Finding a Well Paid Casual Job

Lbigmac38 on 21/04/2022 - 11:15
Last edited 19/03/2023 - 18:59 by 1 other user

Hi OzB

I'm looking for suggestions for a well paid casual job during my one year off work. I'm taking the year off to spend time with my young family and will also have extended family visiting from overseas. However I still have capacity to work a flexible casual role to get by whilst my partner works full-time.

My current FTE position (office based role in construction) is about $62/hr (pre-tax) and I understand it'd be difficult to find a part-time job similar to this that's not FIFO. I've considered the following positions and I'm keen to hear any suggestions or feedback you may have:

  • Uber driver - works out to \~ $15/hr after costs but keen to do this during peak times when Uber runs a 'new driver promo' - an additional $750 when I last checked.
  • AusPost/Star Track sorting - about $27/hr during normal hours, 30% uplift if working graveyard shift.
  • Australian Electoral Commission - at the upcoming federal election - this is confirmed and more for the experience of working at an election
  • Any short courses/certs/licenses? Traffic controller / forklift driver?

Thanks in advance!

Education & Work

Comments

  • WreckTangle on 21/04/2022 - 11:17
    +14

    Male gigolo?

    • Duckie2hh on 21/04/2022 - 11:34
      +21

      How about starting an onlyfans account?

    • Mokr on 21/04/2022 - 12:06
      +9

      Cunning linguist

    • dust on 21/04/2022 - 13:10
      +1

      Sex work is one of the few industries where the apparent wage gap is reversed (in a major way too) so not sure that will classify as "well paid".

      • jellykingdom on 21/04/2022 - 13:12
        +32

        Funny, i don't hear feminists complaining about the wage gap in sex work

        • Ughhh on 21/04/2022 - 17:27
          -2

          Can you deliver the same outcomes though?

          • michaelTito on 21/04/2022 - 20:46
            +2

            @Ughhh: i swear i have heard this exact same conversation somewhere before.

            • Ughhh on 21/04/2022 - 23:20
              -1

              @michaelTito: I mean, complain to your bros for not wanting to pay you (more or any) money to see you butt naked?

              • michaelTito on 22/04/2022 - 10:15

                @Ughhh: People are getting paid?

                • Ughhh on 22/04/2022 - 10:57

                  @michaelTito: The whinging wasnt about being paid or not, but rather the "wage gap".

                  • Qazxswec on 02/05/2022 - 18:41

                    @Ughhh: i believe that is what prostitutes call their junk

            • BuckyUnlucky on 22/04/2022 - 06:12
              +21

              @OzzyOzbourne: And you get net zero women

            • taoz on 22/04/2022 - 13:36
              +1

              @OzzyOzbourne: Life is thankfully not all about money.

              How do people even come up with these thoughts.

            • TheBilly on 22/04/2022 - 18:40
              +2

              @OzzyOzbourne: Women are the biggest net financial gain to society. One of the biggest inputs into economic development is labour. Only women can produce labour and before you say it, not everything can be automated yet. So without women producing, labour stops, without labour nothing is produced, without production there is no financial growth.

            • StalkingIbis on 23/04/2022 - 11:11

              @OzzyOzbourne: only because of childbirth and rearing (usually the mum)…..which is kind of important to society….

    • skittlebrau on 22/04/2022 - 13:05
      +2

      Truly a 'cash in hand… job'

      • rektrading on 22/04/2022 - 13:24
        +1

        Getting paid in cash is 👍.

        It's the best way to hide income and money laundering.

        • AlienC on 02/05/2022 - 05:41
          +1

          ATO we found the master criminal boss man

  • Quantumcat on 21/04/2022 - 11:25
    +7

    Maths tutoring - when I feel like having students I charge $50/hr or $30/half hour. It involves preparation and travel time though. Also occasionally students cancel last minute (or not last minute but you can't replace the job with something else easily even if you have a few days' notice). To counteract this I also offer terms paid in advance for $45/hr (so if they cancel they can either make it up another time or not get it but still have paid for it). You can have 2-3 students an afternoon if they live close by. Eg 3.30, 5, and 6.30pm. $150 for 4 hours out of the house isn't too bad.

    Edit: you should also confirm that you are allowed to work another job while on unpaid leave. Many employers don't let you (eg you are trying out a new job and plan to leave the old employer if you decide you like it).

    • Edsanwong on 21/04/2022 - 11:36

      Is this one to one tutoring?

