Surviving as a Full Time student Tribe? - Page 7

[onlyzombiecat]

Joining in.

Dh is a full time student and works full time. He is on his third year.

We are okay financially so far- no food stamps and this is the first year dh has had to take out a loan- but not a lot of money for extras.

Dh takes a packed lunch to work and packed food one night a week- lots of leftovers. I've also been looking at bento ideas for packable meals.

I think the biggest problem is time and stress.  I'm proud of him and want to be supportive but I feel very alone some days. Some days I want to say quit already. I know it is hard on him to have so many demands on his time so I try not to add to that.

[Ravin]

You can also get goat's milk from WIC.
 

Originally Posted by gabbyraja 

Originally Posted by sunanthem 

gabyraja~ if your kids have dairy allergies could you not get soy milk or tofu instead? WIC's new changes will allow that.

has anyone rented textbooks and can recommend a good site?

I'm telling you mamas, work-study's are great! With my work study I can squeeze in a couple of hours a week, or more if I can manage, and it's great getting that little check when I do.

Oh, I didn't know that! But, unfortunately they are allergic to soy, too.

[ihugtrees]

I am subbing, because I hope to join you all soon. I am a newly single mom, with about 30 credits of gen ed classes. I'd really like to go back to school full time, but I don't think I could handle my current work load (20-28 hours a week) while going to school full time AND being a solo mom.

A question about work study...I am a nanny, and can make about $15/hour in my area (and take my daughter!) The work study jobs on my college's website say they pay $10.83/hour. If I can find a REALLY part time nanny job (say, 10 hours a week) wouldn't it be better to work that and make more? Or is there some hidden advantage to work study that I don't know about?

[EmsMom]

Originally Posted by ihugtrees 

I am subbing, because I hope to join you all soon. I am a newly single mom, with about 30 credits of gen ed classes. I'd really like to go back to school full time, but I don't think I could handle my current work load (20-28 hours a week) while going to school full time AND being a solo mom.

A question about work study...I am a nanny, and can make about $15/hour in my area (and take my daughter!) The work study jobs on my college's website say they pay $10.83/hour. If I can find a REALLY part time nanny job (say, 10 hours a week) wouldn't it be better to work that and make more? Or is there some hidden advantage to work study that I don't know about?

Nope, no hidden advantage other than the college student earns some money and the college saves some money by getting work down cheap!  There might be an occasional advantage if you work in a good department and they are willing to give you an interesting project or you make some career connections, but for the most part students do grunt work.  I think graduate student assistantships are different, though.  They carry a prestige with them. 

[Thystle]

In some states work study can qualify you for food stamps when being a student does not.

[jessaroo]

Hello-

I am in NM and trying to learn more about childcare assistance.  We meet the income guidlines.  We really need care 2 days a week.  One of these days is a full study day for my dh while I work.  I have left messages with CYFD and no one has returned my calls.  Does anyone know if childcare assistance covers study time or just scheduled classes?

Thanks.

[sunanthem]

Well, yes, they don't pay much for work study, but the good part is, you don't need to work the same amount of hours as a part time job. My work study is with America Reads, and I get to go to the local public elementary and help out, I don't work at my college. I asked them if I could work at my son's school, and they said sure. So part of the time I 'work' which the school calls volunteering, I am really just at his school, helping out with the book fair, visiting his class, watching his school play practice, etc.. all while getting paid. And the hours thing.. you can have a work study and work only 1 hour a week up to 19 hours a week, and you make your schedule, which is great for students who have wacky things like classes that end at 10am and start again at 1pm...

Also, I am at community college right now, getting my AA, but transferring to a university next year for my BA, and putting my America Reads work study that I've done for 2 years now will look good on my universtiy applications.

[ExRxMom]

I had work study and then campus student employment during my 10 years of college. The advantages for me were that they were flexible with my class schedule. All of the jobs that I had on campus if there was nothing for me to do there that day I would sit at my desk and do homework or study for tests. I loved that I could go work for an hour or two on my breaks between classes too. It helped a lot when I was in Undergrad and commuting 74.5 miles each way daily.

Amy

[abbylotus]

I started back to school this fall after taking a twelve year hiatus. I was a full time student and worked part time. Our finances are terribly stressful. Winter semester I'm going back full time with a heavy class load and I will only be able to work on the weekends. We will definately be applying for food stamps. I really underestimated how difficult it was going to be to balance school, family and work but I guess i'm not doing that badly. I rocked out this past semester with a 3.7 gpa. Yay! Now if only I had a money tree..........

