When I was just out of college, I worked an extra 2 hours each day and 8 on Saturday for time and a half.
I made enough extra to buy a new VW bug and to fund my coming grad school expenses in less than 2 years.
The thing I noticed was that after a while of working OT, it seems completely natural. And when the cash starts to add-up, it seems like the preferred way live.
It’s possible to have fun while not spending a lot of money in the process.
The eight hour workday is just a vague memory for older salaried workers anyway, reality is more like 60 or even 80 hour workweeks, take pleasure in actually being rewarded for “overtime” rather than it being expected of you in just the normal course of things. An hourly worker being paid a decent hourly rate, $20 or more, with some overtime can easily outstrip salaried recent college grads in entry level positions at the same company. College is not for everybody, hourly work is not for everybody. But, it’s good that everybody has hope and a decent shot at financial stability and a good life by their standards. This was once common knowledge in this country. We’re having to re-learn it now.