      • Quantumcat on 21/04/2022 - 11:37
        +1

        Yep. You can tutor in a tutoring center but you'd only make $20-$30 an hour (but benefit is no travelling to see all your students)

    • Mokr on 21/04/2022 - 12:05

      Cash also?

      Any other perks?

      • Quantumcat on 21/04/2022 - 13:08
        +2

        Yeah you can do cash but if OP isn't also working at a job they probably won't earn enough to go over the tax-free threshold. If they declare their income they can also then deduct stuff (stationery, petrol/car maintenance, textbooks). Not likely to pay much if any tax.

    • bigmac38 on 21/04/2022 - 13:32
      +5

      Great suggestion! I'd have to familiarise myself with the syllabus these days but I should be across it up to about year 10 level. Being a teacher was my second career choice and this could potentially lead to being a 'side-hustle' when I resume FTE next year. Thanks mate.

      • [Deactivated] on 22/04/2022 - 02:34
        +1

        Imagine studying 4-5 years, raking up 40k in debt only to make $36 an hour which will increase to $50 in 10 years.

        • GoIdDigger on 22/04/2022 - 08:08
          +2

          Now imagine someone doing that because they're passionate about the work, regardless of the pay check

          • [Deactivated] on 22/04/2022 - 11:50
            +3

            @GoIdDigger: Ah yes, teaching relying on people's passion and good will, surely we won't have a teachers shortage because of that. I wish other professions like medicine was treated the same way but the old saying really is true, if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.

            • greatlamp on 22/04/2022 - 16:57
              +1

              @[Deactivated]: Not medicine, but pharmacy is treated like that. Pharmacists are paid less than teachers.

              No surprises there is beginning to be a 'shortage' as they leave the profession.

        • iseeyou1312 on 22/04/2022 - 08:16
          +1

          100k/40/5/6 = $83.33/hr. There's also plenty of scholarships for teachers to have the government pay all their HECS if they teach for X years.

          • Cliche Guevara on 22/04/2022 - 10:20
            +6

            @iseeyou1312: You're in fantasy land if you think teachers only work 40/5/6.

          • [Deactivated] on 22/04/2022 - 11:51
            +1

            @iseeyou1312: 100k in about 10 years. In a lot of industries, if you stay for 10 years you should be earning a lot more.

    • Mokr on 21/04/2022 - 13:35

      Heard tutors do zoom now

      • knasty on 21/04/2022 - 17:14

        Yeah we use an online tutoring platform. But pricey but does the job.

  • cupcake on 21/04/2022 - 11:30

    Piano teacher.

    • tarulov3 on 22/04/2022 - 10:45
      +19

      Just gotta stay one lesson ahead of the kid.

      • AlienC on 02/05/2022 - 05:41

        lmao.. oh man my piano teacher was so dodgy.. like she was professional but man she literally taught me while her son was like also doing lessons and cooking dinner it was funny

        my mum was not a smart woman.. rest in peace

  • c64 on 21/04/2022 - 11:33
    +14

    burger flipper sounds ideal for the OP

    • MS Paint on 21/04/2022 - 11:45
      +14

      Welcome to Hungry Jack's, BigMac speaking, what would you like to order?

      • mdavant on 21/04/2022 - 17:17
        +3

        Do you have any grapes

        • Kangal on 21/04/2022 - 18:54
          +1

          Now we have beef

          • Intoxicoligist on 22/04/2022 - 11:55
            +4

            @Kangal: Ice Cream Machine is still broken though

            • MrFrugalSpend on 22/04/2022 - 22:36
              +1

              @Intoxicoligist: always seems to be fine when I decide to add on extra calories to a meal… but when I am craving thickshake or ice cream only and make a special trip… always f…n broken! (or maybe that's just when I remember it most)

    • onetwothreefour on 21/04/2022 - 11:58
      +24

      Agreed and if you're really good at it you won't need to be on ozbargain every day…

      • rektrading on 21/04/2022 - 12:02
        -6

        Who the funk trades every day?

        I set up a trade, execute it and spend days, weeks or months chilling on CT and OZB waiting for it to 👊 the target.

        • bloom on 21/04/2022 - 12:16
          +10

          I’m trading Pokémon cards

        • michaelTito on 21/04/2022 - 20:48
          +4

          whats a CT? chaturbate?

    • dust on 21/04/2022 - 13:11
      +13

      What's the best way to become a millionaire through crypto?

      Start by being a billionaire.

