Is being a student really this hard???

[MikeW]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080725/...nts_food_banks

Im not in college so i dont know exactly how it is, but my brother is the one who sent me this link, and it appalled him. He's going to school on grants and loans, has at least 2 CC's, a cell phone and has to feed himself. Granted he doesnt have any rent, but he's far from struggling. And he only works a PT job at McDs.
Now before the flame fest ensues, Im not saying its easy being a student. I just never realized money among college kids was this bad. I just figured that, either way, grants/loans or if someone is paying for your tuition, if you dont have money to support yourself, getting a job was the only option.

The only things that bugged me or set me off were the following:

"Before, when I lived in the dorms, I was on the meal plan," the 20-year-old said. "Now that I'm in the apartment, I have to pay for food, and I have to pay my cell phone bill. I don't make enough to pay for both."

-So, he'd rather pay his $80 cell phone bill then pay for food? $80 can buy a lot of food if you know what you're doing. And isnt that what college kids are known for? Eating/buying on a budget?

"There is a stereotype that well, if they're in college, they can afford to eat," said Brickner-Wood, the food pantry director. "But there are some students who have hardly any disposable income, and because of that, the food budget suffers. They either eat really badly, or they just don't eat enough."

-So these kids cant get jobs??

"With just $100 left to last him through the end of the month, the 20-year-old said a food bank might be his best option."

-Again with the job part, but $100 isnt enough for one weeks worth of food? I buy enough food for 2 ppl to last 2.5 weeks with $100. Why cant he?

"It kind of grosses me out," McManaway said. "But if my parents say, 'No, we're not going to give you any more money,' it may be a last resort."

-So he'd rather eat stuff that "grosses him out" then get a job?

Like i said, i dont know how it is, but if my brother, who is in college and has plenty of bills to pay, can manage to take care of himself, i dont see why these kids cant.

Now my brother doesnt live in a dorm, but for those of you that know, CC's and car payments arent exactly cheap. And the wages at McDonald's arent exactly at the top of the list either, but he gets by just fine.

Im more interested in hearing those ppl's side of the story. The ppl who's schooling is being paid for, be it grants or parents, and yet still cant afford to feed themselves.

Now if you yourself are paying your way AND have a job, and cant afford food, thats understandable. You're 100% responsible for everything; food, school, bills. But i just dont see why, when someone else is picking up the schol tab, its so hard to take care of self.

The only other side i see to this are kids whose schooling being paid for, but they have SO many bills that even a job still wont help them. In cases like these, i would think a budget plan or some kind of money management would be in order...



Discuss.

[Losiracer2]

Idk, times can be tough esp. when your parents don't help out that much for college tuition. But luckily I've got parents who do help and put a roof over my head still while I go to ASU. I can see why the kids are struggling in NH. Tuition must be like 20K+ over there. ASU is about 8K a year for in state and like 16k for out of state.

I did apply for FAFSA, Free Application for Federal Student Aid. I just got done dropping off a copy of my parent's tax return at the student financial aid office on campus. I've applied every year, well w/ the exception of the first in which I got a scholarship for that paid for my dorms and tuition. There's also a work study program which gives tuition by working on campus. That'll cover roughly half of my tuition if I opted to do it but i'm doing fine w/ the FAFSA. I just got a job at Discount tire co. so i'll also be working part time throughout the week on my off days from school.

So there are other options. You just need to do your homework and find them. The aid is out there, you just have to apply for it. Most kids are pretty damn lazy and don't do anything like that and they wonder why they struggle. Obviously, if your parent's make a ton of money, you probably aren't going to get any FAFSA. That's just for a specific income bracket.

I also was looking at some Scooters today lol, those are kinda cool if you live not too far from campus. I test drove one and they're suprisingly peppy got up to 35 in the parking lot I drove it around in. A company called Genuine Scooters, makes this one called the Buddy 50 which is pretty economical. It gets 120 MPG and has a 1.65 gallon tank. Its good for 45mph and has storage and stuff, disc brakes, headlights, shocks, comfy seat. It costs 2100 out the door, so in a years time, instead of paying for gassing up your car, you could pay this off. Plus, you don't need a motorcyle license for it. And insurance, liability, is only 60-100 a YEAR. They also make a 150cc which goes up to 70+ mph and still gets 90 MPG, but its 3100 out the door, so a grand more. But to me, that won't work anymore, since I have to take the freeway to ASU East about 15 miles away.

