Who has got a well paid job? Looking for ideas for us cheapskates to really live it up like money doesn't matter.

LRealtightarse on 04/02/2014 - 23:59

Hi Oz bargainers. I have hit the age of 41yrs old (live in VIC) and in a costing management job earning $70,000 per year. I am getting to the point in my life that i want to earn a bit more to retire in comfort ,(and buy a massive house/ great car and live life like i was a millionaire, who wouldn't), and i only have 24 years left too retirement. I would of loved to be a chiropractor but feel this path is a bit too hard with the 5 year double diploma and i probably wouldn't even be accepted as i only have completed yr 11 back in 1990. (would also have to do a course B4 i'm even considered. My chiro charges $57 for about 5 minutes hands on work and has a line of people waiting to get in, he has some serious cash)

So my question is, and i hope this helps other OZbargain Job seekers, who can suggest jobs that pay over 100 grand? what jobs are easy without a doctors degree? and any other money making schemes. Feel free to let it all out, as we are a very small and exclusive club.

Any jobs with out the back breaking work? or much training?
Anyone in health and safety in mines? (sounds like a easy job, but i could be wrong)
Feel free to tell us your wages if you have a great job, we are all kinda anonymous here.

Thanks in advance , and happy Bargaining.

p.s going to buy my 50% off Feeneys irish creme tomorrow (thanx brokenxsmile).

Financial

Comments

  • Aceboy884 on 05/02/2014 - 00:18
    +1

    I was on $100k @ 26 before I decided to quite my job and run my gig full time..

    Get a job in sales if you want to make some cha Ching

    Rest is history

  • Realtightarse on 05/02/2014 - 00:25

    Hi aceboy. For me and the other people trying to decide on a new job, what sort of sales did you do? I know some people in sales that don't earn half that. Cheers.

    • Aceboy884 on 05/02/2014 - 09:32
      +1

      Started as a sales casual in retail

      Account assistant $35k
      Account manager (larger clients) $55k

      And my last gig as a business development manager $90k + bonus

      People often confuse sales as retail only, retail sales is customer service, not sales.

      Sales people create demand by building business opportunity, that's why they pay the big bucks

      • starlancer on 06/02/2014 - 09:36
        +17

        I am sorry, dont mean to be rude but ("Sales people create demand by building business opportunity, that's why they pay the big bucks") this is one of the biggest bullshit I have ever heard in my life :)

        • charlie123 on 06/02/2014 - 11:35
          +58

          He did say he was in sales.

        • DealzEddy123 on 06/02/2014 - 14:53

          Why do you say it's bullshit? I agree with him.

        • MATTDAMON on 06/02/2014 - 20:34

          Its at the point where it can make your life pretty comfortable especially if you are a bit smart with your spending. Once your on a combined income north of 150k is when it starts to get nice.

        • buckerooni on 08/02/2014 - 13:27

          disagree, with facts, not an opinion!

          You're a BDM (business development manager) you sell IT services (i.e. software development). You speak to company X, turns out they'd like to Y better, you suggest you sell/develop them a system Z to enable them to do Y.

          You get 10 project/software contractors on site, you get a cut of their daily rate. Sit back and relax, other people are making you money. rinse and repeat.

          I have mates who do this. They realise opportunities and make big bucks.

      • tohara on 06/02/2014 - 20:24
        +6

        $100k is hardly 'the big bucks'

        • redraoh on 08/02/2014 - 14:43

          It is pretty rare to be getting that sort of income at 26 (unless you work in mining).

  • Geewhizz on 05/02/2014 - 07:23
    +1

    i only have 24 years left too retirement.

    29 if Mr Abbot has anything to do with it. By then you'll possibly be too old and decrepit to care about any of that stuff you've worked so hard for.

    • Cheeper on 05/02/2014 - 08:19
      +2

      and the socialists (labor) have the same idea for you in store too.
      If you have your own super you can retire and switch it over to a pension at 55.
      Personal assets & investments etc will affect most in qualifying for welfare at pension age.

  • ilsan0 on 05/02/2014 - 08:01
    +14

    I am 35 and make around $130ish gross annually .I am in IT sales.

    To give you some perspective on how i got here..

    1. 2005 - First job at IT distributor - Order entry $30k gross yearly

    2. 2007 - Promoted to Inside sales - Pay $34k base + 10k comms.

    3. 2008 - Took a demotion in title but higher salary to become a phone biatch for a large IT Vendor. Had to average 50+calls daily begging customers to buy their shite software. Fell into depression for 6 months due to nature of job, kid on the way etc. Became a serial phone jockey after that smashing every target.
      Guess the job, circumstances taught me several valuable lessons - Pay $50k base + $12k comms

    4. 2010 - Promoted to inside sales - $50k base + $50k comms. Did very well in this job smashing targets YOY making well over $120k annually

    5. 2012 - Took another inside sales role at IT vendor as I had 2nd kid on the way, but the previous role did not have good base and that security of guaranteed income every month. - Pay $85k base + 55k comms

    6. 2013 - Came back to my original company I started my career. Why - The previous role was desk based with no flexibility and the boss was a bitach! The current role is high pressure but external, loads of flexibility and hard but fair boss- Pay $82k base + $15k Car allowance + Mobile + $39k comms.

