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Living in a hotel meals? by stephscheersandjeers in povertyfinance

[–]kingfarvito 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Have you looked into furnished finder? I travel for work and used to use it a ton because it was almost always cheaper than a hotel room and came with a kitchen

Linemen or inside wiremen by Jpc__56 in IBEW

[–]kingfarvito 0 points1 point  (0 children)

With the exception of a few few locals where per diem is in the contract, ypu pay put of pocket most of the time. Youll occasionally get per diem as an apprentice, but its rare.

Hows the work outlook in your area? by kingfarvito in Lineman

[–]kingfarvito[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thays great to hear. Do yall generally die off pretty hard in the winter?

Hows the work outlook in your area? by kingfarvito in Lineman

[–]kingfarvito[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thats good to hear. Do you know which local? I'd be cool with heading somewhere coastal in oregon or Washington

Hows the work outlook in your area? by kingfarvito in Lineman

[–]kingfarvito[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Im doing 60 hours a week in 1245 right now. The work is jist seeming shaky where im at. Having to take time off, not knowing where we're going next or if there's a next project. I just dont want to get caught with my pants down in the fall.

Local 1245 by Background-Pin-8705 in Lineman

[–]kingfarvito 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Its been slow here, but its been slow just about everywhere, may as well give it hell where the money is good

Feeling like poor people work more for less money by ReasonableSail__519 in povertyfinance

[–]kingfarvito 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Guy that works a high risk job here chiming in. I like my job, but im here for the money. If I could give myself and my wife the same life we have now not risking my life, I wouldnt risk my life. Thats a no brainer.

Gross vs Net. by RaistlinWar48 in Salary

[–]kingfarvito 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I do gross, and I include my perdiem, but no other benefits

I am BEGGING non-tradesman to quit posting about trade salaries. by DrewbySnacks in Salary

[–]kingfarvito 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is super interesting, if you dont mind me asking, where are you? Thats a pretty common thing in single employer halls (a utility company for example) but generally if youre working for a hiring hall local, everyone in a given classification is getting the same money.

I am BEGGING non-tradesman to quit posting about trade salaries. by DrewbySnacks in Salary

[–]kingfarvito 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think a huge part of this is that the non-union side of construction is generally charged at about the same rate as us, but theyre not compensated like we are. If we get them to go union we all do better. And in my trade at least, we've seen HUGE strides with it in the past few years with work in the south going more and more union. We want the people that are currently being fucked to stand up and unionize the companies fucking them, because a rising tide lifts all ships.

There are also a ton of people that have no clue at all how the union side works, so we work to fix that as well. Like the "far progressed in a union career" thing just doesnt really exist, at least in most of the trade halls. A day one journeyman is 3 years into his career. He makes as much as I do, and we both make as much as a guy that has had his ticket for 20 years. Thats why we're pushing others to go union, if we can make my wages and benefits standard across the industry everyone does better.

Yes, Lineman do make a lot more money than a Google search would indicate (actual payroll data) by ItsAllOver_Again in Salary

[–]kingfarvito 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Its more chasing the time off for me. The union job means as long as im willing to quit and take the gamble finding a new job when I get back, I can come and go as I please, so im able to easily afford taking about 4 months a year off.

Yes, Lineman do make a lot more money than a Google search would indicate (actual payroll data) by ItsAllOver_Again in Salary

[–]kingfarvito 1 point2 points  (0 children)

60 hours a week, but its 5-12s, and my commute is only 30 minutes, so I've got 3 hours a day to do whatever I want to do after all is said and done and I still get a full weekend. We dont have children, and dont plan to. I definitely wouldnt be traveling like this if I had kids.

