Car insurance, as a young driver, doesn't have to cost a fortune (try a Hoot motor insurance quote if you don't believe it) but it's not exactly going to be pocket money, either.
Unfortunately, we all have to get used to the fact that modern living is pretty expensive. Forget young driver car insurance for a second and you still have bills, rent, mortgage, food, drink, presents, holidays and a hundred other worthy causes to pay for - and chances are that job you're doing at the moment just isn't bringing home enough bacon to cover it all.
It's a tricky situation, and about the only solution is to get a new job with a decent paycheque. Finding one might seem tricky, but armed with the advice in one of our handy careers guides you'll soon be on the fast track to solvency - and with a big slice of job satisfaction on the side.
We've covered all kinds of motoring professions - from mechanic to car salesman, via valet, chauffeur and long-distance lorry driver - and now traffic warden, the subject of this particular guide.
So what does a traffic warden do?
Traffic wardens are primarily responsible for monitoring drivers and vehicles to ensure that laws regarding parking and other road usage are correctly observed.
They operate on any street with parking meters or controlled parking zones, and also cover one-way systems. Besides checking for any illegal stopping in these places, they look for out-of-date tax discs, vehicles reported stolen and goods being loaded or unloaded when they shouldn't be.
Where necessary, traffic wardens issue fixed penalty notices (parking tickets) and arrange for the clamping or seizure of illegally-parked cars. In some areas, the police forces who employ them have given wardens other duties and powers; dealing with a wider range traffic offences for instance, or controlling antisocial behaviour.
They work in shifts both on weekdays and at weekends, from 6.30am to 8pm. Most wardens work 37 hours in a week come rain or shine, and almost all that time is spent on their feet.
Am I the ideal candidate?
If you're seriously thinking about becoming a traffic warden, you're already half way there.
Many people (quite unreasonably) dismiss this career out of hand, because they have hang-ups about work that seems to only bring others misery. If you feel differently and think you could keep feeling positive about the job in the face of daily harassment from members of the public, then it's practically already yours.
Besides a positive attitude you'll need to be comfortable dealing with irate motorists, and as assertive, tactful or patient as the situation requires. If there's ever a job that'll test your patience, it's this one; but you must never lose your cool.
The support of fellow wardens and your colleagues in the police force will be invaluable in the face of all this animosity, so it's important to be a good socialiser and team player. A good sense of humour is likewise invaluable.
Lastly, being on your feet and out in the elements all day means being a traffic warden requires a decent level of fitness.
What qualifications do I require?
Formal qualifications are generally not necessary, but entry requirements do vary between police forces. Some may ask for GCSE grades in Maths and English, or expect candidates to pass a written test paper on one or other of these subjects.
As mentioned above, a certain level of fitness is required and some forces insist on a medical exam. Good eyesight is a prime requisite, but corrected vision (i.e. with contact lenses or glasses) is acceptable. Candidates with visible tattoos may not be accepted.
Living close by is an advantage, as recruiters tend to favour applicants with local knowledge. This is also one of the few careers where older, more experienced people (who are more readily identified as authority figures by members of the public) are more in demand - but that doesn't mean younger candidates won't be considered.
Will it make me a millionaire?
Chances are slim - but jobs don't come much more steady than this, and the prospect of a civil service pension and other such benefits makes it a lot more valuable than the basic salary suggests.
That basic salary - £14,000 to £16,000 a year - can be usually improved on by someone willing to work more evening and weekend shifts. There's also the possibility of promotion to supervisor or management roles, and the wage increases that go along with it.
Further info
See the Police Service gateway at http://www.police.uk for details of all the UK forces and links to their own sites. For national Police Service Recruitment, which includes traffic warden vacancies, try http://www.policecouldyou.co.uk.
Try our insurance for young female or male drivers
Just while you're waiting to hear back about that job application, how about some really cheap car insurance as a cost-cutting measure for the interim?
At Hoot, insurance for young drivers is our speciality, and we regularly out-quote the competition by significant margins.
The secret is our approach to marketing - or lack of it. Other car insurance companies spend millions promoting themselves, but at Hoot we'd rather let you keep that money (in the form of cheap premiums) and leave the promoting up to you.
To see what a difference Hoot could make to your insurance rate, just click below for a quote.