    Tldr - I jumped every 2 - 3 years till I am happy financially and emotionally with my job.

    Hope this helps. Let me know if any questions.

    • serpserpserp on 06/02/2014 - 21:18

      Just a question, if you are 35 you were born in 78/79. How come you didn't get your first job until you were 26?

    • striker5950 on 07/02/2014 - 01:30
      +1

      dude thnx for ur story, im in IT and I thought I was making a mistake studying it for the past 3 years since most of the jobs for IT are being over taken by overseas companies.
      and I see how IT jobs starts with so little 35K a year:/ which is what sucks about ICT
      comparing that to my friend who does carpentry who made about 120k this year, yes hard to believe someone who has no higher education gets that much $ first year on the job,
      $34 an hour, 12 hours a day, 6 days a week.

      • rmamila on 07/02/2014 - 12:01
        +5

        I know a brick layer who made around 100k in a month. He charged $2600 cash just for his own labour for brick laying a front fence which was done on a Sunday and he finished it in a day. (he doesn't do concrete foundation and steel insets. He just did the pillars and small 1.5ft walls in between pillars) owner arranges all the materials, so the only cost for him is his tools and fuel to drive there. He's been working all 7 days at that time.

        I too thought I have just wasted 30 years in my life (until 25 years studying Computer Science including bachelor and masters degree, then 15 years industry experience in software development roles in multinational companies around the world) After doing that, a brick laying with few weeks course and a couple years experience can earn the same money I earn in a year within a month. The worst part is that I don't get a single cent from government having a family with 2 kids to feed with but paying a huge tax. But a brick layer who earns in cash might get paid from centerlink (and from the money I pay as tax).

        Imagine a brick layer can earn the same money in a year as what I can earn in my whole life after tax. :)

        It's an interesting world. So make sure you get your priorities right. If you want money doing a professional job is not the right thing. If you want just ok but a smooth life go for a professional job. In Aus tradies can earn far more than what a professionals. If you are in a professional job and want money and do not care about quality of life then move to US or Dubai, you will be better off in a professional job. Aus is not good for that.

        • malkakas on 07/02/2014 - 12:37
          +3

          In australia the every tradie earns some decent money, where as the income of professionals who wear the monkey suits can vary from 50K to 200K per year.
          In USA the professional earn more, and there house prices and taxes are very low.
          the draw back in USA is even a retard can own a GUN there.

          but then again if Australia had the same population as USA we may also have similar number of gun crimes here as well.

        • one man clan on 07/02/2014 - 14:16
          +6

          You're bitter and full of misinformation.

        • one man clan on 07/02/2014 - 14:17

          USA has 10x the gun death rate per capita compared to Australia.

        • GameChanger on 07/02/2014 - 14:57

          No surprise here! All these tradies don't pay a cent in tax, whilst everyone slogs away. Whats funny if the ATO will come after you for claiming pens as an expense but can't touch the tradies.

        • mskeggs on 07/02/2014 - 15:21

          Do you have any evidence of this?
          Most of the tradies I know have pretty sizeable tax bills.

        • GameChanger on 07/02/2014 - 15:43
          +1

          Its usually the independent ones, not the ones working for companies. ATO is power less against these individuals as the customers( getting cheap price) won't dob them in/ the cost to audit them far too high, when you can go after white collar people. It's well know the ATO targets the easy fish, because they can win. Occasionally they go after the big companies, but they have legal means to fight til the death.

        • mskeggs on 07/02/2014 - 16:07

          I'm pleased you feel it is well know. I take you you haven't any evidence?
          As for high flyers, the ATO has run project Wickenby since 2006 and has found >$1.8b of tax owed and collected $780m+ (http://www.ato.gov.au/general/tax-evasion-and-crime/in-detai…). I believe the Liberal government has declined to increase their funding, however I don't have a link for that.

        • GameChanger on 07/02/2014 - 16:25

          If you think tradies are not rotting the system you're very naive. 1.8b is a drop in the ocean with what some companies have gotten away with it. Also what evidence do you want ??? You think people avoiding tax, tells the whole world lmao. Only a fool would boast about beating the system.

          You can think the system is fair but I can assure you the independent and very rich are using 'tax minimization' methods.

        • mskeggs on 07/02/2014 - 17:57

          I agree that many people use tax minimisation methods, which are legal, but you have rocked up here saying tradies are rorting the system and that the ATO won't touch them.
          I've asked if you have any evidence, and you have said no.

          I don't doubt some tradies do work for cash. I do question your assertion they are all rotting(?) the system and are untouchable, which is clearly nonsense.

