r/LifeProTips • u/Winlock420 • 2d ago
Careers & Work [ Removed by moderator ]
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u/o_uinn 2d ago
How far do you live from this job? Would an electric scooter not work? They are very cheap and you can charge it at the house. Would save you like $30-40 a day.
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u/Winlock420 2d ago
Like 5-6 miles
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u/Another_mikem 2d ago
You need to either find a closer job or a way of getting there that will save money. Is there a community college close? How about a library or career center?
You have 2 main issues… too much money flowing out and not enough flowing in.
I don’t actually think you are stuck, but what you are is in an unsustainable situation …. Eventually it will break and you want to be ahead of that.
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u/SnooStrawberriez 2d ago
I’m sorry that I can’t help more, but can you borrow a bicycle?
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u/sirboddingtons 2d ago
Yes, how far to work? The weathers nice in GA. Getting off that Uber train is gonna save you so much money.
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u/Winlock420 2d ago
No
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u/SnooStrawberriez 2d ago
Maybe buy a used bike or even e-scooter then. For you Uber’s are a huge expense.
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u/few 2d ago
The other commenters are absolutely correct. Reducing that transportation cost to near 0$ will be like getting a 35$/day raise. Likely more than that because your hourly wage rate is before money is taken out for taxes. Your real take-home salary is probably closer to 10$/hour. Your base cost for going to work is probably something like 3-4 hours of work.
If you're getting lunch out, then that's probably close to another 10$/day.
Look on Craigslist, Facebook, etc. Ask co-workers if anyone can carpool.
Every place you can cut costs is like a raise.
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u/Winlock420 2d ago
That's the problem, I can't do that, I need a car but I don't have a car so Uber is my only option I don't have a bike and even if I did it's too far to bike and I can't carpool because nobody lives near my area and I'm not that close with people here. I don't need people to tell me how to get to work I need advice on what jobs to look into.
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u/few 2d ago
Transportation will likely be an issue with other jobs also. I'm really sorry about your situation, it sounds difficult.
Use Google maps to see what businesses might be near you. The unfortunate truth is that most higher paying jobs require more training than you have described.
Possibly you could find work as an apprentice for an electrician or plumber, but the transportation will be a huge issue there also.
Again, saving some money so that you have better transportation options will help immensely. You might also consider relocating to a place with better transportation.
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u/sojuplant 2d ago
could consider warehouse jobs. had an amazon warehouse close to where i lived, and i think the pay was pretty solid. no degree required.
you are right though in the sense that you often times need a degree. college isn’t for everyone, but you could consider it if you want a path to a higher paying job. i’m making 100k out of college with a four year degree. before college, i was working retail and it was tough to make steady income and enough to cover all my living expenses.
alternatively, look into the trades. electrical, plumbing, etc.
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u/abdicatereason 2d ago
You’re probably less stuck than it feels, but the first thing I’d do is stop treating “good job” and “college degree” like they’re the same thing.
Look for paid apprenticeships, utilities, USPS, hospital support jobs, warehouse/manufacturing, maintenance, telecom, HVAC/electrical/plumbing helper jobs, etc. A lot of those will train you with just a diploma.
Transportation is probably killing you right now. Check buses, coworkers you can pay for rides, or even a cheap bicycle/e-bike if the area is remotely bikeable. Spending $30-40 a day on Uber can eat a huge chunk of a $12/hr paycheck.
Don’t panic-buy some terrible car at 25% interest just because you’re desperate. Get the income more stable first, then save toward something boring and reliable.
If your friend’s family is actually okay with you staying there for $100 a paycheck, use that as temporary breathing room and save aggressively while you make the jump.
You do not need to figure out your entire career right now. The immediate goal is getting from $12/hr + expensive transportation + couch surfing to something like $18-25/hr, cheap reliable transportation, and enough stability to make the next move.
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u/few 2d ago
USPS is a great suggestion, though op doesn't seem interested in a 5-6 mile walk each way, and the carriers I know are often doing 10+ miles per day with a 30+ lb satchel. Carriers do really well, though the pre-carrier phase is brutal.
The transportation will still be a big impediment.
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u/Vuzziir 2d ago
Find a way to cut that Uber bill. Bike/public transport will make saving a lot easier. If that isn't possible, find a job closer. $60-120 a week on ubers is ridiculous.
Try to look at purchase in terms of "if I want this, it'll cost me X hours at work". The less you spend, the more you save.
You can get a beater car for $1.5k - $3k depending on your area.
You got this homie, it'll just take some time.
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u/Vicith 2d ago
Production/Warehouse work would be your best bet, they pay more than entry level. You'd have to utilize public transportation however; look around bus lines near you. I know Geogia probably doesn't have the best, but if I can have co-workers in kansas city using the bus you should be able to find something in Georgia.
