Road to Debt Free Help

Scritti

Already had a couple of hours overtime??

That's promising!!

I work in a small team too. We cover 24/7 and it's amazing how many people SEEM like the reliable sort. Until they have to work at weekends or nights. Or on their birthday. Or their mate's birthday. Or fridays. Or mondays.

I've seen dozens of people come and go over the past decade and about 40% of them were, in my opinion, rubbish. Minimal effort, often late or sick.

And I LOVED them for it. Because it's meant that I've earned almost 100 grand in overtime over the past 13 years!!

You'd be my nightmare. Keen, love the job - ouch! Very rare, thankfully.

Your job is a lot better than mine by the sounds of it (can't imagine many people, if any, could love what I do) so I don't know if you might be working with a team where everyone loves it there and you get a low sickness rate.

It only takes one slacker though - and you'll get your overtime! And you work shifts so I'd be amazed if you didn't get a fair amount of "sickness" that you can cover.

I can't say it enough - keep keen and keep impressing and make sure your bosses know that you want as many hours as possible once you've got through those first 6 weeks. It's very likely that people WILL go off sick and you'll get extra hours.

When I thought (yet again) that my O/T was coming to an end for at least 2 months from this September (no holiday booking allowed in Sept & Oct for business reasons), a member of the team has done her back in and had to have an operation. So I've managed to pick up an extra 120 hours+ over the next 2 months (I don't feel bad as I can't stand her to be honest - lazy & rude so no loss in my opinion).

So hang in there. Regardless of the situation right now, anything can happen over the following weeks & months. More people seem determined to do LESS hours rather than more I find so I'm confident that things will work out for you. Do keep us posted if you can.

LittleMissDetermined

I agree with the above, make sure people know how hard you work and that you're flexible, as Scritti says there are plenty of people who AREN'T and you will soon shine out above the rest.

You seem so determined so I'm sure it will work out for you soon enough x

lizzydarcy

Scritti wrote: »

You'd be my nightmare. Keen, love the job - ouch! Very rare, thankfully.

I love the job because its a retail position which still requires me to have a brain and use it. Its uses all the experience I gained from all my previous jobs but there is plenty of scope for development including National Qualifications. The hours are very flexible around my commitments and my boss is a wonderful person. She's got an amazing sense of humor and runs our team very fairly.

Also, quite a lot of the time, I work on my own. For me this is great because I have a lot of outside work nonsense going on and being on my own just gives me chance to have a break from it and clear my head.

There's not a single shift where I haven't left happy - even when I've been at it non stop.

It was the Regional Manager who interviewed me and he knows how much I would be willing to work extra hours - it came up then. We've spoken since I've started work too and he knows I am enjoying the work and looking for more hours where possible.

I have to admit though that this job is not what I want to be doing for life. Its a stop gap until I can afford to go back to University and do postgraduate studies. But even when I go back, I'll be studying part time and working.

I just have to bind my time and hope overtime comes my way.

lizzydarcy

So I thought I would give you guys an update.

Everyone's advice was really appreciated. In the end, one of the gentlemen on our small team had a job come through with another firm. It was the job he really wanted so he left.

At present, my boss isn't planning to take on. All the remaining team members wanted extra hours so they got divided up between us all. So, for example. this month I will work close to 40 hours overtime. It won't stay like that permanently but for now, I'll be alright.

In other news, I found out that between my overdraft and my credit card, I was paying £25 per month in interest or charges. I could believe I hadn't notice that it was that much sooner.

I had said I would not apply for a 2nd credit card but that £25 is really limiting my potential to pay off the debt. So, I checked my credit score at http://www.equifax.co.uk/, found it to be good and got in touch with the bank I am with now. (the debts are with a bank I have wanted to leave for years.)

I successful applied for a credit card designed for balance transfers and in the next few weeks, my credit and overdraft will both come over. For the next 9 months, I'll be paying no interest on that so whatever I pay off will come directly off the debt and not going on charges.

It may not sound much but that £225 is almost 16% of my debt. That's a good chunk so it makes all worthwhile.

The only thing I will have to do is ensure that don't use the card unless its a real emergency. The card has a much bigger limit that my old one - even with my debts on there, it will still have a lot of burning hole in pocket potential.

Overall though I am quite happy.