living expenses vs. wages

You can get a 1 bedroom place for @ $6-700.on STX . The skills you mentioned are valuable and with time you should find a fit in the economy.. If you want to live here go for it. I was apprehensive but I did it and I'm making it work. It can be expensive depending on your lifestyle but keep your life simple and I bet you would thrive. best of luck!

thanks for the support. there's nothing like a little confidence booster.

Hi again,
When you refer to the service industry, what type of experience do you have? If you are talking about "back of the house", well no, you can't make enough to live alone and have money left as disposable income. But if you're talking about being a server or bartender, you can make pretty darn good money, in the right place.

Some of the most popular recreations are free or cheap....like the beach and drinking cheap rum! Seriously, other water sports, golf and gym memberships can be pricey, just to name a few. Also airline tickets! We don't usually get the "deals".

A piece of advice you will see here over and over is to have enough money when you get here to cover all your expenses for a few months and a return ticket, if you decide it's not for you.

Good luck. When are you coming?

I don't plan on coming until Sept 08. That way I will have enough saved to last a while. As far as what service, yeah, I plan on being a server or bartender. I just figure those are the typical jobs "newbies" are able to acquire. I have some experience in cooking and expediting food as well as waiting. Anything in the restaurant industry would suit me well. Of course, I would love to bartend, but I have no experience. I could possibly get some before coming down, but for the moment I am working on a steady job with a construction company that pays well.

Here's the thing... I could work for this construction company for the next year which pays well and provides benefits (which you will remember I am concerned about from my last post), or I could try and find a job waiting and/or bartending. I wouldn't make as much with these jobs, but I would get some good experience. So what's more important, saving up some good money to bring down or getting some more experience in the restaurant business? I am a hard worker and fast learner, and nothing in the restaurant business is too difficult to pick up, so as long as I can get in I'm good. But will they even consider me without much experience?

I suppose when and possibly before I get there I will hit the main resorts, restaurants and bars. I would also love to work at the golf course, but I imagine that is much tougher to get, although I have worked at one before and have good knowledge on golf from playing regularly the past 5 years.

I love your ideas on cheap recreation- Beach and cheap rum. Thats is what I will occupy my down time with. I'm just looking for a more simple life, but I have to be able to live in order to achieve that...

Thanks again for your comments.

Many of the servers and bartenders have no experience in the service industry before moving to stx. Experience may help you getting one of the better gigs but then again it may not be a factor. I think getting stateside training at a decent restaurant would help you to get better tips though. Good service can be rare here and is appreciated.

Thanks Betty.

If I am fortunate enough to get a good job, I will provide good service. It may take a little time to catch on at work, but courtesy and respect come naturally.

"I could work for this construction company for the next year which pays well and provides benefits (which you will remember I am concerned about from my last post), or I could try and find a job waiting and/or bartending."

Maybe you could work construction during the week and tend bar or wait tables on the weekend? Since you're talking about moving here in September '08 you'd only be doing this for a year and you'll earn more money, have health care benefits, and gain valuable service industry experience.

You are right. This has been a thought of mine, and I will definitely look into it. Thanks

In season, plenty of places here hire servers with no experience. Most people I know doing the restaurant thing are doing the roommate thing and paying about $500 a month. You can get a very basic but safe and clean furnished studio downtown for $600 or $650, electric included.

thank you letahl

Juanita,

What did you mean by working "back of the house"?

I haven't heard that phrase before . . .

Thanks,
Doug

back of the house people work in the kitchen

In the hospitality industry..... bars, restaurants, hotels, etc., the back of the house employees are the cooks, housekeepers, laundry, maintenance staff and the like. People you don't see. Wages can start at minimum wage and go up.

The front of the house employees are obviously the servers, bartenders, desk clerks, retail outlet clerks, etc. In a restaurant the servers and bartenders make more money because they work for tips, plus they get a small base wage, usually 3.50-5.00 or so.

Interesting tidbit, my daughter works for an upscale restaurant in Oregon. Servers must be paid minimum wage, which is about 7.25 in Oregon, plus tips.