      • Mokr on 21/04/2022 - 13:36
        +2

        Buying ten Bitcoin six years ago

          • Kangal on 21/04/2022 - 18:58
            +6

            @rektrading: You do realise that FAR more people have LOST money on crypto than to make it. However, marketing and survivorship bias ensures we usually see the good side.

            But millions of people losing thousands of dollars here and there, might not seem too obvious, but those figures really add up.

            So I'm not against crpyto, but calling someone a chicken is not the right thing to do. People should be sceptical, and should stay away, as is their right to choose and weigh up risks.

          • michaelTito on 22/04/2022 - 10:17

            @rektrading: Nocoiners didn't have the soccer ball baseball ball to buy bitcoin 6Y(?)ago? They still don't have the basketball handegg ball today?

    • Vote for Pedro on 21/04/2022 - 19:53
      +1

      Lololol

      • rektrading on 21/04/2022 - 19:56
        -2

        More 😆 and less 🧂

  • quarkz on 21/04/2022 - 12:20
    +12

    I work as a medical courier. 20 hours per week at $33 an hour. Pretty cruisy job.

    • dirtybigbjelke on 21/04/2022 - 13:30
      +5

      Own car or do you thrash a Hyundai i20?

    • bigmac38 on 21/04/2022 - 13:33
      +8

      Sounds cruisy as… I've had a search on seek but there aren't many results. What are the potential employers? Thanks.

    • xtremehell on 22/04/2022 - 00:00
      +2

      Is this possible to do on a bike or does the blood and stuff get shook up too much.

      • BuckyUnlucky on 22/04/2022 - 06:14
        +5

        That helps speed up the process

      • AlienC on 02/05/2022 - 05:42
        +1

        if it spills use the 30 seconds rule

    • Brodo Faggins on 08/05/2022 - 19:30

      hey mate DM me about your job I'm interested! 🙂

  • mdang1 on 21/04/2022 - 12:29
    +1

    I'd imagine taking up a course would require you to be available at the time the course is being offered which could be quick subject to locations, delivery (onsite or remote learning) and availabilities. However, looking for work relevant to the course you studied, going through with interviews may also take some times and there's getting on with work and seeing if you'd like to do it would be a factor, too given your FTE pays well.

    Provided that you'll be back to your FTE and are having visitors from overseas whilst spending time with the young family, I reckon there'll be disruption even on no work basis.

    Are there some sort of flexible arrangements (casual like or work from home) from your current FTE you can negotiate ? Otherwise taking a well earned year off and taking your mind off working for 1 year completely are great, too.

  • pegaxs on 21/04/2022 - 12:54
    +15

    Made me think of all the ads and news stories I have been subjected to that have all these hospitality places crying about not being able to hire or retain staff.

    I thought, this might be ok to pick up some casual work, and then I remembered, they want slaves who will work their arses off for next to no pay and treat their staff like shit with no flexibility and get on the radio and cry about how no one wants to work any more…

    • AdosHouse on 21/04/2022 - 14:21
      +12

      I work in hospitality and I would not say next to no pay, base casual rate is $28/hour, with Saturday/Sunday/PH loading on top.

      An a/hole boss is an a/hole boss regardless of industry.

  • parisian on 21/04/2022 - 12:58
    +1

    woolworths night fill

    • yippy on 21/04/2022 - 13:38
      +32

      Do they even have night fill anymore? my local Woolies stack the shelves when they open up at 7am and they workers act like I'm inconveniencing them by doing my grocery shopping at that time.

      • RADICALIST on 21/04/2022 - 23:06
        +6

        lol mine does shelf filling at 8pm and their crates blocks the shelves I wanna grab from :(

        • nobro25 on 22/04/2022 - 01:46
          +3

          Yea coz they're being cheap. Because after midnight there's loading. They want all the work done before midnight. So yea you won't get much hours just 4 hours.

          Honestly for a first job is okay. Otherwise it's pretty crap unless you like being abused.

          • EFC94 on 22/04/2022 - 07:41
            +2

            @nobro25: There's loading from 6pm these days, then increases a little more from midnight.

    • hannibalbarca on 22/04/2022 - 10:18

      only average about 10 hours a week doing that.

