If you have children going off to the place where they take all your money and teach your child to drink, (I believe some people call them universities?...), come right in, pull up a chair, pour yourself a large gin and we will compare war stories.
If your children are younger, you can either watch and learn from my mistakes and my complete inability to financially plan for the future or you could, with a click of your fingers, retreat to mummy denial land, which was always my preferred option.
In September my child will be treated as an adult, this means that any money I did get for her stops. Her child benefit goes and her father does not have to pay a penny towards her upkeep. I could too, I could say, off you pop, you're on your own now, you're a grown up hahahahaha (I put that in for anyone who knows the EBD to save them the trouble of laughing) Her part time job will have to end as she's away from home and as she has a completely full timetable of 9 to 5 Mon to Fri with just a few hours off on a Wednesday afternoon, I'm not sure she could cope with a full schedule of lectures, plus studying plus working, so I don't imagine she'll have a job in year 1.
C'est tres tres tres expensive...
Her tuition fees are just shy of £3,300 per year.
Her accomodation in the Halls of residence is £93 per week. Approximately £3,700 per year.
She will need £60 per week for food, transport, toiletries, tights, clothes, mobile phone and generally living, approximately £2,400.
I reckon it will cost me about £9,000, yep, nine grand for her first year.
I have saved some money for this, she will take a tuition fee loan for 3 grand of this but the rest will come from the Bank of Mum and Dad, courtesy of me taking on an extra days lecturing to help fund this.
And what is ripping her knitting the most? She got her final information pack and it included her set text list for her first year and her CRB application form. She was whinging and whining about how her books came to £146 something on Amazon and that they wanted £36 for her CRB disclosure.
Yep, that's the real kicker, that last £182.
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27 comments:
i hear your pain and feel it totally. Son took out two student loans and worked every holiday to earn extra money, whilst we paid for his flat (we bought one and rented it out to his two friends)and I often bought him clothes etc (as you do), and then he came home for a year to live whilst doing work placement before going back to do MSc...he ended up owing not only student loans but also credit cards as it is all too easy and tempting for them to do so. It is 5 years on and he still owes £8,000. He did spend much time and money drinking and having fun, but he also worked hard and did well.It's bloody expensve - good luck!!
Jeeeeez! That's pricey. I'm so glad I still live at home.
Been there, done it and got the t-shirt. One of my daughters started last Sept,and now we are really poor paying for her,my shoe collection is suffering. What annoys me is we should get the child benefit back for the long holidays they have! I have another one going next September - God forbid!
Well done you for saving some....and having the amazingly smart ability to make a bit more money when needed....could she get second hand books perhaps? and when she goes in September (and my baby goes too) will we still get together to talk about how much we miss them? Or have I scared you off now?!
That's a ridiculous amount of money - wow
You can say what you want to about grants but mine at least covered the basics (I was on a full one) and my parents didn't have to go into hock to fund me
wow
I'm encouraging my daughter not to go to university, but to become a plumber. I think the world will need plumbers in 12 years' time. Or, if she insists on getting a degree do a sandwich course, join the forces, or, as a last resort go to Manchester Uni and live at home!
Yikes! I've only 5 years before Girl sets off. I keep trying to convince her to take up a trade or join the army.
Very scary and unfair. Why on earth do these 'benefits' stop? The government encourage children to go to university but they don't say how it's to be paid for. So unfair also that it is you that will be funding this alone. Feel for you....it will be me in 2 years time. x
I feel for you, while our boy is being paid through college by his employer, the eldest girl is hell bent on Veterinary School in 18 months. The fees are massive, about 6,000pa! and it's a five year course. (Or was it 6? Who cares I will be dead by then!)
Oh yes, and the youngest goes to Uni after that....
I shall watch from the beyond!
hi - I work in a uni and yes it's expensive business teaching them how to drink, I mean their subject of choice. I am already telling mine that they will have to work so it doesn't come as any great shock. Most uni have job agencies and can get well paid part time work within the uni some time short term/temp contracts, maybe EBD could give it a try?
I have will have this problem in September 12 months. But at least she can live at home, as there are 3 universities in Dublin. I've no money saved at all for this, and she hasn't got the connection between money and work yet, so there will be interesting times ahead...
I have stuffed tissues in my ears, hands over eyes and singing 'lalalalalala..not liiiiiissstennnnniiiiiinnnng...lalalalalala'
My elder goes in the autumn too. I do have the money put away to cover her tuition fees and I will give her a weekly allowance to cover living/drinking expenses (Amazon's profits will take a nosedive next year and younger daughter may not get quite as much in Topshop) but elder daughter will be taking a student loan to pay for her accommodation. I am not going to bankrupt myself to cover that as well - at least not till I know what she is going to do in years 2 and 3. I would rather be able to put some more away while I see how she and I fare and find out what further expense I will be letting myself in for. I worked in a bar 2 nights a week as a student, and every holiday, and always had a saturday job when at school - but she seems happy to lounge about the house and do nothing. I shall be encouraging her to find something part time once she has settled in.
Younger daughter has been desperate to join the police for years - till last week when she suddenly announced she, too, thought she might go to university. Bugger, bugger, bugger.
