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Last chance for a decent gap year.

Hi all,

This is my last chance to sort something out for my gap year, or I'll be working at Subway full time for my year out!

I need to raise £4,105.81 by July 1st. The reason for the odd number is that the actual total is £4,660 but I managed to raise £500-odd somewhere along the line.

So that leaves me four months exactly. Any help/ideas/tips to help me raise the money in that time?

Thanks.

Reply 1

Cez

Why does it need to be by July 1st? Are you away for the whole year? What are your plans? Hmm, get a job and make sure you claim the tax back if you're not planning on working again till April 2010.

Reply 2

avÃ©ry

It's the deadline for the organisation. And yeah, I will be leaving late August for the full year.

I have a part-time job because I'm at college 90% of the time.

Reply 3

Joanna May

Cez

Why does it need to be by July 1st? Are you away for the whole year? What are your plans? Hmm, get a job and make sure you claim the tax back if you're not planning on working again till April 2010.

You can't claim tax refunds until the end of the tax year. So if he's taxed on earnings made between next week and him leaving, he won't get the money back until April 2010. Which is too late to be of any use for his fund raising.

OP, how comes you've left it so late? I have to admit, it doesn't sound likely you'll make that much money before July. Maybe write to some companies and ask for sponsorship?

Reply 4

Immz

Its pretty much impossible to get that much money that quickly. Unless you gamble, but then there's more risk than chance

Reply 5

avÃ©ry

Joanna May

You can't claim tax refunds until the end of the tax year. So if she's taxed on earnings made between next week and her leaving, she won't get the money back until April 2010. Which is too late to be of any use for her fund raising.

OP, how comes you've left it so late? I have to admit, it doesn't sound likely you'll make that much money before July. Maybe write to some companies and ask for sponsorship?

I've been 50/50 on the idea for quite a while, so haven't done much in terms of fundraising. Did have a job in a small studio (which would be useful as I want to work in that field) lined up, but they've left me hanging for too long now, so it's either work my butt off or work at Subway next year.

ask your mum!

avéry

I don't know what you're planning to do for the year, but you can go on gap year projects of varying length - many people work several months of their gap year and then go off and do whatever.

Reply 8

Ehmo

Wowee, what is so amazing that it's worth four grand?

Reply 9

Fand

I don't understand why it's either this expensive project or Subway. There's so many opportunities out there.

Reply 10

Cez

Joanna May

Nope, you're wrong I'm afraid :p:

You can claim a tax rebate as soon as you leave a job if you're not planning on returning to employment before the end of the tax year, I did it quite recently. See here: http://www.anglopacific.co.uk/faqs_tax_rebates.htm#5

Reply 11

avÃ©ry

Ehmo

Wowee, what is so amazing that it's worth four grand?

Teaching project in Asia. Includes accommodation (own flat), flights, insurance, support, daily allowance, training, etc.

Reply 12

RoslynCarter

She's a Project Trust vol quite obviously.

Have you got your letters to trusts out?
Have you done bag packing?
Have you begged for donations from all friends and family?
Have you asked your school to hold a non-school uniform day for you?
Have you held a quiz night etc etc?

If not....then hurry up and do it.

Reply 13

Ehmo

avéry

Teaching project in Asia. Includes accommodation (own flat), flights, insurance, support, daily allowance, training, etc.

If that's coming in a package, a huge amount of the money will be going to admin in the UK, so paying for it separately will work out cheaper. But that's more work and not many people will bother to do that- which is how big companies make money, through packaging it all up for you and sticking a few hundred on top.

Reply 14

allieRAWR!

I checked out the PT website and found this link.

25% of the total cost going to "support overseas" is ridiculous. You'd be better off finding a different organisation to go away with (or just doing it yourself) and tbh, seeing as you've cut it so close, you might have no other option. Look into original volunteers, they're an organisation that don't charge nearly that much to send you away (and I think they're actually non-profit) but you'll be doing stuff equally, if not more, worthwhile then you would've done with PT.

You can still have just as good a gap year, if not better, without going away with them.

Reply 15

RoslynCarter

allieRAWR!

PT is a charity. "support overseas" is stuff like rent, food, clothes, electricity bills etc etc. How is £1000 for 12 months of that "ridiculous"??

Reply 16

Cez

Well 8% goes on "recruitment" with no explanation of what this is, in addition tp 13% for "administration." Either way, the OP will prob still be wanting some pocket money to spend seeing as it is a whole year away from home and if they've only got £500 so far it aint looking too hot. Either borrow the money from your parents or change what you want to do - you could always work for a while and then go away for 6 months which is still a long time. Be careful before you start giving PT money though - they won't refund it if you decide to withdraw from the programme....