The Importance of Being Prepared

[MrsPete]

If you read the whole post, you'd see that DS was available to work for June and July. He got home from school mid May and began seeking employment. He had to return by the first week of August to be available for orientations, etc. on campus. Classes begin the 3rd week of August. Essentially 8 weeks at home.

I did read the whole post. No mention of college schedules; I suspect he had difficulty finding work because he waited 'til mid-May when his classes ended -- by that point, summer jobs would all be snapped up.

Cracker Barrel job gave him only 12 to 15 hours at most per week at $7.75 less taxes. By the time they put him on the schedule, it was the first week of June. They paid him on a prepaid debit card. Not a check but a debit card that was difficult to access to put $ in his savings account or pay other bills from. He was very willing to work many more hours, but was not given them.

That's rough when employers only offer a small number of hours. A couple times during college I found myself in such situations, and -- because I NEEDED the job -- I always used the time to look for another job.

My girls -- one has been out of college two years, the other is a college junior -- have never had any problem finding part-time jobs in our hometown or in their college town. They've both had their choice of summer jobs, and they've been called with the question, "Would you like to work over Thanksgiving Break? How about Christmas Break?"

The rent for his apartment at college shared with 2 others is $350 per month. Utilities are about $75. Food is about $100 for him. Because he's not looking for a job, there's no lag time. He can work all of May, June, July and August and beyond. This job will allow him to work 20 to 25 or more hours per week depending on who wants off when. He makes tips and earns an average of $10 per hour. That's $200 per week-$800 per month. His basic expenses are $525. He'll come out way ahead of Cracker Barrel at this job and gets paid by direct deposit into his own checking account to spend the money wherever and however he needs to. He's also talked about picking up a second job this summer in his college town as kids do leave and there are more summer openings there than in our local area.

Good for him -- his expenses are low. However, he could do the same thing in his hometown, if he started looking earlier. Of course, that might mean losing the college-town job.

He'd have to maintain his rent for June and July if he came home to keep the apartment for the next school year anyway. So, yes it does add up for him to stay in his college town. If he came home, he'd lose the apartment and have to start over with utility deposits, storage for his stuff for the summer or hauling it home.

Lots of students sub-let their apartments over the summer. My nursing-major daughter was required to take an only-offered-in-summer class, and she sub-let from a friend who was going home for the summer. Worked out well for both. It's a common thing.

That’s nice the landlord gives each their own lease. That would be my concern about off campus housing. My son is a sophomore and hopes to be an RA in the fall because we feel campus housing works best for him. He doesn’t really know anyone he would want to share an apartment with and if he moved in with strangers it would be risky.

I think this varies from college town to college town. All the apartments (or at least most) in my daughters' college town operate as you say: The landlord gives each roommate a separate lease, and if Roommate A leaves mid semester (which can happen -- even the best of students can get sick, for example), Roommate B is only responsible for his own rent. Of course, the other side of that coin is that the apartment complex is also free to move a complete stranger into Roommate A's room -- or to force Roommate B to move to another apartment.

My coworkers and friends who have college-aged kids say it isn't this way near all colleges.

Gone are the days where they call you in for an interview and then ask if you can start tomorrow. It takes forever to process applicants to bring them on to work.

This hasn't been my daughters' experience ... and it isn't what I hear from my friends and coworkers of their college-aged kids.

 

[Southernmiss]

I did read the whole post. No mention of college schedules; I suspect he had difficulty finding work because he waited 'til mid-May when his classes ended -- by that point, summer jobs would all be snapped up.
That's rough when employers only offer a small number of hours. A couple times during college I found myself in such situations, and -- because I NEEDED the job -- I always used the time to look for another job.

My girls -- one has been out of college two years, the other is a college junior -- have never had any problem finding part-time jobs in our hometown or in their college town. They've both had their choice of summer jobs, and they've been called with the question, "Would you like to work over Thanksgiving Break? How about Christmas Break?"
Good for him -- his expenses are low. However, he could do the same thing in his hometown, if he started looking earlier. Of course, that might mean losing the college-town job.
Lots of students sub-let their apartments over the summer. My nursing-major daughter was required to take an only-offered-in-summer class, and she sub-let from a friend who was going home for the summer. Worked out well for both. It's a common thing.
I think this varies from college town to college town. All the apartments (or at least most) in my daughters' college town operate as you say: The landlord gives each roommate a separate lease, and if Roommate A leaves mid semester (which can happen -- even the best of students can get sick, for example), Roommate B is only responsible for his own rent. Of course, the other side of that coin is that the apartment complex is also free to move a complete stranger into Roommate A's room -- or to force Roommate B to move to another apartment.

