My First Paycheck in half a year...

[Zephik]

Well as some of you know, I got a job a few weeks ago and had been looking for what seemed like ages. So I just got my first paycheck...

$138...

Well, looks like I'm going to have to work a lot harder if I want to get paid more. lol but damn, It's better than nothing for sure, but I'm used to $300 minimum. T_T

oh and it get's even more fun. I need $300 for rent and $35 more for my phone. So I need $335 minimum a month and I'm only going to make like... $280. lol hooray for understanding friends and family.

Anyways, pain is best shared among friends as I've always thought. Anyone else going through some rough times? (dumb question really, pretty sure EVERYONE is in some way or another.)

[x88x]

Congrats on the first paycheck! You should celebrate! ..by...not spending any money...right..hmmm

So, that $300/mo for rent...I assume that's a place you share with someone(s)? Otherwise I need to go shoot the DC housing market upside the head again :dead:

[Drum Thumper]

Anyways, pain is best shared among friends as I've always thought. Anyone else going through some rough times? (dumb question really, pretty sure EVERYONE is in some way or another.)

At the moment no. But about 10 years ago, I was at a pretty low point. Foodstamps, assistance with heating bills, and the like. I made a promise to myself when I was in the waiting room for foodstamp assistance to never have to do that again, and so far, I have kept good to my promise. If it gets that bad again for me, I'll start living off the land.

[billygoat333]

i'm in a pretty bad way financially since my divorce. so now I am looking for a new job. :)

[Liquid_Scope_99]

Congrats man i know its not much but its something i was working 20hrs a week some made a whopping $118 after insurance and taxes am getting close too 40 right now anyways .
Maybe thing will keep on the upswing for ya .

Also good luck to you too goat hopefully something good will come along

[Zephik]

So, that $300/mo for rent...I assume that's a place you share with someone(s)? Otherwise I need to go shoot the DC housing market upside the head again :dead:

My mother was nice enough to offer me a place to stay. She lives in a two bedroom condo literally 5 minutes walking distance from my work. It's pretty nice. I have my own room, my own bathroom and even my own entrance. In a way, if I just lock the bedroom door, it's like I have my own place! lol (I've had my own place before with a japanese girl. On the plus side, she was japanese and thus cute as can be, on the other side.. she was japanese, and thus a handful. lol I'm not sure if I upgraded or downgraded here.)

I'll just have to work harder and show my managers that I'm someone they want around more often.

It's kind of depressing that I work harder now than when I was washing dishes and yet I make only a third of what I used to make. Granted, it was boring as can be, but damn if I could rewind time... lol

Another option I just thought about is maybe try and find a second job. I'm working like 15 hours a week at most, so I'm pretty sure I could squeeze another job in there somewhere. lol

[x88x]

My mother was nice enough to offer me a place to stay.
Ah, ok, fair enough. I was living with family until recently too (though I didn't really have my own space..a corner here, a bed there.....but on the other hand I didn't have to pay any rent). Now I get to enjoy the stupid DC area rental market...after utilities, I pay just over $1000/mo for 425 square feet. :facepalm: (just in case you ever need to feel better about what you pay ;) )


Another option I just thought about is maybe try and find a second job. I'm working like 15 hours a week at most, so I'm pretty sure I could squeeze another job in there somewhere. lol

I'd definitely recommend finding another job; more income and experience is never a bad thing. Are you in school, or is work your primary time concern?

[mDust]

Congrats on the new job. What are you doing now if you don't mind my asking?
I've never had it 'real' bad with money, but due to some student loan issues, I have had absolutely 0 disposable income for a while now. I wish bartering was acceptable at most places...I'd bring a bag of limes for a drink or two.:D

[jdbnsn]

Congrats dude!

[Mark_Hardware]

One thing I've always noticed, is it always seems to be easier to get a job when you actually have a job. Maybe after a couple weeks pick the job search again, bet you can get something better :up:

[slaveofconvention]

One thing I've always noticed, is it always seems to be easier to get a job when you actually have a job. Maybe after a couple weeks pick the job search again, bet you can get something better :up:

This is true - and there's actually a relatively good reason for it too...

The prospective employer doesn't have to wonder "What's wrong with this guy, why doesn't he have a job?"

[x88x]

It also shows them that you're a hard worker "oh, this guy already has a job, but he wants another one. wow!"

[Zephik]

I just got my next schedule line up. So last pay I got like 17 hours, this next pay though I'm getting 25 minimum! Woot!

That'll put me officially at just a hair past half of what I used to work. lol

[x88x]

Sweet! Congrats on the extra hours! Is that a week or two?

[Zephik]

I get paid every two weeks. Yea, they REALLY like to start you at the bottom. lol

So let's do the math... let's say a normal person works 5 days a week and gets paid twice a month. Okay, so that puts me at... 2.5 hours a day. ROFL!

Which brings me to my next question....

Does anyone know where to get a good pair of hooker boots? lol

[billygoat333]

*cough* yourmomscloset *cough*

:D just kidding zephy!

check ebay. oh, and you can pimp yourself out on craigslist. :P

[Zephik]

:D just kidding zephy!



Oh you better hope that doesn't catch on around here. lol

[slaveofconvention]

zephy! zephy! zephy! zephy! zephy! zephy! zephy! zephy!

[Zephik]

Yep. I should have seen that one coming. lol

[slaveofconvention]

Glad I didn't disappoint :p

[billygoat333]

:D its gonna stick... dun dun dun...

