Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Day 89:
Life got much more hectic recently. Not a complaint, just a remark.
I have been working a lot of hours and spending most nights working, even if it's just for 2hrs, but in that two hours I can earn up to $50. Yesterday night I had $80 in 3 hours, 9 deliveries + $12.50 tips! So even the short shifts adds up and time passes really quickly - doesn't even feel like I'm working and I'm earning decent amount of money that I really need for savings.
I received my first full two weeks paycheck from Deliveroo today, and I hit really close to the 40hrs/fortnight mark, which is definitely a good thing. Earned enough to cover my rent and bills for the month in just the first two weeks. Seems like I don't
need that 2nd job anyway since how well Deliveroo is serving me. Not for the holidays though...
Also had a job offer doing labour work this Monday, where Hatta, Andre and I went for. It pays an incredible $36.80/hr. Which obviously was a big attracting factor. Thing is, it's kinda sketchy because it pays cash on hand and there's no legally-binding documents that can back us up, meaning that they can just choose not to pay us if they feel like it. WHICH is something that happens here in Melbourne, shockingly, so I should really be more careful before blindly being allured by the money (because sometimes, when something is too good to be true, it usually is...). Well, apparently it was supposed to be a proper permanent casual job but then it seems like it's not happening often enough... which is also good, means I can have a fair judgment of the legitimacy of the job on Monday, when they said they'll pay us a hefty $294.40 each... If that works, it'll really help with my earnings and I want to work even harder now that the holidays are approaching! Shouldn't have too high hopes on it for now...
So as you can see, I'm obsessed with work and earning money recently (which has always been the issue with my life decisions to be honest). It's definitely not unreasoned - let me tell you what kind of expenses I'll be dealing with:
1) Rent obviously. With phone bills ($30), wifi ($70/2), gym membership ($60) (might have to reconsider continuing this tbh), it amounts up to $937.50, but with Andre currently helping with the rent, it's around $587.50/month now (temporarily as well...)
2) Just recently bought tickets to Sydney and Singapore... still need to figure out possible ways to earn money for the return trip to Melbourne from Singapore. That already costed me $350 altogether, and the return would cost about $300 - the two weeks I'm not in Australia means another 587.50/2 gone in something I would call 'passive expense'... meaning money spent not even being there. LASTLY, not forgetting the opportunity cost of the money I would've been able to earn if I actually worked during these 2 1/2 weeks... could easily be another $1k if I had all the hours. That's like a total of $2k loss just for a well deserved break. This means I need to make Singapore really worthwhile!
3) Filming our third year projects. As film students... our budget for films goes way crazy. Australia (goes without saying) is even more expensive than SG... and being involved in two films mean even more money having needed to be thrown in... I'm expecting forking out close to AUD$500/$600 in total... hopefully less if I can, but then again I feel the need to contribute for my own projects. Let's see how it goes... (speaking of schoolwork, tons to elaborate on... more below)
4) There's Brisbane NatGat. Flight tickets are looking hella expensive... but then it would be a pity to give it a miss... have to think about this.
5) December Aussie travels. And New Zealand and Tasmania. Probably need like $1.5k to $2k-ish for this? Hopefully and probably less but that's my targeted amount of money to put aside for that.
6) Going back to Singapore for LCG/CNY in January and then coming back again for Graduation... flight tickets x opportunity costs again.
7) Huge USA road trip for two months during Summer (June to August(?)), and then Santorini for Art of Motion. Probably my only travel goals for 2017. Wanna earn so much money to be able to just live comfortably during the trip.
Sounds like thinking too far ahead and being extremely calculative which seems really unhealthy and causing unnecessary worry. But as you can see quite obviously, I'm not earning quite enough... only just enough to break even here and there, and during the non-working gaps, I'll be depleted so quickly as there won't be income for that period!
My sister has been talking to me about money issues back home as well. She's telling me how hard is it to save money despite having a good paying stable job, and I can fully understand it now that I'm here, living from paycheck to paycheck, no pocket money from the parents, high living expenses, with bills to cover (meaning that each month I have no choice BUT to earn that required amount). To be honest, I feel bad that my sister is already being the one that's providing for the family as my mum, despite working, isn't quite earning as much. Seems like the decision to come here was quite a big financial blow, thus motivating me further to learn how to live independently and provide for myself.
Savings will only come if you really put yourself out there and hustle hard, cover as much hours, leaving almost no time for other priorities sadly. Right now, Saturday being the only day I dedicate for legit training/filming). I hope that I don't get consumed by money-making, that I forget to live in the moment... but then again, being busy is what makes you feel productive and to be honest, I love the job I have right now, so I'm not feeling too stressed up for now.
School's almost done as we're heading towards week 12. Just having a few more writings to be done, shot lists/lighting plans, and also a final teaser trailer. However, there's so much thing that I have to learn before I head into Sem 2 and filming season, and I'll also have less time to work as I'll be expected to be helping out on sets and stuff.
Next week I'll probably not be going to school cos most of the modules are 95% done... which means it's time to work work work!!! And finish off them assignments...
I want to spend all the remaining time working really hard - from now till 15th June, then from 4th July till Semester 2, then from end of Oct till end of November... December would be really legit break from it all, when school's done and everything. I probably won't have much time to spend in SG for LCG/CNY, have to head back as soon as I can to continue working till the end of my student/visitor visa, I might even try to get a working visa to work till June maybe? Then I'll get back all my money (House bond/selling my bikes/furnitures/getting back my deposits)... Before I head back to SG to prepare for my big USA trip. Probably even more work (need to get bigger opportunities... sigh) and even more training for the culminating event that is AOM!
Life's pretty planned out till Oct 2017 now. Really tough... But I gotta make it work!!!
PS: Despite all the seriousness, let me take a step back and talk about squats. I got my 125kg x 5 reps! Great achievement. However, missed the 3rd rep of my 130kg. I have two more sessions before ending this routine and I'm not quite sure if I can actually hit that 140kg that I am aiming for. I have clearly progressed a fair bit from all the volume work though. It's crazy to think how immensely difficult it's getting right now when it looks so simple... loving the mental battle, all you need to do is tell your body to stand right the fuck up... but fucking hell it's super duper hard!!!! Let me check back in this Sunday and see if my goals are reached!