I can’t work 40 hours while studying

20

Original post by Hey_Hayley283

I can’t work for 40 hours a week while studying full time

Ok so uni is over for me this year and I have about 3 or 4 months of doing nothing.

Yet despite working 32 hours full time in my parent’s shop. They still yell at me to get a part time job like I’m freeloading or something (which they think I somehow am) and I also want a part time job anyways so I can save up and move out from my toxic parents.

So when I finally got an interview from a restaurant from a nearby shopping centre. I was overjoyed.

However, I thought about when I’m back in uni in September, not only I would have to continue working in my parent’s shop ( otherwise they will kick me out cos I work and live with my parents instead of paying rent, or they will charge me ridiculous rent prices) AND work at the part time to even save enough to move out. They pay me about 5 hours of wages despite me working for 32hours a week.

I really don’t want to quit my part time, but I can’t quit working in my parent’s either cos I have no where to go nor do I have anyone else to crash on. I don’t want work to ruin my education. I feel like I literally won’t have a life other than work and study.

Please help.

I'm truly sorry to hear this :frown:

It sounds like living and working with your parents is unconductive towards doing well in university and your happiness, so ideally, you have to formulate a plan to leave your home.

I would get in touch with your university's counselling services ASAP, they might be able to provide you with some assistance. Also get in touch with your university's housing services now in order to see if you can arrange to stay there over the summer - this should give you a relatively affordable place to crash over the summer (and possibly beyond).

Reply 2

Original post by Hey_Hayley283

I can’t work for 40 hours a week while studying full time
Ok so uni is over for me this year and I have about 3 or 4 months of doing nothing.
Yet despite working 32 hours full time in my parent’s shop. They still yell at me to get a part time job like I’m freeloading or something (which they think I somehow am) and I also want a part time job anyways so I can save up and move out from my toxic parents.
So when I finally got an interview from a restaurant from a nearby shopping centre. I was overjoyed.
However, I thought about when I’m back in uni in September, not only I would have to continue working in my parent’s shop ( otherwise they will kick me out cos I work and live with my parents instead of paying rent, or they will charge me ridiculous rent prices) AND work at the part time to even save enough to move out. They pay me about 5 hours of wages despite me working for 32hours a week.
I really don’t want to quit my part time, but I can’t quit working in my parent’s either cos I have no where to go nor do I have anyone else to crash on. I don’t want work to ruin my education. I feel like I literally won’t have a life other than work and study.
Please help.

Can I just get a sense of where you are financially?

What year of university are you in?
Do you have your own bank account?
Do you get a tuition fee loan?
Have you taken out a maintenance loan?

Reply 3

OP

Original post by 04MR17

Can I just get a sense of where you are financially?
What year of university are you in?
Do you have your own bank account?
Do you get a tuition fee loan?
Have you taken out a maintenance loan?

Hi, I just completed first year pharmacy. I won’t go back until September. I do have own bank which is where my tuition and maintenance loans go.

Reply 4

Original post by Hey_Hayley283

Hi, I just completed first year pharmacy. I won’t go back until September. I do have own bank which is where my tuition and maintenance loans go.

Okay thank you - the reason I ask is because I have supported people in the past who've not been allowed their own bank account. You have a degree of financial freedom which gives us some more options.

Next question - is your maintenance loan amount on the higher or lower end of the scale?

Reply 5

OP

Original post by 04MR17

Okay thank you - the reason I ask is because I have supported people in the past who've not been allowed their own bank account. You have a degree of financial freedom which gives us some more options.
Next question - is your maintenance loan amount on the higher or lower end of the scale?

It’s on the lower end since I can only borrow the minimum amount - living with parents, outside London, but can’t borrow the max because parents won’t let me know their income, and they instead ask me to get a job to help with maintenance with is ridiculous because of the financial predicament I’m in.

I actually went to the interview today and the manager seems pretty pleased, I even got a job offer on the same day however when I told them my availability they didn’t seem to be pleased and now they’re not responding to my emails which make me think my lack of availability are making me lose opportunities to get jobs.

Reply 6

Original post by Hey_Hayley283

It’s on the lower end since I can only borrow the minimum amount - living with parents, outside London, but can’t borrow the max because parents won’t let me know their income, and they instead ask me to get a job to help with maintenance with is ridiculous because of the financial predicament I’m in.
I actually went to the interview today and the manager seems pretty pleased, I even got a job offer on the same day however when I told them my availability they didn’t seem to be pleased and now they’re not responding to my emails which make me think my lack of availability are making me lose opportunities to get jobs.

