no money for bus to college/can't pay bills/rent/food

LegacyUser

College really is a place for people who have money in this country. Or so it seems. I couldn't go to college this week because I have no money. I was let go from my part time job because of cut backs just over a month ago. The money I had got taken up with bus fares and some books I had to pay for in college.

My grant got slashed because I had to work to pay for fees in 3rd year. So they told me I earned too much (Even though it was for college) and that they had to put me on the lowest band.

My parents can't help me. The students fund is closed. I've two months left in college and the bank won't loan me money because I have no guarantor. I've had a loan before and paid it in full, no guarantor needed back then because I had my job.

So I have one packet of pasta and sugar in my cupboard. I've no friends who have money. I'm not getting interviews. Pressure in mounting and I've got nothing to get to college with tomorrow.

I'm trying to find a job like a crazy person but this is too hard. I don't know what I'll live off.

OP can you defer college for a year and work in the meantime?
That way you have a cushion for when you go back?
I'm sure there is somebody at the college you can ring and talk to?

The Lovely Muffin

Could St. Vincent de Paul help with money for food/bills/buses? I've heard of people who literally have nothing getting help from SVP.

http://www.svp.ie/Home.aspx

Might be worth giving them a call or calling into them.

Have you contacted you local community welfare officer (CWO) they are also there as well. I don't know if they'd help you at all.

bluewolf wrote: »

OP can you defer college for a year and work in the meantime?
That way you have a cushion for when you go back?
I'm sure there is somebody at the college you can ring and talk to?

But what if OP cannot get work in the meantime? What's (s)he to do?

I would second ringing the college and seeing if there's anyone who could help.

LegacyUser

thank you for the reply. I can't defer, it's my final year and i've been working for three months on my thesis, If i leave now then all the work from the last semester and this semester will go to waste.
I don't think I should leave. Chances are I won't come back. I keep telling myself it'll get better but there's nothign I Can do.I don't know who to call. They told me at the student centre that the fund was closed and that I would have to wait until autumn to make another application (I'll be finished in May!)

i depended on the bank to help me out. but they won't , despite my last loan they said it's new terms now and since no incoming funds have been in my account the last month they would need a guarantor.

Are there welfare assistance places I can go to while being in college?

Purple_Bobbin

Purple_Bobbin wrote: »

Could St. Vincent de Paul help with money for food/bills/buses? I've heard of people who literally have nothing getting help from SVP.

http://www.svp.ie/Home.aspx

Might be worth giving them a call or calling into them.

Have you contacted you local community welfare officer (CWO) they are also there as well. I don't know if they'd help you at all.

But what if OP cannot get work in the meantime? What's (s)he to do?

I would second ringing the college and seeing if there's anyone who could help.

I meant if OP is worried about final exams etc and this is going to go on. They said they had 2 months left in college, a year would at least give some breathing room. That's all.

SVP is a very good idea.
I am tempted to suggest PMing me but I don't know if I could help all that much

The Lovely Muffin

bluewolf wrote: »

I meant if OP is worried about final exams etc and this is going to go on. They said they had 2 months left in college, a year would at least give some breathing room. That's all.

SVP is a very good idea.
I am tempted to suggest PMing me but I don't know if I could help all that much

I apologize, I picked you up wrong. My bad, sorry.

I don't know if asking an unregistered member to PM you is allowed on here, charter doesn't say so either. Might be worth asking a mod?

Cottontail

nosleepnofoodnobus wrote: »

thank you for the reply. I can't defer, it's my final year and i've been working for three months on my thesis, If i leave now then all the work from the last semester and this semester will go to waste.
I don't think I should leave. Chances are I won't come back. I keep telling myself it'll get better but there's nothign I Can do.I don't know who to call. They told me at the student centre that the fund was closed and that I would have to wait until autumn to make another application (I'll be finished in May!)

i depended on the bank to help me out. but they won't , despite my last loan they said it's new terms now and since no incoming funds have been in my account the last month they would need a guarantor.

Are there welfare assistance places I can go to while being in college?

Do you have any lecturers that you could speak to, they may not be able to help directly but might know where to direct you to get help? I'm sure they won't want to see you drop out of your course so close to the end.

The Lovely Muffin

nosleepnofoodnobus wrote: »

Are there welfare assistance places I can go to while being in college?

Yes, your local community welfare officer and SVP, they should be able to help.

