teeth.

I’ve sorted out some wool to sell and put some clothes on Vinted. I sold a pair of sandals on Vinted. Just waiting for the balance to come through. Goodness knows how much they are making with the interest on money they hold.

Unfortunately I have scheduled a lot of study for today. I’m off to the gym at 6.30 when the morning crew go. Some people even talk to each other, don’t think I really want to make friends at the gym especially as they are mostly dad types but it’s nice to feel part of something.

Thank you for your reflections Emmia. I really really like the idea of a Geography degree especially as people are all about sustainability nowadays. My tutor made it sound like I could specialise in Human Geography and even business. He said “am I selling it to you?” and we both laughed. It would cost about £20,000. The thing is that my loans would be on a different plan to my original loans and the conditions are worse. So aside from the fact that it’s slightly fraudulent to take out a loan with no intention of paying it back (done that once first time round) I think I would actually be worse off in the long run. Although you can’t take it with you.

Right. One more coffee, morning routine and gym.

itsthelittlethings

One more cup of coffee and hit the gym.

Honeysucklelou2

Have you tried making your own soups? Homemade pizzas? The food budget does seem on the high side…to give context, I used to feed a family of 7 on the same budget. Making things from scratch really helped to keep the budget low.

Smudgeismydog

Although you note you are considering ‘taking a loan with no intention of paying it back’, you will be charged interest. Only 10 days ago you said you would have to put food on your credit card to get you through this month.

Honestly, you are in such a great position, with no rent or mortgage, if you could just focus on getting your head down and budgeting, you could clear the £20,000 pretty quickly.

You do seem to flit from one thing to the next, have you spent some time considering what’s really important to you and what you want to achieve? Of course your tutor is going to ‘sell it to you’, your fees effectively pay their salary. Yesterday you said you were going to study the art thing you want to do. I feel it’s like you are thinking about the next thing before have finished the current one, with no longer term plan in place.

MFWannabe

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81959299#Comment_81959299

Why are you even thinking about a course that’s going to cost £20k??!
You are already buying groceries on a credit card 2 weeks before payday; have you looked why you are having to do this?
You already owe 2k which you are not knuckling down to pay off

You have no idea emergency fund

Honestly if you don’t sit down and sort finances out now; in 12 months you will be back on here with much larger debts than you have now 🙄

Have you actually read any of the advice you have been given?
seems like you ignore it and just leap from one thing to the next 😧

itsthelittlethings

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81959346#Comment_81959346

A degree for £20,000?

MFWannabe

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81959349#Comment_81959349

yes why are you even considering a degree costing £20k???
what benefit would you gain from it?
what would be the payback time?
If you had £20,000 sitting in the bank would you spend it on a degree?

itsthelittlethings

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81959354#Comment_81959354

No, I would leave it in the bank for the security of having £20,000.