[summergal]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Well, I don't want to be antagonistic, but Publix and WalMart are terrible to work for; I've worked for both. Both do not pay well and have terrible benefits. Both cut hours on a whim and did not notify their workers ahead of time. Both have had serious issues regarding promoting women.

While we are on the subject, working in any service job in Florida will not put a roof over your head.

If you do service work, I think your best bet would be waitressing, but stay away from areas that are heavily populated by retireees. They do not tip well.

Call centers pay better but do not have benefits, either. Not to speak of. They are third party contractors, as far as I know.

Once again, working in a service job in Florida will not support the cost of living.

Perhaps if your partner is a lawyer, service jobs are an option.

I think this is something we need to bring up.

Oh I'm surprised about your experiences with Publix and Walmart. I have friends who work for both and they always say how well they are treated with good bennies and all that. One friend was promoted all the way to store manager at Walmart. I suppose some stores could have great managers and others not so.

I do agree with you on service jobs pay. It will definately not pay the bills alone! Unless you are maybe a waitress in a very upscale restaurant or bar or maybe an outside sales rep of some sort. Very tuff going if this is your only income...

[sunrico90]

Originally Posted by summergal

Oh I'm surprised about your experiences with Publix and Walmart. I have friends who work for both and they always say how well they are treated with good bennies and all that. One friend was promoted all the way to store manager at Walmart. I suppose some stores could have great managers and others not so.

I do agree with you on service jobs pay. It will definately not pay the bills alone! Unless you are maybe a waitress in a very upscale restaurant or bar or maybe an outside sales rep of some sort. Very tuff going if this is your only income...

I have some friends that work at Publix and Walmart as a second source of income and some to get benefits. The older ones just want a place to talk to others and make a few dollar and go home...

if you are young and follow the career progression you can make it to the manager level, Publix provides 1% of the profits of the store to the manager. I was told this by a friend that is a general manager at a local store and he started 20 years ago working on the customer service/cashier now earns $80K plus....

[pianogal]

Publix can be a great employer. My husband started working at Publix in high school and college. After college he left Publix to pursue his profession, however his cousin and a couple of buddies continued the career path at Publix. Believe me, financially speaking my DH would have been ALOT better off had he continued at Publix. His cousin is a district manager and does VERY well...great benefits and he can retire anytime he wants. DH and I will have to work until 67, unless something changes drastically! His buddies have also done quite well financially, one will take early retirement next year with a huge nest egg built from the Publix profit sharing program.

[kimmieyky]

Since you have brought this up - and I appreciate it - what do you perceive to be the least amount of combined income - husband/wife, etc. to earn in order to live comfortably in Florida?

Any area between Lake Placid/Sebring over to Bradenton/Sarasota is what I am looking for.

I am in Medical management, hubby is computer engineer. Where are the jobs and what do we need to earn to pay bills, have a decent house in decent neighborhood and be able to go to walmart or the mall a few times a week?

I appreciate this post. I need this info.

Oh - and we own our own tree service here - is it possible to move the equipment and begin a business without alot of hassle? Is that a better idea than pursuing IT positions? I have heard lawn services and tree care are among the best possibilities if you have the ability - but wasn't sure about procedure to get started....and ia what I am hearing true?

We have also contemplated a busininess in embroidery. Good idea?

Thank you!

KimmieyKY

[sunrico90]

Originally Posted by kimmieyky

Since you have brought this up - and I appreciate it - what do you perceive to be the least amount of combined income - husband/wife, etc. to earn in order to live comfortably in Florida?



We have also contemplated a busininess in embroidery. Good idea?

Thank you!

KimmieyKY

Excellent idea, I do logistical support for my employer and I have BPA for $50K in embroidery and uniforms. If you have the capital to procure (AMEX card will do) and can get a contract(s) with a large company you can make some good money. The company that we use in Pensacola is making over $500K from a number of GOV contractors alone, not to include schools, church, sports clubs, etc......Research the market and proceed...