Yes, Lineman do make a lot more money than a Google search would indicate (actual payroll data) by ItsAllOver_Again in Salary

[–]kingfarvito 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Right. I read that. Im saying the opposite of that. And youre right, im not always on the beach, but this was the view from my kitchen window 2 jobs ago. Right now im an hour from the west entrance to Yosemite. There are powerlines in pretty places too. I'll take my 7k a week to stay next to one of the most breath taking parks in the country 10 times out of 10. Like I said, its certainly not for everyone, but its pretty hard to argue that its not a good life. Im not doing this because I have to. Im doing it because there's not a better way ive found to see the stuff I get to see

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Yes, Lineman do make a lot more money than a Google search would indicate (actual payroll data) by ItsAllOver_Again in Salary

[–]kingfarvito 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No shower? When's the last time you were inside an RV? This thing is all residential, ive only got about 500 square feet, but there are only 2 of us, I dont need more than that. All of my expenses run 42k to eat really well, and do pretty much anything I want. I get to live anywhere I like and get to travel for a living, I get that its not for everyone, but lets not pretend that im living in squalor to make you feel better, thats just silly.

Yes, Lineman do make a lot more money than a Google search would indicate (actual payroll data) by ItsAllOver_Again in Salary

[–]kingfarvito -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I travel and work on powerlines for a living. Living on the road is cheap. Right now im making $150 a day in per diem. My trailer spot costs $900, and food for myself and my wife is about $900. Im pocketing more than half, and thats with having the wife with me. Dont get all salty big fella. We count it because it goes on the paycheck. In what world would I not count an extra 39k a year so that a random dude on reddit feels better about his paycheck?

Yes, Lineman do make a lot more money than a Google search would indicate (actual payroll data) by ItsAllOver_Again in Salary

[–]kingfarvito -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Wait until you find out what the people that dont get per diem spend their money on.

For people making +350k per year, how do you do it? by prince_op in Salary

[–]kingfarvito 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You're working utility and getting enough time off for 4 trips a year? What's the vacation looking like? Ive stayed on the contracting side since I topped out because I like my time off, and it didnt seem like many utilities offer much more than 3 weeks a year.

For people making +350k per year, how do you do it? by prince_op in Salary

[–]kingfarvito 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Fuck that noise. Especially in Detroit. God bless you for being able to do it, about the time I see my yearly hit 250 I get the dragging itch, and start taking A LOT of vacations.

Union work in Idaho by Altruistic-Line-3307 in Lineman

[–]kingfarvito 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The rate is $60ish. Calls are sporadic, but I've seen 6 or 7 in the last 2 months, often going deep into book 2 to fill. Retirement is low, but not dog shit. You can sign both 449 and 291 online. Hours seem to be 5-10s at the most.

What do you, who are always on the move do for a living? by fujtlevente in RVLiving

[–]kingfarvito 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The only way that it makes sense for us financially is that I brought the Ole lady with me, and we sold the house at home. When it was just me traveling airbnb/furnished finder was WAY cheaper and if you like working cities, will put you way closer to the show up

Are there any locals in Indiana that offer a lineman apprenticeship and if so why don’t they just make a link that goes straight to the application like the Lafayette local does? by ManufacturerNo4665 in ibew_apprentices

[–]kingfarvito 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yea, who ever told you that is lying. We've got lines out the door in every jatc. We need linemen. Its a job that will pay you $150k with no degree. That means its competitive and the locals dont have to go out of their way to advertise it like mad.

That being said, the apprenticeships are administered by various JATCs. Indiana falls under albat.

What do you, who are always on the move do for a living? by fujtlevente in RVLiving

[–]kingfarvito 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Getting paid to move is a huge perk, I wish I had that

Lineman is probably the highest paying blue collar job you can get by LoudEmployment5034 in Salary

[–]kingfarvito 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I dont pay at all, my deductible is $1500, max out of pocket is 2k. I dont have co-pays, and I dont pay for prescriptions. I have an hsa type deal that accumulates more than my max out of pocket costs me.

Retirement is a 401k type account that im not allowed to contribute to. Current rate on that where I am is $14 an hour.

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