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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think ds shouldn’t use his student loan towards a holiday?

23 replies

labradoodles · 29/12/2018 18:38

DS is planning to go away at Easter instead of the summer but doesn’t have enough money at the moment so will borrow money from his student loan which he usually saves for funding a postgrad course.

He then claims he’ll work again over the summer (he has a job) to make the amount back.

OP posts:

SneakyGremlins · 29/12/2018 18:38

I mean it's his money and he has a plan to pay it back...

Tink2007 · 29/12/2018 18:39

I did similar to be fair.

Is he responsible with money and working?

ShinyMe · 29/12/2018 18:40

He can use it for whatever he wants. He'll have to pay it back one day. Should students live frugally and never have anything nice?

Travisandthemonkey · 29/12/2018 18:40

I did that

Bluelady · 29/12/2018 18:42

His money and he's an adult.

hazell42 · 29/12/2018 18:49

Used mine for a trip to Peru. Paid it back before the end of the year without problem

KC225 · 29/12/2018 18:54

I used my first one to go to Zimbabwe, the second to go Turkey and the last one to Mexico - late 90s.

To be fair I had been weekend job and could manage on it to spend the loans on decent breaks during the summer holidays.

mrslupin · 29/12/2018 22:57

It's his money, he is an adult and he will soon learn his lesson when he's living of Tesco value noodles because he's got no money left. Leave him to it.

MissusGrinch2018 · 29/12/2018 23:01

My son did the same - he's paying it back now in a career that means he has to pay it back (I gave him spends).

I'd absolutely advise anyone to do the same - he says it was the best time of his life

MissusGrinch2018 · 29/12/2018 23:02

mrslupin Sat 29-Dec-18 22:57:54
It's his money, he is an adult and he will soon learn his lesson when he's living of Tesco value noodles because he's got no money left. Leave him to it.

Certainly wasn't my son's experience.

Alarae · 29/12/2018 23:04

I used mine for a car.

Although I did also have a part time job which paid all my expenses so...

tillytrotter1 · 29/12/2018 23:18

Everyone is right of course, he is an adult and he's doing what many have done. Just make it clear that the Bank of Mum is not available for supplementary loans or hand-outs once it's needed for living expenses if it's not be replaced in time!

BackforGood · 30/12/2018 00:15

Of course YABU.
When you are at university is the only time you get weeks and weeks and weeks of holiday. Perfectly logical to go away for a bit and to work for most of it.
Personally, I think it is fine to go away for all of it, as is the only time of your life you get to do that.
His money. His decision.

Leeds2 · 30/12/2018 00:30

I don't think your DS is being unreasonable, as long as you make it quite clear to him that you will not be making up any shortfall, and that you stick to this.

ErrolTheDragon · 30/12/2018 00:50

If he's working over the summer then it seems reasonable to have a holiday at Easter if that's compatible with his studies (ie can spare the time from vacation assignments/revision) - so if he's worked out how to organise his finances is there an issue?

Stompythedinosaur · 30/12/2018 01:08

I spent my student loan on backpacking one summer, I scrimped through the academic year to do it. I'm now 38 and I've never regretted it.

Pinkhorses · 30/12/2018 01:14

Same here - used student loan to go backpacking for 8 weeks 20 years ago. Amazing experience - it wouldn’t have been the same as an older person . Very glad I did it then . I’m sure he knows what he’s doing .

tinesltitties · 30/12/2018 01:33

Not sure why this has anything to do with you?

ErrolTheDragon · 30/12/2018 09:13

Not sure why this has anything to do with you?

Well, tbf if he's managing to save significant sums from his student loan then I'd guess the OP is giving him a lot of financial support.

But if he's thinking ahead for how to fund a postgrad course without incurring another loan then he's probably got his head screwed on.

tinesltitties · 30/12/2018 09:18

Well, tbf if he's managing to save significant sums from his student loan then I'd guess the OP is giving him a lot of financial support.

OP said he was going to use his wages to replace the money. They never mentioned they were giving financial support.

ErrolTheDragon · 30/12/2018 09:22

No; but given that the loans are not quite enough to live on then if he's managing to save enough to make a dent in postgrad costs I'd guess either the parents are contributing and/or he's doing some serious work in the summer and probably could do with a holiday now.

Badadadum · 30/12/2018 09:22

I suspect the OP is supporting her son financially so he has every opportunity in life - if she is anything like my dsis who did the same I can see her point.
Dnephew spend £2k of his student loan on a trip to Florida while dsis worked long hours doing a minimum wage job and couldn't even afford to get her haircut, because she was financially supporting her son who lived at home and contributed nothing to household bills - I know we all make choices but the sacrifices dsis made were above and beyond and the trip to Florida showed an absolute lack of appreciation for her.

Pinkyyy · 30/12/2018 09:34

Most young people are switching to holiday in Easter now instead, they call it spring break so it's probably a mixture of American influence and it being cheaper than summer. He's as adult OP you can't control his finances anymore

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