Starting a new Job
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B-Well
Active member
I'm not sure of the housing market in MN, but 14.50 here in VA after taxes only brings home $450/week. The cheapest home you can rent in my area is 1000+utilities. not to mention all your insurances, phone, student loans, gas, food and fun.
BUT, if you really enjoy it, the money is not important. thats what they say, whoever they are
BUT, if you really enjoy it, the money is not important. thats what they say, whoever they are
I think that is very case dependent on one or more of the following.
-Education background vs education needed
-Years of experience in the field
-Promised hrs
-Other benefits
-Work conditions
-Potential for extras such as OT, bonuses, etc.
-Education background vs education needed
-Years of experience in the field
-Promised hrs
-Other benefits
-Work conditions
-Potential for extras such as OT, bonuses, etc.
What sort of building maintenance? Cleaning the crappers or something much more complicated like boilers, chillers and HVAC?
That sounds like a sucky wage starting out but after the 1st 90 days or 6 months or so the money should be a lot better...if they are happy with you.
That sounds like a sucky wage starting out but after the 1st 90 days or 6 months or so the money should be a lot better...if they are happy with you.
toolstools
Banned
In my area, 14.50 is great. Before I quit a job I had, I made 14.50/HR. Plus per diem. $32/day. Granted i had massive overtime. But @ 40 hours is $464 a week depending on dependents claimed. $1865 would easily get you by in my area, very comfortably.
do you even know if it's negotiable or is it some sort of union?
you are being pretty vague with your description. 14.50 is a great pay for a guy who hasn't done much, but is jack squat for someone skilled and who has been around the block a few times.
there are more variable to consider. so can't say
In my area a 1st year automotive apprentice makes around 15/hr with newly licensed journeyman guys (basically 4 years auto experience and completed all the government schooling and testing up here in Canada) starting at 26/hr and guys with full dealership training and certifications being at 35-45/hr. That's Canadian wages but pretty close to being on par with your dollar anyways. I don't know what technician wages are like in your area or what your background/skill level is but in my area I would place a total newbie with zero auto experience to start doing oil changes for around 12-14/hr
Your best bet would be to interview some people in your area who have similar jobs (maybe even find online salary surveys for your area) that would give you a better idea of whether or not that is a suitable wage for where you live. (geographical area plays far too large of a role in what is a good wage)
Your best bet would be to interview some people in your area who have similar jobs (maybe even find online salary surveys for your area) that would give you a better idea of whether or not that is a suitable wage for where you live. (geographical area plays far too large of a role in what is a good wage)
spotco2
Well-known member
14.50/hr is a good starting wage in this area.
If you can live on it, enjoy being a part of the workforce.
Does that come out to more per week than a gov't check?
If you can live on it, enjoy being a part of the workforce.
Does that come out to more per week than a gov't check?
That's not a bad starting wage. Now that you've got your foot in the door other job opportunities will become available. Just keep checking the job postings when you start working.
muibubbles
Well-known member
For me personally i'd only take 15/hr if i really wanted the job and i was learning new skills. my last job was at a fabrication company that specializes in retail, i started at 15/hr which was fine for me, but as time progressed and i stopped learning, and i was doing boring basic labor jobs IE sanding, it was not worth it anymore. It's really what you value your time. But i have a dumb mentality, and compare everything to the fact that you can make 20/hr working at a warehouse full filling orders. Thus if the job requires a certain skill (I am well rounded in fabrication) i'd expect more then 20/hr since i dont need any skill and i can make 20/hr.....
ihateminimumwage
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I just started as a diesel apprentice for $12.50/hr. They were clear it's a **** wage to start, but it doubles within 1 1/2-2 years. It's much less than I'd have liked to start at, but it's time in the field, and where I live it averages $500-600/mo to rent a 2 bedroom house.
I've made more doing construction and shade-tree mechanic work, but not with a full time schedule year round. Not going to complain getting a foot in the door.
I've made more doing construction and shade-tree mechanic work, but not with a full time schedule year round. Not going to complain getting a foot in the door.
KSB
Well-known member
I started at the exact same wage, within a couple years I was making a wage I could feed the family, but it was a happy feeling getting the apprenticeship out of the way and making real money.
To the OP, if this is something you are starting out with and there is room to grow than that is an OK wage, realistically it is very hard to raise a family on that income.
ihateminimumwage
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I've got 5 years military experience and a 35,000 dollar education on top of it and some bastards try to come at me with 14.50-17 an hour starting, at which point I promptly ask if they provide housing lol.