Don't rush into assuming, there are two ways to pitch this to your parents:

1) If you apply for the max maintenance loan, parents put in their income figure (they don't need to tell you) and you can bring more income in. Offer them a rent payment from that sum, but don't disclose how much you're receiving, keep some for yourself and save.

2) If you explain to your parents that your new job is demanding X or Y hours, but it is bringing in Z income, they may give you that time. If they don't let you, they need to drop an insistence on you getting another job. Make it clear that it is their choice, put them in control and force them to take ownership of a situation they are placing you in.

I have one further question at this stage - does your student union have a hardship fund?

Reply 7

OP

For 1) it’s not me - my parents don’t want to let others (especially governments) know about their income, which is a bit weird. That alone already rules option 1. And they’re REALLY stubborn, something about privacy or whatever.

For 2) I can’t do that yet as I’m not even sure if I’m gonna get hired.

Plus they firmly stated that my part time job must not affect me working full time in anyway, or it’s bye bye for me. Even if it meant that I will quit after 3 or 4 months. Or not getting any jobs offers at all.

Paying them rent if not an option either as they will charge me ridiculously high rent. Despite me being a student.

At this rate it’s not even about the money at all, they just don’t like the idea of me being “lazy”, AKA having a balanced lifestyle and actually having a couple of hours to myself a day. Instead of working or studying all the time.

On the good side though, my student union does have a hardship fund.

Reply 8

OP

Original post by Hey_Hayley283

For 1) it’s not me - my parents don’t want to let others (especially governments) know about their income, which is a bit weird. That alone already rules option 1. And they’re REALLY stubborn, something about privacy or whatever.
For 2) I can’t do that yet as I’m not even sure if I’m gonna get hired.
Plus they firmly stated that my part time job must not affect me working full time in anyway, or it’s bye bye for me. Even if it meant that I will quit after 3 or 4 months. Or not getting any jobs offers at all.
Paying them rent if not an option either as they will charge me ridiculously high rent. Despite me being a student.
At this rate it’s not even about the money at all, they just don’t like the idea of me being “lazy”, AKA having a balanced lifestyle and actually having a couple of hours to myself a day. Instead of working or studying all the time.
On the good side though, my student union does have a hardship fund.

Well…a student support fund

Reply 9

Original post by Hey_Hayley283

For 1) it’s not me - my parents don’t want to let others (especially governments) know about their income, which is a bit weird. That alone already rules option 1. And they’re REALLY stubborn, something about privacy or whatever.

That's fine, but make it clear to them that you could have more of an income stream if they were to share it - and because they have chosen not to they have chosen to limit the income coming into the household. Your parents are holding all the cards here, make that painfully obvious to them.

Original post by Hey_Hayley283

For 2) I can’t do that yet as I’m not even sure if I’m gonna get hired.

Plus they firmly stated that my part time job must not affect me working full time in anyway, or it’s bye bye for me. Even if it meant that I will quit after 3 or 4 months. Or not getting any jobs offers at all.

Again, it's about making clear to them that it is the parents causing that not you. If they are that desperate for you to work they need to establish conditions wherein this is possible.

Original post by Hey_Hayley283

Paying them rent if not an option either as they will charge me ridiculously high rent. Despite me being a student.

At this rate it’s not even about the money at all, they just don’t like the idea of me being “lazy”, AKA having a balanced lifestyle and actually having a couple of hours to myself a day. Instead of working or studying all the time.

On the good side though, my student union does have a hardship fund.

That isn't what I'm suggesting, I am suggesting you offer your parents part of additional income in the form of a payment towards rent, in order for them to co-operate with either sharing their income to allow you a full maintenance loan or allowing you the hours to do the part time job they want you to get.

Does your students' union have an advice service?

Reply 10

OP

They do

Reply 11

Original post by Hey_Hayley283

They do

I would go to your students' union advice service and explain your circumstances, they can offer you legal advice about your situation and potentially explain to you the routes of accessing the student support fund.

The only other mechanism I know of to access a maintenance loan without requiring parents financial information is to declare yourself estranged from your parents - which you won't be able to do while still living with them or in touch - so that's not an option for you here.

Reply 12

OP

Thank you. It kind of a complicated situation here and not much people have given me much practical advice. I’m also too scared to talk or confront my parents because they’re just not nice people.

Reply 13

OP