Loungers Who Lunch - The Off Topic Thread (All Chat Goes Here!)

Chimpokomon

Jane_LS_88 wrote: »

It's not doable. I'm going to try defer and go next year if I don't get a job by then. Thanks for your replies.

Lia_lia wrote: »

Hang on...you don't have to pay fees if you get the BTEA allowance or Grant...no?

Sephiroth_dude wrote: »

why can't you get btea?

RacoonQueen wrote: »

The first link I posted underlines that your fees will be paid by the grant people while you are on BTEA.

There is absolutely no reason why you can't do it. Sounds to me like you just don't want to and are making excuses. This is why people on here get frustrated with you Jane, they are not being meanies, they give you pages and pages of great advice and you refuse to take any of it and keep complaining.

Jane_LS_88

Jane_LS_88 wrote: »

I can't get both the grant and btea like you could a couple of years back.

nobody is saying you can. why do you keep going on about this?

I couldn't get by on either of them on their own even with the fees paid.

i thought you could get by on btea? it's 800 a month and 300 extra in sept? were you not saying yesterday it would be fine as long as fees paid

why are you giving up so easily? your fees will be paid for you, you'll be given 800 a month (iirc), you will finally be out of your mother's house and out on your own which you're always talking about, and i'm sure you'd also find a local PT job

x Purple Pawprints x

Guys, I'm really really not ignoring what you're posting so I hope you don't think that. I just don't think it's doable for me, at least not this year. If I start saving now I might be able to go next year if I defer. Maybe I'll get a job and I won't need to go.

Edit: I'm giving up because nobody at home believes I can do it and it hurts. It's easier just to try stay here and save and go next year.

herisson

Fees are paid for by BTEA because it is essentially the grant only i think there is rent allowance included in it. BTEA covers everything the grant covers like the reg fee. But you cant get the BTEA and the maintenance grant, they stopped that a few years ago.

Lia_lia

^ Get a part time job? I get a grant (the one that is €3,000) and pay everything myself. Live in student accommodation. I work my ass off at weekends and during the summer...but it can be done! Gonna try and get another grant through the college this year as I won't be able to work as much because I'm in my degree year...hope I get it

ignoring what we're posting and sticking your head in the sand is exactly what you are doing

we are trying to help you, we are telling you that your fees will be paid for you no matter whether you're on the grant or btea, and all you do is reply "but i need fees but i need fees i can't do it"

not only that but btea seems to cover rent allowance without the stupid 6 month rule!!!

seriously jane stop hiding and saying you cant do it and get out there and make it happen

Stench Blossoms

Sephiroth_dude wrote: »

why can't you get btea?

Because she doesn't want to.

The mind boggles

If I was offered a place in college I'd do everything in my power to do it.

Maybe that's just me though, but I always need to be doing something.

Jane_LS_88 wrote: »

Edit: I'm giving up because nobody at home believes I can do it and it hurts. It's easier just to try stay here and save and go next year.

Yeh Jane the best thing to do is stay at home with people who put you down instead of doing a course that will potentially help you get a better career. That'll show them.

herisson

Lia_lia wrote: »

^ Get a part time job? I get a grant (the one that is €3,000) and pay everything myself. Live in student accommodation. I work my ass off at weekends and during the summer...but it can be done! Gonna try and get another grant through the college this year as I won't be able to work as much because I'm in my degree year...hope I get it

im sure you would if you have been getting it the previous years?

RacoonQueen

I wish this topic had come up a few months ago when I was getting sw for sick leave. I might have applied to college if I'd know that I could get my fees paid and get BTEA. :pac:

x Purple Pawprints x

I'm sorry guys, I really didn't mean to make you all so mad at me. I won't be posting about it again and I'll try to work it out.

krudler

Jane_LS_88 wrote: »

Guys, I'm really really not ignoring what you're posting so I hope you don't think that. I just don't think it's doable for me, at least not this year. If I start saving now I might be able to go next year if I defer. Maybe I'll get a job and I won't need to go.

Edit: I'm giving up because nobody at home believes I can do it and it hurts. It's easier just to try stay here and save and go next year.

ah here, isnt the whole point of doing all this to get away from those people? so who gives a flying fcuk if they dont think you can, all the more reason to go for it.

Lia_lia

im sure you would if you have been getting it the previous years?

No I mean an extra grant on top of that! The college do provide small grants for some students that need more money. Very hard to get though. My accommodation is almost €4,000 a year...and I need living money too! Can't get the top-up grant because even-though my Mother is a single parent she doesn't get any form of social welfare...even-though only works part-time and earns feck all. And I'm still assessed under her...yay!

x Purple Pawprints x

krudler wrote: »

ah here, isnt the whole point of doing all this to get away from those people? so who gives a flying fcuk if they dont think you can, all the more reason to go for it.

I know I shouldn't give a sh*t but I do and I don't know why.

