Anyone ever dumped their job for minimum wage?
Discussion
I have been working at my current place of work now for around 19 years, started off as a Warehouse Op, then onto Printer Support, then Deskside Support, and now Field Support for several companies. Starting now to drag me down, and since formally taking the mobile role, my hours have shot up (circa 10-15 per week extra) for no extra money due to travel time. Several reasons that the job is getting me down now, and the last couple of weeks I have seriously been contemplating taking a minimum wage job. No stress, no worries, standard hours. Just a drop in pay.
I'm 37 now, and have been looking at all the jobs available around the areas here, but nothing that I would say I could do/would get. I think i'm too old to re-train for another job. So will be looking at finances this weekend to see if I can handle the blow in money.
Anyone else just had enough and done this - regret it? gave you more time? Is it foolish to think about it?
Things I may have to think about that concern me are,
Mortgage - I would say I could scrape by on minimum wage, but when it comes to the banks when you want a better rate, they will not be quite so optimistic!
Car - Would end up having to sell the M3 (however I would do this before I jump ship
Unforseen bills - would not have any back-up for this!
And probably many others.
Just looking to see really if anyone has decided to jack their jobs in for whatever reason, and if it went well or tits-up.
Cheers
I'm 37 now, and have been looking at all the jobs available around the areas here, but nothing that I would say I could do/would get. I think i'm too old to re-train for another job. So will be looking at finances this weekend to see if I can handle the blow in money.
Anyone else just had enough and done this - regret it? gave you more time? Is it foolish to think about it?
Things I may have to think about that concern me are,
Mortgage - I would say I could scrape by on minimum wage, but when it comes to the banks when you want a better rate, they will not be quite so optimistic!
Car - Would end up having to sell the M3 (however I would do this before I jump ship
Unforseen bills - would not have any back-up for this!
And probably many others.
Just looking to see really if anyone has decided to jack their jobs in for whatever reason, and if it went well or tits-up.
Cheers
Wolfer said:
I think i'm too old to re-train for another job.
I don't think so. Depends. For a doctor, maybe (although not impossible - do you have the energy?). I'm early 40s and am doing stuff work-wise that I'd never have thought I'd be able to do 15 years ago.Have you considered negotiating with your employer for better hours or better pay?
And why not tech support in a fixed site? Depends on your skills. You could work in any number of organisations and businesses.
After 21 years of driving lorries I give it up to valet cars.
Less money but I only have a £210 a month mortgage to pay and no other debt at all.
I still manage to save £300 a month on average but I get paid weekly which seems to help due to always knowing you have a little money every friday to play with if needed.
As long as your happy to not go mad and willing to wait to buy the stuff you want its a real good way of living.
No thinking about your job once you leave, no stress, Just get in for start time and leave at hometime and switch off.
Don't think though that all nmw jobs are easy. Do it with your eyes wide open and your head around what it is you want to do and why.
Less money but I only have a £210 a month mortgage to pay and no other debt at all.
I still manage to save £300 a month on average but I get paid weekly which seems to help due to always knowing you have a little money every friday to play with if needed.
As long as your happy to not go mad and willing to wait to buy the stuff you want its a real good way of living.
No thinking about your job once you leave, no stress, Just get in for start time and leave at hometime and switch off.
Don't think though that all nmw jobs are easy. Do it with your eyes wide open and your head around what it is you want to do and why.
Apologies, I didn't want to come across as saying minimum wage jobs are easy! My wife got made redundant and she's gone from a high earning position to minimum wage as needed the money, very hard work, but thats it. As in, not worrying about it all night, not having to play around with software in your spare time to make sure you can do the job you're being sent to the next day. Not travelling for hours everyday, no office politics and targets etc.
My wage is not massive anyway, so to take a minimum wage job, or job i may enjoy, would see me losing i reckon another 4-500 a month, plus car, on top of the wife losing similar. Admittedly, that would be around 1k a month all in lost, and only dragging in minimum wage each, but wonder if although tight, it would make life better.
Looked briefly at retraining, however between my age, the cost, and the fact i doubt i could make the night classes every time due to travelling, I knocked that on the head.
Cheers
My wage is not massive anyway, so to take a minimum wage job, or job i may enjoy, would see me losing i reckon another 4-500 a month, plus car, on top of the wife losing similar. Admittedly, that would be around 1k a month all in lost, and only dragging in minimum wage each, but wonder if although tight, it would make life better.
Looked briefly at retraining, however between my age, the cost, and the fact i doubt i could make the night classes every time due to travelling, I knocked that on the head.
Cheers
I did it 5 years ago - field engineer, to supermarket job.
My circumstances were different though. I was 52, mortgage paid off, money in the bank, decent voluntary redundancy payment, and able to take a couple of company pensions.
I'm bored now, looking for a more challenging job, and doing a degree course.
My circumstances were different though. I was 52, mortgage paid off, money in the bank, decent voluntary redundancy payment, and able to take a couple of company pensions.
I'm bored now, looking for a more challenging job, and doing a degree course.
