So Im An Apprentice Now... Money Is Short... How Do You Compensate For It?

[social]

Hey guys,
Recently got my mechanical apprenticeship through MTA, FINALLY!
The thing is, i was used to doing labour / construction work and walking away with $500+ / wk and now I will be sitting on $220ish/wk. Now i pay for all my car fees fueling it regoing insuring etc, and ofcourse pay board, that doesnt leave me with jack all. Ive been working after hours doing some landscaping / retinaing wall work by myself but thats in short supply seeing as i finished my last job at 10:30pm friday night.

To the reason i posted....
Was wondering what other apprentices out there do / where you work to make up for that little bit extra to get you by each week.
Cheers.

[Abrowne70]

I dont, i just live with the fact we get crappy pay.

Will soon be looking for more work as i need it for my project, you just gotta plan your money spending well

[CANYONERO]

one word OVERTIME!

luckily the 38hrs i get paid apprentice rates though the apprenticeship provider (MTA) overtime is paid by my host so the rate jumps quite a bit, luckily my boss has seen that im working just as hard as everyone else yet gettin paid peanuts, im on my hosts bonus system which helps too.

when you get more experienced you'll no doubt get cashie jobs too

[social]

ohk fair enuf, yea im aware of the overtime etc, just ive got the 10wks of tradeskl first up so thats a bummer and i have been working after hours, ridiculously, just wanted to see if anyone else was kinda struggling or had a solution.

[davway]

go to garage sales on the weekend, buy a few odds and ends that people want and then Ebay it.
i did it for a while when i had no money and was earning an average of $500 a week.

youll soon learn what is worth money and what isnt.
pretty much anything you had as a kid that was popular at the time, is worth money now.

[Cursed CX8]

best way - hospitality.

no joke, 3 nights a week will get u an extra $200 and its easy work

[nemesis_adrasteia]

if youve been out of school for 18months(i think) or earned 19000 you can claim independance if you haent already you can get rent assist and other benefits from the gov get a healthcare card save you 100 on rego

[nathg]

WOW, I thought my $267 base rate through AGT was bad, but $220, thats pretty low. I would find it very hard to survive on $270ish a week if I didn't get any overtime or work every second Saturday.
In terms of trying to save and spend wisely, for my first couple of weeks working, I didn't go out at all, just saved and saved. Now that I'm used to the pay, i can budget for petrol and other expenses, and even still save around $100-$150 a week.

[betts]

Ive cut back on drinking and other expenses, I drink and go out once a month, and I also make my own lunch every day. I manage to save around $60 a week from a $280 pay check. I also work 7 days a week quite often, it sucks, but when you are a first year apprentice you need all the money you can get.

[jatsvl]

best way - hospitality.

no joke, 3 nights a week will get u an extra $200 and its easy work

YEAH! ........, thats what I was gonna say prostitution!

the ebay idea is good. "one mans trash is anothers treasure", I don't do the ebay thing I sell in the free weekend shopper earning $300 - $500 depending what treasure I sell.

[VrWagz1]

Its been nearly 6 years since i was an apprentice but bassically it just sucks for the first 2 years. 3rd year was the biggest boost to my wage. But yeah take the overtime when it comes around and when you get a bit skills up, you can do some cash jobs to boost the weekend spending budget. Be nice to your parents so they dont jack up your board payments.

[VZHSV]

To the reason i posted....
Was wondering what other apprentices out there do / where you work to make up for that little bit extra to get you by each week.
Cheers.

ima 2nd year apprentice electrician first year was ****n crap!
290 a week 250 take home . advice is if u can take some cash jobs if u can
friends /relos whatever
other then that dont go blowing ur money on useless stuff lol and deal with the worse financial year of ur life

[TUF UTE]

just have to wait till u have experience and do cash jobs as u have seen me do

[social]

Well il see what i can do, was looking at part time work at a servo, like a afternoon to midnight shift. They pay really well. But id be definitly going str8 home to sleep...

[VryNeat]

why not do night fill at a super market?

[social]

havent looked into that but gotta take into note that I gotta get to trade school 40mins away from home by 8:30 the nxt day and need sleep..

[1991_Vn2nV]

Maybe picking up a shift at a servo on a weekend even? One afternoon shift on a weekend (8 hours) is worth around $230 before tax.

[<RaBBiT>]

also maybe not dropping the clutch in front of cop cars and just in general not thrashing ur car on weekends might save ya some dosh too

[social]

yea but rabbit you dont have a clutch so what are you on about

[VL Berlina 5speed]

well the biggest prob you have is that you have worked in a high paying job before

you just going to have to adjust
bewise with your money and dont throw it around

im currently 2nd year, although they aint great wages im happy with mine
i can survie well and still do my car up

although i am bassically debt free, which easyer to live as a appprentice

if your almost 21 just hold on
when you turn 21 you become a mature age apprentice and the wage will increase quite a bit
for me im on $9.50hr 2nd year, i will be a third year in a month or two then november mature age apprentice which is about $15hr

[CANYONERO]

well the biggest prob you have is that you have worked in a high paying job before

you just going to have to adjust
bewise with your money and dont throw it around

im currently 2nd year, although they aint great wages im happy with mine
i can survie well and still do my car up

although i am bassically debt free, which easyer to live as a appprentice

if your almost 21 just hold on
when you turn 21 you become a mature age apprentice and the wage will increase quite a bit
for me im on $9.50hr 2nd year, i will be a third year in a month or two then november mature age apprentice which is about $15hr

umm ive never seen the price increase, im 23.

[TUF UTE]

dont forget... he also has a girlfriend lol.

he needs money for that too

[CANYONERO]

dont forget... he also has a girlfriend lol.

he needs money for that too

theres your problem lol......

[2001_VXSS]

haha girlfriend.. haha that really ****s with ya money. dude im earning round 260 each week not including over time and i manage to budget. im saving 50 a week and paying parents 70 a week for board. so doesnt leave much but i seem to do alrite. i was in same boat as u my last job was paying 500+ a week now im on 260.. is ****ing SHITHOUSE!! but u will get use to it.

[TUF UTE]

i make 700 a week plus do cash jpbs and i never have money haha. i live the lavish life.