[owequitit]

Where there is a will there is a way. There ARE ways to get money to survive, my guess would be that most of them are either too lazy, or don't want to get loans.

I took out a shit ton of loans and got very little help from the government, and I managed to stay away from the Food Bank, and still eat regularly. I worked weekends at first, and then more regular part time later on, but I made it work.

As far as the food budgets, they were tight a few years ago, so recent events aren't helping any. Still, if they are smart about it, it isn't hard to buy non perishable food that is relatively suitable and will keep you full. Pasta Roni is often on sale for $1 a box. 1 person can usually get at least 1 meal out of it. If you throw in some frozen chicken breast, it is usually good for 2 good meals. Maybe not for a heavy eater, but for a normal eater. That isn't bad for what like $2. Hamburger Helper, Tuna Fish, PB&J etc are also good. I would occasionally make shepard's pie, or pot roast and then freeze the leftovers. That way, you can cook once a week and eat for a week. You can also cook 2 or 3 things at a time, say lasagna, roast, shepards pie etc, and rotate so you don't have to eat the same thing over and over. Every student should figure out way to invest in a freezer, especially if they are off campus. I would take the leftover meat and make soup with the roasts. That is always good quick and easy. I also read an article that gives you 1,000 ways to make Top Ramen. That is about as cheap as it gets, and while by itself, it TASTES like it is as cheap as it gets, you can throw meat, veggies, or anything else you want in there and actually make a decent meal.

If you drain the water, and flavor the noodles with less water, it is even a sort of quasi asian meal.

Canned veggies can be had for cheap. Crackers are filling and cheap. Cereal is cheap and can be good. I used to have breakfast for dinner all the time. Eggs, toast, juice, cereal etc. VERY filling, nutritional, quick and easy to make and cheap.

Regular dry pasta. Never goes bad, easy to make, just add sauce, and bam! a meal that will fill ANYONE up with leftovers.

You can also buy bulk meats and seperate and freeze it in portions.

There are a lot of ways to eat for cheap, but most of them involve a little effort, something that not a lot of people are willing to do anymore.

[MikeW]

Losi, my brother's mentioned FAFSA and he was actually in a work program his first year.

Yeah, i mean, i dont go to college, but being young and being on my own for the first time, you really gotta budget. And you start looking up ways to make Ramen go farther and you start learnign to actually cook and make food. And while places have $1 menus, you spend roughly $3 on ONE meal. Me and the gf can buy enough for the both of us, for 2 weeks, with roughly $80. Thats $20 per person, per week. Thats basically $3/day for all 3 meals. So that right there proves Shopping > Fast Food.

Plus eating less fast food is good for you.

But i do have to agree. Unless you're paying for the schooling yourself, there's no reason why you cant pick up a PT job flipping burgers, lifting boxes--doing something.

[Hiceman]

wow i just got out of wyotech it wasnt that bad i lived completely off of pastas and marinara, pbj, and koolaid and only ate good on the weekends i had no financial aid and parents didnt give me nothing ive always had money but i survived and watched this guy live off of 20 bucks for a month im sure if he wasnt spoiled hed make it too

[Accord R33]

its harder for some people than it is for others.

For example, Val pays upwards of $40,000/year for tuition, and i Pay about $10,000 when its all said and done. I have a full scholarship, she pays out of her pocket.

I have a really good job, Val has three mediocre jobs.

Do the math, Val makes about $400 a week and has to work three jobs to do it, so when you are paying $40,000 a year for school, it doesn't add up.

Of course this is where loans come in to play, though Val will be $200,000 in debt by the time she graduates, which is basically a mortgage.

And then you have people who refuse to work while they are in school. I personally think these people are lazy douche bags. If Val can work three jobs, and I can hold a 40hr/week job AND get A's and B's, there is no excuse for these people not to have at least a shitty job.

"Oh it's too hard to work and go to school! I can't focus on my homework if i have a job".

oh yeah? Well stop going to fucking frat parties and getting wasted until 3:00am. Maybe that will help you "focus" more? Just an idea.

[MikeW]

Plus you guys have your cars.

That takes up a good hanful of hours every week.

[Spinoza]

Its tough especially if you like to mod your car.