14.50 entering most blue collar jobs on the ground level is not bad in all actuality. I'm almost 27 and would take 14.50 in a small town that is cheap to live in but it won't make you live well. The regional airlines pay their starting mechanics who hold A&P certificates at 16.50. The average A&P school ranges from 28-35 thousand dollars and 18 months 6 hours a day 4 days a week. So no 14.50 is not a bad starting point if you are going in untrained for the position. The low paying jobs in the 14 to 18 an hour range are disposable tho. I mean it in the way that your resume should get constantly updated and blanketed to any and every better paying job.
Home Depot has a plant in indy that start their temps out at 17.50 an hour doing warranty work on small engines and electric hand tools. That requires no formal education but does require experience in a technical field with repair and troubleshooting.
I would take it as it's better than being unemployed and you are not required to let them know your still blanketing resumes, just smile and work your *** off til something better comes along give em two weeks (or a chance to give you a raise if they want to keep you) and move onto bigger and better things.
I'm 26 will be 27 in a month it's a tough job market going in. Guys are not retiring and milking high paying jobs. I don't want to start a **** storm, but I personally know many guys holding down jobs well past retirement age who are financially able to retire but refuse to. These guys are making near 3x what the new hires make meaning one guy holding onto a job milking seniority is keeping 2 to 3 new guys from making their way into a limited job market. We do not have the job market expansion to maintain the number of workers we have. It is wise to do all you can to hold your job (extra training, working harder than the next guy, positive attitudes, etc..) to make them think twice before putting you on a layoff list if you are in a non seniority dominated workplace. And another huge mistake our generation makes is making work issues public. Don't say a word about work to anyone in a negative manner. People get fired over facebook and twitter drama constantly.
Hopping off my soapbox but take the job if it's better than your current one. live cheap, save money where you can, take every opportunity for free training and save the certificates. every little bit helps. And every job (even the ****** ones) have a positive you can carry away.
14.50 entering most blue collar jobs on the ground level is not bad in all actuality. I'm almost 27 and would take 14.50 in a small town that is cheap to live in but it won't make you live well. The regional airlines pay their starting mechanics who hold A&P certificates at 16.50. The average A&P school ranges from 28-35 thousand dollars and 18 months 6 hours a day 4 days a week. So no 14.50 is not a bad starting point if you are going in untrained for the position. The low paying jobs in the 14 to 18 an hour range are disposable tho. I mean it in the way that your resume should get constantly updated and blanketed to any and every better paying job.
Home Depot has a plant in indy that start their temps out at 17.50 an hour doing warranty work on small engines and electric hand tools. That requires no formal education but does require experience in a technical field with repair and troubleshooting.
I would take it as it's better than being unemployed and you are not required to let them know your still blanketing resumes, just smile and work your *** off til something better comes along give em two weeks (or a chance to give you a raise if they want to keep you) and move onto bigger and better things.
I'm 26 will be 27 in a month it's a tough job market going in. Guys are not retiring and milking high paying jobs. I don't want to start a **** storm, but I personally know many guys holding down jobs well past retirement age who are financially able to retire but refuse to. These guys are making near 3x what the new hires make meaning one guy holding onto a job milking seniority is keeping 2 to 3 new guys from making their way into a limited job market. We do not have the job market expansion to maintain the number of workers we have. It is wise to do all you can to hold your job (extra training, working harder than the next guy, positive attitudes, etc..) to make them think twice before putting you on a layoff list if you are in a non seniority dominated workplace. And another huge mistake our generation makes is making work issues public. Don't say a word about work to anyone in a negative manner. People get fired over facebook and twitter drama constantly.
Hopping off my soapbox but take the job if it's better than your current one. live cheap, save money where you can, take every opportunity for free training and save the certificates. every little bit helps. And every job (even the ****** ones) have a positive you can carry away.
4x4gearhead
Well-known member
What I have learned is you should get as much as you can strolling in the door, for you will find the lower you start, the longer it will take to work your way up to a better wage. This is the problem I currently have.
countryroad82
Well-known member
I work for a school system. My hourly wage is $12.65 hr. That is exactly why I moonlight, if I didn't I would never be able to have anything. But I also live in Eastern Kentucky and the only way you will make really good money is work in the mines (which is drying up, thanks politicians and tree huggers), become a pill doctor (they don't call RT. 23 the Pillbilly Highway for nothing), get into ambulance driving (the easy way for 90% of the check artists to have a taxi to their pill doc. on my dime), a lawyer (this is how the check artists get their start from most of these creeps, only maybe 1 or 2 good lawyers here), or build your own meth lab (I don't like the thought of going to jail, not to mention science and idiots don't mix too well).
So basically in my area, you need 2 jobs to get by. Although I need to add that I do have insurance (which right now is junk for me, I took the free plan as I don't go to the doctor unless there are things hanging off that are not supposed to), and I do get a free truck to drive which helps out a lot as I have a 30 mile round trip just to work and back.
