Where do you go if you can't afford food?

LegacyUser

Hi all,
So I am going to be doing a fetac course in Cork next year, and from what I can see all I can get is a grant that will only cover my rent in a shack of a place and my utilities. I can live with that, but what would I do about food? The course is my dream course and I can't do it anywhere else, so not doing it isn't an option. I finished school and ended up on the dole for a year, but that's not long enough for back to education allowance and rent allowance. Funny that the Gov will give me 400 a month to sit on my arse living with my parents for the rest of my life but only around 300 to move away and get an education. My parents also have said they can't afford to support me in anyway at all when I go.

Just wondering what other options are out there? Are there any other programmes or places I could even go just for food?

sunshiner

st vincent de paul im guessing. might be worth googling the place where your moving to.

OwenM

You need a part time job while in college, and I know thats easier said than done but it is a solution. Preferably one where you get fed like in a hotel or fast food place. It won't be easy but you sound motivated.

LegacyUser

Ya a job would be perfect, but after handing out about 60 CVs or more this year I'm not holding out much hope of managing to get a job anywhere.

Tiddlypeeps

A student loan is another option. The banks are pretty tight these days but if the area you're studying has any employment prospects at all you should be able to borrow a couple of grand.

Esoteric_

Student loans, part time jobs, Vincent dePaul. The VdP only give vouchers every few weeks though, not a regular amount of stuff. It's more for emergency situations.

Most banks offer student loans at good rates.

If all else fails, why don't you qualify for BTEA? You should qualify after 6 months on the dole, and you say you're on it one year?

Mollee

Hi OP,

You said your unemployed for 1 year? You could apply For VTOS, it exempts you from course fees and you also get travel and food allowance while also getting the equivalent of the maximum jsb per week(€188 afaik)

Here's the link to citizens advice outlining the details. http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/returning_to_education/vocational_training_opportunities_scheme.html

Best of luck with the course, I returned to Fulltime education myself last year, it's hard at times but definitely the best decision i have made to date!

irishbarb

Hi this is the OP here.

In regards to BTEA- It says you must be out of formal education for two years.
VTOS- Thanks for the link, but it says I have to be over 21, I'm 19.

I would like to pick up a part time job, but I've handed out over 60 CVs and can never pick up anything since I've no experience. I'll keep trying of course.

carolmon

St Vincent De Paul has an education section that should be able to help you, you can apply if you need assistance to enable you to study, a friend of mine went for help and they were brilliant
best of luck

How Strange

Many colleges and unis have a poor student fund. Contact the student welfare section of your college and have a chat with them.

Mrs Garth Brooks

If its a FETAC course and its in a PLC college. You only have to be on the dole for three months as a PLC is classified as second level. Thats for the BTEA. You should apply for it anyways. And how would they know you've been out of school for a year? You're 19. You could have finished at 17, its very believable.

iguana

irishbarb wrote: »

I would like to pick up a part time job, but I've handed out over 60 CVs and can never pick up anything since I've no experience. I'll keep trying of course.

Did you just go around handing out CVs? Because while it's commendable and was very proactive of you, it's honestly not the best way to find a job. If the business in question isn't actually hiring at the time the odds are your CV will just end up in a drawer somewhere and eventually end up being thrown out. Also a lot of companies have specific application forms and won't consider a CV. The best way to get a job is to specifically target companies that are actually hiring at the time and follow their application instructions.

MissFlitworth

Instead of moving into your own place look into moving into student digs, you basically live with a family & your meals are included (normally breakfast & an evening meal). Your utilities will also be included. Your college should have an acommodation office or someone with info for you on available accomodation & digs in Cork.

Think very, very hard before putting yourself in a position where you can't afford food. What will you do if you get sick or need something as simple as a raincoat? I'd agree with the others who said to try your absolute hardest to get a part time job. Go to Cork in the run up to the start of the college year and look for places that are hiring & drop in your CV.

rainbowdash

If you are only 19 you might not realise how cheap it might be to feed yourself on the basics. 2 for 1 offers in Dunnes, the almost out of date shelf in Tesco, big bag of rice and pasta, tesco cornflakes etc. It mightn't be gourmet but it does not have to be expensive to stop yourself from starving.

You could also stay out of town a bit where rent is a bit less and cycle to college.

Digs is a good suggestion previously made.

irishbarb

HardLuckWoman wrote: »

If its a FETAC course and its in a PLC college. You only have to be on the dole for three months as a PLC is classified as second level. Thats for the BTEA. You should apply for it anyways. And how would they know you've been out of school for a year? You're 19. You could have finished at 17, its very believable.

