Off My Chest

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I just got paid $5.50 per hour. (sopuli.xyz)

submitted 16 hours ago* (last edited 47 minutes ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I hate this town. I hate this fucking town.

I just want to sew. I've been looking for local sewing jobs for fucking ages!!! Everyone in my area is looking for upholstery work. There's a fuckton of boats in my area that people want done. But every single upholstery shop has told me "no". Four local shops. Have a fuckton of work they want done, but they don't want to pay me the amount!!!!

A local shop finally called me back. Guy gave me 4 outdoor cushions to make and said he'd evaluate my work & pay me when it's done.

I worked on 4 cushions, 2 different sizes, complete with piping & zippers on all of them. Took me 3 days. Approximately 6 hours per day of work, a total of 18 hours, and that's the low estimate.

Got it done. Looks awesome.

He gave me 100$. Then he said I could compete with his current seamstress for jobs and he'd choose the cheaper of the two estimates we give.

I want to fucking cry. I have to take this job. Any job. I need the money.

I'M ONLY ASKING FOR LIKE 300$ PER WEEK IN ORDER TO SURVIVE???? Am I crazy????? Is that too much????

At least he gave me the job where I quoted 35$ each for 2 vinyl boat pieces.... that's 70$.. I think I can get it done in day.... wow.... 10$ an hour.... fucking wow......

I hate this. I fucking hate this so fucking much.

God, I want to cry......

EDIT: Start my own business?

During a looming economic crisis + ridiculous foreign tariffs + with real estate currently at an all-time high?

Don't think I can take the risk that right now, as much as I'd like to.

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 12 hours ago

It would be worth finding out why the other seamstress is quoting $25 for each seat. Are they trying to underbid you (or other seamstresses), is that rate sufficient for them, or do they just have no idea what their labour is worth?

If they'd normally bid higher but underbid to get the work in preference to you, you need to talk. You'll either need to work together or in some way set a reasonable rate between you. If they are underbidding to beat others, the market may be saturated, but from your post it sounds like there should be enough work for all.

If the rate is sufficient for them they either have lower living costs somehow, but yours sound low anyway, or they are producing pieces more efficiently than you are, so their effective rate is higher. If that's the case, you might want to talk to them to find out how, although they may not be willing to say.

If they just don't know what their labour is worth and the boss has pushed them to quote that much, you probably need to talk to them about that.

In summary: talk to them. They might not want to talk, which is their perogative, but you both might get more insight into the issue, and maybe find a way to boost your income in the process.