My coworkers and friends who have college-aged kids say it isn't this way near all colleges.
This hasn't been my daughters' experience ... and it isn't what I hear from my friends and coworkers of their college-aged kids.

Post #56 and Post #60 were mine on the subject.

We obviously don't live in the same area and our kids truly have different experiences. I accept that and hope that you will also.

Done with the doubting and second guessing of my family's experiences.

 

[kymom99]

I did read the whole post. No mention of college schedules; I suspect he had difficulty finding work because he waited 'til mid-May when his classes ended -- by that point, summer jobs would all be snapped up.
That's rough when employers only offer a small number of hours. A couple times during college I found myself in such situations, and -- because I NEEDED the job -- I always used the time to look for another job.

My girls -- one has been out of college two years, the other is a college junior -- have never had any problem finding part-time jobs in our hometown or in their college town. They've both had their choice of summer jobs, and they've been called with the question, "Would you like to work over Thanksgiving Break? How about Christmas Break?"
Good for him -- his expenses are low. However, he could do the same thing in his hometown, if he started looking earlier. Of course, that might mean losing the college-town job.
Lots of students sub-let their apartments over the summer. My nursing-major daughter was required to take an only-offered-in-summer class, and she sub-let from a friend who was going home for the summer. Worked out well for both. It's a common thing.
I think this varies from college town to college town. All the apartments (or at least most) in my daughters' college town operate as you say: The landlord gives each roommate a separate lease, and if Roommate A leaves mid semester (which can happen -- even the best of students can get sick, for example), Roommate B is only responsible for his own rent. Of course, the other side of that coin is that the apartment complex is also free to move a complete stranger into Roommate A's room -- or to force Roommate B to move to another apartment.

My coworkers and friends who have college-aged kids say it isn't this way near all colleges.
This hasn't been my daughters' experience ... and it isn't what I hear from my friends and coworkers of their college-aged kids.

He applied at Walgreens too and it was the same thing. A hiring freeze imposed by corporate. I know this because my best friends husband is a manager. You can only apply if corporate posts an opening on the website. When they do hire, you have to complete all your paperwork then they send you an email with instructions to go for your drug test. You have a short window of time to have the drug test or else it is reported as a positive and they can’t hire you. Then you wait for the results before you can go for orientation. It’s a process. Of course smaller businesses could be different.

 

[barkley]

He applied at Walgreens too and it was the same thing. A hiring freeze imposed by corporate. I know this because my best friends husband is a manager. You can only apply if corporate posts an opening on the website. When they do hire, you have to complete all your paperwork then they send you an email with instructions to go for your drug test. You have a short window of time to have the drug test or else it is reported as a positive and they can’t hire you. Then you wait for the results before you can go for orientation. It’s a process. Of course smaller businesses could be different.

this is the way the bulk of the places that require pre-employment drug testing operate here as well (and since our state legalized weed the number of employers that do it has skyrocketed due to insurance concerns). the only time the process can be a bit faster is if they have in-house (at the location you are working at) h/r. in that case you may start a bit faster b/c you apply then interview then if selected get a call from h/r to come in where you are given a contingent (upon passing drug screening) offer-and handed drug test info w/24 hours to do. some of the bigger businesses around us have set mass orientations for about every other week so depending on when you get your offer/test (they get results in about 72 hours if not less) a new hire may luck out and get on the job w/in a week. when dd hired on to her job she applied on a tuesday, got called for interviews set for that friday and saturday (multiple positions in multiple departments), got a call from h/r the following wednesday, went in on thursday and lucked out w/being able to drug test fast enough to catch the following tuesday's group orientation-so 14 days from initial application.

 

[kymom99]

this is the way the bulk of the places that require pre-employment drug testing operate here as well (and since our state legalized weed the number of employers that do it has skyrocketed due to insurance concerns). the only time the process can be a bit faster is if they have in-house (at the location you are working at) h/r. in that case you may start a bit faster b/c you apply then interview then if selected get a call from h/r to come in where you are given a contingent (upon passing drug screening) offer-and handed drug test info w/24 hours to do. some of the bigger businesses around us have set mass orientations for about every other week so depending on when you get your offer/test (they get results in about 72 hours if not less) a new hire may luck out and get on the job w/in a week. when dd hired on to her job she applied on a tuesday, got called for interviews set for that friday and saturday (multiple positions in multiple departments), got a call from h/r the following wednesday, went in on thursday and lucked out w/being able to drug test fast enough to catch the following tuesday's group orientation-so 14 days from initial application.

