Thank you, Joanne

Hi Valerie
No idea why but I had in my head that you were AAT! Dare I suggest- why not take it now? You could start at level 3 with your IAB exams behind you, possibly even at level 4 if you can persuade the right trainers (I could suggest one who might let you!)

Hi Melinda
Thinking about this overnight, I'm wondering if you might be a candidate for chartered Accountancy. Still young enough, you mention not needing the money just yet, you can do the study round the children whilst they are young and move into a training contract whilst they are a bit more independent/still at primary school and self employed once you have your full letters. Guess it depends on what kind of career you want, how far you want to go and also future earning potential. (My philosophy is always be the best you can be, rather than settling)

Hi Valerie
If you are young enough - do the ACCA, you wont look back. Worth being restricted for a bit to my mind. Besides you have a friendly Accountant on board dont you - if they are a fully certified ACCA practice then it might well be that you can do a deal with them for supervision/sign off!

If looking to do the AAT, I would look at First Intuition (they might let you start later if you talk to them -they are more personalised to my mind). Although I have to say - I reviewed a level 4 course from Kaplan and was very impressed with their new 'on demand' offering, although they are likely to expect you to start at level 3. Worth a check with both of them.

I think you would be frustrated by the slow pace of the classroom, never mind the cost. Ive not seen anything encouraging from local style colleges in this respect in the main (Im sure there are good ones), although the larger ones such as Kaplan and BPP might put on a better show!

Hi Valerie 

I've twice tried to get started with AAT, but always been too busy to get very far.  After February I'm going to be quiet for a while, so intending to start afresh and see it through properly over a couple of years.  Am I right in think you're in North Yorkshire?  I live in Ripon so maybe not that far away.

Thank you all and thank you Valerie for your encouraging reply. I'm am fortunate enough that due to our previous business I don't have to earn immediately however I am also helping to support my half paralysed mother and her full-time carer, my dad, for 11 years now. Sadly where they live my mother's disability pension does not even cover all her medication and their skint treasury decided that my dad does not deserve a carer allowance as he is a relative and he would look after her regardless :( very frustrating but hey hooo life goes on and so far I was able to top them up in order to put food on their table too. I am very grateful for having such an understanding partner.

I worked very hard in our business to prove primarily to myself that I can afford to send my parents the money without filling guilty in front of my partner. I am willing to put the hours in however as I have no relatives to help me with childcare at all, my ultimate aim is to be self-employed again and therefore work during their school hours and evenings and some weekends. I need to be able to cover school drop offs, sick days etc.

I have been looking at First Intuition AAT for a few days, however I will check Kaplan and BPP too.

Thank you Joanne for you kind words. I have been thinking about the accountancy route for the long run, however I wasn't sure if starting from the bottom i.e. bookkeeping would help me to earn sooner and at the same time offers me the opportunity to get my foot in the door and practice during my studies. 

Many thanks ladies for the encouraging advice

Hi John

They are in a country were the system is ridiculous beyond belief. My mother has been totally paralysed on the right hand side as a consequence of her 3rd and nearly fatal stroke in 2006. She hasn't left the flat in 10 years yet she still needs to be seen by a commission of medical experts on a yearly basis to sign off her pitiful disability living allowance. My father is not yet of retirement age. 

 

Hi John

Yes, I'm in North Yorkshire.  Relatively close to Pickering so not too far from you.

Lets get our heads down in February and get this studying lark done

Valerie

Hi Joanne

Would you suggest to start with AAT and then go ACCA? What route did you take and would you do things differently now? Thanks

-- Edited by Picuri on Wednesday 24th of January 2018 11:44:04 PM

Hi Donna

Thank you Donna for your good wishes.

I worked in my partner's business for 10 years. A very busy retail environment that was closed 5 days a year and due to the nature of the business my partner and I worked even on those days behind the closed doors. We both worked 7 day weeks, morning to the evening. I carried on working during pregnancy beyond staff hours and up & down the ladders, receiving deliveries and lifting 10-20kg sacks as our staff. I worked through my early stages of labour with my waters broken, smiling to our customers. Went back to work with my daughter in the sling when she was 3 days old following an episiotomy with forceps. I am a determined person to get the job done and we made hay while the sun shined. We left kids late in order to be able to enjoy them a little. My first child spent 5 or 6 days at the childminder and before Christmas even the Sunday

I aim to have a bit more flexibility in life but I do appreciate I need to put the work in to succeed. 

My dilemma is bookkeeping now with a view to take it further at a later date (entering this industry approaching 36 is that too long a route) or should I consider accountancy now using up our savings and get it done and dusted. Would accountancy be too much on my plate with two very young children and no relatives to help out. My eldestMy partner is also reviewing his future path so neither of us earning much is not as appealing to him.  I guess I need to make a decision soon and stick by it. 

-- Edited by Picuri on Thursday 25th of January 2018 03:08:48 PM

Thank you Donna

Is any particular provider better, I keep coming across First Intuition and Kaplan but I haven't compared them yet. Are there any other good ones? I will be taking the distance learning route. 

-- Edited by Picuri on Friday 26th of January 2018 11:37:27 AM

-- Edited by Picuri on Friday 26th of January 2018 11:52:25 AM

Firstly thank you for the huge plug Joanne - much appreciated. Yes I have just been short listed which was a huge surprise for me.

I had not realised you were so close by as I am in New Forest. I privately support AAT students that home study - they basically buy the home tutorials whether via a distance learning provider or the publishers books (3 main ones BPP; Osborne or Kaplan). Any of these I am able to purchase for you if you require.
Students then contact me for support on sections they are struggling which is phone; email; skype or if necessary Skype and pay for the time used. An example of my support, I have had a student recently for computer accounts (Sage 50) who was completely struggling, after my Skype support sat the exam with confidence. Other students ask me to work through a test paper and provide feedback which often helps point out their weaker areas, I can then provide further advice on how to study them.

I cover support of level 2 and 3 - most students having been in an accounts back ground at all have not struggled at level 2 with the books and support. Some books I have to say have had mistakes, most do have the updates on line to work through.

Hope helps and good luck what ever way you decide. First Intuition have a good reputation and so does Accountancy Learning. The publishers, Kaplan I am aware students have found good for distance learning.

very sensible - work out if you are the sort that needs to hide away in a corner and study a few hours or can easily work through smaller amounts of study during the day regularly.  It is important with such a commitment to know what suits you and whether it fits with your life style.  That may be what makes one choice better for you than another.

Good luck with which ever path you take.

How about you try ACCA-X for starters and see how you get one. Good grounding for ACCA and you can do it for free, up to the point of taking the exams and then you have to join the ACCA.