Kermit's Blog

In January this year, I FINALLY (4 months late) started to get my Student Finance money, to help me through the year whilst I studied at University.

At this time I was made aware that I could be eligible for a maintenance grant too, so I enquired about it with Student Finance over the phone.  They asked me if I worked before I went to Uni (which I did), so they asked me to send them my P60′s or equivalent info regarding my earnings for the 3 tax years before.

I obtained this info, sent it to them, had to wait over a month for them to actually scan it on the system (fair play…they were busy), and then from there on I got nothing back from them.  I called them every other week for an update only to be told “it’s with the assessors”.

Today.  I couldn’t wait any more with such empty information from them, so I explained the situation (always politely…I’m never a dick on the phone unless someone starts being a dick to me…as I’ve worked in a call centre before).  The guy on the phone looked into it, and eventually we solved the mystery.  I apparently hadn’t earned enough money in 06/ 07 to be classed as “self supported”.  So…I now need to get evidence of my parents income for the tax year: 07/ 08.
I’m not sure how long it will take for them to get that…as if they don’t have the payslips filed away somewhere, then they’ll need to phone up (when they can) to obtain the info from the Tax office.
THEN!
I need to send there info to Student Finance, which will no doubt take them some more precious time to scan on and process, and then eventually I may get my maintenance grant for the year 09/ 10 (after the whole uni year has passed).

I REALLY need to find away to get a part time job or something at the moment as I’m soo broke.  I’ve been expecting this lump sum of student money for a while …seeing as they kept giving me assuring “it’s being assessed, you should have it soon” type answers whenever I’d been calling for an update.
It’s also due to this assurance that I took a short term loan out (for about £300)  last month, to help me get in the meantime, but due to STILL not having this money, I couldn’t pay that loan back…and now I’m being chased for that money.

This really sucks because I’ve already got debts from the past as it is…due to a combination of losing a job, moving out of a joint apartment yet being stuck with a lot of things to pay on finance, and then going through depression.  It was a surprise to me that I was accepted for the short term loan I got last month due to my bad credit history.  So this company that trusted me to pay them back has now been let down by me and will no doubt not be willing to re-lend if I needed too.

I have about £3,000 in back debts to pay off, but I’m an unemployed student.  I can’t claim “bankruptcy” because apparently I’m not in enough debt to do so.  All I can do is either let these people I owe money take me to court and see my bank records and such as to how broke I am, or the courts will just have to like freeze those accounts for me, and let me pay them back in minimal amounts as and when I can afford too.  It’s not like I have assets (like a house or flashy car) for them to take to pay things off, so I’m stuck.

It REALLY sucks being broke right now though.  As a few of my friends are finishing their last years of university, and will soon be moving away and back to there home town’s etc… so right now I’m having to miss out on having any farewell nights out or parties with them because I can’t even afford to get a can of Diet Coke from a shop, never mind a box of beers.  I can’t even remember the last social outing I’ve had with friends, as it was months ago.  The most I’ve been able to do is play video games at near by friends houses and vice versa (which I’m not complaining about), but that’s as far as my social life has gone recently.

It sucks not being able to buy the little comforts in life too, like perhaps stopping by Subway one day to get a nice footlong for lunch, or even just being able to reach in the fridge for my favourite refreshing drink (Diet Coke).  Last week my girlfriend brought me 2 cakes from her work (super nice of her), and that’s pretty much the nicest treat I’ve had in months.

Cake!

Last week I had to walk about 6 miles (approx 3 miles each way) to the Postal depot to pick up a letter (that I wasn’t in to sign on arrival)  I walked because I had no bus fare.  I had zero cash, so I made the entire journey on a hot day without any sort of drink on me, or without the ability to buy one.  It’s those sorts of scenarios that I face all the time with having no money.

Thankfully it’s not TOO bad being stuck at home thanks to being able to play old video games, or watch some of my favourite shows and stuff, but I’m really in need of some sort of fortune to come my way to pull me out of this shitty lifestyle I’m stuck in right now.

Anyway, I just had to blog this all out as it was really weighing on my shoulders.

Expect a non-money related/ less negative blog soon.

Adios, Kermit.