Other Expenses?

[Hal Jordan]

Hi all,

So a few posts have suggested that it cost between $500-550 per month for rations and $88 for quarters. Are there other expenses that anyone can think of i.e., What about laundry detergent, soap, shaving cream, and etc?

So suppose you make around $2600 as a private cadet or if you're an officer cadet then I believe it's around $1400. Then that means you will end up with less than $1962 or $762 as a private or officer, respectively? Can someone shed some light on this? Is my math wrong?

 

[MikeL]

Hi all,

Are there other expenses that anyone can think of i.e., What about laundry detergent, soap, shaving cream, and etc?

go to a store and find out yourself... its things everyone buys, military and civilian.. living expenses

 

[MSE OP]

Hi all,

So a few posts have suggested that it cost between $500-550 per month for rations and $88 for quarters. Are there other expenses that anyone can think of i.e., What about laundry detergent, soap, shaving cream, and etc?

So suppose you make around $2600 as a private cadet or if you're an officer cadet then I believe it's around $1400. Then that means you will end up with less than $1962 or $762 as a private or officer, respectively? Can someone shed some light on this? Is my math wrong?

You know you get taxed right? you will get less then $2600 a month, also its IMPOSSIBLE to say how much your expenses would be since each person differs. Common sense bro

 

[mathabos]

Other expense can include but are not limited to: weekend outings (when allowed out) , on-site subway restaurant, on-site cinema, and daily essentials.

As for the 1400 a month for officers, that amount only applies if you enter under the ROTP program (regular officer training plan).
If you were a Direct entry officer, ie you have a degree, you will receive 3644 according to the pay scales

pay scales here
http://www.forces.ca/en/page/payscales-131#officersregular-1

 

[MikeL]

Also, theres no such rank as Private Cadet.. it's either Private Recruit, Basic, or Trained. Hal, I don't know what you are thinking but you still have to buy things you want.. other expensives are clothing(non-military), cable, internet, etc, etc  - cable, internet apply to when you are out of the training system and posted to a base/unit.

All of us that are CF members have lived off Pte(R) and OCdt pay, it is do able.

 

[Hal Jordan]

MSE OP-HOPEFULLY I don't think my question is unreasonable. In every profession, there might be implicit costs that are involved. For instance,  construction workers can make a lot of money but most of them tend to drink a lot or maybe they have to buy their own equipment. Another example is lawyers. Lawyers tend to make a lot of money but they might need to buy expensive suits or cars in order to fit in well with their fellow colleagues. Of course, we can find counter examples but that is not the point. The point is that there might be certain implicit costs that many people are not aware of that military personnels might incur. So it might not be a simple case of common sense.

mathabos are you sure about those figures? If what you're saying is true then you get paid the same as a second lieutenant? I was under the impression that you receive your commission after basic. So the pay might be the same as an OCTP, but I could be wrong with this.

Skeletor gotcha. Private recruit would make more sense than private cadet. My bad.


I appreciate everyone's responses. It does shed some light. Thanks.

Hal

 

[ballz]

Wow...  :facepalm:

I suggest you start considering biting your tongue before you offend somebody.

Your "examples" are only more proof of what has been said above, that your expenses are due to YOUR lifestyle.

But since you want to follow the crowd in the military, a lot of members smoke or chew tobacco and apparently we drink more than average according to an artice posted here on army.ca somewhere, and they REALLY like guys who always have an extra smoke or an extra drip or who will buy a round.

So start with tallying those "expenses."

 

[mathabos]

mathabos are you sure about those figures? If what you're saying is true then you get paid the same as a second lieutenant? I was under the impression that you receive your commission after basic. So the pay might be the same as an OCTP, but I could be wrong with this.

I am an ROTP officer cadet so I will stick to what I know.

I am receiving the rate of 1487. Upon completion of my degree I get SLt pay. Until you complete it, you move up to level 1,2,3 and so on.

Speculation :
In the pay scale guide you only see DEO at the rank of SLt. Therefore, from what I have heard from others and can see, they receive the rate of 3644. I am unsure what OCTP is.
Someone on this site with more experience than me should be able to clarify this situation.

 

[Hal Jordan]

It definitely isn't my intention to offend anyone. I hope no one took offense to my comment. I simply want to point out that it's not merely a simple matter of common sense. I'll give one last example. A friend of mine works for an oil company up in northern Alberta, and he makes good money but the problem is the cost of living is very high there. ANd most people who get excited about getting a job like that, in fact, are not aware of that. They think they're making a lot of money when they're not making as much. So the point is that there is a cost involved that most people are not aware of, but only the people who have worked in the field are in the position to know. So maybe the military works in a similar fashion. It is possible that there are hidden costs that most people are not aware of, but only after you've joined that these costs become apparent.

In any event, I wish to let this matter go to rest before things turn sour. Plus, I think you guys answered my question. I think we can have disagreement with polite conversation. Again, I didn't mean to offend anyone. I'm merely disagreeing with respect. 

I wish you guys luck.

Hal

p.s
Thanks mathabos. I didn't know that about the ROTP. And I agree with you that I guess we'll just let someone else who knows about the OCTP thing.