I have many friends who work as sailor, both cargo ships, tankers, passenger ships, cruise ships, until the fishing vessel. When I met them, they always talk about life on the ship and interaction while on the ground. Their stories are very interesting, and certainly very remarkable because life at sea is different with the people on the ground, as well as on their financial stories.
From the experience of my sailor friends, the salary they receive is high, can reach nearly U.S. $ 2,000 per month, there may even be more for the ship’s officer or ship’s captain. That salary is actually sufficient even more for himself and his family living expenses. But some of them have complained that the salaries they receive is always up when they fell to the ground, and they do not have anything when the work contract is completed. Why is that?
The sailors average to work at least a minimum of one week on board, some are nearly three months at sea. Even possible for fishing vessels could be more than that. As long as they are in the middle of the ocean, they are in a limited environment. Boring food menus, entertainment as it is, until the job requires very high level vigilance and hard work. Therefore, when they went ashore, they will pour the pent-up desire for being at sea. When it comes down to the ground, with a lot of money in their pockets, they used to shop at will, eat whatever they want, to look for entertainment that they do not feel at sea. Until their money runs out unexpectedly without a trace, no savings, and there is no item for the family.
Suppose you are a sailor has a salary of U.S. $ 300 per month. If your sailing time is 4 months, then you’ll take the money of U.S. $ 1.200 when you went ashore four months later. And I believe, the money that much can be directly discharged within a week on land as a result of saturation in the middle of the sea. A very sad end! Work hard but no results.
Therefore, the financial planning of a sailor is very important to do so there are no regrets later on. And this financial planning is very simple but must be consistent in its implementation.
If you are a sailor who has a salary of U.S. $ 300 per month, 1 year labor contract, and 4 months at sea, then the following is a simple way to manage your finances.
1. Set aside U.S. $ 100 per month in the company where you work. Ask the company to automatically save you money of U.S. $ 100 per month.
2. Ask your employer to send U.S. $ 100 from your paycheck to your family at home, whether it be parents, siblings, or your wife.
3. Ask the company to send U.S. $ 100 the rest of your salary into your personal account.
With this arrangement, then when you went ashore four months later, you just pocketed U.S. $ 400 in your pocket. That is the money that you can use to entertain yourself. It’s up to you whether want to spend it all or not, but you certainly will not be regret when your contract runs out. A year later if you are not going to extend the contract, then at least you have your family at home make a living of U.S. $ 1,200 for one year, and you still have savings in your company as much as U.S. $ 1,200.
If you still want to continue working at sea, then these savings can be used for capital investments such as buying a stock, bond, or deposited in the bank. If you do not want to continue working at sea, then the savings can use for initial capital to open a small business, such as opening a modern retail store or internet business. What you have to do next is diligent in its management, while learning the ways of retail stores business through the internet.