Gwen
The expenses are a huge shock aren't they !! I'm also starting to realise that in 2 years time there will be an overlap whereby both my kids could possibly be at Uni at the same time !!!! OMG !!!
I feel your pain. Mine isn't in college yet (two more years) but once he started at this (private) high school we were shocked to learn that there is far more than tuition to worry about....books, various "required" fees, transportation (if you so choose), etc. And this is ONLY high school. So I think we'll be used to the shock when college rolls around - hopefully our income will have increased by then so we can pay for the increased cost that college will surely bring. I keep telling him to get his grades up so he can try for a scholarship....he doesn't seem as interested in that as I am.....
I am with Kellogsville on this one .... ♪la♫la♪la♫laaaa♪...very loudly!!
My YBD is looking at London (laughs hysterically and considers running off with random Portuguese waiter while on holiday next June)....
I would be better off perhaps if Hubby ran off with waiter and was never seen again..... but hell I am dreading it!
Don't buy all the books shiny and new and upfront. Loads of 2nd years will be selling off their 1st yr boks el cheapo and advertising across the Uni. Much cheaper!
Wowzers!! They do get expensive the older they get. My son will have two in college come September! Yikes! I am sure they will be coming my way soon to see if I would like to donate any funds??!! Sheesh! See..it never ends!
Hugs
SueAnn
Diney - I wonder how much debt collectively our young people will owe?? I fear it may account for a significant proportion of the national debt!!!
Lolly - I wonder if she'll live at home year 2 and do the 50 mile each way commute?
Mrs Fab - I'm hoping she'll get a summer job in the long holidays :)
Libby - I'm going to investigate a local trust that apparently gives out £100 for books if you went to her school, yeay for charity. And we will have many many lunches/dinners/days out missing our girls, no back backers, you've got me for keeps xxx
MaM - apparently there are bursaries of £1,000 for students at her uni, another thing to research (and you know it'll be me if I want it done this decade!)
WM - yep, living at home is def cheaper but I would like her to have the experience of living away from home and being a student too, I can't have it both ways
LRH - some people join the army and get funded through their degree too
Chic Mama - her dad will help if asked but because she will come home to me I would imagine most of the unseen costs will be mine, I know I could let her borrow it but I'm trying to do this so she leaves with minimal debt
Jon - thank God her course is only regular fees and as it's condensed only 3 years long, she leaves just in time for the son to go !!!!!
Mrs W - yep, she's hopefully getting a summer job this year and will save some money and will do the same every hols and if she's managing the course work maybe a term time job too
LFBS - yep, def save a whack living at home, not sure how it works in Ireland but over here we have some means tested grants which we may be eligible for, worth looking into, also some charities give money if you fulfil certain criteria
Kellogsville - I don't blame you
Alienne - yep, the daughter will be given £60 per week from myself and her dad to live on, we'll pay her accomodation and she'll take the loan to cover fees, similar to you. She has worked part time since she was 15 and has a few grand in savings which she'll put towards her education and we'll see how she copes with course work and placements with just a holiday job. Gaah, just as she leaves the son will go and the youngest is only 2 years behind him, pass the gin would you?
Becky - yep, if my 2 youngest both go I'll have an overlap, didn't think of that when I was busy popping out 3 babies in 4 1/2 years did I?
Gigi - I know that some of the American colleges are hugely expensive, don't think we'd manage at all
VR - yep maybe I'll run off with a Turkish waiter in June :)
Mud - yep, always a good idea
SueAnn - ah yes the Bank of Grandma, not only do you help your own kids through college, you get to do it all again with grandkids !!!
I remember back in the good old days when the state paid for your education. As it should. I feel you should adopt a Pay per View approach to your blog to help fund your children's education....
Yep, I hear it and feel it too. However that is only if she gets the grades she needs. If not she is joining the army and I get an new kitchen yipee!
Ogodogdogodogodogod...
I did not realise that it was quite as much as all that - I've been leaving the forms to the Manchild - I was reeling when he told me about the accommodation costing over £90 per week, but I had forgotten altogether that we've also got to pay tuition...
Guess who hasn't been reading the UCAS information, and guess who hasn't even filled in his student loan application yet??!
x
The costs for students (or more to the point for the parents) is now totally out of control. It's really not fair that it should cost so much for education. University education is fast becoming a luxury and will soon be available only to a privileged few. It's a sorry state of affairs.
Tell her to take in washing - preferably yours - then she can make loads of dosh.
I've got another four years before I have to worry about this, so my head is firmly in the sand.
XX
Mine will be sodding off in September. He'll be commuting home weekends as he's lucky to have a fairly well paid job here. I am still bracing myself for the financial 'thud'......along with his washing, of course.
Nb - I feel I should be paying people to read my drivel :)
Alison - liking the plan B muchly, our plan B is repeat last year at school, more than likely make same mistakes again !
Fhina - don't worry, breathe, drink gin with me, feeling better now sweetie?
MdF - and don't forget the topless ironing
Suzanne - and who can blame you? x
Lena - and don't forget, he'll be £10 grand better off as you've no tuition fees to pay in The Mother Country, hmmn, wonder if it's too late to move back for the younger 2 ????
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