To ask my parents for financial help

I would ask if I were you. I wouldn’t dream of letting my children struggle at such a young age. Young people these days have it SO much harder than people my age did.

What is the end date to this situation? I. agree with @Whaleandsnail6 on this one plus you know what your parents are like. I mean it’s good to get opinions but it’s really sort of irrelevant how much others assist their adult children.

I think it’s fine to ask your parents for a loan, if you
ve been saving for a few months hopefully they should be pleased it’s not the full amount. This is just a temporary difficult 18 months, it will be much better once you’ve qualified.

Good for you. And it sounds like you know the area you want to qualify into which is helpful.

You’ve now said you do have more money there but that it’s for some event/concert, so I still think it’s unreasonable to ask them for money. Unfortunately as adults we make choices and have to work through them, if you want to qualify then you have to throw everything at it. Asking them for money so you can spend yours on something fun would be a big fat no from me.

Have a look at specific bank loans.

If you have the spare time to do so, start eyeing up the firms up the ladder that you’d like to move to on qualifying and if there are any eg local law society events etc where you may get to meet their partners. I appreciate this isn’t helpful for your current financial situation but it does sound like you need to get the hell out on qualifying

Its a tricky one...as a parent, if I could afford it, I would help my child in your situation.

However, you already think your parents will say no. And you are paying for fun activities over the summer. You have to live with them, if asking will bring about bad feelings or criticism from them, I would think carefully about asking. You dont want to make your home an uncomfortable place whilst you are already worried about money.

Its easy to say, but just remember your current situation is temporary (and you do have essentials covered) and will get better once you have completed your exams and course.

OP, you're on the TC already, it's not going to last forever but don't try to move. Trying to move from a TC to another firm is going to make you look flakey. Is there any potential to ask your employer to contribute towards the costs? Our firm pay for the training costs for our trainees, I'm aware how expensive they are so on the lower end salary it's a killer.

Why do you think they'd say no @concernedchild? I think if you ask for a loan from them to pay for your exams and are very clear that you won't be in a position to pay it back until you've got a job as a solicitor on a full salary, would they not help you out? I realise they already are helping you out a great deal by providing you with board and lodging, but most DPs (unless they're extremely skint or hard-hearted), would help out their DC if they could see what dire straits they're in.

However, if they lend you the money and then see you going out every weekend they may feel that you're taking the piss - I think I might if I were them. I'd work out exactly how much you need from either them or a bank to make your life bearable for the next 18 months (an extra £200 a month, say?) and then either ask them for that or get a bank loan for that amount. A bank loan at 0% interest might just be the less complicated/judgemental option.

Is the concert ticket something you can ask for from your parents for Christmas or birthday? A concert ticket can't be that expensive. Yes, you need things to look forward to, but there are times when we have to choose other things we can afford. Focus on the long term because you're almost there, then you'll have the freedom to do a lot of things you want to do.

I'd ask your parents. If they have as much money as you think, likely they wouldn't hesitate to help out. They may want to have a conversation and review of your finances but I don't know, none of us want our children to struggle. I've brought my child concert tickets before just to cheer them up when they were going through a hard time.

Why are they only paying NMW?

Pointing that out if fine. Calling her a fool is rude.

How much have you saved already? And when are the exam fees payable?

If you were my daughter I'd help you in a second. You're not failing, you've had a run of bad luck and are being exceptionally hard on yourself.

Sounds like you have a tough few months ahead of you. Dig in and get through it, you'll reap the rewards. But do sit down with your parents and have an honest conversation about your finances with your parents, with no expectations and see what they offer.

I've had trainee solicitor friends who had to work in bars at weekends to make ends meet. They are absolutely flying now but it's a brutal profession at the start.

Please don't give up!

Its not rude, its honest. I don't think it helps op to waste any more of her time or money on a path with a poor likelihood of a good outcome.

Talk to them. Ask if you can get a season ticket for your birthday or something. Open the conversation.

Do they understand how tight things are? They may not if they see you with a new laptop.

I am probably the same age as your parents. We didn’t have mobiles, coffee that cost £3 a cup etc. some of us still think like that and simply won’t have noticed you are struggling because we had nothing spare and it was the norm.

I’m not undermining your experience- I believe you are in genuine hardship. They may not recognise that if you haven’t told them how stressed you are about it.

Rude.

You are not failing. You've panicked but you don't have to bankrupt yourself. Recognising a choice wasn't great and moving on from it is a life lesson.

Get a better paid temp job as a stop gap. Defer your training and apply for a better TC elsewhere - even if it takes a couple of extra years it will pay off long term. A TC at a badly paid poorly regarded sweatshop on your CV won't open doors to a better firm.

If you are determined to get law school finished, get a loan but try to move firm asap.

She's not a fool that's so rude. She's done well getting on any tc. She will get a qualification then get to work anywhere she likes!