Jane_LS_88

Jane_LS_88 wrote: »

Edit: I'm giving up because nobody at home believes I can do it and it hurts. It's easier just to try stay here and save and go next year.

no jane, that's not what's going to happen.

what will happen is that you spend another year suffering with your mother, living in misery, being told you're useless. then next year you may or may not have enough savings, may or may not have a college place, and it'll switch to "you can't get through college anyway what are you even trying for" and it'll be "easier" to give up again until you have no job, no college, no prospects, surrounded by people who want to bring you down. what are you going to do then? keep sticking your head in the sand and thinking things will magically improve?

stand up and make it happen and stop running away for gods sake
you have an amazing opportunity to GET AWAY, to have your rent AND fees paid for AND given loads of money on top of that so TAKE IT

Sephiroth_dude

Jane_LS_88 wrote: »

Edit: I'm giving up because nobody at home believes I can do it and it hurts. It's easier just to try stay here and save and go next year.

screw them,believe in yourself that you can do it,don't let them bring you down

Polloloca

Jesus Christ nobody will help you if you don't help yourself. There's a motto I try live by - "excuses are for losers. The only one losing is yourself". Whether or not whoever thinks you can/can't do it, shouldn't influence you.

You are getting a lot of help both on this thread and financially. When I went to college I had no financial aid in the form of grants ect. You either want it or you don't. And if you do, nothing should stand in your way.

x Purple Pawprints x

I do want to do it.

I need to go think.

Chimpokomon

Jane_LS_88 wrote: »

I'm sorry guys, I really didn't mean to make you all so mad at me. I won't be posting about it again and I'll try to work it out.

Please do us all a favour and stop with the 'evewyone's mad at me, they're all meanies to me for no reason', tt's not what's happening here and telling yourself that it is will do you no favours.

You are a grown woman. I didn't have BTEA at college, let alone my fees paid and rent allowance on top of that! Seriously, how on earth do you think it's not doable? Like how much more do you actually think you need, full-time wages or??? Take the advice given, move out, go to college and make a life for yourself. Or you could just stay at home and wonder why you're still miserable.

Edit: sorry for being so harsh but you seem so miserable at home, I don't know why you wouldn't jump at this

herisson

Lia_lia wrote: »

^ No I mean an extra grant on top of that! The college do provide small grants for some students that need more money. Very hard to get though. My accommodation is almost €4,000 a year...and I need living money too! Can't get the top-up grant because even-though my Mother is a single parent she doesn't get any form of social welfare...even-though only works part-time and earns feck all. And I'm still assessed under her...yay!

oohh i understand now! Lia its worth applying for anyway because it would be impossible to balance both a crazy amount of work hours and trying to work for your degree!!

is your mam not entitled to x's and o's? Its where you can sign on and off each week because you have a part time job?

Lia_lia

Jane I echo what everyone else is saying! It CAN be done. I get way less than the BTEA (from what I can see here) and get by fine. My Brother is starting college next year and doesn't think he'll be able to get the BTEA because of his age...he won't get a grant either because he did one year of a course after he left school and dropped out. But he is still saving and going no matter what! So consider yourself lucky that you get the BTEA...


What course do you plan on doing?

RacoonQueen

My sister and her now hubby went to college, paid rent and bills and saved for a wedding.

Just saying Jane. One of the things that puts me off going back to college is that my hobbies are so expensive and time consuming and I have to weigh up whether I can dedicate myself to college when I'd also have to try work part time and then maybe give up something I love/the one thing that keeps me sane just to give myself better prospects. Even part time college would take up 2 or 3 evenings a week, which is when I train. Not only would I miss training but because I've been so sick there is no way I would have the strength to do full time work + 9 - 12 hours a weeks in college. I struggle now doing 35 hour weeks in work.

I would give ANYTHING to be able to go back. Have wanted to go on ever since I finished college 5 years ago. You have a place in college, you'll get BTEA and you'll get your fees paid for you. The college will help you find affordable accom and the college will help you find part time work. I would love to be in your position.

The Lovely Muffin

Jane, if you get BTEA and get your college fee's paid for, you CAN live on €188 per week. I did it. My rent was €96 per week IIRC (though it included most bills, internet was €6 per month, house cleaning supplies were €5 every eight weeks). My food didn't cost a whole lot as I was only buying for one and would usually buy the stuff on special offer.

After paying my rent I had about €90 left and was able to buy food, bus ticket to college and a bus ticket home at the weekend, I didn't always have money for treats such as take away's, new clothes, nights out etc, but I did without them.

Shopping would have been about €20-€30 per week.

Things like bags of potatoes you can get for €4 and I don't mean small bags, I'm talk 203kg bags that will weeks/months depending on how often you eat them.

You can get 2kg bags of pasta in Aldi for 94cent.

You can get tins of tomatoes etc and make up a tomato sauce, jsut throw in a few spices, herbs, salt, pepper, garlic, etc, whatever you want and it can be frozen too.

Things like soups, cottage pies etc can all be frozen.

I could make a big pot of soup that would feed three or four of us, and we'd get 1-2 bowls each depending on portion size and it wouldn't even cost €5.

Buy things on special offer, stock up then. Dunne at the moment have Roma passata on offer for €1.50, I bought some and have about 10 portions of tomato sauce in the freezer, all I have to do is defrost it when I want it, takes about 50mins to thaw out.

