zamunda Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 (edited) "in times of hardship look for opportunities." A big fear every immigrant has is keeping the cash flow going and making ends meet. This is not that easy if you are brand new in a country and have very little savings to fall back on. Most manage to find good paying jobs within a reasonable amount of time from landing. But there can be those who are not as lucky. But with determination and perseverance, anything is possible. I know of a few who had a rough start to their new lives in Aus, but with determination, not only made it through, but made it big in the long run. I strongly believe Aus offers a lot of opportunities, but it is not always easy to find or see these opportunities. Even if they were right underneath your nose. Especially when you are new and trying to understand how things work. So, I thought, all those who have moved and settled into Aus share their ideas, experiences, etc with the new comers so that it is not all doom and gloom when cash flow runs near dry in a new land. Here are a few I did to earn a few extra bucks on the side to keep us going. These are not main stream jobs, but every little bit helps and keeps you going. - retail assistant job. Can earn around $20/hr and do about 11 hrs a week minimum. - collect recyclable bottles and earn 10c per bottle (not available in every state). Back in RSA I would not been seen dead doing this. But in Aus, no one cares, no one judges you. You'd be surprised how many cans/bottles you can collect in a day. Know of a mate who collects everyday on his way back home from work. Makes a cool +/- $1000 per month. - Odd jobs for the elderly. Walking dogs, watering the garden, doing the shopping, etc. Lots of on-line sites looking for people to do these jobs. One can also try the local council. -Joining up as a secret shopper. Can earn around $35 per assignment. Edited January 20, 2016 by zamunda 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mara Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 Just remember, not all states pay for recycled bottles or cans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zamunda Posted January 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 1 minute ago, Mara said: Just remember, not all states pay for recycled bottles or cans. Thanks Mara. Forgot to mention this. I am sure there are many other opportunities to make extra cash if one is determined. These are the few I could think of. A collection of ideas from everyone in the forum might be quite useful to many I felt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nev Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 So with this topic in mind I put a bit of our current story down in a post, give this a check: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavePE Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 Really interesting thread. $1,000 a month from picking up bottles. Imagine pocketing an extra R10,000 a month by picking up cans on your way home from work! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rozellem Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 31 minutes ago, DavePE said: Really interesting thread. $1,000 a month from picking up bottles. Imagine pocketing an extra R10,000 a month by picking up cans on your way home from work! In a city where this is available, you would be hard pressed to find a bottle lying around. http://www.recyclingdepotadelaide.com.au/container-deposit-refund Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedPanda Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 5 hours ago, zamunda said: - collect recyclable bottles and earn 10c per bottle (not available in every state). Back in RSA I would not been seen dead doing this. But in Aus, no one cares, no one judges you. You'd be surprised how many cans/bottles you can collect in a day. Know of a mate who collects everyday on his way back home from work. Makes a cool +/- $1000 per month. If he was making the $1000 a month only by picking up bottles on his way from work, at 10c a bottle he would have to pick up 500 bottles every work day. I'm sure he does something else too. But it is an idea. I just don't think it's that lucrative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zamunda Posted January 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 17 minutes ago, RedPanda said: If he was making the $1000 a month only by picking up bottles on his way from work, at 10c a bottle he would have to pick up 500 bottles every work day. I'm sure he does something else too. But it is an idea. I just don't think it's that lucrative. I have seen him doing it. All one has to do it drive past some of the pubs, work places and dip into the dumpster. To give you an example, where my wife works, on average the employees throw away close to 20 cans/plastic bottles each day. Especially during the summer. Where I used to work, we used to collect all that we would have thrown away and put the deposit money towards the "social club kitty". We used to collect around $80 a month. Go round to some of the industrial areas and you'd be surprised how many you can collect from a dumpster. These are not jobs one would do for the rest of their lives. But pretty cool ideas when you need some extra cash to make ends meet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurferMan Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 You know what, this is good advice. If you are on the bones of your ass, as I was just recently this is a way for SOME coin. Life is not always fair and it gives you a couple of serious body blows, but keep swinging. Thanks to the posters above for the tips. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurferMan Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 Just so by the way, we shopped at Coles today....guess what? The precise same basket at Coles....$124. Woolies...$198. So an effective $75 saving....Made me stop to think about my shopping. Still cannot beat the local farmers for safe quality and best value. No pesticides, drugs or other crap. