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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to wonder how DD can earn enough cash to see her through university?

75 replies

AtYourCervix · 04/02/2012 18:58

I have suggested pageants and maybe some moggling but as she rightly pointed out she is a bit short and can't walk in heels. She is however staggeringly beautiful so that bit would be covered.

Any ideas?

OP posts:

totallypearshaped · 04/02/2012 20:47

Well, she could get a webcam, and slather herself with makeup on youtube. Or not..

ninedragons · 04/02/2012 21:00

What does she want to do? I am not in the UK, but here I believe the equivalent of the Territorial Army will put you through university in exchange for a commitment at the end of it.

Not everyone's cup of tea, obviously.

GeorgeEliot · 04/02/2012 21:10

i got by working behind a bar when I was at uni.

Malificence · 04/02/2012 21:16

DD is in her final year of her Maths degree and starts teacher training in September, she's had a job all through, waitressing for two years and she now works in la senza 12-16 hours a week, waitressing earned her a fortune, she regularly made over £100 a week in tips alone but she couldn't do the crazy hours in her final year.
She's had a small bursary (less than £1000 a year) and has made full use of student loans, all we do is keep her car on the road - I was terrified at the thought of her owing £30k+ when she's done but now I actually understand the repayments system, the ones who don't take advantage of the loans are the daft ones, have a read of Martin Lewis' take on them on the MSE website, they will pay back much less, in real terms, then they borrow.
DD will get a £15k bursary for teacher training, but she's still going to get the full student loan, she is keeping her job but only working in the holidays.

Pachelbel · 04/02/2012 21:18

Bar work is a good one because the hours can fit well around study/lectures as there is opportunity to mix daytimes and evenings depending on her timetable.

Which month is her birthday? If she's earlyish in the academic year, she'll have quite a few months to work at home between turning 18 and heading off to university.
And to repeat what I said earlier, if she can get a job with a big chain (like Wetherspoons) she can then apply for a transfer to another Wetherspoons pub in her new town. Saves A LOT of hassle and fighting all the other students for jobs.

redexpat · 04/02/2012 21:47

I worked as an afterschool helper, 17.5 hours a week. I then trained as a Zumba instructor, worked 4 hours a week and took home the same pay. I am ALL about Zumba now. You can fit it around pretty much anything really, and most unis have a sports centre so could work there.

Children's birthday entertainer is an option.

And everyone is entitled to a student loan.

AKMD · 04/02/2012 21:56

What seeker said. Tution-fees wise, the debt, while large, is not the type that will bankrupt her. She might not even ever have to pay it off. I actually think it's a fantastic system

Living expenses are tougher. ASDA and Sainsbury's are excellent for students as you can transfer between the uni town store and the home town one and vice versa when term starts/ends. I think that might also be true for Marks & Spencer. Cleaning is also good as it's generally early mornings or late nights so doesn't clash with class schedules.

mrscumberbatch · 04/02/2012 21:59

A friend of mine is a stripper (top only) and earns enough to be putting herself through her microbiology course, also putting her husband through uni and paying all the bills on their rented flat.

Maybe that's the way forward?

Annunziata · 04/02/2012 22:02

Move to Scotland and claim SAAS?

More seriously, she could look for a company that puts school leavers through uni? I think the army also does this for med students.

gelatinous · 04/02/2012 22:39

While everyone is indeed entitled to a student loan, it isn't enough. And if your parents aren't very low earners then you get a smaller grant still. If you study in a place where the cost of living is higher you certainly need quite a lot of additional income.

The new loan system is OK, unless you are going into a highish paying job after. Then you will end up subsidising everyone else and paying back many times what you borrowed (still at an affordable rate though and arguably worth it).

Malificence · 04/02/2012 22:51

Yes, we should all encourage our daughters to prostitute themselves by stripping for pathetic men to pay for their tuition.

AKMD · 04/02/2012 22:53

ThePathanKhansWitch · 04/02/2012 22:59

Would she be willing to delay uni for a year or so and try Au pairing in the UAE? or Saudi Cervix ?. If she got a post with the Royals, she have a right few bob on return.

JoantheFennel · 04/02/2012 23:07

The new loan system is OK, unless you are going into a highish paying job after. Then you will end up subsidising everyone else and paying back many times what you borrowed "

Surely this is fairer than everyone paying back when they earn only £10K

mrscumberbatch · 04/02/2012 23:10

Malificence, I'm not saying it's a good option but I am impressed at the determination and gumption she has shown in order to achieve her end result.

FWIW, she has a very healthy outlook on it all (no parental issues at hand), if some plonker is willing to pay for her to dance on a stage then she's decided she is quite happy to relieve them of their cash!