          I'll just say the queen is a space lizard. I have more evidence for this than you have presented (google David icke if you want to see it).

          Why are you going on about this when all you have is your unproven assertions? I happen to agree that multi-national income transfer is a very big problem with tax collection, but I don't think tradesmen under-declaring income is a particularly large problem in comparison.
          Can you offer any evidence to show that it is?

        • GameChanger on 07/02/2014 - 18:25
          +1

          Obviously not 'all' and yes how can the ATO touch them? Laughable you think that ATO is doing a great job, when in reality they target the easy people. Their method is cost saving.

          Clearly nonsense, what world are you living in? What evidence? How about you become a tradie and see how easy/tempting it's to beat the system. Common sense dictates that individuals are wealth maximisers.

        • kiwipride on 07/02/2014 - 21:36
          +1

          I'm a tradie and you sound really stupid.

        • mskeggs on 07/02/2014 - 22:27

          Are you a trades person who rorts the system?
          Common sense tells me the bulk of tradespeople declare the bulk of their income.
          If the ATO audit you and find a wodge of cash in the bank, or a bunch of purchases that exceeds income, they will prosecute you.
          The ATO is the only jurisdiction where you have to prove your innocence, if they prosecute you are assumed guilty.
          About the only way what you are claiming could be true is if all tradespeople have large stashes of banknotes in their houses they never intend to spend.
          Wouldn't they be better off paying some tax so they could enjoy the income?
          I am sure mates do favours for each other for a slab of beer or $100 here and there, but that is pretty small potatoes.

        • GameChanger on 07/02/2014 - 22:41

          No I don't work as a tradie.

          All I read was blah blah blah, you truly live in another world if you think most aren't rotting the system. Likewise goes for those dodgy business that only want cash.

          Still waiting on evidence they pay most of their tax, oh wait..

        • kiwipride on 08/02/2014 - 07:47

          You want ME to bring it to YOU? Or are you happy with my WORD?

        • rmamila on 10/02/2014 - 12:26

          @ one man clan : Which part? please clarify. I was talking about my own experience. I've worked around the world in IT and in top companies in US as well as globally in some sectors. I love the life I live in Australia nothing to do with money.

          It's not me. I never said tradies don't pay tax. They do but who knows for what percentage of their earnings. I know most my friends including me, when we get some work done from a tradie we get two different quotes. For example, front fence, $2600 for cash and 3200 for invoice. I am not going to claim for the construction in my own place. So the which one I pick is obvious. It's same for anyone with a brain and limited income.

        • one man clan on 10/02/2014 - 12:48
          +2

          "The worst part is that I don't get a single cent from government"

          Yes you do. The government pays for your kid's schools, the roads that you drive on, etc etc. You might qualify for family tax benefits.

          "Imagine a brick layer can earn the same money in a year as what I can earn in my whole life after tax. :)"

          There's a smiley face there so I assume this is tongue-in-cheek.

          "If you want money doing a professional job is not the right thing."

          You're doing it wrong if you can't earn money as a professional. There's an element of luck to getting a job (as there is with much of life) but you can definitely earn money. If you want to be a bricklayer and have a wrecked back at 40 go ahead. I assume you like playing with/picking up your kids. If so, stay in professional work.

        • rmamila on 10/02/2014 - 14:01
          +1

          I agree that I get to use the roads and my kids can go to school which are there because of the money I pay as tax. When you do professional jobs there is no way you take a single cent home without paying tax and you become the milking cow for ATO. However as many people have mentioned in here ATO can not go after individuals to collect tax. IT's not a problem of tradies, or even personally you. You accept it or not, that's the nature of the job. I am giving my suggestions to the OP on my own experience.

          The brick layer that I was talking about mentioned the same thing as you that you cannot do the same job after 40 years because it's gonna affect your back. I personally don't want to do that job. However I am telling the OP that there are ways you can earn money if that's the priority in your life or at least at this point of time.

          Yes you can definitely earn money doing a professional job but one has to compare your investment on that as well. The job that I do needed a good disciplined studies over 20 years and 15 yrs experience and same as tradie jobs I can not do my job after may be late 40s. Your brain doesn't work after that age as the same way as young brains. That's why I don't see more than handful of people doing my job after 50 and what I see everywhere is that companies are just saying good bye to them at that age. So I too have to change my job by that age and move somewhere else. Unless I too will be jobless. However there are no bubbles in the market that I can make a fortune and retire by late 40s. I have to keep working the same job or another.

        • malkakas on 11/02/2014 - 15:02
          +1

          yes they can claim almost every penny they spent as work related expenses, where as the white collar professionals get very limited tax concessions.

        • MATTDAMON on 11/02/2014 - 17:13

          Got to be careful with deductions though, especially if you havent got a paper trail to prove what your claiming. Even on deductions that dont require a papertrail, you still need to prove within reasonable reason why you had that deduction/expense.

