Thinking about the money

I've always been pretty practical with my money. I don't excessively spend money and look for bargains. Like saving my money and letting it make more money if I'm not being charitable with it. I've only gone in debt a couple of times and most of my debt was in student loans. Since I am literally just finishing up paying off my first round of student loans, I got to thinking about how to pay for seminary if this is my calling in life.

I think I've heard before that my home diocese will foot the seminary bill as long as you become a priest, or if not you have to pay it back as a loan later on. But, what if they don't? Do I take out $20,000 a year for 4-5 years in more student loans to go from a 60k job to a 20k job?

I've also seen where the Knights of Columbus have several scholarship programs. Some on the Supreme Council (National) level and some at the local Council level. I was kind of waiting for a personal invitation to a local council to join the knights, but should I go ahead and join. Would it be wrong if that was the biggest motivation for me to look into joining on my own volition? Would it be wrong to solicit both the council here, where I'm currently living, and the council serving my home parish, where I am originally from and probably would enter the seminary through? I also think the Serra Club probably has scholarship opportunities and probably others I haven't heard of. Anyone know of others?

What about other living costs not associated with the seminary such as insurance, taxes, clothes, gas money? Do I work through seminary? I've heard of other priests in other dioceses around the world who had to do that, but most of the seminaries I know are in rural settings. Does that mean I should look into seminaries in metropolitan areas such as Baltimore, D.C., Chicago, etc.? Is it feasible to work and make decent money while in the seminary? Having to limit social activities such as sports, movies, and others doesn't bother me, but does it fit in with the prayer life and all of the work that goes with theological studies?

I know, I'm sure that vocations directors go through this all of the time and have plenty of ways and suggestions on how to make things work, but I tend to think out and plan the ways I use money, and it is just one more thing on my mind.

Dominus Vobiscum