Piff Poff

I didn't have a credit card and I certainly didn't have Friday/Saturday nights out, I couldn't even afford 50p for the odd ice cream for my little one. If I had a spare five pounds it went on petrol so we could visit family.

Yorkiechef

They teach this at high school in Calgary. You have to complete the module to get you school diploma, It's called career and life management and is worth 3 credits.

scrubbedexpat091

I use a calculator in the store, well its on the phone but same basic reason.

Also comes in handy to see which is cheaper per egg, the 18 pack or 12 pack, and other pricing issues.


I use a spread sheet to determine food budget and other costs for the month, put in income, add the fixed costs and bills, and what is left is food and I take that out of the bank right away.

Yorkiechef

yes dear - oh bait........

Responding in any other way would open me up to a wrath of bitter comments from disenfranchised employees who at some time have been stuffed over.

There are some, you do the work. Ethics and in particular CSR is very often in the financial statements of large and small companies. Where you don't often get it is in the jobs where you have been employed by the brother of your girlfriend, no notice just push off mate, your not welcome here.

Found any yet?

Oink

Vulcanoid

$10.50 last year in retail. Paid biweekly, first monthly check covered rent & bills, second was food, fun & savings.

Rent was - and is for far too many people - the cow, cost of housing is disconnected from either cost of provision, or earnings in far too much of the western world at the moment. But my housemates would regularly complain at length that living on minimum wage was "impossible it is LITERALLY NOT POSSIBLE". The fact that I was doing so whilst living with them, earning $3/hour less than them, and not having their guarantee of 40 hours/week was apparently lost on them. The difference between us was that my idea of fun was going camping in the mountains, theirs was to eat at a combination of McDonalds/Burger King/Wendys/pizza takeout at least 5 meals a week, and use our in-store coffee shop. I packed a lunch, and shopped the reductions section.

I don't judge people for spending their money on whatever they want to. It's theirs, after all. I did smile wryly when I handed over $2000 of my savings to my partner to help him move to Britain with me, when I was the lower earner.

I'd say the bigger problem per se is unpredictability (or even predictable reductions). For example, the regular caning retail workers get in February/March is painful, many will find hours slashed to the minimum, it can constitute a couple of weeks unpaid vacation in total, and there's little the workers can do to counteract it.

BristolUK

.

SchnookoLoly

The 407 in Ontario certainly got cheaper once it was privatized! /s

I agree with the other comments that personal finance needs to be taught more in schools. There's a lot of "live for the now" kind of messaging that's popular and I think that takes away from the culture of saving. I know this isn't necessarily applicable to everyone - I get that some people CANNOT save - but I think there are quite a lot of people who are just irresponsible with money and just want to have the biggest and best things.

(One example I am seeing currently is my cousin... she's been married a few years though now in the process of separating. She's got two kids, 6 and 4. They were already just scraping by when they had the older one, then she lost her job and her husband didn't make a great living, so they thought it was a great time to have a second kid. Tons of begging for money from the parents. Sold their house and downsized to free up some money. They did that twice. They've now separated, sold their house for a tidy profit, however once debts were paid off there is zero left and they have zero savings.

The husband just got laid off a few months ago for bad work ethic and showing up late one too many times. My cousin works contract jobs, so is often out of work at least once a year as often her contracts don't get extended.

However, both kids wear designer clothing. They go out to eat all the time. She drives an Acura, he drives a BMW, both brand new and highest trim levels with all the options. Regular trips to the salon and the spa. Hair and nails always done. Lots of very expensive vacations and staying at exclusive luxury resorts in the Caribbean, at least one a year, often two weeks. The list goes on.

And they wonder why they're broke.

Shirtback

I did. It wasn't easy getting it; I sidled in through the temp/seasonal door. Even ended up as union rep once I was made permanent.

I lasted ~6 years, & really didn't enjoy most of those years. I'm grateful for the experience & practical knowledge I got while there, but honestly? It's not all that great (both job satisfaction & salary-wise).

Fed jobs are totally out of reach, unless I move to Ottawa & try to get in at entry level. Which ain't going to happen at my age.

To bring this back to the op, I wasn't that much better off with local gubmint salary than I had been on a lower private sector one, after mandatory health insurance & union dues were deducted.

SchnookoLoly

A good friend of mine works for the Ontario Ministry of Health, and that's how she got hired. Signed up with a temp agency when she graduated, went through a few placements and then ended up being placed at the Ministry. Worked there for a year or so as a temp and then they hired her permanently.

She says the job is not the best, BUT it's regular work, the hours are good (very regular 930-530), no overtime, no take-home work, no stress, and the benefits are great. She actually wants to be a writer, so the job means she can spend her non-M-F workday hours focusing on writing. (She's actually self-published a few books on Amazon and is now making a reasonable monthly income from it.)

BristolUK

I was in my car, driving along, and my boss rang up, and he said 'You've been promoted.' And I swerved. And then he rang up a second time and said "You've been promoted again.' And I swerved again. He rang up a third time and said 'You're managing director.' And I went into a tree. And a policeman came up and said 'What happened to you?' And I said 'I careered off the road.'

Howefamily

Enjoy your trip! Hoping the weather stays as great as it is now!

Jerseygirl

My parents lived hand to mouth. Mum walked several miles carrying heavy shopping bags in order to save a few pennies in bus fare. At the beginning of the week her purse was empty...dad was paid Thursday. We were brought up to never buy anything we couldn't afford to pay cash for.

When we were first married I suppose we lived from hand to mouth for a while. We paid for our own wedding...7 guests and no honeymoon. I remember returning a £12.99 bikini to M&S towards the end of the month because I needed the money. I can honestly say I have never paid a penny interest on credit cards.

Now we live comfortably...but old habits die hard. I never buy a coffee when I'm out shopping or walking...because I can have one at home costing much less. Same goes for buying a bottle of water...why pay $1+ when I can buy 36 for $3.99 at Costco.

scrubbedexpat091

I apply for seasonal jobs just cannot manage to ever get even an interview.

Temp agencies never call either and not sure the govt around here uses them much, the agencies don't advertise such anyhow.

I don't want one for job satisfaction, fact is any job I get I will not enjoy but better to get a higher rate vs a job that is low wage and you hate.


There are jobs out there I wpuld enjoy, they just require education I do not have and will nevr have, so govt jobs seem to be the next best thing.

But seems everyone wants some sort of college these days, so I seem largely unemployable in Canada since I posses no skills of any sort and lack the college education.

BristolUK

I'm still puzzled when I see people getting home with one.