[Xpirate]

My mother was nice enough to offer me a place to stay.

I lived at home with my folks when I was 25. Lots of people will want to make you feel like a looser for that, even though you are probably doing a better job of supporting yourself than other young people. I have seen other kids leave home and have to get money from their folks on a monthly basis to stay out.

I let my younger brother stay with me for about a year and a half. My folks did not want to let him come back home because they already expanded junk into his old room. I learned that it doesn't really cost you that much for someone to stay with you. It would have cost a whole lot more for me to pay his rent and bills. My brother did pay the cable TV/Internet bill and purchased a few groceries, so it actually cost me a bit more when he left my place.

I realized that I would never reach the level of financial independence that I desired unless I got my college degree. I have dependents now.

[x88x]

I realized that I would never reach the level of financial independence that I desired unless I got my college degree.

Yup...it's that damn piece of paper. The worst thing is that once you have it, it doesn't even matter much most of the time what it says...just that it's there. :lick: I mean, I'm doing ok now, but I won't really be comfortable financially (read: expendable income and savings) until I get that stupid piece of paper.

[slaveofconvention]

A lot of employers just like to know that you're capable of achieving that level of education - it's a broad indication of a minimum level of intelligence, for one thing, and also shows that you have the self discipline and organisational skills required to complete the course.

I used to work for McDonalds when I was in my teens, and they required a Degree to apply to become a Salaried (as opposed to hourly paid) manager - didn't matter what the degree was in - just that it existed. For example a friend of mine from work went onto the management track based on a degree in Construction Management....

[Xpirate]

...that stupid piece of paper.

It is not a stupid piece of paper. It represents a lot of money and hard work. Universities don't just give those things away. The financial and mental stress that is required to score the diploma makes that document worth more than most people realize.

I bought an expensive frame to put mine up on the wall. A friend of mine who did not earn his own document told me that I spent too much money on it. He clearly did not understand what that paper represented.

So when you do get that "stupid piece of paper," hang it on your wall and be proud of all the work that you did to acquire it.

Good luck with the job Zephik. If you have the means to get a degree in anything, I recommend that you do it.

[x88x]

A lot of employers just like to know that you're capable of achieving that level of education - it's a broad indication of a minimum level of intelligence, for one thing, and also shows that you have the self discipline and organisational skills required to complete the course.

I like the way a friend of mine put it; "It lets your employer know that you're willing to put up with a lot of sh*t to achieve your goal."


It is not a stupid piece of paper. It represents a lot of money and hard work. Universities don't just give those things away. The financial and mental stress that is required to score the diploma makes that document worth more than most people realize.

Oh, I'm sure I'll probably feel differently once I finish mine; it just feels like that now. I mean seriously, the only thing keeping me from advancing at my job is that I don't have one; not lack of skill or knowledge, just that I don't have a degree.

[Zephik]

Well I just got let go. Fun stuff. Best part is the BS reason. Apparently since I try to always find something to do while everyone else chatters and that I come in when they call me on my days off and when they give me the day off or send me home early I just smile and bear it. yea, apparently that doesn't count for anything.

Whatever I guess. Time to start looking AGAIN. Except this time I'm limited to my surrounding area instead of surrounding towns/cities. It took 60 applications over 3 months to get a job last time, there isn't even 60 jobs around me this time. Dammit. I'm going to have to get insanely lucky I guess.

[x88x]

Damn, that sucks dude... Wish I could offer a suggestion.

[artoodeeto]

Best thing I can tell you is don't give up, no matter how hard it gets. A friend of my sister's in Chicago looked for a job for about 6 months (at least), went to something like 90 interviews before finally finding something.
In my own experience, after I got divorced 3 years ago, I was working my normal job (environmental consulting firm, doing computer graphics for their reports), plus working at a local Borders bookstore, and was working those hours around the normal workday. So I was going to work at 6am, and not getting home til 11pm. I finally got a roommate, and through eventual raises at my main job, was able to cut back my Borders hours then quit entirely, after a couple of years. Worst point was when I thought I'd be able to leave Borders in January of 2007, then my main job restructured their pay system and went from 24 paychecks per year to 26. There was no notice of this, and while overall I made the same amount...each paycheck dropped by a couple hundred bucks. So it was like getting a $400 a month pay cut in January, and the first of the two "extra" checks didn't happen til May. The worst part of the whole situation was I had maybe $10 - $15 a month left over to spend how I wanted, for many many months. I couldn't save anything, couldn't go out to eat...for awhile rode my bike about 23 miles a day b/c I couldn't afford gas to drive. Makes me VERY thankful that things are so much better now, but it took a couple years to get here.
So. You'll get there, it'll get better, just keep at it and don't give up. :) Any chance you have to save some money, even if it's not much, do it. You'll be thankful later (as I was, when my truck's radiator hose blew apart out of nowhere....$500 later...)

[TheGreatSatan]

Ah, ok, fair enough. I was living with family until recently too (though I didn't really have my own space..a corner here, a bed there.....but on the other hand I didn't have to pay any rent). Now I get to enjoy the stupid DC area rental market...after utilities, I pay just over $1000/mo for 425 square feet. :facepalm: (just in case you ever need to feel better about what you pay ;) )

That's more than my mortgage for 2700 square feet

[Xpirate]

Well I just got let go. Fun stuff. Best part is the BS reason.

I was fired from the first 6 jobs I had. They were all stupid political reasons. I know that everyone probably says this, but things will get better. My life has improved since my final firing and yours will too.