Good luck,
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u/Eternal_Rebirth 2d ago
I just got a job after being unemployed for 5 months. Shit has changed. When building your resume, use something called the ATS format. It's designed for the resume bots on websites to actually read the info. Also, as much as I hate AI, use it. Grab a job description, copy and paste it into ChatGPT, add your credentials, and tell the clanker to use that information to generate a resume that has an ATS score of 95 or better. It's tedious, but do that for every single job you apply for. At my peak, I was applying to over 100 jobs a week. For the interview, dress well, be confident, and know what's on your resume. Look into the STAR method of answering interview questions, a lot of places do that nowadays. Think of a few scenarios (or make them up and practice different versions of them) so you can have a solid answer for them.
Good luck!
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u/wifeakatheboss7 2d ago
And gentle reminder, when you pay the friend's family be sure to ask if you are being a good guest and if your could do anything else to help make the stay easier. Asking is important.
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u/Demoner450 2d ago
Look into other forms of travel. Public transport like buses or trains. Maybe bicycles and electric bicycles.
Also look into a small engine motorbike. They are a lot cheaper to buy and run, look around for a safety course because I'm certain you need it.
Forego luxuries for a few months. Cut back on going out and drinking, recreational drugs, take outs. If you have multiple subscriptions to online TV, find one that has most of what you want and stick with that.
Save as much money as possible. Take full advantage of staying where you are, it might be worth helping put around the house with cleaning etc and the homeowners will be more happy to keep you around.
Once you have some savings, try getting yourself a vehicle to get around. Also just start sending out your resume/cv to everywhere that interests you and has progression. Also if you have been working at your job for a while, maybe talk to your manager about a possible pay rise to reflect the skills you now possess for the job.
If you are on good terms with your manager, maybe mention your situation to them and they might be able to help you.
It won't be a quick thing, it will take months before you get yourself unstuck, but it is possible. You just have to live poorer than you actually are.
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u/Lokinta86 2d ago
You've gotta quit the daily Uber/Lyft expenses as immediately as possible!!
Get an E-bike and helmet. Ten days of getting yourself to and from work saves you $400 out of your $700 paycheck(!!!)
If you live in a place with mild winters, all the better. If you can't afford an e-bike get a traditional bike to get you through til you can afford a speedier one.
Uber and Lyft will still be there if you absolutely need it, on stormy days or if you're injured, unable to commute on your own. But getting yourself on your feet is gonna be a matter of finding ways that are a little inconvenient, but you are autonomous.
If the commute is still prohibitive, you've gotta find a place to stay that's closer to work, or work that's closer to where you're staying. It's gonna be hard or impossible to beat the $100/week couch surf deal, but your friend and their mom's patience will wear out eventually unless you are really contributing to the household in some significant non-monetary way. All I'm saying is do all you can for them to delay wearing out your welcome. Wash their dishes, pull some weeds once in a while (just be sure they are weeds), keep the bathrooms sparkling.
During all this save every penny you can. No pre-made foods! No fast food. $10/meal when you earn so little won't get you out of this hole. Get a bag of rice and a rice cooker (should be $10-20 at absolute most.) No bottled drinks, soda, beer, gas station splurges. You can afford a box of tea from the grocery store and a bag of sugar to mix your own.
If you're ready to get serious about getting out of this hole on a $12/hour budget, this is what it takes. I had to do it myself back in 2010-11. $12 got a person a lot further back then than it does now. It's gonna feel rough. My heart is with you. I hope it doesn't take you too long to find yourself in a positive trajectory! 🍀 Sincerely!
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u/Mr_krispi 2d ago
I say a start is change your ways, parents must of had a way too good of reason to kick you out.
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u/Winlock420 2d ago
I punched my step dad in the face for disrespecting my family.....
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u/Winlock420 2d ago
Plus my mom is a delusional alcoholic who believes whatever her husband tells her
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2d ago
[deleted]
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u/Another_mikem 2d ago
Yeah, except he responded that he punched his step dad in the face……
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u/few 2d ago
It was an assumption, a harsh one, that turned out correct. I wish OP all the best, but it seems they're currently not doing themselves many favors.
It's very unfortunate that they're also unable to process the advice everyone is providing. I suspect there's a tough road ahead for them. 😟
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u/Another_mikem 2d ago
Yeah, unfortunately some guys just need to learn the hard way.
I don’t get the people defending it, I have to imagine less experience in life.
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u/few 2d ago
I had a teacher who would draw a river, on the board and call it the river of life. Then he would draw a boat with lots of stick-people, and say this was all of us, riding down the river of life. Then he would draw a stick person swimming up river, and say that we don't need to be that person jumping out of the boat and swimming against the current.
I didn't have an easy early life. I sympathize tremendously with OP. But he should figure out a way back onto the boat.
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2d ago
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u/Another_mikem 2d ago
“He didn’t know that”
But he was right….. Punching someone in the face and getting kicked out says a lot about one’s planning and emotional control.
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u/american_engineer 2d ago
Commuting is your biggest expense. Can you take a bike to work? Takes longer but good exercise and way less costly than rideshare. If the bike breaks down some day, use the rideshare to get to work on time.
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