In this case, with meijer, he applied online in Friday and got a call on Monday to come up for an interview. He was trying to get a jump on it and applied while classes were still going on. He had to drive 2 hours to get home to do the interview on a Tuesday, a day he happened to not have classes. He was offered a job on the spot. All the formalities had to be scheduled when he was able to come home in between his school responsibilities. As luck would have it, before he could get the process complete they got word they couldn’t hire. He actually drove all the way up for his appointment and they told him when he got there. It was frustrating and disappointing.

So his not working was not for lack of trying. my reason for explaining this is to give a real picture of why it doesn’t always work out for college kids to work on school breaks.

 

[barkley]

In this case, with meijer, he applied online in Friday and got a call on Monday to come up for an interview. He was trying to get a jump on it and applied while classes were still going on. He had to drive 2 hours to get home to do the interview on a Tuesday, a day he happened to not have classes. He was offered a job on the spot. All the formalities had to be scheduled when he was able to come home in between his school responsibilities. As luck would have it, before he could get the process complete they got word they couldn’t hire. He actually drove all the way up for his appointment and they told him when he got there. It was frustrating and disappointing.

So his not working was not for lack of trying. my reason for explaining this is to give a real picture of why it doesn’t always work out for college kids to work on school breaks.

i get it.

here we've got 4 universities in close proximity (2 private/2 public). with all of them the students get pretty much a solid 3 months off for summer and that's even taking into account when they have to be back for any orientations and pre-start stuff.

if they live in the dorms they have to be out of dodge QUICK so most head home and if they are going to work they try their best to set something up immediately but like we've talked about-there can be down time in actual hiring/start date. it's well and fine if someone can set something up ahead of time but it seems like allot of non privately owned businesses don't even want to talk employment until the student is physically back home (they don't want to go through the time/cost of hiring only to have the student decide to stay in their college town or jump ship for another more appealing job).

if the students live off campus here, while it may be done under the table-subletting is a HUGE no-no in most if not all leases and since we have a MASSIVE rental shortage the landlords/on site management keep an eye out for it and are quick to evict (any stay for a non listed on lease person that exceeds 3 days is a violation of the lease unless approved in writing) for it b/c they've got dozens of other applicants in line who they can rent to for much more (the places near us do leases for end of month june-end of month june but if you are going to renew you have to commit by march 1st b/c of the demand. so if you are going home the apartment will sit, still paid for.

getting a job locally for the summer? it's possible but not terribly easy. the fast foods prefer the high school crowd who will likely work their schedules around continuing on evenings/weekends when school starts (they hire lots of senior citizens too), the grocery store jobs are not considered summer jobs b/c they want continuing staff. students might be able to get some kind of seasonal job but that's going to be something w/a specific skill set like a lifeguard, amusement park performer, or someone pre certified in zip lines or rock walls.

the students i know from here and other states (friend's kids) that have summer jobs to back to at home largely had them in high school and the ownership is willing to toss them some hours during the summer, or they have a family/church connection with someone that does work in the summer that requires seasonal help (landscaping for one i know). the ones that stay here year round and work seem to fall into 2 categories-private employers that are willing to let them work very flexible/very minimal hours during the school year and bump them up during breaks (frequently businesses that profit from good relationships w/the college crowd so the word of mouth pays off for any inconvenience-local pizza/bowl, movie theater...), or those that scour the college job postings and work the maximum number of hours students are eligible to during instructional periods (30 per week) and then accept as many different hours/assignments as possible during the uncapped break periods (at one time my dd had 3 separate jobs on campus, 1 of which worked out to near full time-and w/call in shifts for others who flaked out def. full time for breaks).

it's not like it was when i went to college in the 80's. apply/hire/start same day-didn't like it? there were 20 other jobs down the block you could walk in the door of and get immediately.

 

[Southernmiss]

i get it.

here we've got 4 universities in close proximity (2 private/2 public). with all of them the students get pretty much a solid 3 months off for summer and that's even taking into account when they have to be back for any orientations and pre-start stuff.

if they live in the dorms they have to be out of dodge QUICK so most head home and if they are going to work they try their best to set something up immediately but like we've talked about-there can be down time in actual hiring/start date. it's well and fine if someone can set something up ahead of time but it seems like allot of non privately owned businesses don't even want to talk employment until the student is physically back home (they don't want to go through the time/cost of hiring only to have the student decide to stay in their college town or jump ship for another more appealing job).

if the students live off campus here, while it may be done under the table-subletting is a HUGE no-no in most if not all leases and since we have a MASSIVE rental shortage the landlords/on site management keep an eye out for it and are quick to evict (any stay for a non listed on lease person that exceeds 3 days is a violation of the lease unless approved in writing) for it b/c they've got dozens of other applicants in line who they can rent to for much more (the places near us do leases for end of month june-end of month june but if you are going to renew you have to commit by march 1st b/c of the demand. so if you are going home the apartment will sit, still paid for.