I did, 18 months ago. Not minimum wage, but less than £10/hour, with overtime paid after 8.5 hours a day. It was a revelation at the time, but I'm bored to tears now.
It looks a bit odd on my CV, and I've a suspicion it would be difficult to justify in an interview. I'd think twice before doing it again.
It looks a bit odd on my CV, and I've a suspicion it would be difficult to justify in an interview. I'd think twice before doing it again.
I did, I was a chef for 15yrs... It was a job I fell into before I left school (where i wanted to be a garden designer) and just kinda stayed in catering. I was working in devon at the top of my tree and unable and unwilling to move back up to London from devon... Because its london
So I changed... I went to college part time studying horticulture + garden design in between full time work.
18 months later I got a job with a local garden maintenance and landscaping company for £6.50phr - I dropped from 35k to 12k but managed to work weekends in a kitchen to top up another £100 a week.
I didn't have a day off (without being I'll or injured) for 2yrs before starting my own business working every available overtime hour going and every Christmas in kitchens - the Mrs refers to them as the "pasta and rice years" because we could afford little else at the time.
It was really hard work dropping so much money and the comforts that come with it, but worth it..... I'm so much happier now
So I changed... I went to college part time studying horticulture + garden design in between full time work.
18 months later I got a job with a local garden maintenance and landscaping company for £6.50phr - I dropped from 35k to 12k but managed to work weekends in a kitchen to top up another £100 a week.
I didn't have a day off (without being I'll or injured) for 2yrs before starting my own business working every available overtime hour going and every Christmas in kitchens - the Mrs refers to them as the "pasta and rice years" because we could afford little else at the time.
It was really hard work dropping so much money and the comforts that come with it, but worth it..... I'm so much happier now
OP - if you are going to resign anyway you have nothing to lose in telling your present company that you will no longer do the extra hours for free (and why should you?). What are they going to do sack you? More likely they'll want negotiate so go down that route from a position of strength as you have already decided you aren't. Doing it anymore!
Let us know.
Let us know.
In my experience - you still have a lot of the same hassles at minimum wage that you do at higher wage levels.
Yes the responsibilities are often less.
But youd be surprised I think how much responsibility you can have at minimum wage.
I ended up having to try and keep an entire packing dept on minimum wage because the supervisor has an allergy to working Mondays.
The thank you was to have my supervisor rant on about not enough work being done on Mondays
I can smile about the daftness of it all now because I don't do that job anymore - but it wasn't funny at the time. Part of the job involved having to change the settings of the machine to suit the different cakes and swiss rolls etc that we were wrapping.
Part of the hassle of working is actually trying to get things done - and that's still there at minimum wage
Yes the responsibilities are often less.
But youd be surprised I think how much responsibility you can have at minimum wage.
I ended up having to try and keep an entire packing dept on minimum wage because the supervisor has an allergy to working Mondays.
The thank you was to have my supervisor rant on about not enough work being done on Mondays
I can smile about the daftness of it all now because I don't do that job anymore - but it wasn't funny at the time. Part of the job involved having to change the settings of the machine to suit the different cakes and swiss rolls etc that we were wrapping.
Part of the hassle of working is actually trying to get things done - and that's still there at minimum wage
Edited by Sir Fergie on Saturday 30th May 11:38
Firstly, a big thank you to everyone that has responded. And even more thanks for the detailed posts.
I did have a e-moan to my manager who suggested that I put in overtime for some of my travelling, bar an hour-ish each way, which seems fair. Can only backdate a week, but the correct sentiment was there!
I mentioned I'd had enough, and for his benefit was letting him know they might need to train someone up sharpish (some of the checks take weeks) for the main 4 accounts I work on. I also mentioned that a contractor we were training up for one of the accounts, and currently going through the checks process, was possibly foxtrot oscar-ing very soon. He left me a vm this morning re having a meeting Monday morning. I have responded explaining I have absolutely no chance of the meeting going ahead as they have booked me for a 5am start Monday, problem with the security on the network, training a new guy etc, with a site decom on the tuesday I need to get ready for.
Another issue is this. While I am on the job, I feel worthless, useless, and undervalued. (sometimes over-valued, in as much as they think I can do anything, but then I can't!) So I then start making plans in my head, due to being stressed to feck. Then when I get home, I may have a text or email to say what a great job I've done or similar. And so think "oh , it's not that bad" and feel a bit happier. The next day comes, get stitched up, and I realise it is that bad!
The trouble is, my original job, before the merger, was slightly niche, and I was pretty good at it. To the point where people would say " Ticket raised, please can Wolfer take it" and that happened whether they were in the Midlands or central London. They thought I could fix stuff, I knew I could. Now though, I'm the new guy in some places, and hate not being able to fix everything there and then, and not knowing everything!
I love woodwork, should have studied to be a joiner. I have built most of the units in our house, including radiator covers, tv units etc. but I am nowhere near good enough to sell! That's the trouble, I am a Jack o' All Trades, but sadly, Master of None.
I did have a e-moan to my manager who suggested that I put in overtime for some of my travelling, bar an hour-ish each way, which seems fair. Can only backdate a week, but the correct sentiment was there!