So basically in my area, you need 2 jobs to get by. Although I need to add that I do have insurance (which right now is junk for me, I took the free plan as I don't go to the doctor unless there are things hanging off that are not supposed to), and I do get a free truck to drive which helps out a lot as I have a 30 mile round trip just to work and back.
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SignalZero
Well-known member
I'm assuming since you're starting this job, it's the best/1st available position you could get into at this time. Plenty of unemployed people out there right now.
That said, welcome to work force! Hope you enjoy it. If not, stick it out and have something else lined up before walking out on this job.
That said, welcome to work force! Hope you enjoy it. If not, stick it out and have something else lined up before walking out on this job.
Perrorojo
Well-known member
Depends on the standard of living in your area.
I bet it's more than welfare. I commend you for being under 30 and getting a job. Most people would rather sit on their butts and collect a check.
I bet it's more than welfare. I commend you for being under 30 and getting a job. Most people would rather sit on their butts and collect a check.
kustom53
Well-known member
good luck today! Who cares about money as long as your bills are paid and you're happy...and can buy tools!!!
Give em' hell today bud, good luck!!!
Give em' hell today bud, good luck!!!
firebox40dash5
Well-known member
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- Mar 19, 2012
- Messages
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Also depends on whether you have another job. If you don't, $14.50 > $0.
Also would depend on whether they **** to work for, or they'd be giving you a raise after you gain some experience. I worked for an auto parts store my senior year of HS, started at $7 an hour (I'm about the same age as you, so it wasn't terrible for the time) with the promise of at least $8 an hour after 6 months. I worked there about a year, never got a raise. When I finished school and was more available for full time (I had been doing work study and coulda worked 40 hours the whole time, but they scheduled weird) I told them I wanted the 6-month raise I never got, plus some. At 18 years old, I was covering for a totally incompetent assistant manager they'd hired, and there were many customers who came in and asked for me by name. They told me no dice on any raise, I told them to start looking for a replacement. That's to say, I wouldn't turn it down as a starting wage, but if I was any good at it, they'd have to pony up or I'm finding someone who will.
Honestly, I live in MD, which is expensive as hell. What you'd make in a month of 40-hour weeks is about what I take home from GI Bill, and I could live on it here, barely. At work, I make $15 an hour (albeit flat rate) and I spend pretty good money on tools... but I've also known my boss since we were kids, and we're pretty much doing a mutual favor. I know I could make more, but he couldn't afford me then, so I get a REALLY flexible schedule to go to school.
Also would depend on whether they **** to work for, or they'd be giving you a raise after you gain some experience. I worked for an auto parts store my senior year of HS, started at $7 an hour (I'm about the same age as you, so it wasn't terrible for the time) with the promise of at least $8 an hour after 6 months. I worked there about a year, never got a raise. When I finished school and was more available for full time (I had been doing work study and coulda worked 40 hours the whole time, but they scheduled weird) I told them I wanted the 6-month raise I never got, plus some. At 18 years old, I was covering for a totally incompetent assistant manager they'd hired, and there were many customers who came in and asked for me by name. They told me no dice on any raise, I told them to start looking for a replacement. That's to say, I wouldn't turn it down as a starting wage, but if I was any good at it, they'd have to pony up or I'm finding someone who will.
Honestly, I live in MD, which is expensive as hell. What you'd make in a month of 40-hour weeks is about what I take home from GI Bill, and I could live on it here, barely. At work, I make $15 an hour (albeit flat rate) and I spend pretty good money on tools... but I've also known my boss since we were kids, and we're pretty much doing a mutual favor. I know I could make more, but he couldn't afford me then, so I get a REALLY flexible schedule to go to school.
APEowner
Well-known member
Does that include health care? That's a big and important factor.
LShee778
Well-known member
Need more info from the OP or this thread is pointless haha
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kiatech
Well-known member
All depends on Location. And Benefits.
I wish the "younger" generation in Denmark would read this so they would stop complaining.
I'm 19 right now, been working since I was 15. I started at about $21.00 (Adult pay, boss is a family friend) and I am now at around $25.00. I'm cleaning a small office 15 hours a week, while now on my 2nd semester in university, which means I get about $500.00 every month extra before taxes as "educational support". If I moved out and got my own place, this would be $1000.00.
Minimum wage for children (15-18) is something like $11.00 I think.
Minimum wage for adults starts at around $18.00.
- Taxes start at 37%
- High expenses on everything from food to living conditions due to taxes (VAT)
+ Free healthcare
+ Most of our medicine costs are covered (More gets covered the more times you buy)
+ Free education - Elementary, high school and university
+ Educational support - Starts at $500.00 up to $1000.00 (Some terms apply, such as age, bit complicated)
+ High income - Compared to.. Well pretty much any country
Here are some basic numbers to compare to the US or whatever country you are from.
