At your service

The service industry isn’t always an easy one — but it has its benefits [Image] ThePennyHoarder.com May 21st, 2019 Did you know today is National Waitstaff Day? Because it is, and we’re thinking about all the awesome people who work in the service industry and make eating out an enjoyable experience. We salute you, past, present and future servers; that service life isn’t easy, but it’s a good gig nonetheless. Today, we’re talking about the benefits of working in the service industry, plus how to manage your money when your income is primarily made up of tips. But first… Our Gift to You The internet is a wild place. Did you know you can dig up free gift cards there? Yup — we’ve spent hours, if not days, testing out dozens of ways you can earn free gift cards online. [Here are our top 10 hits](. Good Ol’ Sodium Bicarbonate Ever mixed up baking powder and baking soda? That’s one mistake you don’t make twice. But while an abundance of baking soda has a way of rendering your cookies inedible, it’s got more uses than you might have ever dreamed of around the house.  From scrubbing sinks and unclogging drains to soothing itchy skin and deodorizing (your armpits and your house), [baking soda is the inexpensive kitchen powerhouse]( you didn’t know could work so hard.  At Your Service Working in the service industry can be tough.  For one, there’s the unpredictability of an always-fluctuating income. Then, there’s the way you frequently wake up at night in a cold sweat and remember you forgot to bring table six its ranch. And the fact that you’re on your feet for hours (and hours) at a time.  Yeah, the service industry is not for the faint of heart. (And that’s without even mentioning the sheer horror of an entire high school sports team coming in half an hour before closing.)  But for those who excel in a demanding, fast-paced, people-facing, never-boring role, a job in the service industry can be, well, awesome.  Not convinced? Here are a few of the reasons we think you shouldn’t rule out serving jobs if you’re on the hunt:  Flexible hours. Serving jobs are a great option for students, parents, caretakers or anyone else who has non-traditional available work hours.  Immediate cash on hand. One huge plus is that you walk out of every shift with cash in your pocket. Plus, if you have bills to pay that can’t wait until payday, you can often pick up an extra shift or two to pad your bank account.  The opportunity to sharpen your soft skills. You may not pick up much technical knowledge that would help you in an office environment, but you do learn a multitude of soft skills when serving tables. Those always look impressive on a resume and still help you in your career!  See what we mean? Waiting tables might sound like an in-between job, but for many, it’s a long-term gig that provides some pretty sweet perks. Here are even more reasons contributor Laura Grace Tarpley says [don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it](.  [Image] WORD OF THE DAY Tipped wage (n): The wage (typically lower than the federal minimum wage) that employers are required to pay their tipped employees as a base rate before tips. If the tipped wage plus tips do not equal at least the federal minimum wage during any given week, the employer must add to the employee’s paycheck to at least meet minimum wage requirements.   The federal minimum tipped wage is just $2.13 per hour for employees who earn at least $30 per month in tips. And while protections are put in place to ensure servers earn at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 for every hour they work, it can be difficult to manage money when your income fluctuates from week to week — and even day to day. Plus, cash has a way of burning a hole in your pocket. This bartender explains [his best tricks for managing and saving money]( when relying on cash tips from a serving job.  [The Penny Hoarder] [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( [YouTube]( The Penny Hoarder | 490 1st Ave S, Suite 800 | Saint Petersburg, Florida 33701 | United States  You can [update your mailing preferences here]( or [unsubscribe]( from all email from The Penny Hoarder.  Questions? View our [Privacy Policy]( .  Having trouble reading this email? You can [view it online](