Christmas Ideas? (Pittsburgh: insurance, how much, house)

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by JEB77

Following your heart was what led you to Pittsburgh, so why reverse directions once you've arrived and take a job in a stress-filled industry at a place that will remind you of a Tysons office park?

It's easy for me to say, but sounds like you ought to go with Edible Arrangements at least for now.

Unfortunately, you're both right and wrong. Yes, I should follow my heart; however, my research online has shown I can expect to earn $10/hr. in this position. Since they'll require me to have open availability, this means I'll likely be unable to pick up a second job to supplement that income. Here's some basic analysis I just did:

$10/hr x 40 hours per week = $400/week x 4 weeks per month = $1,600 gross. That comes out to $1,120/month, assuming 70% net. I can't live off that.

$550 rent + $50 utilities + $100 Internet/cable + $222 car payment + $100 car insurance + $230 student loans = $1,252/month. Throw in groceries and other expenditures, and I'd need $1,500/month, roughly, net, just to survive. That would be $18,000 net per year or $23,400 gross (which works out to $11.25/hr.) I'd obviously prefer closer to $15/hr. to live comfortably and to try to build up a small safety saving cushion.

I'd probably be laughed at on the phone if I asked for anywhere near $15/hr. However, I don't see how anyone could conceivably survive here on their own with $10/hr. while being unable to work elsewhere to supplement that wage.

Like it or not if this mortgage position will be $12/hr. - $14/hr. (to start) with still having the weekends open to work elsewhere, then I may need to do that just to survive here financially. It sounds like I'd be a shoo-in. I type at over 70 words per minute, I have a relevant degree and relevant experience, and I'm very enthusiastic about this city and about working in general. The problem? Robinson Twp. and Moon Twp. ARE smaller carbon-copies of Tysons Corner. I'd just be sitting in a sterile office park, probably in a cubicle, and have a dreadful commute. (I could potentially walk to Edible Arrangements, which is less than 3 miles away).

I really hate how so many employers are so disloyal to their host city and decide to move to the 'burbs just because "it's cheaper." All of the suburb-to-suburb commuting is what causes NoVA to be 100% gridlocked because effective transit via a "spoke" system can't work there when so many people don't commute to the city to begin with. If these companies were in the city proper, then I may actually prefer to pursue them.

GRRRRR! I'm just so frustrated. I'd LOVE to deliver with Edible Arrangements, but $10/hr. without the ability to pick up a part-time second job to supplement my income won't work.

[BrianTH]

Can you ask them for more hours? Asking you to be constantly available but then only giving you 40 hours does seem like a rather limiting set of requirements.

[DaBurgh]

Try the temp job Mon-Fri and the Edible job part time on the weekends, if they are willing to be that flexible..

[jay5835]

I am voting for EA. Your description makes it sound like fun. And whatever they're planning to pay you, it's more than you're making at the moment, no? If it's not enough, you'll deal with that when the time comes.

[Denton56]

RR, you are getting some great advice here. You're going to have a difficult time finding a job what pays close to $25,000. I guess you already knew that when you moved. Sorry! Go with a temp agency and work weekends delivering something. That's probably your best bet. One of your temp assignments might lead to higher paying job when they see your work. That's how it often works. I know someone who is now a bank VP and he started as a temp after college, only 5 years ago. He's moved right up because they like him and he works hard.

[Denton56]

Employers are disloyal to a city? Because they go to where the customers are, where the taxes are lower, where they want to live and make enough money to support their families? Why should anyone be forced to work in a city? I don't think you would like it if someone told you where you had to do business. Why should someone who takes a chance on a business be forced to live in the city, or anywhere else? If cities want to attract businesses, that's easy enough to do. Give them incentives!

[Denton56]

I know that the laws in VA say that employers have to pay you time and half after 40 hours. If you are working at Edible, they will have to pay you that rate and pay extra on holidays, assuming that PA laws are the same.
I also assume that you would get tips like the flower delivery people do.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Can you ask them for more hours? Asking you to be constantly available but then only giving you 40 hours does seem like a rather limiting set of requirements.