* 0.5L Coca Cola from 7-Eleven $3.40
* 1.0L Milk $0.89
* 1L Petrol ~$2.14 ($8.10/gallon)
* 1L Diesel ~$1.94 ($7.34/gallon)
* 2013 Volkswagen Passat Saloon starts at $53,412.00
* 2013 Mercedes E-Class starts at $117,045.00
* Apple iPhone 5 16GB $925.00
* 4 room apartment near the capital $249,261.00 (My parents apartment, this varies A LOT).
* Dorm room 12 square meters (129.17 square ft) + 2 square meter hallway + 2 square meter bathroom with bath, electricity, water, internet and TV ~$427.30
Even though we have high prices on everything, I still think we have it pretty good here in Denmark. Being 19 years old, on my 2nd semester studying to become an Electrical Engineer for free isn't bad in my opinion.
I'm 19 right now, been working since I was 15. I started at about $21.00 (Adult pay, boss is a family friend) and I am now at around $25.00. I'm cleaning a small office 15 hours a week, while now on my 2nd semester in university, which means I get about $500.00 every month extra before taxes as "educational support". If I moved out and got my own place, this would be $1000.00.
Minimum wage for children (15-18) is something like $11.00 I think.
Minimum wage for adults starts at around $18.00.
- Taxes start at 37%
- High expenses on everything from food to living conditions due to taxes (VAT)
+ Free healthcare
+ Most of our medicine costs are covered (More gets covered the more times you buy)
+ Free education - Elementary, high school and university
+ Educational support - Starts at $500.00 up to $1000.00 (Some terms apply, such as age, bit complicated)
+ High income - Compared to.. Well pretty much any country
Here are some basic numbers to compare to the US or whatever country you are from.
* 0.5L Coca Cola from 7-Eleven $3.40
* 1.0L Milk $0.89
* 1L Petrol ~$2.14 ($8.10/gallon)
* 1L Diesel ~$1.94 ($7.34/gallon)
* 2013 Volkswagen Passat Saloon starts at $53,412.00
* 2013 Mercedes E-Class starts at $117,045.00
* Apple iPhone 5 16GB $925.00
* 4 room apartment near the capital $249,261.00 (My parents apartment, this varies A LOT).
* Dorm room 12 square meters (129.17 square ft) + 2 square meter hallway + 2 square meter bathroom with bath, electricity, water, internet and TV ~$427.30
Even though we have high prices on everything, I still think we have it pretty good here in Denmark. Being 19 years old, on my 2nd semester studying to become an Electrical Engineer for free isn't bad in my opinion.
fordbroncodave
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I live in the west metro of MN and I am starting a new job on monday. I am starting at $10/hr with lots of optional overtime. Yes its low but at least is a raise from what I was ( $8.30)
Its actually going to test my skills a bit
hifi_hokie
Well-known member
I work a lot with our clients in Western Europe, and yeah, importation/customs duties are a bit outrageous compared to what we deal with here.
If I could deal with snow, I think I'd give it a try though
If I could deal with snow, I think I'd give it a try though
Great Advice I truly appreciate it. Thank You
Yes it does
diesel research
Well-known member
if you can pay your housing on 1wk salary, you are doing fairly well.
you can survive on less, but i would not suggest less than a 2.5:1 ratio (monthly wage vs housing cost)
note: take home
so if you can pay for housing for $500 a month or less, you'll do fairly ok. Assuming the rest of your tastes, standards, and expenses are proportional. On the other end of the spectrum, at $800, you will likely be living closer to paycheck to paycheck in a perpetual hand to mouth rut, spinning tires. Again, considering proportionate other expenses and the need to accumulate a rainy day nest egg.
you can survive on less, but i would not suggest less than a 2.5:1 ratio (monthly wage vs housing cost)
note: take home
so if you can pay for housing for $500 a month or less, you'll do fairly ok. Assuming the rest of your tastes, standards, and expenses are proportional. On the other end of the spectrum, at $800, you will likely be living closer to paycheck to paycheck in a perpetual hand to mouth rut, spinning tires. Again, considering proportionate other expenses and the need to accumulate a rainy day nest egg.
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Depends on your lifestyle. Be smart with your money and don't waste it. My SIL and her husband bring in $4,000/month but are broke and have to get grocery money from my MIL sometimes. They go to Olive Garden, Outback and Red Lobster 4 times a week = $800/month, Starbucks everyday is $300 a month, and her clothes shopping habit is about $500-$1000 a month. And on top of mortgage, car payments, insurance, utilities, groceries, etc., they are tapped out and going into credit card debt.