You simply can’t beat Christmas with your rellies back home. Especially if all your mates have headed home and your only option here is to eat sliced turkey out of a packet with your housemate who smells of cheese.
Affording a trip back to Oz, however, is a different ball game. Of course you’ve got the “Your Christmas present is my presence” line to save money on gifts, but flights at this time of year can be through the roof.
One option is to get a temporary Christmas job while you’re back in Oz. We know you want to spend most of your time in the pub and catching up with mates, but if you’re clever about it, you can cover the cost of your flight and have an awesome Christmas back home. Think about it.
For inspiration, here are some short-term job ideas you could try over the holidays…
Sorting mail
As it’s commonly a time of mass card-sending, Australia Post tends to struggle at Christmas – and there are a variety of jobs available. If you don’t mind getting up off your backside, you can deliver mail by walking, bicycle or motorbike, and you can also take shifts sorting out mail and van driving. The downside? Mail sorting jobs tend to be overnight, and there will always be pesky dogs that take a dislike to you, but pay is good and you can pretty much guarantee you’ll land a role if you’re punctual and show willing. Also you’ll have your days free to soak up the sun.
Sales assistant
The need for sales assistants starts to ramp up in September, and it’ll be tiring work – but you should be able to get your hands on a nifty staff discount (great for Christmas presents). All training is provided, and the work will be flexible so you’ve got a bit of time to stuff your family’s stocking too (no incest jokes, please). You can expect to earn around AU$18.19 an hour, and the good news is experience within retail doesn’t often translate to much bigger bucks – so the average newbie will only be on a bit less than a manager.
retailchoice.com/JobSeeking/Australia
Office work
Businesses always need temporary staff over Christmas when full-time staff head off on their holidays. Admin, accounting, secretarial and data entry jobs are always plentiful. They’re not necessarily the most exciting jobs in the world, but you will be doing fairly easy work in an air-conditioned office, most likely from 9-5, with one hour for lunch. Even though your prospective employer will be aware that you’re not in it for the long-haul, you still need to be professional and dress appropriately. Expect to earn around AU$19 an hour. Try seek.com.au for office work and finite.com.au for IT work.
Hospitality and bar work
If you’re after a challenge, fast on your feet and adept at making tips, bar work during the Christmas rush can pay off. In order to work with booze, you’ll need an RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) certificate, which is a one-day course that costs around AU$65. Keep your eye out in local papers for openings and don’t be afraid to go straight to the source and ask behind the bar if they have any openings – confidence is key in this job so it will make you look good anyway. The basic rate is pretty low, but you have the bonus of tips – if you are good at your job, that is.
Au pair/nannying
If you’re a dab-hand at a bedtime story and happy to have your nails painted pink, you’ll find plenty of nannying work over and around the Christmas period as parents’ work and social schedules pick up. Of course you won’t get much over babysitting rates, but if you become a temporary live-in nanny, you can expect to earn around AU$230 per week.
Going back for good? Click ‘Next’
–
Back for good?
If you’re moving back home for good, chances are you’re freaking out about how much stuff you’ve got to leave behind. Your beloved bed, your awesome dresser you found at a vintage store, your car – oh God your car! You saved up for ages for that baby and now you’ve got to sell it? Not necessarily… we drive on the same side of the road in England and Australia y’know, so you could ship your car back home. Cars2Australia, funnily enough, do exactly that. They will assist with the necessary import documentation and application forms, transport your vehicle to the UK docks, prepare your car to ensure it meets Australian Customs standards, carry out a comprehensive condition report, arrange the customs clearance and quarantine inspection in Australia, and finally assist with the registration of your vehicle upon arrival in Australia.
Its fees start at just £495 plus shipping costs, with a shipment taking five to six weeks. Obviously you don’t want to ship an old banger, particularly as customs fees can add on another AU$1,200, but if your car is worth a decent amount, and it will fetch the same or more on re-sale in Australia, then this is definitely worth doing. Visit cars2australia.co.uk for more information on how to proceed.