As you have no money for buses/food etc I would imagine the CWO will help you, I don't think they'll refuse you if you have nothing.

If your looking at getting money from the social welfare (JSB/JSA etc) then you won't get either of those while your in college as you are not available for work.

See this link about CWO http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/health/how_health_is_organised/health_boards_and_community_welfare_officers.html

Theres Exceptional and urgent needs payments, I don't know if you'll get any of them.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/supplementary_welfare_schemes/exceptional_needs_payments.html

smiles302

In some colleges, they are able to give out assistance.

Go to your student union and ask to speak to the welfare officer. They will either be able to help you or point you in the right direction of someone who can help.

My house mate last year went to the college and was given enough to tide her over for the month. I never asked how much it was.

Ellie2008

Hi OP,

Find a way to PM me and Ill help you out, I have major regrets about not appreciating college, dossing off etc so I would really like to help someone out to ease my guilt, you'd be doing me a favour, please do message me.

RileyCoyote

Just to reiterate what's been said already, contact your welfare officer, and if you have any lecturer who you get on with, talk to them. I know you were told the student fund is closed, but it's possible there are other sources of funds within the college for students in hardship - they'll know if this is the case.

Also, the Credit Union might be more flexible than the bank when it comes to a loan?

And the third thing, whatever local authority awarded your grant, phone them up and tell them your circumstances have changed, and is there anything that can be done. It's unlikely, in the middle of a year, but there's no harm in asking.

Sleepy

If you're religious by any chance you could try the college pastor? I know the priest in NUI, Galway used to have access to an EU fund he could distribute to students in need.

cafecolour

Are you in Dublin, or out in the countryside? If it's the countryside, have you tried hitching in to uni? (And yes, I'm serious).

clikityclak

OP depending on your college, the pastoral societies/chaplaincy service should be able to help you. I know in NUI Maynooth the society had money put aside for emergencies if a student geniunely needed it.. Don't give up!!! Talk to someone in your college- lecturer, tutor, class rep, SU president etc.. they will help, hope it works out ok...

ted1

have you tried cycling?

LegacyUser

No college is not for rich people is the first thing I feel I should say to you. Can you move home for the last couple of months, eat at your mams? Live on 25c noodles from Lidl/Tesco. I had to struggle struggle struggle OP and I am now working/going to college part time and still struggling. Without meaning to be harsh, feeling like a victim of circumstances and that you've had a raw deal will not help. Could anyone go guarantor? Have you anything you can bring to a pawn shop? Stick on e-bay, do a boot sale? You need to be creative in tough times like this OP, see it as opportunity to get yourself back on your feet and claim your independance rather than moping and thinking how unfair it is that you don't have parents to throw money at you. Best of luck OP Just think in 2 months, you'll have your degree and you'll look back with a huge sigh of relief at this post.

LegacyUser

Thanks to everyone for the responses. I spoke to a friend and she loaned me 20euro to get the bus down to my parents for the weekend. My mam has a credit union account so she's going to see if they'll get her a loan for me so we'll see about that tomorrow.

Thanks especially to Ellie but I can't contact you. I would not feel at all right accepting money from someone like this. But thank you very much for the offer.

To brokeaswell: when i started my degree I had babysitting money and work money saved from when I was 14. It was enough to get me by for the first couple of years, but having had to pay fees for 3rd year and 4th year crippled me. Yes, I might be feeling sorry for myself but I never imagined I would be in a situation like this. I am very responsible with money , only ever shop in lidl or aldi for everything, buying for needs not for wants, but the expenses are what got me this time. And this far towards the end it's adding to my stress. It's especially hard since I'm looking around me at the others in my course who are so much better off than I am.

Also, I could cycle but I do not have a bike. I had a bike in second year and one of my housemates' friends took it when I went home for the weekend and they had a party. I never saw it again.

Kosseegan

nosleepnofoodnobus wrote: »

College really is a place for people who have money in this country. Or so it seems. .

That is they way it was in my time anyway. Only 1 in 5 leaving cert students went on to third level in my day. Bright intelligent leaving cert graduates had to go into the Civil service or a bank or some other kind of half life. It was full time work and part time study for those who wished to progress to a degree and beyond. Thiose who persisted eventually got there but others fell by the wayside languishing in misery.

tbh

Ellie2008 wrote: »

Hi OP,

Find a way to PM me and Ill help you out, I have major regrets about not appreciating college, dossing off etc so I would really like to help someone out to ease my guilt, you'd be doing me a favour, please do message me.

