How do you do it?

[THUGLIFE]

Im not sure why everyone is so content with having to suffer at 20k for your first year? Dont you feel your worth more than that? Yeah we can make it with the card the first couple of years, but wtf?

 

[BOHICAgain]

Im not sure why everyone is so content with having to suffer at 20k for your first year? Dont you feel your worth more than that? Yeah we can make it with the card the first couple of years, but wtf?

You have another way we are all ears...I doubt there is a company that will pay 35K+ for a first year pilot then double after that..even thou the industry is suffering we have all learned how to grap our ankles and hope for the best

 

[capt. megadeth]

I lived with mommy and worked another job. My fiancee (who is on first year pay at a regional for the 2nd time) has a brown cash cow.

 

[pilotyip]

We pay $35k for a 1st DA-20 F/O, normally move to the DC-9 maybe flying passengers at $38K within a year if you meet flight time minimums. You also might get laid off in the spring for 6 weeks.

 

[FlyChicaga]

...has a brown cash cow.

LOL!

 

[Lineup&wt]

I'm sure Flychicaga will agree that nothing matters anymore SOX IN THE WORLD SERIES FINALLY?

CONGRATS

 

[blueridge71]

How do you new hires that make $20k a year survive? I have a chance to get on with an airline and make around that level, but have no idea how I'd make ends meet. I have a nice car and a decent place to live, but I sure don't live like a king. I could get rid of the car and get some crapmobile, but thats not going to make a huge difference. How do you do it???

Live cheap and charge the rest on credit cards. Low pay doesn't last forever if you are at a decent company. On the other hand, if you fly turboprops for mesa, it might.

 

[taloft]

I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but I snuck in for their free breakfast.

 

[Regul8r]

Groundpounder: Run! get away from this profession. I have zero useful job skills so I'm stuck... You still have a chance. All these people are missing the point. Sure you can put together a month a week a year on nothing but long term you are screwed. You are always one major medical, car accident, etc from going in to major credit debt. The credit idea is garbage. Maybe you pay it off in a couple years you still miss the big picture.

The pension is gone. So you have to save for retirement now. Compound interest doubling etc... You need to be set up well by the time you are 30. ($100,000 or so) The high paying jobs are gone... So you will no longer be able to make up for lost time when you get older.
So while you string together a couple poor years the real problem is you screwed yourself for the rest of your life.
RUN

Don't underestimate yourself. After having seen what's on the other side of the business, it's not all that bad. If you are a hardworking individual with a personable attitude, you can go very far in any business you get into. Easy jobs to get into: Sales and Customer Support. Those two jobs can get your foot in the door with most any company and where you go from there is up to you.

 

[Jet_Driver]

Be Cheap

First year at Eagle, my wife and I had a baby. My wife stayed at home, still does now with the baby. We have two cars and we rent a 2BDR 1200 sq. ft. apartment with a garage and basement for $575. I have to drive a little further to work that way, but for that much, I can make it work. I give my wife a cash budget for groceries and stuff. We bank the per diem and she makes and send food with me (a lot cheaper than eating out). I eat out on trips sometimes. I plan on the overnights with the free breakfasts, manager special stuff for my drinking fix. You know. I buy tuna lunchkits for lunches and still, they're only $1.38. My wife nurses the baby, so we don't mess with formula and Gerber food. That stuff is a raquet anyway. We manage to make it and some months bank a little in the saving accnt. We just found out that we have another baby on the way and I bought a 2002 Town and Country minivan. All it takes is a good budget and make it work.

 

[flydrummer]

First year at Eagle, my wife and I had a baby. My wife stayed at home, still does now with the baby. We have two cars and we rent a 2BDR 1200 sq. ft. apartment with a garage and basement for $575. I have to drive a little further to work that way, but for that much, I can make it work. I give my wife a cash budget for groceries and stuff. We bank the per diem and she makes and send food with me (a lot cheaper than eating out). I eat out on trips sometimes. I plan on the overnights with the free breakfasts, manager special stuff for my drinking fix. You know. I buy tuna lunchkits for lunches and still, they're only $1.38. My wife nurses the baby, so we don't mess with formula and Gerber food. That stuff is a raquet anyway. We manage to make it and some months bank a little in the saving accnt. We just found out that we have another baby on the way and I bought a 2002 Town and Country minivan. All it takes is a good budget and make it work.

Man, were in god's name are you renting a 2BDr in Chicago for only $575 a month??

 

[Cardinal]

While y'all are considering your budget, be sure to factor in the cost of maintaining your uniform. Even if you're uber-lazy, like me, it only costs $2.42 to dryclean a shirt.