        • rmamila on 12/02/2014 - 11:00

          When you are in a tradie job and earns majority of your income as cash what do you really need to claim.
          When the plumber came to fix the rain water tank he spent less than an hour and charged $1800 in cash and spent about $45 for materials he had to put in. He can still claim that $45 from another job that he would do for a builder for an invoice. ATO would never know if he did anything for cash.

        • GameChanger on 12/02/2014 - 13:09
          +1

          Exactly! Worse part the ATO don't go after these people because they're to costly vs an office worker claiming petrol/stationary.

    • Realtightarse on 07/02/2014 - 23:55

      Thanks for the info ilsan

  • one man clan on 05/02/2014 - 08:58
    +36

    Sales is the perfect area for people with no skills and nothing to add to society to earn a lot of money.

    • Aceboy884 on 05/02/2014 - 09:29
      -8

      Which goes to show, why you know so little

    • scotty on 05/02/2014 - 09:43
      +4

      Sales is usually the one that closes the deal. I am an engineer and I'm always amazed by how they did it. Experience from my previous job at an ISV — a good sales make a huge difference.

    • battler on 05/02/2014 - 10:17
      +9

      takes a certain personality to nail it in sales.
      any monkey can be in sales, but those who can 'talk the talk' (whilst knowing the product and market) will do much better.

      • [Deactivated] on 05/02/2014 - 22:58
        +5

        Sociopaths

    • snirodha on 05/02/2014 - 10:21
      +16

      Well Sales do need a talent. Talent of talking BS and closing the deal. I guess in Australia you make lot of money if u can talk. If ur skilled and not interact with others as much as sales or managers you are pretty much stuck around 80 - 100 K salary.

      • Aceboy884 on 05/02/2014 - 18:26
        +3

        Those who talk shit, don't sell

        You need to be technical and have a business mind to be successful in sales.

        If you think you can talk shit and earn $100K, obviously you are not earning anywhere near it.

        That's unless you are talking BS

        • ilsan0 on 05/02/2014 - 21:52
          +3

          I disagree. I dont have a technical mind and I am into IT sales.

          I try to focus on need of the customer vs the value of the item I am selling.

          I then simply lay it out in front them and let them decide.
          My goal is always to be a trusted advisor.

          I might not win big deals upfront or even lose potential wins but it always pays back in the long run.

        • starlancer on 06/02/2014 - 10:04
          +3

          "trusted adviser" to the customer? Isnt there a conflict of interest?

        • hahaboy on 06/02/2014 - 16:35

          Being able to talk and knowing basics about products is all you need. Half of sales involves having drinks and playing golf with clients, and just being social. When the technical needs to be explained, they can get someone else in from the firm to do that. A lot of networking and BS talk.

          Little jealous of it tbh, but definitely don't think they warrant the money they earn.

        • ilsan0 on 06/02/2014 - 20:40

          You may see it that way. Integrity goes a long way.

    • cloudy on 05/02/2014 - 13:51
      +2

      Sales can be good for society, and can be terrible. If you sell a product to someone who really needs it, you are doing both parties a favour and contributing to societies needs.

      But if someone is a wonderful salesman and sells stuff to people who dont need it (which i think is the perception, and probably the reality too IMO) then really, its a value destruction exercise.

      • frewer on 07/02/2014 - 09:04

        I couldn't agree with you more #cloudy. In reality it is GPD for country or target for person. Since the "planned obsolete" came into practice ( or event b4 that ) it's all about sales sales sales. Everything from big tv to a shirt these day … my shirts [10yrs old] from vietnam is still way better than my wife $50 shirt from here.

        Sad it is, these "sales" are hold back the advance of mankind. Since we spend resources n times into these useless items [IMO]. Enough said, it will continue to be in practice as long as money has its way …

    • [Deactivated] on 06/02/2014 - 17:46

      Sales is the perfect area for people with no university qualification who are exceptionally good at selling to earn a lot of money.

      The sales people who are on incredible amounts of money are on that money because they generate even more money for their companies, which generally brings job security to people outside of sales by creating recurring business.

      I've tried Sales. I was absolutely terrible at it. I acknowledge though the amount of difference a good sales rep makes to a company.

    • mousie on 06/02/2014 - 18:39

      Sales or recruitment ?

    • striker5950 on 07/02/2014 - 01:21
      +1

      lol has anyone watched the wolf of wal street? xd

      • Slippy on 08/02/2014 - 18:18

        Yes I am a sales manager and watched it last night :)

  • donbot on 05/02/2014 - 10:19

    I'd have to argue Sales. In all the companies I've dealt with, this would be pretty much the fastest way to a job without tertiary education in the $100k+ bracket.

    Don't become an accountant as the lead time on cracking $100k is way too long in your situation. Took me 9 years when you factor in the study required to get there. Now though, I'm happy as larry!

    • hahaboy on 06/02/2014 - 16:43
      +4

      Can you describe your career progression in Accounting? I'm just about to graduate with accounting major and want to have some idea of the industry.