    • yamahamoto on 22/04/2022 - 10:59
      +1

      It was good back then when they only started taking about crates at about 11pm. Then you have 4-5hrs stacking the shelves with no interruption. Pay was decent and time flies as you just keep stacking until it’s all finished. You also get paid break too. 1hr paid break for 8hrs shift. The bad thing is you lose your sleep patterns

  • SF3 on 21/04/2022 - 13:05
    +1

    some type of Mule supposedly pay a lot for casual work. /s

  • TheMindsetTraveller on 21/04/2022 - 13:05
    +26

    Skip the work if you can and just enjoy the time and moments you have with your young family, extended family and friends.

    Avicii's dad once said "One day, you'll leave this world behind, So live a life you will remember"

    4 years have gone by too quickly, you legend Avicii.

    • jellykingdom on 21/04/2022 - 13:11
      +1

      Minus all the Avicii stuff, i totally agree. The two comments of "want to spend time with my young family and overseas family" doesn't really makes sense with "i am taking a year off my job but also want to take on part time work"……

      I think someone else said it: supermarket night fill staff, at least you work in evenings that way. Otherwise may as well just work 9-5 in your current job. I am super confused here about the logic going on here

    • Shekster on 21/04/2022 - 13:13
      +7

      They've literally said they're taking an entire year off work to spend time with their family…

      They obviously can't just sit with them 24/7 for 365 days, hence why this post is here to give them something to do with minimal commitment that they can leave at any time.

      • bigmac38 on 21/04/2022 - 13:29
        +2

        Spot on mate… it's been 8 years since I worked a casual job back when I was at uni so this is quite refreshing to be able to work a no-stress job without any weekly commitment to hours worked.

        There may be periods where I won't work for weeks/months at a time when relatives are over, it's too hard to say at this time. But all these suggestions are a great starting point for me to consider! Thanks OzB community!

        • abuch47 on 21/04/2022 - 20:03

          Project manager or higher?

          Labour hire piece of piss to get $29+ph as a deadshit, in my state $42ph for chippie, $50ph for labourer on union site, would be way better on eastcoast

    • JoeBogan on 21/04/2022 - 13:14
      +1

      Who the heck negs this comment even with the Avicii stuff? I gave you an upvote.

      • Jason Genova on 21/04/2022 - 16:03

        k pop fans

      • R4 on 21/04/2022 - 23:09

        OzB neg button losers

    • bakemon0 on 22/04/2022 - 20:52

      don't forget Swedish House Mafia's dad also said "don't you worry child, heaven's got a plan for you"

  • dust on 21/04/2022 - 13:12
    +2

    Have you thought about working at McDonald's?

    • bigmac38 on 21/04/2022 - 13:35
      +4

      This was my first job actually! $7.29/hour I'll never forget… I've had enough of fast food hospitality though…

      • Avada Kedavra on 23/04/2022 - 22:31

        never thought I'd see someone's maccas wages lower than mine! Started at $7.42/hour haha

  • ihbh on 21/04/2022 - 13:23
    +1

    Whatever you do, focus on it. So if you're going to take time off and spend with the young family, then just do it. Otherwise you end up with the worse of both worlds.

    Casual work related to my previous work pays a couple hundred an hour. But it's not worth it because I'd have to do a couple of days a week or couple of blocks of hours. E.g. I could do 3 hours after kids go to sleep each night, but I'm buggered being out all day with them and want to coast or go to bed at 9pm, or watch something with my wife or do something with my wife.

  • Jugganautx on 21/04/2022 - 13:28
    +6

    $40.30/hour as a casual insulator at navy shipyard.

    No previous training required.

    Woolworths also pay $34/hr for adult casuals after 6pm so nightfill is a good option too.

    • macr0hard on 21/04/2022 - 15:45
      +1

      How do you get into Woolies' nightfill jobs?

      • Dreamcast on 21/04/2022 - 20:01
        +1

        Ha, I need to know as well. Looking for a one day a weekend job. Something different to my corporate 9-5 and for that extra pocket money.

      • Jugganautx on 22/04/2022 - 05:14

        https://www.wowcareers.com.au/jobs/listing?query=Nightfill&r…

        See if there are any near you click apply on an ad and create a candidate account on successfactors. Upload your resume etc.

        Have to do everything online these days as it's all through HR. Even when they are accepting walk Ins with resumes they will still make you create an account first.

    • hannibalbarca on 22/04/2022 - 10:20
      +1

      Then they force you to go part-time on a 10 hour contract because they want to save wages.

      • Jugganautx on 22/04/2022 - 10:37

        Depends on the store really, i've been getting 12-15 hours quite regularly for the last 8 months.
        Just have to say yes and actually work when the part timers chuck a sicky.

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