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Biology Ph.D. student rant

garcias1garcias1 member
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in Students

Don't get me wrong: I know there are plenty of people out there who are going to school and putting themselves in more debt to pay for their advanced degrees.  So I realize that I am lucky to be pursuing a degree AND get paid for it.  But the stipend I receive as a Ph.D. student is really meager, and I seriously already have enough trouble getting from paycheck to paycheck without accumulating more debt.  Plus I am saving every extra penny to pay for the wedding (FI and I are paying for half of it).

But the transmission on my car just died a couple weeks ago.  This is the second transmission that has died in the car (it just hit 100,000 miles - the first transmission went at 62,000 miles).  I had to apply for a credit card just to pay for the first transmission because it cost more than I make in 6 weeks.  FI and FILs said no way am I going to pay to put a third transmission in the car (I was going to put it on my credit card again).  So FILs are giving me money for the downpayment on a new car, and FI is paying half of the car payment as well as the car insurance.  I HATE being so dependent on other people just to get by.  I feel selfish for pursuing a Ph.D. while FI puts off getting his Master's, which will give him a raise and a chance at promotions.

Any other students feel like tremendous money-sucking leeches, or is it just me?

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Re: Biology Ph.D. student rant

  • garcias1garcias1 member
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    Yeah, it's tough.  But I just pray that in 5 years, I will be able to return the favor and support FI when he needs it.
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  • meeko84meeko84
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    Yes I know the feeling...I'm a first year PhD student and I moved to IL from NC where I got my Masters. I feel like it was a family affair to move me out here because I was broke. I was only getting paid at my internship and I had to pay bills plus save what little I could to move out here. Now I have a stipend and I'm living paycheck to paycheck..my FI has to bail me out of jams all the time and I feel so bad!! My family lives in VA and for the first month I was here my paperwork was all screwed up so I didn't get a stipend till Sept so my mom paid my rent and my grandma sent me money to live off..I felt so bad. I'm ready for this to be over so I can start my career and my life!!
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  • LauraT25LauraT25
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    It's gotten a little better, but for a while I had to borrow money just to pay for gas and tolls when driving to visit my husband (then boyfriend) in New Jersey. And I had a money-sucking car, too - everyone kept telling me it wasn't worth putting another few hundred dollars into it time and time again, but the fact was that even though it was AWFUL, it was cheaper than buying a new car, even a super crappy one.  And no one could really argue with that.  So I feel your pain.

    We're still struggling on the salaries of two PhD students, but we've managed to work it out so that we're comfortable.  Paycheck to paycheck, definitely, but we aren't terrified of a surprise $100 emergency anymore.  It takes a while to work out where you can save some money. 
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  • StarquegStarqueg
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    I hate living off my father.  He pays my rent a lot of my expenses, but not all of them.  I'm not working right now (job fell through), so a lot of my life is on my credit cards, and my student loans.  I have about 2 more years of school (including grad) and I'm looking foward to actually supporting myself.  I can't wait to be working full-time and not getting a check in the mail from my dad every month.  I'm just lucky that he has the money to help me out and is willing to spend it on me.  He's a great dad.
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  • MMRoberts11MMRoberts11 member
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    I purposely took time off between going to grad school and finishing undergrad so I could make some extra money to help off set the low income I'll get while earning my PhD.  I currently work in a lab so I'm getting more experience to also make my applications look that much more impressive.  It was definitely one of the best decisions I've made.... even with my unemployed FI it helps.  I also sell Mary Kay on the side for some extra cash.
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  • diamondx423diamondx423
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    I totally feel your pain; and its hard not to feel selfish for it since I get paid to go to school. A lot of the time I want to find a "real job" and make "real money". I got into some pretty serious credit card issues in my first year since I had no idea how to manage my money; its getting better now but its still a constant stress on my mind. Living pay check to pay check and saving for a wedding is not fun at all.
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  • Jennifer&NateJennifer&Nate
    First Comment
    I feel awful because I'm bringing law school debt to the marriage and FI is coming in debt free. While my law school debt will be much less than most law students (approximately 80K max including undergrad), it's still a stressor, especially in this economy. I don't feel like a leech on people right now so much as a leech on our future. :( It's a real crappy feeling.
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  • mayjaygirl21mayjaygirl21
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    OMG!!!! I thought I was the only one who felt this way.  I just got into a car accident about a month ago.  Since it would have taken more money to fix my car, my parents decided to get me a new one.  I helped with the down payment and other expenses for getting it, but  now that I'm beginning my master's in January, I'll get a nice stipend.  I just felt bad for burdening my parents with money.  Like today I was talking to my mom about Christmas presents and she said she hardly had any money.....I just felt so sad and such a burden.  So I can't wait until I'm done with school or at least to the point where I can have my own money.
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  • danahahndanahahn
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    I'm in the same position as you, getting a (small, but appreciated) stipend along with the university helping me with tuition.  I just finished my M.S. and I'm staying on at the same school for my PhD.  FI currently has a great full time job, just doesn't make as much as he would working in another city at another company.  He just bought a house for us to live in while I finish school.  I pay him a small amout of rent compared to what it costs to pay the bills around the house.

    Because of all of this, I feel like a complete and utter leech off of him!  I have to float by at the end of the month (this month especially with Christmas) on my credit card.  Fortunately I had a great internship before I started my M.S. and built up a small savings with the help of getting some scholarships.  However, I hate dipping into that and depending on him.  I can't WAIT for the day that I don't have $10 in my bank account at the end of the month, waiting for the paycheck to hit. 

    This PhD better be worth all of this. Hahaha.

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