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairGo Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 (edited) We, as I suspect most prospective immigrants, fear the worst. That neither of us find a job after 6 months and our savings account will be depleted. Will this happen? Most likely not, but this is the kind of post that gives me comfort that we won't be living in a shelter. There seems to be many opportunities like these. As @Nev mentioned in his topic he posted, there is abundant work as dog walkers, farm helpers etc. (I would love to be a dog walker!! We are a pet crazy family. Dogs, birds, reptiles, hamsters...anything that can be held and loved) My fear now is that my husband will not want to return to corporate once he has helped out on a farm. Especially if there are horses involved! @Nev I do not share your love for camping though. I would rather stay in a shelter! You have a special lady in your life doing all this with you!! Edited January 20, 2016 by TacticJourney 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurferMan Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 Well I did go flat broke, but even so I had mates helping me out and God had my back the whole way. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zamunda Posted January 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2016 @TacticJourney I used to be in corporate. I have been out of it for a while now and certainly do not want to back. I may not earn as much, but i have a better quality of life. Spend more time with my loved ones. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairGo Posted January 22, 2016 Report Share Posted January 22, 2016 (edited) @zamunda My concern is that we will have to start from zero again and build up our savings and pension fund. But it would have been nice to have a stress free career and be home at 5 every day. Edited January 22, 2016 by TacticJourney Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zamunda Posted January 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 @TacticJourney No Pain, No Gain Understand perfectly what you are saying. Something I did learn once I was out of my comfort zone was how much opportunities there are out there and how resourceful one can be. Mind over matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atjan Posted January 24, 2016 Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 I'm quite handy, but I've heard there is quite a lot of job reservation in Aus. How bad is it really? Obviously you can't have just anyone doing, lets say electrical work and perhaps plumbing, but what else is verboten when it comes to sort of handyman/diy work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rozellem Posted January 24, 2016 Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 What is job reservation? Here in Sydney, general handymen do very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atjan Posted January 24, 2016 Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 Basically certain jobs are reserved for people who are qualified in a specific way to do it. For instance only electricians may change a bulb....which is what I heard the Aussie rule is. If its to that extent, then I'm worried that only a painter may paint, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RYLC Posted January 24, 2016 Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 22 minutes ago, Atjan said: For instance only electricians may change a bulb....which is what I heard the Aussie rule is. This is usually taken as the joke it is intended OR it is used by other Saffas in their argument about why it's a bad idea to move to Oz. So to make it clear: THIS IS NOT TRUE!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisinBris Posted January 25, 2016 Report Share Posted January 25, 2016 We had a really tough time when we arrived, moving to Australia with little children is difficult. If you don't have kids : some say you can make money and live rent free by house sitting (we have never done it). Now, with Uber, if you have a car you can earn money after hours (we have also not done this but I have spoken to enough Uber drivers that say it really helps them financially). Forget Coles and Woollies - shop at Aldi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellfish Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 (edited) 1 hour ago, Chris in Bris said: Forget Coles and Woollies - shop at Aldi. I second that - finally, Aldi will be arriving in WA and SA this year. In fact, just the fact that Aldi is on the horizon means that Coles and Woolies will finally 'come to the party'. Edited January 26, 2016 by Shellfish 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurferMan Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 About time there was proper competition. @Chris in Bris Your signature is confusing. Citizens in 2015...Hoping for citizenship in jan 2013? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFreshStart Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 On 24 January 2016 at 9:23 AM, RYLC said: This is usually taken as the joke it is intended OR it is used by other Saffas in their argument about why it's a bad idea to move to Oz. So to make it clear: THIS IS NOT TRUE!! Ha Ha, a light bulb and BC starter are the only things you CAN change here in NSW. Most trades are highly regulated, and they should be! Do you know what it costs to study a trade and become certified? Keeping the standard high and regulated means that labourers demand a liveable wage, unlike in South Africa where we've all seen contractors pick up informal labourers off the street and claim they are brick layers, tilers etc. They get paid a pittance and their 'boss' walks away with the bulk of the profits. That model doesn't cut it here... Cheers Matt 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurferMan Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 On the weekend, we took some of our stuff to a family of six kids who had lost EVERYTHNIG when their house burnt down. We got there and they had the clothes on their backs, a towel and some plates. I offloaded a ute full of stuff, and on the way out another guy was pulling in to offload. Lessons: 1: Aussies will always help you if you ask 2: We are broke( I just got another contract now), but could still give away lots of our stuff and we are still better off than this family. Humbling. 3: Help will come, these guys were so grateful. 4: There is always someone worse off than you but who can still smile. I just thought I would post this. I felt good helping them. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RYLC Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 It's one of the things I love most about Australia - the level of compassion 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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