I'm a 33yr old guy and live in Australia. I have recently started a degree in film and televison. Becoming a film maker is my dream, yet as an older student I struggle with past debts and on top of those, day to day costs of life. Although I work, its not enough to cover costs and whats more I have to work 35 hours a weeks and then I have at least 35-40 hours of uni studies, much of it time consuming practical work. Thats nearly 80hrs a week work and study and my studies are suffering.

I have a debt of $45,000(Australian). $10,000 on credit cards and the rest on a personal loan. Most of the loan was to help me get to the UK in 2007 after my father died, the money going on flights and funeral costs. The rest is from a loan I took in 2003(!). Of course credit cards are a nightmare to pay off and so my debt doesnt seem to go away. All the money I earn from work goes on debts and rent, I have little money to survive after that. My diet basically consists of instant noodles which in turn has caused severe problems with my health and I am constantly threatened with having my utilities cut.

On top of this my fathers death started a chain of events which caused me to suffer very bad depression. It is really dibilitating illness and I have to spend alot of time and money in therapy. And whilst this helps, a major factor in treating my depression is going to uni and learning about film making. It's what makes me happy. And yet I often have to skip uni to work, else I wouldn't have the money to survive, this means my studies are greatly effected.

I have reached breaking point. I so want to be able to say I'm DEBT FREE! But not only that, being debt free would enable me to work less and concentrate more on my studies and achieve my goal of making films. It may also give me the oppurtunity to buy much needed equipment that I otherwise cannot afford, much of which is vital to the course. 

I feel like this course is a turning point at my life, and great things will come from it, but I also feel I'm stuck in a rut, with these debts over my head, which cause me great difficulties, both finicially and emotionally. It is devasting not being able to do something simple like meet a friend or attend a film festival due to lack of money.

YOUR HELP would be so gratefully accepted. I have a large debt and so I may have a way to go to pay this off, but of course every little helps and thats what means the most. I know I have much more than others and I am truly grateful for that, but I know there is a better life possible.