[VisionaryMom]

Originally Posted by jessaroo 

Hello-

I am in NM and trying to learn more about childcare assistance.  We meet the income guidlines.  We really need care 2 days a week.  One of these days is a full study day for my dh while I work.  I have left messages with CYFD and no one has returned my calls.  Does anyone know if childcare assistance covers study time or just scheduled classes?

Thanks.

It varies by state, but in our state, you can. If you're approved for childcare subsidies, then you're given an amount you have to pay per day. You work out the days/week with your childcare provider.

[Om Girl]

Joining in here...I just finished my first semester back at school full-time and while we anticipated finances would be tight I didn't realize they'd squeak!

Things that I'm doing...applied and accepted all federal student aid, applhing for work-study on-campus position within the department I'm studying in, applying for scholarships, joining vocational organizations in order to qualify for scholarships, joined a student parent organization that holds family friendly activities on campus and provides tickets for family friendly events, also joined an un-traditional group on campus that offers free lunch each month.

I utilize our "student accounts" and put money on my student ID card and then use that for purchases (they're discounted when paid by student ID).

I also make meals ahead and buy meat in bulk to freeze. Then I make meals ahead of time, specifically those that can be frozen or re-heated easily.

[EmsMom]

Whew, survived another semester.   I wanted to tell something that happened regarding my books.  Maybe it will be helpful.  I bought on e of my textbooks on amazon new with free shipping from the free Amazon prime for students.  I used it all semester as  usual and then when class was over I listed it.  I sold it in less than a week for only $20 less than I bought it for.  That turned out to be less than my rental books.  I saved the packaging from the original shipment from Amazon and used it to ship the book so I didn't even need to buy any shipping materials.  (If you order books one at a time from Amazon, they usually come in an easily reusable cardboard sleeve.  I open it carefully so as to resuse).  I rented a few books this past semester, but I think I would have been better off by buying used or new and then reselling. 

[gabbyraja]

I've always bought used and resold. You shell out on the initial purchase, then they pay for the next term's books for the most part.

[jessaroo]

we are in ABQ, NM and I have not heard back from CYFD either.  I worked for early headstart years ago and the care was only for work or class time.  I aslo know that they have made major cuts to the care.

[Thystle]

How did the semester go for everyone?

[gabbyraja]

Thystle we are in ALL the same places! :) 

I got a letter from the dean congratulating me on my perfect 4.0 GPA this, my first semester back in school in 6 yrs. I wonder what the form letter would have said if they'd known that I started the classes in my last month of pregnancy and managed to maintain that GPA through colic with my 5th baby in 9 years?

[Thystle]

I know its really funny!!!   LOL

Wooohoo on the GPA! You go girl!!!!!  :)

[gabbyraja]

I know! Best grades I've ever had, and they were 4 credit junior level classes, not blow-offs or anything. Thing is, I've whole-heartedly decided I do not want to be a teacher, thanks to those classes. Now I'm exploring massage, lol. However, I cannot do the massage classes online from my local community college like I can many of the teaching classes. They do have one of the best massage programs in the state, though, so I feel good about going there in the fall, when I feel ok about leaving my kids and new baby for any period of time.

Only, now I have a dilemma. All about funds:

1. I can do massage. However, I only have about 1 year of student loan left. I already have a bachelor's degree, and almost 40Gs in student loan debt. So I'm going to hit my limit. I don't think I can get it all done in that amount of time/money, so I'll be paying for the remaining classes out of pocket... However, I think my previous loans were from bank-type places, certainly not the dept of ed, so do they count toward that limit? I'm so confused...

2. I am even more interested in nutrition. Only, I'm not at all interested in learning the Dept of Agriculture's idea of nutrition. I want a WAP-style nutrition education. I've found a few places where I can do this sort of classes, but none are accredited, and they have to be accredited to get dept of ed loans, right? I'm not interested in personal loans from private institutions (banks) for school.

3. I could scrap both ideas and do a child development masters 100% online from Eastern Michigan University. I'm not sure what I'd do with it, but I could get fin aid for it and it would be interesting subject matter for me... And the loans have a much higher limit once you get into graduate work, so my family could survive while I figure out what I want to do when I grow up.

So, what do I do? Argh, decisions, decisions.

[Hey Mama!]

I earned all As in my 6 classes.  This past semester really challenged me and kicked my butt!  I'm hoping the upcoming semester will be a little easier but I'm not counting on it. 

[abbylotus]

I got a 3.7 this past semester. I aimed for the dean's list during the fall and now with my hell load I'm aiming just to pass. Seriously a tremendous load. Food stamp city once I get all my ducks in a row. We have a rental property as extra income and one apartment is all drama. Someone is growing pot in the basement (he has a legit growers card which we are fine with) but the others can't handle it....blah, blah, blah. Goodness Gracious. Calgon take me away.