Living expenses?

CrunchRN, ADN, RN · Nov 21, 2005

Well, I worked through nursing school as I had to support myself. It is not easy, but it can be done. It sounds like you could earn enough with a part-time job to get by. I have not heard of any loans that would cover your situation. Good luck.

misschelei · Nov 21, 2005

Do you have friends or family to help with childcare and/or beg to borrow money from? Do you get housing? If not is there someone you can move in with?

Don't give up! Once your schooling is done and you are working you will be fine. You are planning for the future!

Lisa CCU RN, RN · Nov 21, 2005

Hello,
I am enrolled in an LPN program and I will start classes in JAn. 06.
I was told that I need to search for money for living expenses all on my own.
I need money for child daycare, extra gas, lunches, uniforms and shoes, supplies , and whatnot for the year. We have less than perfect credit and cannot get approved through regular lending institutions.My school tuition should not be a problem, it's just the "extras" I need help with.
My husband is active duty Navy and we are living on just his income, so the budget is tight for sure.
TIA for any info. you may have.
Dee-Dee

Do a web search for private student loans. With a qualified co -signer you can be approved for any of these loans. I assume your program is one to one and one half years, so you won't need all that much. Maybe you could try to apply anyway with your husband as a co borrower even though you credit is less then perfect. Try http://www.chela.com.

TinaCMT · Nov 23, 2005

Hi! I'm also hoping to go to LPN school in July and I have all these questions in my mind also. I'm hoping to get a Fafsa grant but I'm also hoping to get a student loan or something to get me through the year. The program is 12 months long and I need to be able to pay for daycare for one child and before and after care for two children. I figure if I can't get a loan or something I'll just wait for the school year 2006/2007 to go to the program because my son will start kindergarden that year and I won't have to worry about daycare, just before and after care. I'm not willing to ask anyone to co-sign for me and my husband is not willing to take the risk of helping with me getting a loan. He knows he will have to help me with taking care of the kids in the morning and evening, but he can't help me with my money woes. We keep our finances separate and he's a tight a**. I know it's weird, and sounds bad to some people, but I actually like it better that way. I figure he'll regret it when I'm making $5 to $10 more than he does an hour!! Lol.

Anyway, can anyone tell me how hard it is to get a student loan? My credit is not the best either but with my Tech school I am able to double enroll with another college that is near by that does school loans. I'm wondering how hard it will be to get a student loan from them. Also, what effect does it have on my credit to apply for these student loans? Do they make the credit score decrease like when you apply for a regular credit card or a store credit card and get denied???

Lisa CCU RN, RN · Nov 23, 2005

Hi! I'm also hoping to go to LPN school in July and I have all these questions in my mind also. I'm hoping to get a Fafsa grant but I'm also hoping to get a student loan or something to get me through the year. The program is 12 months long and I need to be able to pay for daycare for one child and before and after care for two children. I figure if I can't get a loan or something I'll just wait for the school year 2006/2007 to go to the program because my son will start kindergarden that year and I won't have to worry about daycare, just before and after care. I'm not willing to ask anyone to co-sign for me and my husband is not willing to take the risk of helping with me getting a loan. He knows he will have to help me with taking care of the kids in the morning and evening, but he can't help me with my money woes. We keep our finances separate and he's a tight a**. I know it's weird, and sounds bad to some people, but I actually like it better that way. I figure he'll regret it when I'm making $5 to $10 more than he does an hour!! Lol.
Anyway, can anyone tell me how hard it is to get a student loan? My credit is not the best either but with my Tech school I am able to double enroll with another college that is near by that does school loans. I'm wondering how hard it will be to get a student loan from them. Also, what effect does it have on my credit to apply for these student loans? Do they make the credit score decrease like when you apply for a regular credit card or a store credit card and get denied???

No, applying for a student loan is not based on credit, so it will not affect your credit score. I'm probably butting here but, yes, I think it's "weird" you would accept your husband not helping you with going to school and keeping separate finances. To each his own I say. If you are comfortable with this arrangement, then keep doing what you are doing, but what happens if he becomes disabled and needs help financially. What if he loses a job? Would you help him? I hope if the tables turn and HE needs YOUR help, you don't feel obligated to do for him when he wouldn't for you when you needed it. Just my opinion.

wannabe2007 · Nov 23, 2005

Well I am glad to see people who are in the same boat as me.

I have 3 children to pay daycare for and the costs of daycare here is why I dont currently work...I wouldn't have a paycheck left if I did.

I am a CNA, HHA, and a Phlebotomist. I can't make anymore than about 9 bucks an hour here. It's not worth it if I have daycare for 3 kids to pay.

That is why I am going to go to school for nursing...It's what I have always wanted. So that being said is why I am asking about the living expenses....I know there are woman out there who have had loans that cover all those types of expenses. I am trying to find woman who have done this so I can learn how they went about living expense loans and what they did and all the nitty gritty about it!

wannabe2007 · Nov 23, 2005

Do you have friends or family to help with childcare and/or beg to borrow money from? Do you get housing? If not is there someone you can move in with?
Don't give up! Once your schooling is done and you are working you will be fine. You are planning for the future!