Meat etc, can be gotten cheaply, butchers, supermarkets etc always have special offers on.

If it's a case where you cannot afford meat every day, just cut it down and have it when you can afford it, think of it as a treat or reward.

It is doable Jane, you just have to ignore the negative people, hard as it is.

There's loads of places in Athlone that won't cost the earth and on the BTEA you could afford them, you just have to budget your money properly and be careful not to over spend, buy things you don't need etc.

http://www.daft.ie/searchsharing.daft?s%5Bcc_id%5D=c7&s%5Ba_id%5D=2684&s%5Bmnp%5D=&s%5Bmxp%5D=200&s%5Broom_type%5D=either&s%5Bpt_id%5D=&search=1&s%5Bsearch_type%5D=sharing&s%5Bfurn%5D=&s%5Brefreshmap%5D=1&search_type=sharing

As well as that, you'd be able to move out of home, away from the bad atmosphere, further your education, make new friends, get something to add to your CV etc.

Yes it is hard, nobody is saying it will be easy, it won't, but there's no reason you can't do it.

IvyTheTerrible

Lucyfur wrote: »

It's like the UB thing...people are going in roaring at staff...what, exactly, is that going to achieve? I feel really sorry for people working jobs like that:(

My sister has people calling her on the phone roaring about UB. She works for a completely different bank. A lot of people are ignorant morons.

Lia_lia

Pixie-Fairy wrote: »

oohh i understand now! Lia its worth applying for anyway because it would be impossible to balance both a crazy amount of work hours and trying to work for your degree!!

is your mam not entitled to x's and o's? Its where you can sign on and off each week because you have a part time job?

To stamps? (that's what she calls them!) Some weeks she is. She is a chef in a hotel and gets work depending on how busy it is. Some weeks in the summer she works 50 hours and some weeks 10. In the winter it's usually about 15 hours a week. So yes she does get them sometimes but does still doesn't count as a "social welfare payment" by the Grant Scheme.

XxMCRxBabyxX

Jane, stop making up petty excuses and just go for it ffs. You have btea and your fees paid plus you already said that you have savings and there is always the option of getting a loan and/or a part time job.

If you want to go then go, if you don't then don't but stop with the excuses!



On a different note clever little MCRBaby here just broke her computer in work...

x Purple Pawprints x

Lia_lia wrote: »

Jane I echo what everyone else is saying! It CAN be done. I get way less than the BTEA (from what I can see here) and get by fine. My Brother is starting college next year and doesn't think he'll be able to get the BTEA because of his age...he won't get a grant either because he did one year of a course after he left school and dropped out. But he is still saving and going no matter what! So consider yourself lucky that you get the BTEA...


What course do you plan on doing?

It's a level 8 Bachelor of Science in Veterinary Practice Management.

Edit: I'm looking at a room in a house at the moment and it's 65 a week. I'm trying to push through the doubts and see if I can do it.

Lia_lia

^ And are you a vet nurse already? (just going by your signature!) My best friend is a vet nurse and was on placement a lot during her degree (she did the one in UCD) and got paid whilst on placement. Not much but it was something!

The Lovely Muffin

The Lovely Muffin wrote: »

Jane, if you get BTEA and get your college fee's paid for, you CAN live on €188 per week. I did it. My rent was €96 per week IIRC

it seems to pay for rent as well

Acoshla

Ok, I'm going to attempt to offer a different side to the paying your way through college argument.

I am the single laziest person you will ever come across in life. I only work because I need money, it's the only reason I ever worked at any job, if I won the lotto in the morning you wouldn't see me for dust, I'd be out living it up, I'm not one of these "I'd still work" people. If my mum hadn't put me through college I would never in a million years have worked a part time job and put myself through, I just wouldn't have the drive for that at all. As a result of this I can survive on almost no money, €300 would've easily lasted me a month in college including rent and bus. But I know this about myself, so when I was 24 and realised that 1. I need my own money to live, 2. I am not and never will be willing to do more than a 40-50 hour week (like going to college, studying and working at the same time), 3. Nobody else is going to do it for me so I had to suck it up and come up with the best solution/compromise for me.

You either need to decide you can put in the time and work involved in supporting yourself through college, jump through all the financial/paperwork hoops to try and get as much help with it as you can, or you need to become content with your life the way it is, or you need to come up with hidden option number 3 that only you can help yourself with, no amount of family putting you down or strangers giving advice can help if you don't want to help yourself, trust me on that!

Edit: Funnily enough the course you're considering was what I was thinking of doing when I was at my "crossroads" type yoke a few years ago. Decided I didn't have the kind of commitment needed for that course despite being offered great support from my family and friends, see, you just need to know what you are cut out for.

x Purple Pawprints x

Lia_lia wrote: »

^ And are you a vet nurse already? (just going by your signature!) My best friend is a vet nurse and was on placement a lot during her degree (she did the one in UCD) and got paid whilst on placement. Not much but it was something!

Yeah I'm a VN already. Unfortunately AIT nurses have to find their own placements and it's not paid.

I'm going to try work this out for myself. It seems asking my mother for help only causes rows.