Most definitely for me these days.
I guess that with the recession some would argue that we are still in, I should be thankful that I do have a job, albeit part time. I am thankful but then again, I’m not.
I’ve worked for the same employer for coming up five years. I started working there when I was studying, primarily because the weekends were the only time that I was available due to my studies. During the Christmas/New Year holidays, I would get more hours because of full time staff having their holidays.
I elected not to go back to study in 2008, primarily because I couldn’t fathom the idea of sitting through a second year paper for the third year in a row! This means that my work was my only source of income and still is. Last year before Christmas, I was shafted into the store’s Christmas Shop from the department I had been in for several months in favour of a student which I wasn’t happy about. Actually, said student did say that they felt bad about it.
Anyway, my hours have never been consistant, which means my wages have never been consistant. I have to literally budget every week. There have been times where all I’ve eaten over a week is seven packets of 2-minute noodles (one a day and they don’t really fill you up) because that was all I could afford to buy. Since Christmas, I’ve gone from having two or three days during the week as well as the weekends down to Monday then the weekend and now, I’m down to just the weekend. A full day on Saturday and four hours on Sunday. 10 1/2 hours basically. It’s not enough for me to live on, with my board, my credit card payments and my current Student Loan repayment obligation that I am paying off. Although that 10 1/2 hours is more than what I am currently rostered on for next week – which is a big fat ZERO!
I have had several people from work tell me that I should get a full time job elsewhere because there’s nothing for me where I am and I won’t get any further either. Believe me, I’ve thought that for a very long time.
I’ve gotten to the stage where I will be going to WINZ (our Social Security department) to apply for the unemployment benefit, as they have said that I will qualify for some form of financial assistance because of my income. That reminds me that I need to finish my online application too! As it stands at the moment, because of when I first contacted them about it, they will owe me money but I don’t know how much and when it will show up in my bank account. I’ve had to skip all of my bill and automatic payments that would normally come out of my account tonight to next week and that was $8 in total for four.
That means that until the money shows up, I have less than $5 to see me through until next week. I am not happy about it. I haven’t yet told my mother about the lack of hours for next week, let alone the fact that I can’t pay my board this week and I know that when I do, she will literally hit the roof and would more than likely speak to the person who does my roster.
The one thing I am really looking forward to is getting my holiday and alternate leave paid out when I leave as it’s nearly $2,000 before tax!