      Thanks.

      • donbot on 07/02/2014 - 09:36
        +3

        2004 - Commenced a Bcom at Unimelb. Had to undertake the specific subjects in an accounting major to ensure I qualified for entry into the CA program once in the workforce.

        2006 - Grad, working in a SMSF specific team in a mid-tier firm. Circa $40k package. Shitkicker work, but you take what you can get.

        2007 - Promoted within the team, raised to approx $50k package. My responsibilities grew at a rapid rate within this team as it just made sense to me. Commenced CA. Not an overtly difficult course - the hardest part to manage was time to complete the required study in. If you did it like a uni subject (eg. not working fulltime), you'd have no problem with it at all!

        2008 - Promoted and SMSF team dissolved into the Business Services teams in the same firm. Circa $60-65k package…. cant exactly recall. Business & wealthy families related tax work was the focus.

        2009 - Internally promoted again to become a senior - $72k package. Gained CA qualification this year also. Should mention all CA fees/materials/courses were covered by the firm… not $1 out of pocket for it.

        2010 - Promoted to becoming Assistant Manager of a small team of grads/accountants/senior - $82k package. Crap job. Hated this.

        2011 - changed firms to a much smaller boutique firm for a split business services role/management accountant role (half my time was basically an external secondment out a specific client). Circa $90k package. Loved the split role - and in time found myself enjoying the secondment part of the month more than being in the office.

        2012 - Management accounting role continued and grew within the firm to have multiple clients now involved in the secondment like setup. $95-102k package ($95 at start of 2012, $102 at end of 2012). More pressure to hit targets and onboard new clients and interstate travel - I didnt like this part of it.

        Mid 2013 - Took a role in industry with a client I used to work on at my first firm. $130k package in a Group Accountant/Family Accountant role (its a big family). Have a few accounts people working with me to do the everyday stuff, so no menial bookkeeping or the like.

        2014 - $10k increment to $140k. Happy as larry in my job - good balance, good people and good prospects to continue within the family business over time not just in an accountant role.

        TLDR - working in a city firm (big4 or otherwise) is a great start to your career, but its not for everybody forever. Of the guys I started with, only 1 is still an accountant in that sense - but working for a much smaller firm doing similar work. The further you progress, the more you are under pressure to hit chargeables/fees/writeoffs/unpaid overtime/networking/etc. Working in industry isnt under the same pressure - but the pressure to pay for your job (as your now a cost) is there.

        • Realtightarse on 08/02/2014 - 00:04

          Tizey, thank you for your detailed info, this is great. Cheers

  • StewBalls on 05/02/2014 - 11:00
    +5

    I would of loved to be a chiropractor but feel this path is a bit too hard with the 5 year double diploma and i probably wouldn't even be accepted as i only have completed yr 11 back in 1990.

    Listen to Nike, just do it!

    IMHO it is never too late to make a career change or improve your education…I was older than you when I commenced my last degree, and I'm considering further study again next year. If you really wanted to do this, just have a chat to your local university about mature age entry pathways, they usually have bridging courses etc for folks in your situation.

    If you just wanna make money though, forget about working for wages or salary, you need to think like an entrepreneur & get into business for yourself! ;)

    • onlyletters on 06/02/2014 - 11:43
      +3

      Its never too late but its $$ that is the problem when you have a mortgage and family, trying to balance it all is impossible.

      • StewBalls on 06/02/2014 - 22:56
        +1

        trying to balance it all is impossible.

        Impossible is a pretty strong word; yes, it can be difficult (I've done it), but not impossible.

    • [Deactivated] on 07/02/2014 - 15:46
      +1

      Well written. There are people in their 50's, 60,s and even 70's that make career changes or take on tertiary study.

      Morgan Freeman didn't start his acting career until he was 51 and look at the success he's had.

      • AlanHB on 08/02/2014 - 00:28

        Yeah but Morgan Freeman doesn't age.

      • mini2 on 08/02/2014 - 01:16

        Yeah but you're talking about literally one in a million.

    • altomic on 07/02/2014 - 21:43
      +1

      I'm a similar age to you and am finishing the last year of a post grad psych degree. been doing it part time for 5 year.

      1st year to get 1st year undergrad prerequisites
      2nd +3rd year to get 2nd +3rd year undergrad (received a grad dip psych)
      4th year - first half post grad dip psych
      5th year (this year) -second half of post grad dip psych.

      I work full time, have a mortgage, 3 young kids at private school and earn a similar amont to you.

      did the grad dip psych externally from charles darwin uni.
      currently doing post grad dip psych on campus (near work).

      I read my text books on the train to and from work.

      after the kids go to bed I go out to my study for a few hours.

      I look at (my)studying like this-
      I'm not an idiot so therefore I can learn this stuff, therefore if i just do the work and put in some effort then I'll pass, and when I pass and complete my degree and get registered then I'll be able to create my own job that will have the potential to easily earn over double what I'm earning now.

      otherwise I could just remain comfortably seated in my current job earning an ok wage but not really moving or getting an increase in salary.

