Just been sorting out my finances and for some reason this got me thinking about when my stipend ends next year (September) and I'll be in the process of writing up. How many people work whilst writing up? I appreciate if you don't work you can spend more time writing your thesis but with rent and general living costs etc. I don't think I'll be able to not work.

I worked whilst writing up, I think most people do unless they are lucky enough to complete within their funding time or have lots of savings stashed away. You just have to be realistic about how long it will take you to complete and to accept that some weeks will be more productive than others depending on your work situation. I was lucky enough to get a 'post-doc' job while I was writing up but it was initially tough as the work was demanding and I needed to work evenings and weekends (hence little time to write up!).

Thre is a trade-off, you can work and write up but then writing up will take much longer and consequently you will be able to apply for proper jobs much later. On the other hand, you can borrow money so that you dont have to work while writing up, finish sooner, start work sooner and give than money back. I would prefer the last option because working takes up so much time and distracts from writing...

I was lucky. I work in the same department as a researcher. So for the last year and a half, my supervisors have been happy with me just working on my thesis. During the write up I have been especially lucky. I wasn't even expected to show my face in the department for weeks unless I needed to get a printout of the thesis.

Is there any possibility of getting an extension to your funding? This would be the best situation - getting money FOR writing up.