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Old 02-03-2018, 12:53 PM
2K5Gx2km
 
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To anyone who might have information about working on this island it would be much appreciated.

Specifically, I might have a job available at the airport, but I am finding it difficult to find an available room for rent on the island, for a decent price, particularly since many of the available rentals raise their prices for the summer. In researching the area, on the mainland, close to the ferry, I am seeing that it is impossible to work on this island without living on it. The cost and time even from Falmouth is ridiculous if you are going to use the ferry everyday to go to work.

How do people, with low paying jobs, relatively speaking, work on this island and live there? Any insights or helpful understanding of the situation would be appreciated.

I am living in California now but might have a decent job there if it were not for this problem. Add to this the whole moving situation and the winters makes me think twice. I am thinking unless I can live on this island for a decent room rental I'll have to abandon the attempt. My job would be at a starting pay of $22/hr. Not sure if this is doable given the prices?

Thanks for any advice!
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Old 02-03-2018, 12:59 PM
 
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Unless you don't mind moving twice a year and working 3 jobs in the summer to make ends meet, don't do it.
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Old 02-03-2018, 01:10 PM
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Originally Posted by massnative71 View Post
Unless you don't mind moving twice a year and working 3 jobs in the summer to make ends meet, don't do it.
Yeah, that's the impression I am getting. Do people actually do this and work there? How does someone working for minimum wage or in retail or similar work live here? It seems absolutely bonkers - unless everything is run by the owners and their families. Unless I can boost the retention incentive for the job and get a lease I am going to take your advice. I'll probably suggest that the reason they offer retention incentives, for problems in keeping people, is because this is an impossible situation without an increase in pay. It's a government job so on the one hand they could easily have the funds to increase it but on the other the red tape and administrative hoops, to do so, is also ridiculous.

Thanks!
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Old 02-03-2018, 07:52 PM
 
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Originally Posted by Shiloh1 View Post
Yeah, that's the impression I am getting. Do people actually do this and work there? How does someone working for minimum wage or in retail or similar work live here? It seems absolutely bonkers - unless everything is run by the owners and their families. Unless I can boost the retention incentive for the job and get a lease I am going to take your advice. I'll probably suggest that the reason they offer retention incentives, for problems in keeping people, is because this is an impossible situation without an increase in pay. It's a government job so on the one hand they could easily have the funds to increase it but on the other the red tape and administrative hoops, to do so, is also ridiculous.

Thanks!
Yes many do, and do just that. Many service workers are seasonal from Brazil, Ireland, Bulgaria, Jamaica, etc. and will pile 15 in one house for the summer. There are a lot of family businesses, and people who were born there and inherit their family's property and other fortunes. Then you get your wealthy college kids who crash at their grandmother's beach house for the summer, maybe bar tend on the side to give them their party money. But the rest will face an uphill struggle their whole life, finding an off season apartment then having to scramble to find some room for the summer while at the same time working 3 jobs (and watching the majority of the nice weather go by). Some people are so up on living there, that they are willing to endure a life of that with nothing to show for it in the end. That is fine, whatever suits oneself...But if you are just being lured by some incentive, yes there would be a reason for that. It's not worth it unless you absolutely HAVE to live there.

Last edited by massnative71; 02-03-2018 at 08:01 PM..
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Old 02-03-2018, 08:31 PM
 
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It's almost all seasonal labor. A lot of the people who actually "live" on the island year round go on vacation for the summer and rent their houses out, and that is, no joke, their main source of income for the year.

If you don't own property there you are destined for a lifetime of poverty which is why there are very few year round residents.

Yeah there are a few high paying year round jobs on the island (doctors, etc) but again without housing it's not feasible and the turnover rate tends to be quite high.
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Old 02-06-2018, 03:16 PM
 
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Live on the Vineyard year round?! No thanks. The winters are slow slow slow, quiet, nothing to do. If you are a home body then go for it. Sure the summers there are fun, but lets be real summer in NE is only July/August.
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Old 02-08-2018, 08:13 PM
 
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There must be enough people that live there and do it , there is a high school .

https://www.niche.com/k12/marthas-vi...s-ma/#students
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Old 02-08-2018, 08:45 PM
 
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Originally Posted by G1.. View Post
There must be enough people that live there and do it , there is a high school .

https://www.niche.com/k12/marthas-vi...s-ma/#students
Yes, there is a year round population. There would be obvious logistical issues with having them go off island for school every day.
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Old 02-09-2018, 06:07 PM
 
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Originally Posted by Dm84 View Post
Yes, there is a year round population. There would be obvious logistical issues with having them go off island for school every day.
I was staying with an Island family and it was interesting hearing them talk about the High school sports teams and how that is handled.
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Old 02-09-2018, 07:25 PM
 
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Originally Posted by G1.. View Post
I was staying with an Island family and it was interesting hearing them talk about the High school sports teams and how that is handled.
It's quite the process for both away and home games. When we saw the kids from the Vineyard and Nantucket at track meets at Reggie Lewis in Boston on a Saturday morning or at states in Wrentham, Fitchburg, et al, it amazed me at the commitment they, their parents, and the administration have.
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