To ask my parents for financial help

Glad your burden has been eased - please don’t feel like a failure for having a TC that didn’t fund your LPC. In the real world (where some of these posters clearly aren’t) lots of regular firms won’t pay for it. I paid for my own before I got a TC, as did most people I know.
Some of these responses trying to belittle you are appalling, TC’s are gold dust so the fact you even get one is incredible (and let’s face it, the vast majority of people, including those making comments insinuating smaller firms are crap, instruct those same firms they’re disparaging for conveyancing, divorces, wills etc 🤷🏼‍♀️).
Not every solicitor works in a magic circle firm, and that’s fine. Some of us are quite happy earning less but with a good work life balance!
Ps to the poster that said the “best” solicitors are at those big firms should see some of the mistakes I’ve had to rectify from them!

That's good. So they should. One thing may parents did was let me live at home for free and in return I did a load of chores.

It's give and take. Dad was always the bank for me. I had a dog that needed a 2k operation at a referral centre and he paid and I paid him back. This was in 1992 so it was fortune. I borrowed other sums over the years but always paid it back doing extra shifts if they came my way.

When they got old and ill, was when I stepped up to nurse them and care for them and make arrangements. I'm glad your folks see that.

Good luck with your studies.

I wouldn’t ask for so much (e.g., full exam fees). If you’re already living there and making a minimal financial contribution, then they are already helping you out.

You have money left at the end of each month, so you are surviving and not sinking. There’s no need to ask for money. It’s only 18 months of being skint. If there’s a specific thing you need and they can afford it, asking for a small amount might be reasonable.

You also said you had several unexpected costs, such as your laptop breaking. I think you can reasonably assume you’re not going to continuously get such high unexpected costs, so you should have a bit more to play with in future.

I do sympathise with it being horrible to be skint, but it’s just 18 months. What’s going to happen at the end if you don’t get a job straightaway? You might actually need help then, not just want it. Would they be able to help you twice?

I'm not saying it should be that way but it IS that way. If you give up now you will always regret it. A coffee out IS a luxury in your circumstance. I've made myself £££ and I still see a coffee out as a luxury. It's about perspective. I was mixing with students that were loaded compared to me. I went to school with relatives of royalty but that was their path and I was on mine and in your case the end of the tunnel is near and you have money to spare at the end of the month.

With me, I didn't even know I would get to the end of the tunnel. For all I knew I would get there and it would be some pissed bloke trying to light his own farts.

It depends on their financial situation. If they can afford to help you then you’re not being unreasonable, but if they’re struggling then you are. You’re already paying for your exams, so you’re not asking them to pay towards your exams, you’re asking them to pay towards the social aspects that you can’t afford. You’re doing well for putting in to your education now and you’ll benefit long term.

Replying as a mum of a teen and someone who also once had to go cap in hand to parents for money (feeling like a failure).

If your parents have the means, they won't want to see you struggle. If you show your outgoings are primarily linked to furthering your career and are only finite (for the duration of the TC) also you have a specific amount in mind you are asking for to help you through this period (don't go too low and end up having to go back again as that will make you feel worse).

You could propose it being a loan? Once you are qualified hopefully your pay will increase significantly? If it were my son though and I could help him, I would rather he keep his future money to save for a deposit though.

Many people in your position would have got themselves in debt to get the exams done though, cut yourself some slack, you are doing great.

@concernedchild really glad (through after your DF's initial message, not surprised) that this has worked out.

Your parents have probably been quietly worried about you as they will have seen your distress but not known the cause. If they are anything like my parents were they will have been filling in the gaps with all sorts of horrors.

For them this is the best outcome!

This. I had a training job with a career path. I was a student for two years with a 6 month residential half way through. I was penniless. I had to hitch lifts everywhere and I was on the bones of my ass. My clothes were all charity shop stuff and I ate in the subsidised canteen once a day. Outside of that it was toast sometimes with nothing on it.

I had to do a seasons lambing to pay for my books at one point.

My parents could have afforded to help me out but I had my eyes on the prize, knew it wasn't forever and I did well.

The thought of takeaways, holidays or even a bought coffee would have been laughable.

Having savings and then asking for a loan would have had my Dad saying no for sure. I have borrowed money from my parents over the years since but always with a plan and always only if the only other option was the bank and with interest.

My folks are gone now and I looked after then as they looked after me over the years.

It is hard. Don't get me wrong but this is what the light at the end of the tunnel is for.

Absolutely not BU. Young people have been massively screwed over financially (well most of us have but especially the young). And I say this as someone turning 40. You are 24 you are obviously hard working and a conscientious person. Most people your age are helped by parents in the current climate. It breaks my heart a bit that you are ashamed enough to ask MN if you are being unreasonable. Ask away- you need support and let’s face it- you will most likely be supporting your parents when they are elderly in other ways. Best wishes to you xxxx

😫

Absolutely ask your parents, if they can afford it. I would hate for you to be my child and struggling so much.
Ask them, there's no shame in it and it's not gonna be forever.
Good luck x

I have adult DC's and if I was in a position to help out I absolutely would help in any way possible so do ask them
You must not feel like a failure, quite the opposite. You have a plan to focus on and can see the bigger picture

I was reading this thread thinking "I don't know how any parent wouldn't give their child money in this situation", so I'm glad to see they are going to. You're doing so well. All this hard work will be worth it in the end.

Ask them for money. Surely they know you can potentially pay back in a few years. You are doing great. Studying and working must be hard.

Do your parents know how much the exams are? I wouldn’t think twice about helping my kids pay for them if I had the money.

Minimum wage is definitely going up next month so that should help a little bit more.

All the answers are in the thread if you bothered to read the OP's posts....starting with her age....

Sounds like they have fully agreed to fund this precisely BECAUSE you have never asked them for anything.

You have worked so hard to do this alone, whereas your brothers have had their hands out whenever they can. So they can see that this is not something you have asked on a whim, and also that its not "Can you lend me £3k so I go on holiday" but to help you pay to qualify in a career you have worked really hard to get.

The fact that you have immediately offered repayments makes a big difference too. I very much doubt that they will want you to pay it back, I wouldnt.

Honestly it depends a lot on the background. Did your parents already supported you before ? Why are you back home at 42 ? Is it because you went back to uni after working on a different field ? Or have you never been independent?

It's good that you are looking at your finances. If you have a spreadsheet, you should be able to see which is the best option for you to alleviate the pain.

Is there an option for you to delay your exams by a year (not sure how law works). It feels like the world has ended when you are 24 to take a year out, but it might get you in a better financial situation?

I had nothing to contribute beyond what other people said, but I was watching this thread and am really pleased it's turned out well for you, and that you're less anxious now. Wishing you all the best.

Of course your parents should help you out while you are studying. If they refuse, it is they who should feel bad and ashamed, not you.
I am assuming they have the means to do so.