      • Realtightarse on 08/02/2014 - 00:08

        Thanks for you info Altomic

  • dtc on 05/02/2014 - 11:23

    Sales isnt easy though; if you do well then earn well, if you dont do well or its not your thing, out the door. There are targets and you are pressured to meet them on penalty of execution. Its not necessarily a great lifestyle.

    If you are a good real estate agent, then that is another sales area. But many people think they can be a good agent or 'understand' property, so there is a lot of competition.

    The problem with studying or a career change is that you start from the bottom. It may be that after 3yrs study and 3yrs working, you are ahead of where you are now. But taking into account those 6 or so years of lower income, it may mean you are financially better off staying.

    There is always mining.

    • cpho on 05/02/2014 - 11:34

      Nope, even mining is a struggle now. I've got mates who wanted to get a job up at the mines, but with commodity prices the way they are, most places have shut down exploration and explanation side of things, which is where a lot of the jobs are.

  • lisss on 05/02/2014 - 14:11
    +1

    If you can get a FIFO role, even cleaning or meal prep, the pay is good. However, it's often hard physical work, many long days of work (eg 12 hour days) without a break and the FIFO lifestyle takes its toll on relationships etc.

    As others have said, it is getting harder to snag mining jobs but here in WA I still know plenty of people doing FIFO, it's not all dire but you can't just walk into a job either - it takes effort and is best if you have contacts in the industry.

    Have you thought about concentrating on investing your money wisely to increase returns?

    Also - a thought re chiros - if you have your own practice there are the set up costs, staff wages, rent, insurance etc. If you are an employee, you can expect to get 40-60% of your takings. Either way you'll need to build up clientelle. Not necessarily easy I don't think - I always see chiros standing around trying to attract customers in supermarkets / gyms etc with their 'free spinal health checks'.

  • Joshman5k on 05/02/2014 - 21:47
    +1

    I saw an article a little while back, which was titled highest paying jobs without a uni degree. I can't seem to find it again, however from memory Real Estate Agents did quite well.

    If you are looking to save some money I'd give the chiro the flick. It is a pseudo-science.

  • cannedhams on 05/02/2014 - 22:10

    To be honest, I would probably tell you to stay where you are. You've probably been there a while, which means that it would be expensive to sack you. A 70k job is probably going to be considered a good wicket in a year or two, I reckon.

  • grog on 05/02/2014 - 23:11
    +5

    Answer this for me…

    Why does every real estate agent advert show the agent smiling?

    None ever keep a straight face.

    Why are they smiling?

    Why do they all [or most ] drive a bmw or lexus or similar?

    Are we paying these people too much?

    • StewBalls on 05/02/2014 - 23:15
      +22

      Are we paying these people too much?

      Given their actual contribution in most cases, I would venture a resounding YES! ;)

      • rmamila on 11/02/2014 - 00:59

        Real estate agent seems to be a good job if you are willing to sacrifice your personal life for it. When the market is hot they sure make good money. Not like other jobs they will have big ups and downs.

    • cannedhams on 06/02/2014 - 02:21
      +13

      I imagine that the image they project is intended largely to hide the fact that 99% of them barely know how to fart without s***ting themselves.

    • jason101 on 06/02/2014 - 06:51
      +24

      I have to tell you a secret about the real estate industry - 10% of real estate salespeople make 90% of the money. The top performers ride a wave, everyone else in the industry struggles to pay for petrol. Most of the Lexus's are on finance. You get to work every weekend (and most nights), the biggest crooks are often your clients (refusing to pay commissions, disputes, legal action - head aches). Did I forget the 7am to 11pm phone calls, 7 days and 24 hour emails with clients expecting replies to 11.01pm emails by 11.31pm? Oh and forget holidays - if you take time off you lose momentum and your colleagues steal all of your clients and sell all of your stock.

      What outsiders still don't understand is that the selling in real estate is actually the selling of yourself to new clients - i.e. Getting listings to sell, the house selling part happens easily if a boring 100 year old formula is used.

      I would not recommend a career to in real estate to anyone who isn't looking to dedicate their life and all of their time to their job.

      • cloudy on 06/02/2014 - 09:50

        interesting comments Jason, can i ask what your background/experience is in Real estate? Did you work for one for a while, family member of one…

        • GameChanger on 07/02/2014 - 02:23

          My dad works for one. Its the worse job around where the company takes 50% of your commission and to top it off you have to get advertising money from the seller for signs etc.. Effectively the company boss is just renting the office, whilst his people slave away. Some months you will make $0, how many people can survive? Work 7 days a week, as you need home opens. You may as well work in retail with a guaranteed salary doing f all.

      • dtc on 06/02/2014 - 09:51

        I saw something once that said the average real estate agent sells 5 houses a year. Now some agents will sell 50 and some may sell 75 and those that own agencies get a cut from their agents. And some agents probably focus on rentals etc so distort the figures.

