Smart Cookies

Have you ever wondered if taking on a part time job would really be worth it? Well, it might be, especially if you consider the employee discount. Smart Cookie Angela shares her story below. And be sure to check out all of Ang’s Smart Cookie columns in the Globe and Mail.

Window-shopping and wishful thinking were regular activities of mine after I purchased my first condo. With little money to spare after the expected – and unexpected – costs associated with buying, I realized it would take time and creative solutions to fill my space with items I loved.

The first item on my list was a white wooden kitchen table with room for six. It sat in the window of a furniture store I passed every day on my way to work. After a handful of visits, I noticed a sign propped on the table that said they were hiring part-time staff. The wheels started turning. Then a full-timer informed me that the employee discount is 40 per cent – and it starts immediately.

Now the wheels were picking up speed. I loved the store, I could use the money, and with a generous discount I could finally afford my table. So there I was the following Saturday, sporting a headset and learning the ropes. On the first break of my first shift I bought my table. I saved $1,500. (And no, I didn’t quit the next day. I stayed on for a few months until I could no longer balance it with my day job.)

I know we don’t all have the time or the opportunity to take on extra work, but if you do, consider the attached perks. A little extra cash in your pocket is one of the main reasons to add a part-time job to the mix, but the generous employee discounts, at a store you already like to shop at, is another. Just don’t let the savings let you get carried away!

Start the conversation below – would you ever take on a part time job to get the discount on something you LOVED?