Hello, guys!
I am terribly sorry because of my absence during almost two months.
I had a busy schedule and moved to Australia!
Brisbane is a fresh, cool place: people is kind and night sights are incredible, food is good too. The downside of this dreamland is that it is also a very expensive place where to live.
For many reasons Australia ( “STRAYA”) is considered a dream destination but life is not easy down here.
I used to live in the UK, where people speaks slow and have a strong accent. Sure thing, coming to Australia forces you to understand a way different accent. Where “I” sound is like an “o+i” and “oo” sounds like “ew”. Food is more expensive than you think!
There is no Poundland or those cheap shops like in England where you can buy food for 1 GBP. Nope, here you easily spend for your grocery shopping $100 AUD. Yes, you read well, $100. The point that most people don’t consider is that in Australia, the minimum wage is way higher than England. Here is around $20 p/h while in the UK is about 7.20GBP.
But it is right, on your first arrival in Australia; everything will look very expensive (without thinking about the wages and the change of currency).
Transport.
Respect England transport is cheap! I remember while I was living in Surrey(South East England) to go to London will be around 30GBP. Ridiculous. In Brisbane from where I live to go to the city will cost me $4 about 2GBP.
A good tip is when you are looking for a job, depending on where are you based at the moment seek jobs around you in order not to waste too much money on transport.
Also, get a translink GO CARD, is cheaper than no buying a ticket on the bus or on the train and easier to TOP UP.
Jobs
Being an immigrant holding a WHV (working holiday visa) I tell you from personal experience you will need to bang on every single door to find a job.
Is not easy as it is in the UK that everywhere you go there a sign on the door “we are hiring.” Here most of the places recruit online, and if you arrive around September most of the companies will start hiring at the end of October as “Christmas Casual”.
Usually, Christmas casual gets paid a bit more than usual retailers, but not everywhere is like that.
Some of the companies will you pay less than $20 I tell you. Most of them will give you what you expect if you are willing to earn commissions. Now, that is a good thing if you are a great seller and excited on making $300 or more a week. Could do.
But, if you are not a good seller, going on a commission is a lot of pressure, and your teammates will become your enemies after a time.
So, if you are a bit shy, the best advice I can give to you apply for cashier or positions where the customer service is still required but is more practical than talking to a client.
Coles & Woolworths are huge supermarket companies) they recruit online. You can try there.
Harvey Norman is an electrical/computer company, good company if you are:
great seller
computers/electrical lover
Keen to earn around $19 base salary plus commissions.
You are required to be a great seller. You apply online although, I recommend you to go in person to the store and talk to the boss if he’s around. Makes such a big difference. You cannot be shy, and you can make good bucks weekly, and that keeps a smile on your bosses’ face too. Truly competitive field.
Myer
is like Debenhams in the UK, department store you probably can expect getting paid approx. $20 p/h, depending on where the store is located.
Skin care shops
some good skin care stores will pay you more than $23 per hour which is great.
If you have experience selling skin care products etc. that’s a bonus.
Fashion shops
Now, this depend on where you handle your resume. Some fashion shops will pay you per hour below 20 bucks other will pay you more. It’s a matter of knocking doors and ask how much you will get paid depending on your age too.
A good tip print more than 10 resumes and go around ask if you can hand your cv there and if you can talk to the manager even better is always best talk in person than not only apply online. You will have more chances to be hired.
Shopping
To every girl, before you start spending your savings in clothes in Australia,
I do honestly suggest you buy your garments from Ebay or some cheap clothes webpages.
When I came to Australia I looked around, and I fell in love with many clothes, but truth is they are expensive. Very expensive. So I started buying the same style from Ebay or Amazon or some Korean web page and YES BABY! Saving bucks and getting a fashionable and renewed wardrobe there is nothing better than that.
A good tip cheap clothes shops are : JAY JAY have a look there is not too bad, if you really want some expensive clothes buy it! you only live once anyways.
Grocery Shopping
If you intend saving a bit of money, I will go to Woolworths.
You can sign up for a reward card, and you earn points and those points turn into “savings” after a while. Woolworths has better offers than Coles most of the time.
A good tip Some of the essentials for the house: coffee, toothbrushes, shampoo, etc. You may want to try to go to Bargain City or The Reject Shop. Those are an Australian version of Poundland a bit more expensive but definitely cheaper than some of the shops.
Well, guys, I hope this post did help a bit to anyone who is planning to come to Australia, if you want to add any comment, please do! I will try to answer as soon as it is possible.
Big hug! 🙂
littlesecretsweb 