[summergal]

Originally Posted by kimmieyky

I am in Medical management, hubby is computer engineer. Where are the jobs and what do we need to earn to pay bills, have a decent house in decent neighborhood and be able to go to walmart or the mall a few times a week?

I appreciate this post. I need this info.

Oh - and we own our own tree service here - is it possible to move the equipment and begin a business without alot of hassle? Is that a better idea than pursuing IT positions?

Thank you!

KimmieyKY

The medical field is huge here in Tampa Bay and I just happened to be browsing the IT jobs (my future field) and it looks to me that there are lots of IT/Computer jobs here as well unless there's "something" I'm missing about the job listings...

How much you need to make will depend on what house you buy. DON'T buy an older woodframe bungalow! Insurance will definately be a problem. Newer concrete home away from the coast and out of a flood zone would do you better. Insurance and prop. taxes are a biggie here right now and honestly there are no guarantees anymore that your insurance won't be as much as your mortgage so there is alot to consider.

[pianogal]

I have heard lawn services and tree care are among the best possibilities if you have the ability -

Kimmie, it sounds as if you and your hubby have great skills and should do well here in Florida. I know the tree business has been booming here for the last 3 years. Perhaps it's beginning to settle down now, but after the hurricanes of 04 - the tree business and the roofing business were through the roof - literally....Ugh...that was bad, huh?

Your other job areas aren't shabby, either and you should have no trouble finding a job in a larger area. Lake Placid and Sebring are beautiful but are off the beaten path so to speak - so your job opportunities would probably be more limited. You should be able to find plentiful jobs in areas like Orlando, Tampa or Jacksonville - perhaps even Ocala. Good Luck!

As far as your question about the income needed...look for my post - A Family Budget in Orlando. That should give you some idea of what you need to live modestly but comfortably here.

[Jammie]

Wow, you guys are really helpful. It probably sounds silly that I don't know where to look except newspaper ads, but we've lived here our entire lives. I've never really done much of a job search since I don't change jobs frequently. I've been with my present employer for ten years. We do have a career connections and a job service here, but I've never gone to them. It's not that populated of an area so people are somewhat familiar. I've even had employers ask if I'd like to go to work for them. I guess I was just surprised to see that so many of the jobs down there are part time and also that so many of the areas don't have many blue collar jobs listed in the ads. I was also surprised that there were so many temp to hire jobs there. Guess it's just pretty different then here.

We have a Super Walmart in our town and I've heard too much about them and the way they treat their employees to have any interest in working for them. They had a bomb threat this past Sat. and instead of being concerned about their employees and shoppers, they tried to keep the threat quiet. Employees and shoppers knew something was wrong when they saw the detectives, emergency management, police officers, etc combing through the place. Luckily, our local paper got a hold of the story and had an article in Tuesday's paper about it. They said that the manager said they have a policy about such things, but wouldn't tell the newspaper what that policy was. They tried to contact Walmart headquarters, but they refused to comment.

[elfyum]

Yes Publix is great to work for if you want to move up!
They're good to work for anyway. (I used to & he still does )
But another way to make serious money is SERVER! Especially in an upscale hotel like Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, Fairmont () etc etc.
A room service server in any of the above goes home with 100$ a day EASY!
And that's on an average night! Of course things are seasonal down here so obviously you make more in winter than summer.
Another BIG money maker is working banquets. (At an upscale hotel)
You need to be strong though - I could never lift those dang trays!
But hotels are it in my opinion. (unless you want to go the Publix manager route...) There are MANY opportunities to make money!
And positions like operator or cashier pay more in hotels!!! With excellent benefits as well! (Though Publix takes it for that - they GIVE you company stock based on how long you work there!!!)
Come on down Jammie!
Oh - sorry to you SEFL bashers, but this area is IT for tourists & snowbirds! (Thus where the jobs & $ are! )

[clearwaterlargodude]

Pinellas County By The Beach