I'll split this with Ellie if you change your mind. I could certainly help you out with bus fare for the rest of the month. PM me, no strings.

Moonbeam

If you are in NUIM I can help you out too.

LegacyUser

Such kind people on this site. OP I know what its like too. Some days I simply did not have the bus/train fare for my daughter to attend college. These were the only times she missed college in 3 years. Like you she's finishing her degree now, but its been a struggle, with my family having to help out etc as I'm parenting alone and her dad has never contributed to any of his children's living expenses or life in general. His loss in the long run I guess.

Please think seriously about accepting the generosity of the posters here, people want to help and give a young peson a dig out. You, like my daughter are our future after all!
See how you get on in the credit union, if you find yourself back here please accept the kind offers that were made.
Maybe this time next year you and I will be able to help another person out!
Good Luck

Kalimah

Hope it all works out for you OP. It's a struggle but you're nearly there. Fair play to you for funding yourself through the last few years. I admire you so much.

banie01

The generosity of people on this site both in the advice they offer and in the practicality of wanting to be sure someone is ok, that they can achieve what they set out to do never ceases to amaze me
OP I hope you get sorted be it through welfare, svp or your college or the kind souls here, and if I can help in anyway feel free to contact me.
Thanks for restoring some of my faith in people Boards.ie

Penn

OP, even though you said your mother is getting a loan, feel free to drop me a PM and I'll see what I can do for you too. No strings, no worries.

I was in a similar position a few years ago. In my final year of a 5 year course. Had a great part time job but because of all the time I had to say no to work due to college stuff, I was pretty much let go. Ended up having to sell a lot of my stuff (hundreds of DVDs, games, CDs etc) and even that wasn't enough. Especially since my car insurance was up, tax, petrol... Everything just seemed to fall apart at the same time. The worst possible time.

Luckily, my folks were able to loan me a bit of money, but the worst part was asking. I just felt horrible. But I shouldn't have. There is nothing wrong with asking for money, whether they're friends or family. And nothing wrong with accepting it from others either. I'd be happy to send you a bit to help you out. There is light at the end of the tunnel man. And if the thought of accepting money from strangers still doesn't feel right, just try to return the favour to someone else a few years down the line.

Best of luck

Emme

Have you spoken to your tutor or your student union about this? Some colleges take hardship/financial problems into account, particularly if you have a good academic record and have worked hard so far.

Good luck.

Oryx

I need to remind everyone posting here, particularly those offering help, that asking the op to contact you via pm is against the forum charter.

I understand that any offers of money are well intentioned, but I would caution against it, as we have no way of verifying the authenticity of either party. I would ask that no further offers are made here.

carolmon

hi OP
the SVP has a designated education fund and i know you would be exactly the sort of case that would qualify for assistance.

Please don't feel too proud to contact them, it's only a short term solution and like others have said you will hopefully then be in a postion to help others.

My friend applied to them for help when she was in college and they were great and very happy to help, they also kept in touch after the initial aid and helped her out over Xmas with a hamper (she was a lone parent in college so she was delighted)

Fair play to all the good people here who offered help, just shows tho times are hard there's such good still about.
hope it works out OP

LegacyUser

Hi to everyone who posted afterwards.

I am really really touched by how much everyone has been helping out with advice and reassurance so fingers crossed for tomorrow at the credit union.

Just to echo oryx here I won't contact anyone just so everyone knows or if they get some randomer on private messaging giving them their details!

I am grateful, so grateful to everyone here who is offering assistance and help but unless I will not contact anyone in request for money here because I just don't feel right.. I am so happy that ye have taken the time to reassure and post advice here to me. If anyone saw the film Cinderella Man when he goes in to his old colleagues to ask them for money because his family is struggling, while it's not as bad as that now (well..I don't have kids!) that's how i'd feel and it'd be really difficult to get the balls to do that. I am going to wait til my mam tries to get out a loan before I ask anywhere else for assistance.. If they don't give her the loan I'm going to take the advice here and go back to ask students union what to do, failing that then it'll be SVP.

thanks to all here. I'll post on Monday when i'm back in to let you know how it goes thanks again

Sleepy

OP, one last thing you could try: Boards.ie has a forum for virtually every college in the country. How about seeing if there's someone driving from where you live to the college that wouldn't mind some company on the drive?