Hi Kally,

Good day!

I’ve been working at an Italian restaurant around the corner of my apartment as a server for the past 3 years. It is 10 hours shift and for every 3 days I worked, I get 1 day off. I love my job and the team working there. Most of our customers are regulars which I have come to be chummy with most of them. I even love my boss!

My problem is that my pay is pretty miserable and after paying my rent, bills and daily necessities, I don’t get much left to spend on anything else or even to save up for a rainy day. I’m living on a paycheck to paycheck for the past 3 years and I really would like to change that because I don’t want to live like this for the rest of my life. I would love some form of financial security and a holiday overseas will be really nice (and overdue!).

I have spoken earnestly to my boss a couple of times during the past year and the truth is that the restaurant is not raking in many profits. The economy downturn is not leaving me optimistic as well. Not many restaurants in my vicinity are hiring and those who are hiring, their payout are even lower or their working hours are longer.

I tried many times to find an alternative solution to my issue. The problem is as much as I would love to take up a second job or something part time, I can’t because my current job is shift work. The same goes to enrol myself into a night school to upgrade myself.

Do you have any bright ideas to help me out?

Thanks, dear!

Cheers,
Louie B.

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Hi Louie,

Thank you for writing to me.

I really love that you are determined and committed to break out of your current situation. It is not often that I meet someone who gives a thought of their future. It is always easier to procrastinate or take an easy out by ignoring your problems. That’s great that you want to help yourself!

You sound like you really love your workplace and that is really fortunate because not everyone enjoys what they do or the company they are in. Understandably that the restaurant you worked at couldn’t give you the raise you wanted during a poor economy and your difficulty to find a second job or night school to better yourself due to your shift requirements.

Don’t be dismay. There are ways to earn extra income and educate yourself without compromising your current job. However, you do need to manage your time and persevere onwards.

For extra income, you can always be a freelancer and earn extra bucks doing online work for others. Think about the skills you have that are in demand. You can start by looking through the freelancing websites like Fiverr.com, Freelancer.com and Upwork.com to understand the category of skills that is in demand.

For education, you can always do it online. There are plenty of online education options, free and paid content. Think of how you want to improve yourself. It can be relating to your current job, perhaps taking up a culinary course or a business management course. Or it can be a subject closer to your personal interest. The options are limitless. My favourite online courses websites are coursera.com and edx.org.

I always believe if there’s a will, there’s a way. I figure that you already know that in your heart.

All the best in your endeavours!

Regards,
Kally@MiddleMe.net