Unfortunatley I dont have any family or friends here to help. My husband is in the Military and we are stationed far away from everyone. We are in our 30's and our familys do not help us with money anymore. They live from paycheck to paycheck and would be unable to anyway.

Nobody I can move in with either. We have been married for 11 years and have 3 children .

My schooling has to be done on our own. I will qualify for a Pel grant, and some Navy spouse scholarships that will pay for school. The daycare will be costing us about $8,000 for 1 year. And THAT is for only daycare not including the extra gas annd other expenses I will incur.

My husband is out to sea most of the time and there is no way I can raise 3 kids on my own, work full time, and go to school for time.

I will be attending school from Mon. -Fri. 8am to 4:30 pm just like a job. I will not get home till about 5:30pm and I have to be there for my kids after daycare is over. The childcare place on base closes at 6pm. I have to be there to help my kids with homework,cuddle with my littlest one, and whatnot plus clean house, and have time to study.

I will be doing this without my husband cause he will be deployed most of the time.

So maybe that better explains why I can't work right now.

My kids are ages 11, 9, and 1.

Im not going to give up...I have wanted this for too long.

Thank you:)

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Nov 24, 2005

Anyway, can anyone tell me how hard it is to get a student loan? My credit is not the best either but with my Tech school I am able to double enroll with another college that is near by that does school loans. I'm wondering how hard it will be to get a student loan from them. Also, what effect does it have on my credit to apply for these student loans? Do they make the credit score decrease like when you apply for a regular credit card or a store credit card and get denied???

I was approved for a $20,000 Sallie Mae student loan with no co-signers, but my credit score was 720 (good credit). Try http://www.salliemae.com and see if they'll do something for you. Don't tell them you plan to quit your job, because that worries them.

As long as all of the credit applications are made in the same business week (Monday-Friday), it shouldn't hurt your credit score with inquiries. But don't keep applying after that week. You might want to call several lending institutions every day during that week until someone approves you. Pick a week to apply for these loans (example December 5th through December 9th) and do not apply before or after that. All of the applications need to be made in the same period of time to avoid hurting your credit scores. You're entitled to a free copy of your credit report if anyone denies your application.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Nov 24, 2005

My kids are ages 11, 9, and 1.
Im not going to give up...I have wanted this for too long.

This might seem a bit controversial, but it is simply a thought. I was no longer in daycare once I reached the age of 11, and both parents worked outside the home. If your 11 year old is somewhat mature, he/she could assume some babysitting responsibilities for himself/herself and the 9 year old. Numerous 9 and 11 year olds are 'latch-key kids' and come home to an empty house, knowing how to prepare a snack and keep constructively busy until a parent gets home. That would save some money because only the 1 year old would need professional daycare.

To help out with the lunches, you might want to apply for food stamps or WIC (women, infant, children) vouchers. WIC vouchers are state-sponsored and provide free milk, eggs, cheese, cereal, oatmeal, peanut butter, fruit juice, beans, and other nutritious foods to people who have one or more children under the age of 5 and meet certain income requirements. Since you have a 1 year old, you may qualify to receive WIC. Half of all military couples qualify for food stamps, so this may reduce your grocery bill.

Lisa CCU RN, RN · Nov 24, 2005

This might seem a bit controversial, but it is simply a thought. I was no longer in daycare once I reached the age of 11, and both parents worked outside the home. If your 11 year old is somewhat mature, he/she could assume some babysitting responsibilities for himself/herself and the 9 year old. Numerous 9 and 11 year olds are 'latch-key kids' and come home to an empty house, knowing how to prepare a snack and keep constructively busy until a parent gets home. That would save some money because only the 1 year old would need professional daycare.
To help out with the lunches, you might want to apply for food stamps or WIC (women, infant, children) vouchers. WIC vouchers are state-sponsored and provide free milk, eggs, cheese, cereal, oatmeal, peanut butter, fruit juice, beans, and other nutritious foods to people who have one or more children under the age of 5 and meet certain income requirements. Since you have a 1 year old, you may qualify to receive WIC. Half of all military couples qualify for food stamps, so this may reduce your grocery bill.

Very good advice. I was thinking the same about the 11 and 9 year old. I thought daycares stopped watching kids at 12 anyway, so she doesn't have long with the 11 year old anyway.

jaxmom63 · Nov 24, 2005

You may want to check a little closer on your eleven year old being the responsible party. Some states require children left alone to be as old as 12. There is a program in most states called Workforce Investment Act. It is a makeover of the old JTPA program. It is federally funded, but is administered state to state. It does go on income. It will pay daycare, books, uniforms, tuition, and in some cases, milieage back and forth to school. There is a cap on how much you can recieve for mileage, but if you can get the PELL grant, (FAFSA), you wont have to spend any of it on your tuition. Most colleges have a financial aid department that will point you in the right direction. My sister worked in one for years, that is how I found out about it. Good luck, cause all this headache will be worth it in the end.