getting a job locally for the summer? it's possible but not terribly easy. the fast foods prefer the high school crowd who will likely work their schedules around continuing on evenings/weekends when school starts (they hire lots of senior citizens too), the grocery store jobs are not considered summer jobs b/c they want continuing staff. students might be able to get some kind of seasonal job but that's going to be something w/a specific skill set like a lifeguard, amusement park performer, or someone pre certified in zip lines or rock walls.

the students i know from here and other states (friend's kids) that have summer jobs to back to at home largely had them in high school and the ownership is willing to toss them some hours during the summer, or they have a family/church connection with someone that does work in the summer that requires seasonal help (landscaping for one i know). the ones that stay here year round and work seem to fall into 2 categories-private employers that are willing to let them work very flexible/very minimal hours during the school year and bump them up during breaks (frequently businesses that profit from good relationships w/the college crowd so the word of mouth pays off for any inconvenience-local pizza/bowl, movie theater...), or those that scour the college job postings and work the maximum number of hours students are eligible to during instructional periods (30 per week) and then accept as many different hours/assignments as possible during the uncapped break periods (at one time my dd had 3 separate jobs on campus, 1 of which worked out to near full time-and w/call in shifts for others who flaked out def. full time for breaks).

it's not like it was when i went to college in the 80's. apply/hire/start same day-didn't like it? there were 20 other jobs down the block you could walk in the door of and get immediately.

THANK YOU FOR GETTING IT!!!!

 

[arminnie]

This is an interesting thread. I am older than dirt - 72.

Some of what I experienced is relevant - some is not. I did not come from a family of privilege. My father never finished the 10th grade. My parents could not provide a dime towards my college expenses. I babysat from the age of 12 (sometimes till 2 am on school nights for 50 cents an hour). I worked every hour I could get.

My parents often could not afford to buy what we needed - forget about what we WANTED. That was not a bad lesson.

I never had any high school courses in finances. But I had plenty of real life instruction. Never spend more money than you have. My part-time job from age 16 was at the local credit bureau - that opened my eyes.

I've been a proponent of student loans for a long time. BUT - with a caveat - I only borrowed about half of what I could earn at my job out of school. In my day one could only borrow enough to live a very frugal life style. No extra money for vacations and other luxuries. When I borrowed money the minimum wage was a dollar. If you look at today when many can earn $15 an hour even at grunt jobs - my loans would have not been that much.

I spent the major portion of my final career working for Visa International. NO ONE who worked there ever carried a balance on their CCs. It was a PAYMENT product - not a way to borrow money.

I cringe when I see parents charging things that they cannot afford to pay for the things their children WANT - not what they need.

 

[kandb]

Post #56 and Post #60 were mine on the subject.

We obviously don't live in the same area and our kids truly have different experiences. I accept that and hope that you will also.

Done with the doubting and second guessing of my family's experiences.

THIS. Not every area in our country is the same and not every business works the same. Don't know why some people think their family experiences are the EXACT SAME as everyone elses when there are obviously different circumstances.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

So his not working was not for lack of trying. my reason for explaining this is to give a real picture of why it doesn’t always work out for college kids to work on school breaks.

No it sure doesn't. It def. depends on where you live in terms of job opportunities, ease of opportunities if you're living on campus, etc.

Where my alma mater was at the town just couldn't handle everyone wanting a job (enrollment nearly 30,000 students). But the college town was about 30miles from my metro and my metro has many more opportunities for jobs plus a chance for higher pay. I worked and commuted all 4 years between the college town with temp Halloween job for 3 of the 4 years (where I worked my butt off even during a short time) and several places back home over the years (JCP, MaxRave, DSW). During winter break I worked as much as I could (often 40 hours). Now freshman and sophmore year I lived on campus. You had to leave for summer and then winter break if you wanted to stay you were moved to a different dorm and had to pay X amount to do so. I def. knew people who did that during winter break because their home was hours and hours away. Those were the only two times you'd have to leave the dorms.

Being in an apartment my last 2 years was nice for not having to leave but then it ran into a different issue when I had graduated. Second semester senior year I got a job with the University. My lease was up end of July and so from August-November I commuted again back and forth between my metro after graduating (I had temporarily moved back in with my mom) and college town. In November I got what I consider a big girl job (more than double the pay, health benefits, vacation time, etc) and no longer had to commute between college town and my metro.