I mentioned I'd had enough, and for his benefit was letting him know they might need to train someone up sharpish (some of the checks take weeks) for the main 4 accounts I work on. I also mentioned that a contractor we were training up for one of the accounts, and currently going through the checks process, was possibly foxtrot oscar-ing very soon. He left me a vm this morning re having a meeting Monday morning. I have responded explaining I have absolutely no chance of the meeting going ahead as they have booked me for a 5am start Monday, problem with the security on the network, training a new guy etc, with a site decom on the tuesday I need to get ready for.
Another issue is this. While I am on the job, I feel worthless, useless, and undervalued. (sometimes over-valued, in as much as they think I can do anything, but then I can't!) So I then start making plans in my head, due to being stressed to feck. Then when I get home, I may have a text or email to say what a great job I've done or similar. And so think "oh , it's not that bad" and feel a bit happier. The next day comes, get stitched up, and I realise it is that bad!
The trouble is, my original job, before the merger, was slightly niche, and I was pretty good at it. To the point where people would say " Ticket raised, please can Wolfer take it" and that happened whether they were in the Midlands or central London. They thought I could fix stuff, I knew I could. Now though, I'm the new guy in some places, and hate not being able to fix everything there and then, and not knowing everything!
I love woodwork, should have studied to be a joiner. I have built most of the units in our house, including radiator covers, tv units etc. but I am nowhere near good enough to sell! That's the trouble, I am a Jack o' All Trades, but sadly, Master of None.
I have recently taken a fairly major pay cut and changed jobs. I had worked at my last place for over 15 years. At the same time my wife stopped working to look after our kids, so our income has been severely impacted. (admittedly I am far from minimum wage so not exactly the same!).
We carefully looked at our outgoings and cut lots of things we used to do/ have. (remortgaged, stopped expensive phone contracts, cancelled Sky, stopped having meals out, stopped cleaner, changed energy supplier etc. etc.). It was amazing how much money we were simply pouring down the drain....
I am now in a job which I am really enjoying ... still pressured but in a different industry which has given me a new lease of life, as I am learning again. However, I also have niggling doubts as I don't know everything like I used to....)
We are so much happier and do not miss any of the unnecessary luxuries we used to have.
If you feel you can afford a drop to a minimum wage job, then I would recommend a change.
Mike
We carefully looked at our outgoings and cut lots of things we used to do/ have. (remortgaged, stopped expensive phone contracts, cancelled Sky, stopped having meals out, stopped cleaner, changed energy supplier etc. etc.). It was amazing how much money we were simply pouring down the drain....
I am now in a job which I am really enjoying ... still pressured but in a different industry which has given me a new lease of life, as I am learning again. However, I also have niggling doubts as I don't know everything like I used to....)
We are so much happier and do not miss any of the unnecessary luxuries we used to have.
If you feel you can afford a drop to a minimum wage job, then I would recommend a change.
Mike
You're definitely not too old to retrain.
My 2p. You can't put a price on happiness but bare in mind with a significant salary drop you may end up being happier in you job but have bugger all money to anything or as others have already said an unexpected cost comes in and the struggle to make ends meet. This is my outlook as I'm not much of a risk taker.
I like my job, I can think of things I'd rather be doing which wouldn't pay as well which I think of a 'life style' jobs things I'd love doing but don't pay enough that I could keep a house, family etc.
You spend too much of your life in work not to be content in what you're doing pursue something you'll enjoy. How long on the mortgage etc do you have? Would it be possible to stick out your current role and reduce this/pay off? We don't have any kids yet and may well never have so we're trying to pay off the mortgage ASAP as my view is financial independence gives you many more options in life. We could either continue to work with early/part retirement a possibility or look at taking life style type jobs.
My 2p. You can't put a price on happiness but bare in mind with a significant salary drop you may end up being happier in you job but have bugger all money to anything or as others have already said an unexpected cost comes in and the struggle to make ends meet. This is my outlook as I'm not much of a risk taker.
I like my job, I can think of things I'd rather be doing which wouldn't pay as well which I think of a 'life style' jobs things I'd love doing but don't pay enough that I could keep a house, family etc.
You spend too much of your life in work not to be content in what you're doing pursue something you'll enjoy. How long on the mortgage etc do you have? Would it be possible to stick out your current role and reduce this/pay off? We don't have any kids yet and may well never have so we're trying to pay off the mortgage ASAP as my view is financial independence gives you many more options in life. We could either continue to work with early/part retirement a possibility or look at taking life style type jobs.
I agree it is never too late to retrain/learn. Specific work experience often helps also to improve our general knowledge/talents that, with some not so extensive new training, can make us better in other jobs.
I undestand your situation because I am really thinking to dump my current job because the increased wage I am getting now is not worth all the decrease in life quality. But on the other side I am also thinking that the next step up in the ladder could not be so far and it could really mean more money and less stress.
I undestand your situation because I am really thinking to dump my current job because the increased wage I am getting now is not worth all the decrease in life quality. But on the other side I am also thinking that the next step up in the ladder could not be so far and it could really mean more money and less stress.
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