        But 5 houses per year will net you bugger all in commissions.

      • Gaz1 on 06/02/2014 - 15:53

        Hi Jason, It would be interesting to know the "boring 100 year old formula" if you happen to know the secret!

        • cannedhams on 07/02/2014 - 00:21
          +3

          Here's the bathroom, here's the kitchen. Uh there's a garage. F**k me, where did I put the key for the garage?…anyway. Ah m getting heaps of interest yeah. Plenty of people yeah. Just put in an offer and I'll pour cold water on the lady until she takes it.

  • jason101 on 06/02/2014 - 06:23
    +39

    I'm an advocate of having many independent "profit" sources. It allows ANYONE with skills or no skills to live the good life. You don't need a huge paying job, you don't need a hugely successful business, you don't need to earn mega $$ interest or dividends in shares - but a combination all of the above (and more) - combined with an enterprising mind will allow ANYONE to life a comfortable lifestyle. I also take joy from the art of making money - it is a skill (I'm not talking about ripping people off) - Crafting an idea and delivering a result (in any discipline) will yield a positive "profit" result.

    • Have a job
    • Buy a home, if for no other reason than to learn about property and how the property industry "works".
    • Run an online business (sell on eBay / your own website).
    • Buy an investment property - positively geared, use the equity in your existing home if you have little or no deposit.
    • Learn about shares and buy some, if you can't afford to buy shares convert your existing super to a self managed fund using a low cost online provider.
    • Always look for opportunities to make money: Consider off beat ideas and try them, some won't work some will. Vending machines, Bitcoin Mines, Selling at Flea Markets, Paid Surveys, Google / Youtube Ad Revenue.

    Once you get a handle on the above - repeat the above, the only thing more rewarding than owning 1 investment property is owning 2 and the only thing better than 2 is 3 etc.

    Encourage others to share you journey - making money with your friends and relatives in partnership (think about a mini JV) is much more fun than going it alone. It also allows you to spread the risk of trying new "ideas", your input capital you risk is less on each idea. If the venture fails - you can walk away knowing you tried, if it doesn't you can always expand that concept either with your JV partner or solo - having educated yourself along the way. I often have an idea where I bring in a JV partner, even if I own the idea and I do most of the work - I benefit from their capital, their opinions - and bolster my own enthusiasm through seeing them get excited.

    I might be a bit of a loser - but I actually "enjoy" doing all of the above - make it fun, make it your "hobby". Take enjoyment from making money creatively.

    My current boss actually said to me at my last review that he didn't mind me running my own business on the side and doing a few bits and bobs here and there - to me I don't talk about the footy at the water cooler or copier I like to talk about the current difficulty rate of mining bitcoin or the current demand rate and pricing for used shipping containers in Tianjin. These have come to be the things that I enjoy.

    Many of the comments above about sales as being a way to succeed financially are correct. The comments about stress and job continuity in sales are also correct - even way up the ladder. In sales and sales management you are only as good as your last sale. Nothing hurts more than putting in years of hard work, being loyal, trying hard - but still losing your job or being demoted due to a few bad months or having a hard year. It happens - I've done it to my staff, companies have done it to me - it is par for the course.

    My only advice within sales would be to pick a technical field of sales (ie You need to be an expert in the field you sell). Don't wake up one day and want to sell TV's at JB Hi-Fi, I don't think that will get you out of the "average" bracket.

    • Sell High Value Products
    • Sell Property, or property products
    • Sell Financial Products
    • Sell Labour

    • Sell Technical Equipment To Other Professionals (or high margin industries - like miners)

    • Don't just be a "salesman" - be an expert at the business you work in many fields, even if you occupation defines you as a salesman.

    I currently work as a General Manager of Sales and Marketing. Some of my salespeople/sales managers earn well under $100k per year - some WAY over. Sometimes their success is regulated by factors completely outside of their own control - this is another risk in sales, you need to be at the right place at the right time.

    • Eddie8 on 06/02/2014 - 09:53
      +6

      Thanks for the write up Jason. It was an interesting read and gave me a few things to think about.

      I dont agree with this though "I might be a bit of a loser". You seem to have a passion and interest in something and that in itself is commendable.

    • tenshi13 on 06/02/2014 - 10:09
      +1

      "think about a mini JV", was thinking about the ozb JV ; D

      joke aside, thanks for voicing out your opinion, completely agree to your suggestion,
      am having similar background (lacking in the determination bit atm)

      Would like to mention that this is not for everyone, it requires some entrepreneural instinct, different mindset and strong determination
      personally had tried to share, but have noticed not all peoples are up for this, depends a lot on the level of maturity also (I'm in my late 20s)

      but its always good to try, take the first step, there's no free meals, you'll never get what you want if you don't do anything
      the internet has a lot of free resources, should try to research to see which suits your own risk appetite

    • cpho on 06/02/2014 - 11:51

      Well written!
      I agree with you. There isn't an easy way to earning money. You have to be proactive, because what you put in is what you get out. Otherwise, if making big money had a textbook approach, everyone would be doing it!