Thanks for all the tips everyone, they help a lot!

I don't know about BSing them, what would happen if they found out? Would they not look up when you finished school to be sure?

The Lovely Muffin

Definitely DO NOT LIE to the social welfare. If/when they find out you lied to them you could end up in serious trouble and you may be asked to pay back all the money.

When I applied for BTEA I had to get a letter from my old secondary school saying I had left on X date and was no longer a student there. As well as that, the social welfare also contacted the school about it too, I suppose it was to make sure I wasn't lying.

Ickle Magoo

HardLuckWoman infracted.

Could posters please ensure all advice offered is within the confines of the law

Many thanks.

skooterblue2

There is a place in Cork called Cork Penny Dinners. It is somewhere around the Mardyke and Fenns Quay. They do good affordable food. I think it is you give what you can.

iguana

I think MissFlitworth's idea to look into digs is a very good one as it would mean you have fixed costs for home, utilities and food, so it will be easier to budget around and you'll never have to worry about going hungry or having to choose between electricity and a new pair of needed shoes.

The only thing to double check with that, is that the digs you choose are for 7 days a week rather than 5, unless you intend spending each weekend with your parents.

Ainekav

I'd agree with the above comment that it's very dangerous to put yourself in a position where you will be consistently too poor to buy food. So many things can come up - even something like a toothache (Which I am currently experiencing) means you need painkillers and possibly antibiotics and mouthwash etc.

What kind of a support system would you have in Cork? Any relatives? It sounds like you would be very much on your own so I would strongly encourage you to think about emergencies etc before you move down there.

Other posters are right about food - 20 quid would get you a massive amount of food for a week if you are buying the right stuff. I would suggest aldi's 69c (or whatever) deals each week - that would insure you have items of fruit/veg in the house every week. For eg. this week they have apples tomatoes cherries grapefruit nectarines and mini veg. They change them aswell so you are not always stuck with the same thing. Then tesco value stuff is dirt cheap aswell, I get pasta and pasta sauces, rice, lots of the cheap spices (about 50c each) for seasoning etc. There's ways and means!

Obviously you will be walking everywhere, so you need to take the time before you go down to make sure you have a decent raincoat, waterproof trousers and wellies maybe.. This would mean you are less likely to be getting colds which will require medicine etc. Be prepared!

Jobs in call centres or promotions jobs etc wouldnt require too much experience. And you do sound like you get what you want!

And also - at the end of the day you will always always have to choose food before ESB, phone bills etc.

tmc86

Hi OP,

Keep an eye on the job webistes as these are a really good place to find hotel and restaurant jobs.

This is an example of one that is currently available;
http://www.jobs.ie/ApplyForJob.aspx?Id=540813

It's the Maryborough house hotel in douglas cork. I once worked there for a summer and there are always jobs due to the nature of a high turnover rate in the hospitality industry.

They also have staff housing which you can rent at a subsidized cost. I suggest that you contact them and see if they have any availabilty, if you managed to get a job there you could live in one of the staff houses you'd get fed at work for free (I remember it was a very good staff kitchen). Also you could work weekends there once the course starts and sure its easy to get to anywhere from Douglas on the bus.

Alternatively there are loads more hotels that often look for new staff.

If you managed to get another job, I'd agree with moving into Digs. At least it is a family environment and you may have tough days (emotionally) if you're scrimping by and worrying about money so being in that family home environment will make it a little less lonely.

Wish you all the best

ted1

nomoneyforfoodop wrote: »

Ya a job would be perfect, but after handing out about 60 CVs or more this year I'm not holding out much hope of managing to get a job anywhere.

It's not a matter of handing out 60 generic CVS each job application needs time and effort with a tailored CV. One good application is better than 100 bad ones.

irishbarb

ted1 wrote: »

It's not a matter of handing out 60 generic CVS each job application needs time and effort with a tailored CV. One good application is better than 100 bad ones.

Thanks a lot for all the advice and information everyone, really appreciate it!

All my CVs are always tailored to the job I am applying to, and I include a cover note relevant to the job as well.

I might be able to get 5-10 euro a week off my parents too, I haven't asked, I don't like asking them. So that would be some help too if I don't manage to secure a job.

Just wish I was out of education long enough to get BTEA :rolleyes:

LegacyUser

1kg Tesco value rice is €1.19

3 Tins of Tesco Value Kidney Beans comes to €0.51 (€0.17 each)

With that you can make a basic protein+carb meal everyday for the week and still have change out of a tenner. It ain't pretty but at least you're not going to starve to death!