GOLD Magazine GOLDMAGAZINE | Página 5

FINANCE Izabela Zdan A au pair ' u Pair is the cheapest way to go to the USA, however, there are tonnes of hidden expenses. At the end of the Au Pair program, I had to pay tax that amounted to 1.5 months of my work,' says Izabela, who used to be an Au Pair in NYC before moving to North Carolina. 'I would be lying if I said you can make a jack out of it. The ‘salary’ amounts to $200 a week. However, the money is not based on working hours which are between 20 – 45/h a week The only way to save a great amount of dollar is to sit at home all the time.' And who would want that having 5th Avenue just few minutes away? The fundamental idea behind Au Pair program is that you do not have to worry about maintenance costs, all of this is paid for you. Although, it’s hard to have your cake and to eat it, explains Isabela, things are not entirely impossible. Au Pair might not be all about earning money but making sure you travel safely without spending thousands. Apart from that, you earn skills and experience. 'Spending time with children taught me to be patient. I learned to manage money too. Not to mention it helps you practice and master other language.' ' T he first time I ever really thought that it was possible for me to become a holiday rep, was when I went on holidays in the past,” said McNamara, former Tui holiday rep. “Seeing the Tui reps do their jobs made me realise that it was something I could see myself doing. After applying for the job online and being one of the lucky applicants who were successful, McNamara was flying off to the Greek Island of Rhodes where she would be able to get all the perks of a regular holiday, but also work in the sun and earn some cash. “The pay with Tui was like a normal job, so I would receive my wages monthly,” said McNamara. “I was paid a set rate of 800 euros, so that would be my income for the month and I would only spend about 300 of that.'' Having the extra cash, if needed, is always a reassurance, especially when you’re in a foreign country. Going abroad on your own can always be a daunting thought, especially when you’ll be living and working there for a set amount of time. For McNamara, she was able to become more independent and self-reliant. “I would 100 per cent recommend it,” said McNamara. “I was able to better my communication skills as well as my confidence.” tui rep Georgia McNamara 4