LU Family Programme

norder · Joined: 16 Nov 2006 Posts: 85

The forum was so popular when all our Freshers left home but support has dwindled away once they settled in. We should try to keep it going through the year and to welcome new parents next term.
Can you believe a whole Academic Year has gone so fast and how well they have all settled in?
I hope all your sons and daughters did well in their exams and can look forward to another year at Lancaster. I know my son has loved every minute of it although I'm not too sure about the 2 or 3 weekly trip to bring him home for the weekend with dirty laundry! I swear my car can do thetrip without me. He's home now that his exams have finished for a week or so but will be back for the extravaganza and is really looking forward to his long term girlfriend joining him next year. (Yes they survived a year of long distance romance).
I'm surprised how many have decided to stay in halls for another year but does anyone else complain about how quiet campus is on a weekend. There seem to be so many "local" students who go home at weekends the place is deserted.
One thing it has done for me, once the empty nest wore off is to make me wish I could start again at University.

sentenel · Joined: 28 Sep 2006 Posts: 41 Location: NORTHWEST ENGLAND

Norder, believe me it's never to late to go back to uni. I'm coming to the end of my first year of a degree in mental health care and I've never had so much fun. I'm 48 years old the oldest in the class, most of the other students are 18 - 25,(all female) I listen to the klaxons and the editors on the car stereo on the way home know all about Paris Hilton and One Tree Hill and drink Magners over ice ! Do IT BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE I guarente you will NOT regret it.
By the way DD loved her first year at LU. she's off to Spain next week with some of her flatmates c/o Student Loan, back in time for the results.

dot · Joined: 23 Jul 2007 Posts: 60

could i ask how much is a reasonble amount to live on in lancs for food and outing etc - my dd is hoping for the on suite acc so i have agreed to pay that for her and she will get a loan for the tutor cost of £3000 and another £3000 for living costs, if i pay the accomidation costs surly she can live on £1000 per term aprox £100 per week -this seems like a lot of cash - does this sound right to anybody, or will she still need to use an overdraft or get a job ( we have not built in a job yet in case she can not find one straight away )
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now not so new to all of this

sentenel · Joined: 28 Sep 2006 Posts: 41 Location: NORTHWEST ENGLAND

The budget thing is a tricky one, we allowed for £100 a week food entertainment etc etc, it works for a while but give a 19 year old that spending power and it soon goes, however I am informed that buying beer and vodka in bulk works out cheaper and Sainsburys is too dear for ready meals !!!!!! Rolling Eyes

I think it's important to make it clear from the start that this money has got to last and that hand outs are few and far between, they have plenty of time in the first year to get a job to supliment the grant/maintenance money and putting this aside in 1st year will come in handy to cover summer and xmas hols. It's worth looking into trying for a bursary as well. It is a bonus if your DD can cook, all the housemates chip in a few quid for the ingredients she does the cooking ,all her meals are free. It's the little things that will make the difference, look after the pennies....... Very Happy

Rom · Joined: 03 Oct 2006 Posts: 145 Location: Bradford

apple · Joined: 18 Sep 2007 Posts: 2

Depends what you include in the £100 per week. Do you include books, travel home, fees for clubs and extra for Freshers week? Excluding all of these I have alllowed £60/week for food, washing, phone, socialising.

This includes a measley £15 a week for socialising. However I expect my daughter to fund any extra. As there are only 30 weeks of term you only need £600 to fund £20 a week of extra socialising. This is only one night a week working in term time or six weeks over Christams/Easter saving £100 per week.

Of course if she finds everyone else has £100 per week of parental cash to drink then maybe I will have to rethink!

Sandra · Joined: 15 Sep 2007 Posts: 23 Location: Norfolk

Hi apple, my son is certainly not going to have £100 drinking money/wk - we are budgeting in much the same way as you and he knows he will have to fund much of his own socialising! He seems reasonably happy with this, providing we don't get into the 'everyone else has...!' but I don't think that will be too much of an issue with Ben.
At the moment his main concern seems to be what to wear for the Pendle fancy dress party! Something beginning with a 'P'... has kept the entire family talking for well over an hour!

Derek · Joined: 11 Sep 2007 Posts: 16 Location: N. Ireland

Hi,

Jamie has allowed himself £60 pw. this means he will not have to go into his overdraft, but his overdraft will be used for books and trips home at the end of term. He has been working during the summer and he has been trying to save some of this so he has some money for when he his at home and freshers week.

This is all good in practise but we will have to see how this works.

Rom · Joined: 03 Oct 2006 Posts: 145 Location: Bradford

dot · Joined: 23 Jul 2007 Posts: 60

we now know the what the acc costs will be so i intend to pay that for her and then she can use the student load of £3000 per year to live on - they have now confirmed that they pay this at the start of term in 3 amounts so that should help her budget and make it last / i do think it works out at aprox £100 per week but that does need to include everthing she needs, food / outings/ travel / phone / printing i am sure like most of the others that start of term is more ££ than later on in the year
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now not so new to all of this