    • cannedhams on 07/02/2014 - 00:37

      There is a fine line to ride here. You don't want to end up like Dirty Don from "Very Small Business" with twelve businesses on the boil.

    • Dollarsandsense on 08/02/2014 - 00:52

      Well written. I am 32 and just started thinking about my future retirement. On a package of $125k, new baby, fiancé on maternity leave. Anyway 6 months ago I woke up to a few things.. Our economy is structured to allow for wealthy people to get wealthier. The more you have the more opportunities there are to get things for free and get tax breaks etc.

      We have a small property and are embarking on one of your first points, investing in a second using the equity of the first. ThIs allows me to negative gear the 2nd property with effectively a 100% loan. This is a huge advantage over someone that doesn't own a principle place of residence and is looking to invest.

      I walk in to see an accountant and he says to me, "do you like paying tax?" I say no, predictably he says that I must like it as I have been paying so much for so long.

      Legalised tax aversion services the wealthy with investments and increases the divide between rich and poor. I watched a great doco yesterday by Bob Reich - inequality for all. Basically showed how the governments laws have allowed for the rich to get richer and the middle and lower classes to get stuck with no chance of progressing and in fact regressing. The wealthiest 400 people in the states have more wealth than 150million of the poorest US citizens combined.

      Now big issues exist with firms spenDing mega bucks to lobby at politicians and effectively pay for government bills to be passed. For $300M you could pretty much buy the next president of the US. A scary thought for democracy. That means that more decisions will be past in the US which suit the big guy and continue to strip rights from the little dudes.

      I have come to the conclusion that just saving money is a lot more risky than making investments. A 500k house might go up $35K per year less $5k to run the place (with strategic buying and some luck) right now I would struggle to save half this. It's all about using the deliberate loopholes in the framework of policy and regulations to capitalise on gov incentives and tax free schemes. Gone are the days when you can save your way to a happy retirement unfortunately… 30 years saving $40k per year won't be much of a kitty in 2044….

  • snirodha on 06/02/2014 - 08:46
    +3

    This might be off topic but will help op in a way. If u do have a property try to pay off ur mortgage. Then work for another few years untill u have a sizable bank balanace. Rent out ur place and live overseas. You can live well off if u select a country that is affordable. U will have super and bank balance as well. It is probably much better than doing a carreer change now.

  • quarkz on 06/02/2014 - 09:33
    +2

    Diesel Fitter in the mines. Over 200k a year. Been here for 4 years. I'm 26. Very hard physical work though.

    My brother in law is a grade operator and gets $180k a year. Sits on his bum all day.

    • Mimbula on 06/02/2014 - 11:53

      isn't it hard to get work in the mines unless you have previous experience or know someone?

      • Ace26 on 06/02/2014 - 12:40
        +2

        Apprently not, I was travelling recently from Toowoomba to Sydney and fellow passenger was a miner working in some sort of sand stone extracting business. He said they hire people even without prior experience but these job usually involves long working hours but dont necesarily hard physical work. He said willingness to work extra when needed and flexibility to travel was a key part in getting a job.
        I was surprised to hear it but it was good to hear from someone who was in mining, again that is opinion of one person, others may disagree. Not all mining jobs are the same though.

    • abbztract on 06/02/2014 - 17:20

      Can you tell me how you got into mining? I want and intend to go to Uni from next year to do my Bachelor there once I complete my Adv. Diploma of Mech. Eng. this year at NMIT. Just want to get an idea as to what path will lead where.

  • nevbuster on 06/02/2014 - 12:09
    +23

    I earn $160k p.a., but with three kids in school, the misses, the dog and the mortgage I have stuff all spending money hence I'm here getting free viginal moisturiser, $5 wireless routers and other crap. Don't assume big earners are big spenders. OK to feel sorry for me now.

    • chukkii on 06/02/2014 - 12:38
      +1

      There's a huge debate about why people with income like you don't feel rich.

      This is a good example of why that is.

    • _Bruce_ on 06/02/2014 - 12:51
      +13

      Don't assume big earners are big spenders.

      ..but you are, you just listed all the things you spend money on, and certainly there are tons more. The money doesn't just dissapear, how do you think people earning a forth your income support a family?

      • lplau on 06/02/2014 - 16:16
        +3

        Money isn't everything, as long as you are happy.
        Money cannot buy happiness.

        I have similar income from all my properties and job career, and still feel stingy.
        I think its how you are bought up.
        My parents always taught me "You aren't smart because you earn alot of money, you are smart when you can save alot of money".

        • frinik on 06/02/2014 - 18:29
          +14

          To quote some other guy…
          Money can’t buy happiness but, it’s more comfortable to cry in a BMW than on a bicycle

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