Mya2403 · 04/02/2012 23:26

Prostitute?

seeker · 04/02/2012 23:55

"A friend of mine is a stripper (top only) and earns enough to be putting herself through her microbiology course, also putting her husband through uni and paying all the bills on their rented flat.

Maybe that's the way forward?"

Please tell me this is some sort of...I hesitate to use the word joke....

gelatinous · 04/02/2012 23:57

Given the OPs dd 'doesn't want to objectify herself' it seems unlikely to be a serious suggestion.

CharminglyOdd · 05/02/2012 10:03

I had three jobs and, whilst I didn't pay my loan off (graduated two years ago), I was able to sort my own living expenses out and pay for my masters (more important if she wants one IMO as the loans to study these are extortionate).

Three jobs: normal Saturday one, leafleting, campus tour guide (fits around lectures, provides free food). Also worked as a guinea pig for psychology students' experiments (nothing fancy, just risk assessing) and did every one-day, short job going which bumped it up.

My number one tip would be get a job working for the university/on campus as the employer is more likely to be flexible wrt to deadlines and understanding about student life. They also tend to pay more than the traditional in-town waitressing job.

TroublesomeEx · 05/02/2012 10:08

we're not low-income enough to waive fees but not high-income enough to be abe to fund her at all.

This will be us too.

breatheslowly · 05/02/2012 11:07

If you have the money (by what ever means) can you pay the £9k up front and not end up paying a graduate tax after?

Does she know what hours she will need to be available for uni?

Could she be an after school nanny? That would be about 3 hours a day, so 15 hours a week, term time only (though the school terms are different to university terms). Though doing the sums, it doesn't make much of a dent in £9k, not to mention maintenance. You'd need to work full time in a well paid job to have £9k spare. This is depressing.

hocuspontas · 05/02/2012 11:30

I would recommend supermarket work. When she gets a place at a uni, she should apply to the local supermarkets straight away. Usually overtime and discount on food and clothes etc! Dd1 earns £300 - £400 a month and this keeps her in food, clothes, entertainment etc. Also there is the possibility of transferring to a local branch during the long holidays. Has maximum loans thought - there's no other way.
Can I just give other reasons for going to university apart from to make mega-bucks? Studying in depth a much loved subject with other like-minded people, meeting people from around the world, avenues to explore you didn't even know existed, making connections, independence etc. These shouldn't just be for the rich, super-clever and well-connected.

LikeAnAdventCandleButNotQuite · 05/02/2012 11:43

She could do campaign modelling (catalogues etc) rather than catwalk.

Good on her though for not doing it if she doesnt want.

I stayed at home through Uni. Living costs were zero. I also worked part time in a shop. Are there local universities? Yes, it is great to go to X,Y and Z uni, but if she can do the same course at a local one, it will save her a fortune.

Although I did a full time degree, it consisted of 10 hours a week on campus. The rest of the time was student-led, and as the libraries were open every day and long days at that, I was able to fit studying in around 25 hours at work. How many actual hours are lectures and seminars?

I wouldnt try and influence your DD on what sort of course to do....in order for her to be motivated enough to do well, it needs to be in something she is really interested in. Also, is it crucial that she goes to Uni? If she wants to work in a specific field that values work-experience, then going straight into the world of work may fare her better.

Obviously if she needs a degree, she needs to go to uni, but what does she want to do?

KalSkirata · 05/02/2012 11:58

two of mine are at uni with a third going soon and we cant help out either. Number 1 has done some modelling (pay is shite), some costume design with a theatre group (she sews and makes stuff). Number 2 has got work as a Carer -its minimum wage but he has to accompany a disabled lady shopping, do tidying and make meals for an elderly man. That sort of thing. There's chances for more hours but he's up to his eye balls in essays too. Number 3 is looking at Maastricht cos its cheap but it doesnt do the degree he wants so he isnt sure.

Its tough. Number 2 found he could survive on his loan/grant BUT to secure a room in a shared house for next year he has to pay rent on the room from June so needed to find £1200 to cover the rent for the summer. Hence the working.

TroublesomeEx · 06/02/2012 09:46

The sad thing is that those whose parents can afford to pay 9k a year up front won't have take to take out a loan and so won't spend the rest of their lives paying back.

For those who have no choice but to take out a loan, they will be repaying that loan for the next 30 years (once they earn enough to start repaying it).

Everyone advocating it has been at great pains to encourage people to think about it as a graduate tax rather than a loan. Although this still makes it a tax that you only incur and have to pay if you're less well off.

Fair?

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