In other words I worked a ton during breaks (and school honestly) but I had to commute in order to do that. Not everyone has that opportunity or ability. As well as I had no plans to leave my metro.

 

[Shanan]

Very proud of OP to post about saving & budgeting. We also have a 3-4 living expense fund and also a $1000 emergency find. After taking the Dave Ramsey course, it became a high priority for DH & I to have both of these savings accounts.
This month I had to have 3 cavities filled, inside fridge went out (had to throw away food) & had to rebuy the cold stuff that we used along with another fridge (The fridge’s motor went out) and a new set of tires for the minivan. And the cherry on the whipped topping is that insurance will no longer cover prescription Dexilant (acid reflux) instead of $50 a month it will now be $529 a month. (Prilosec doesn’t even touch the acid reflux that I have & I already have lesions on my esophagus).
Point of list is if living paycheck to paycheck - what would you give up or do to cover all these extra expenses???
I am 52 years old & already have a couple of baby sitting job so set up (knew some young families that had been asking around for a reliable person to keep kids on date night). Doing this to rebuild emergency fund money.
I am so glad to see post about both real life budgeting. Will admit that I have not posted or engaged in this board in awhile. Felt like to me that. the board had become more of a spending board then how to budget. I know everyone is loving in different circumstances now but once again thanks to OP for sharing.

 

[just stella]

Well I am in my late 50's(57) graduated in the 70's... I also went to school in the south, where things like this were taught at one time...

There were not any classes offered like this? or not taught in a regular school curriculum?

I am of age myself and also went to school in the south, and did none of these things in school. We had drivers ed but it was learning to drive, period.


We have gone too far as a society in blaming technology, when systematic issues are attributed to a need to "put down the phone".

 

[crisi]

My daughter had a job in high school - for about six weeks. It was a retail job. And she was dual enrolled, so while she was a high school student - she actually was going to college and didn't step foot in the high school but maybe four times her entire Senior year.

They scheduled her during class. They scheduled her for twice as many hours as she wanted to work. When she asked for limited hours so she could get a research paper done, they scheduled her for 48. They scheduled her during rehearsal. As a minor and high school student they weren't legally supposed to schedule her that much - but they were short handed and a college student had days free...and nights....and weekends (I'm not sure that they really understood that their college student was actually a 17 year old high schooler). When she complained she was told that her job was supposed to be her first priority. She came home with that, and I was "Hell, no!" (Actually, it involved a few more four letter words) and that was over with. Her first priority in high school and college is school. Her second priority is being well adjusted - i.e. getting to rehearsals if she made that commitment, having time for friends and family, getting enough sleep. I do not need some Target floor supervisor to confuse my daughter's priorities. (We had a similar experience with 2nd grade football and my son - practice was more important than homework said the coach....hell, no.)

At her current college, it would be difficult for her to get a job. The area itself is depressed, so the McDonalds type jobs are taken. She doesn't qualify for work study - and work study students are prioritized on campus jobs. But she only needs to cover her expenses - pizza once in a while.

She is a camp counselor over the Summer - which is NOT lucrative and is really hard work. So she does take on some of that sort of "job for paycheck" responsibility. And that covers her pizza.

We talk about work life balance for adults - we should make sure our kids understand it as kids.

 

[DisneyHardin]

And the cherry on the whipped topping is that insurance will no longer cover prescription Dexilant (acid reflux) instead of $50 a month it will now be $529 a month. (Prilosec doesn’t even touch the acid reflux that I have & I already have lesions on my esophagus).

DH's insurance stopped paying for Dexilant too. He appealed it, his doctor appealed it and they wouldn't budge. Luckily, his gastro doctor always has lots of samples available and keeps him stocked up with those.

 

[Carrie Ellis]

My husband and I are both furloughed government employees right now. We don't necessarily live paycheck to paycheck but we are in that time of our life that we have to get through. We have two sets of twins. We didn't plan 2 each time but it happened! The oldest are in their last year of college. We help with that because I want to do that for my kids. The second set are seniors in high school. One is planning college and the other is planning military. They eat a lot! Car insurance is a killer for 6! Anyway! I think we all have times when we are saving a lot and other times we have to skimp by.

As soon as we knew we were shutting down I started living like we will have no money coming in. I didn't assume we would be open again before the next paycheck. We applied for unemployment. I started giving plasma. I put a post on next door that I would tutor math. Etc... The last option for me is dipping into savings. That will happen after another month or so.

The hardest hit are the ones that are having to work and not get paid. They can not apply for unemployment. They can't pick up a few side jobs. They are still spending money to get to work and maybe daycare for the kids.

I am using this as a learning experience. If we ever open up again....I will do things different.