Married Man needs Advice...

[howling_jack]

Hello everyone!

I'm new to the forum but so far the amount of info has been great! I'm looking to start September 2015 as a Deck Cadet. I'm 30 and married with no kids. Now before I ask the question I need to say my wife is 100% behind my decision to join. I've had to re-study my Maths & Physics GCSEs and got an A on both due to her help.

The problem is she doesn't bring any money in. She can get the odd part time or temp job to help out but she has some commitments I won't get into now... Which means I'm the breadwinner and I'm not sure if this is going to be realistically viable when I start my cadetship. Is it possible for us to rent our own room whilst I train for the three years instead of me living in halls, and is it financially possible for me to keep us going on the small wage I'll receive? I have to say we're used to living on little money. The last 2 years we've rented a room in a shared house whilst I pay off all my overdrafts and credit cards so I can join the MN without that financial burden.

I just need to know if it's financially possible for her to be with me during the three years.
If not I'll have to make other arrangements.

Thanks a lot for any advice and help guys!

Jack

[stronglead]

I donno if this suggestion helps but if your wife only gets the odd bit of work, would she not consider also going to college to do something she is interested which is a advantage in a couple ways firstly she is also learning and will gain new qualifications, she should get some form of finance support being a student, you will be fully exempt from such things as council tax. Depending on your course level and set up you can take student loans/grants etc usually in phase 3 so this tops you up. It also comes down to how much you are being paid as a cadet as it varies from company to company. Before I started I had a good few out goings which my savings helped me with monthly then on my trips away I re-saved to get me through the next phase

[jcwilson91]

With clyde you get ?700 p/m at college and ?480 at sea, with carnival you get roughly ?900 p/m all year round no matter if you are at sea or college, as for SSTG im not sure but i do know they pay you apx 600 p/m depending on the company and then you get your living allowance for renting a place as well, if i recommend people to the MN now i always say go SSTG as its more money and the training is the same.

BP also pay well but i think you might have to fork out for your first year of training, this may only be in cork though.

[The Kraken]

Not to put a fly in the ointment but I heard SSTG now also just pay a flat sponsorship payment, similar to Clyde, and the rent is up to you to pay out of that. I struggled to get by on the ?700 a month and I'm not married. However, 3/4 of that went on sky high halls fees and I saved for petrol to drive home once a month (a fair old distance). I'd apply and then if you have a sponsor company discuss your circumstances with them. Where there is a will there is a way.

[jcwilson91]

Also to note, it will say in your early contract that you have to stay in halls of residence, although this is complete ballox, as when i turned up for my first year and was looking for a room in halls they were full.

You would think that if all 1st phase cadets HAD to stay in halls of residence that the halls of residence would have enough space for ALL 1st phase cadets.

I found another cadet and got a flat with him and was paying half the price of halls, all bills included with internet.

Screw the H.O.R!

[an_imperial_affliction]

I like Strongleads idea - Especially if you're going to a place like Warsash, where you've got the rest of the Southampton Solent University and nearby institutions to choose from! It'd give you to the chance to spend some time, at least at college, together, and also gives your wife the chance to work herself! I imagine without kids she could get rather lonely while you're at sea, so if she was studying or working on a permanent basis it might help with that. Of course, I don't know your wife's situation but if it's at all possible it might be worth looking into.

[Polaris]

You need to be aware that when on sea phase wages, ?480 per month, you may well be home for quite some time during that period.

[CB96]

Just to clear up about SSTG, (I only had my interview a few months ago).They now offer a sponsorship of ?625 PCM no matter what whether your at sea, leave or college. But you have to pay all halls fees etc now. Some companies do pay a little more but im not sure which!

[thatwillbenice]

From what I remember BP pay a decent wage for cadets, think it's about 15k but that might have changed.
By the looks of things the RFA pay well for cadets also. http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/careers/...rent-vacancies

I hear Chevron cadets get monthly bonuses on top of their Clyde Marine wages that gives them a decent income.

Look to get a job with an actual shipping company rather than a training company like Clyde Marine or SSTG. You'll find the money's better and you have more chance of a job upon completion of your cadetship.

http://www.careersatsea.org/apply/sponsoring_companies.php

[HolyNougat]

Some guys work while at college as well - temporary bar work etc. can be done. Not always a good idea, but if your not struggling with the academics might help...

[Stevemac83]

Well im 31 and I started my cadetship in February. Im not married and have no kids but I have a mortgaged house and all that goes with that, I was planning my move to become a deck officer for quite some time so I started saving every penny I could. Made cuts everywhere and sacrificed lots of holidays, nights out and all lifes luxuries. My girlfriend does work full time which pays all the bills luckily and I had saved up enough money to pay the mortgage for 2 years, I work every time I get home to earn extra cash and hopefully in phase 3 I will get a loan to help cover my mortgage for the last year of my cadetship.


Its not easy by any means that I have to admit, but if you plan all your finances carefully and save like crazy now then there is no reason you cant do it. Im on my sea phase just now an I'm hardly spending a penny which is good because I can save most of what CMT are paying me but the college phases are hard if you have to go into halls. I had no choice because of the college I got accepted into, ?700 per month doesn't go far when rent is nearly ?500 p/m and then food on top of that. It can be done, you just have to start prioritising and see if 3 years of scraping by will be worth it. Ive got 4 months seatime already and loving every minute of it, I'm wishing I had made the career change years ago. I wish you good luck in whatever you choose and hope this helps.

All the best.

Steven

[Blondie]

BP cadets take home around ?900, RFA about ?1100 a month. The RFA cadetship is as far as my knowledge allows, the only company that actually employs their cadets and pays them a salary as opposed to a training allowance or bursary. Sounds like a small point but it means you're paying tax and making pension contributions. Also means RFA cadets can claim their tax back if they meet the seatime requirements.

[bahco]

I'm very sure that the royal fleet auxiliary pay their cadets over 15k a year which is more than enough to survive

[Blondie]

Yes, sorry was that not clear? Taking home ?1100 a month works out at almost ?16k, give or take.

[samsezhi]

Im not married but I have been with my partner for a long while when I started this. It is very tough. I am with SSTG on the flat rate of 600 (now 625) and I attend Fleetwood college. In Phase 1 you must live in the halls which are ridiculously expensive (5 week months were 550 rent out of your 600) and I also have a house to keep back home. I too was the main bread winner although he has since got a full time job but only min wage as are the times these days. I have had to work part time every hour that I have not been at college. I even would sneak my study books into work to study there as there was no other time. I am exhausted (now in Phase 4) but it is do able and I am loving every minute of this career. I have to add that I have a very high grade average and that comes from the long days putting in the extra work hours to justify having a job outside of college.