That's what I would plan to do at this point in time. I will explain the situation and say I can't quite honestly afford to support myself on $10/hr. alone without working over 40 hours per week or being given a somewhat "set" schedule to the point where I could work 20-30 hours per week elsewhere waiting tables or cashiering. They may not be receptive to this, but even with how inexpensive this city is it's tough to suggest someone can comfortably live on $10/hr. alone.

Originally Posted by DaBurgh

Try the temp job Mon-Fri and the Edible job part time on the weekends, if they are willing to be that flexible..

Unfortunately they are looking for two full-time drivers.

Originally Posted by jay5835

I am voting for EA. Your description makes it sound like fun. And whatever they're planning to pay you, it's more than you're making at the moment, no? If it's not enough, you'll deal with that when the time comes.

Well, it would most definitely be a job I'd love. I couldn't think of anything more rewarding than making someone smile every 20 minutes as I rang their doorbells. It's also not a done deal. I was told this morning a choice would be made either tonight or tomorrow morning (at the latest). I may be getting a good (or bad) wake-up call. I thought I nailed my interview, but that "overqualified" hurdle still looms over my head menacingly (sigh).

The other job would be ZERO fun. I'd be sitting in a cubicle analyzing mortgages; however, I'd be able to do that AND pick up a weekend job and live here comfortably. The pay would also be higher (with more room for advancement). I just worry that stomaching a long commute out to the outer suburbs to sit in a cubicle in an office park crunching numbers and reading all day would isolate me and turn me more insular.

It's just so frustrating. If the EA job paid just a little bit more (or offered more hours---or guaranteed tips), then I could swing it. I can't really "deal with it when the time comes". That would mean being unable to pay my bills. I just bought milk tonight, and I've been raiding my pantry instead of buying other groceries. My "treat" this week was a meal at Five Guys in Oakland with my prospective better half.

Originally Posted by Denton56

RR, you are getting some great advice here. You're going to have a difficult time finding a job what pays close to $25,000. I guess you already knew that when you moved. Sorry! Go with a temp agency and work weekends delivering something. That's probably your best bet. One of your temp assignments might lead to higher paying job when they see your work. That's how it often works. I know someone who is now a bank VP and he started as a temp after college, only 5 years ago. He's moved right up because they like him and he works hard.

The mortgage opportunities would be temp-to-hire. The problem? It wouldn't be work I'd love. The location sucks relative to where I live (I moved to this neighborhood thinking Downtown---not suburbia---was the region's economic hub). I actually figured I'd have limited difficulty finding a job that paid $12/hr.-$14/hr. These temp jobs will pay that. Edible Arrangements might if I could rely upon tips and possibly an occasional bonus of some sort.

Originally Posted by Denton56

Employers are disloyal to a city? Because they go to where the customers are, where the taxes are lower, where they want to live and make enough money to support their families? Why should anyone be forced to work in a city? I don't think you would like it if someone told you where you had to do business. Why should someone who takes a chance on a business be forced to live in the city, or anywhere else? If cities want to attract businesses, that's easy enough to do. Give them incentives!

By decentralizing employment in the area it becomes impossible to build an efficient mass transit network. Are they going to build a "T" line extension to Robinson Twp.? No. If more and more employers move there, then traffic will just worsen. People will move out there to be closer to work and avoid the commutes, but then that will just hurt the city even more. Greater Pittsburgh is losing population. Any new growth that comes to the suburbs is a complete waste of open space.

[Benzman66]

While I don't know too much about the public assistance services available in PA, surely they should be able to help you temporarily with some food and cash assistance?

What about the food banks? They should be able to help you out if you have no food and broke.

Granted, you might have to swallow a little pride and take a step back, but it is better than being hungry. You can always "repay" them for their help when you do get back on your feet.

[Aqua Teen Carl]

I agree with RR, $10 bucks an hour is much to little to live on by yourself. In 2006 I moved out of my parents house on my own and made $11 dollars an hour. I completely broke even. After all my bills were paid and I bought food and gas, my bank account did not go up or down. Luckly I didn't have any crazy car failure or health issue or I'd be screwed.

Pittsburgh is cheap, but it's not that cheap.