Free paper delivery

Alison_B

During the summer school holidays, there was a leaflet in one of the free papers advertising for paperboys/girls. My eldest took the initiative and sent it off (He is nearly 15). We have just received a phone call asking if he was still interested as they were very short of people to deliver in our area. I took all the details and said I would ask him and get back to them about it.

What they have offered him is a round that consists of delivering 344 papers and the pay they are offering for his age is £6.88. I could have it in my name (they would pay me £15.00) but then he wouldn't be insured if a dog bit him and I would have to pay tax on that amount too.

I had a word with him about it and he agreed that it really wasn't worth it, so I phoned the number that she gave me and as she wasn't in, I had a word with her husband and I was blown away by his reply. He turned around to me and had the cheek to say that young people were lazy and not interested in working. I turned around and said that if the pay was more adequate, then he would definately have been interested.

Can't believe that they can get away with getting young people to work for such a pittance.

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

mountainofdebt

Must admit I considered delivering the free papers when things got really tight recently and was gobsmacked that ANYONE woudl consider doing it for this small amount of money.

I think you could earn more if you had a load of leaflets to put in the newspapers but it still wasn't worth it.

rygon

yeh to me its slavery. i had a paper round where i delivered 30-40 papers (taking about an hour) and i got 75p a day for it. saturday rounds were a nightmare as most people who had the biggest papers also had the smallest letterboxes and expected you to remove and post each supplement individually. Glad im not doing that anymore

sarahlouise210

I had a paper round in 1983:o morning and evening round (posh round all the biggies plus Sunday Supplements had just arrived!) I got £2.50 per week for doing the both rounds (plus I would often do my friends round as well if he had a school cricket match!!) I also did the advertiser round - £1.50 per week (more with leaflets) on top of that I did a football collection round £1.50 every 2 weeks! Without these I would have had NO money as pocket money was not an option in our house. I recently asked in our local shop how much the paper boys/girls get - she told me that it depends on the round but is between £18.00 and £26.00 per week:eek: ..perhaps he should ask about a normal paper round!! I think this is a decent amount for a 15 year old per week!

Alison_B

I agree sarahlouise210 that £18 is much better. Unfortunately it ties him into at least 6 days a week and his school commitments don't allow for that. I will just have to get him to do some jobs at home instead.

I thought there was a minimum wage but obviously that doesn't include under 16s.

woohoo_postingid

You are correct, the minimum wage does not apply to under 16's.

sarahlouise210

• Workers who are aged under 18 and no longer of compulsory school age can expect to be paid no less than £3.30 per hour from 1 October 2006.
• Workers aged between 18 and 21 years can expect to be paid no less than £4.45 per hour from 1 October 2006.
• Workers who are aged 22 years or older, can expect to be paid no less than £5.35 per hour from 1 October 2006.

I am assuming from the new rules that a lot of newsagents will be preferring to employ under 16`s with the new rules in place ...(ie under school compulsory age!)

BusinessStudent

Im 18 and have been doing paper rounds for a good 6 years now.

I distribute 400 papers and get £40 altogether. More money is paid during peak times like now for xmas as they want me to include more leaflets/ bigger catalogs.

The most I have ever earnt in one week is £70!

The advantages

- I can distribute them AFTER COLLEGE FROM MIDWEEK - WEEKEND!!
- I GET PAID FOR EXCERCISE!!!!!
- People really do appreciate there papers and I get tips at christmas!
- I am also able to do this along with my weekend job!

The disadvantages
- Once or twice kids run off with the trolley! - It doesnt bother me that much because I will get paid regardless! - but can you immagine hundreds of papers flying dumped in the street- It would be mayhem!

- Windy days - the papers can literatly fly away.

ka7e

The basic rate for free paper delivery is shocking - my son did one round, on and off, for 4 years. The pay was supplemented by inserting loads of supermarket leaflets etc., but when you add up the time spent doing the insertions + delivering the papers in several trips, it was still dire.

BusinessStudent

ka7e wrote:

The basic rate for free paper delivery is shocking - my son did one round, on and off, for 4 years. The pay was supplemented by inserting loads of supermarket leaflets etc., but when you add up the time spent doing the insertions + delivering the papers in several trips, it was still dire.

Fair point, but at least it given you son a understanding of the value of money, despite how 'dire' it might have been.

And it did get him out the house, walking. I don't think you can put a price on your sons health can you???

C_Ronaldo

branding young people lazy and not interested in working is wrong,