Hi guys, I so want to go on this program in the summer of 2011, like really really wanna go! I'm going to uni in september and applying this august to the program. But i was wondering, how does anyone save up for it whilst they are at uni?! It must be hard enough to survive at uni but saving up aswell! Cause we have to save up for the flights, the insurance, visa etc. And when you get there, the incomes not a lot to survive on after the accommodation fee has to come out every week and you need to buy food for the week with like $100. All in all it's not a lot and i want to go shopping at the mall and everything! Is it worth it? Sorry to make it a downer!! :-\
Right well for the most part you will earn an additional $120-200 per week while you are out in Disney. This is based on you working a 30-40 hour week. This will vary though. I believe (unless you call in sick etc) that we are guaranteed 30 hours per week. We will also be working through some peak periods when you will be required to work more than 40 hours a week. Anything over the 40 hours is paid at time and a half so you could be earning $250 per week on top of the accommodation costs. That's LOADS! Especially when you consider that food is a lot cheaper out there than in the UK and we get into the parks for free etc. As to saving up beforehand... I live in London which is arguably the most expensive place in the UK to study in terms of living costs. In addition to studying I have two jobs. So it is do-able. If you know now that you'll want to do it you can start saving now and work over the summer. The people who bought their flights in December during the sale got them for £350-400. The rest of the additional costs are associated with the visa and medical insurance. I reckon if you're sensible the whole thing can work out as being about even by the time you finish the program.
That actually makes me feel a lot better, thanks! I really do want to go, so i just hope i get the willpower to save up! I just didn't want to be working all the time and living on cereal and not going out
That sounds a bit like my life at the minute hahaha! I'm terrible at budgeting though. i know what I should do but I love the theatre and when you're in the West End everyday the temptation is overwhelming! My sister's just finishing her first year down in Plymouth and she manages to keep her costs really though. She puts me to shame!
Hi there May I suggest you get a job? I am at uni and also have a weekend/holiday job and from that I've managed to save up over $2000 US over a few months. ...and thats even after paying for flights and the visa etc. ...and yo don't even need $2000 US! My uni has not suffered either, may I say. I still get A's You just have to find a balance.
When I did the program in 2008, I found out I was going 3 months before I got on the plane... this affected my finances a lot worse than this year when I found out 6 months before I am going!! When you have longer to plan it means you can spread the costs out more evenly... so I bought my flight in december, my visa in feb/march and then I'm going to do my insurance in may... Once you're actually out there as long as you have about £300ish to get you through the first couple of weeks you will be able to easily live off the money you're earning even after the rent has come out! My tip is that if you don't want to immediately work in term time then try and get a job where you can do loads of hours in the holidays off uni, that way you can earn money through the holidays to save for the various costs... whilst living off the student loan LOL
Hey i get the full loan and grant but my rent is £122 per week so thats pretty much my whole loan and grant with about £800 left after my last installment. I've had a job getting £25 a week and altho its not much if u just save that it helps and its cost me £1200 for the whole disney job in total but ive managed it without any help off anyone. If you save every penny u can and just have little piggy banks everywhere and a 'disney fund isa' then u will be more persuaded to keep saving
