This student Polak has a job, at last.

Nothing great, just working at Lidl. It took such a long time to be given the chance to work but at last I can earn a bit of money as I study. I got so desperate that I even signed up to some extras sites that need people in the background for various television programs and movies. They pay well, usually it is over 100 pounds for the day [ok so not that well] and you get your travel money back and free food and drink, it is just a very long day and quite boring, but at least you don't have to work your butt off. Anyway first day at Lidl today and I found out you get no discounts since the prices are 'supposedly so good' that you do not need them. Not only that if you work over time, no matter what time or what day, it is always the same wage, not time and a half like some places. Also I noticed how when you look at a contract at a place like this it is full of 'you can't do this' and 'you aren't entitled to that.' If I was a footballer or celebrity it would be like 'you are entitled to this' and 'you will get that, plus a free house and car etc.' Man being an average person is hard isn't it.

You get paid over £100 a day at Lidl, is that what youre saying?

In Poland, the pay for extras is about 40 to 50 zl for a morning's work as an extra (background artist), maybe 100 zl for the day.

What about the below average people(49 per cent of the global population)?

No you get paid that as an extra

@RevokeNice

Oh I know that I should be considering myself lucky as others have it worse but if you keep looking at it like that, you'll never make any progress, not matter how bad you have it you'll just think 'well someone else has it worse' and you'll accept it.

Working a menial job teaches one humility. You will look back on working there with pride in years from now.

Smoke a jay before your shift. Should pass the time.

Not terribly easy to get work as an extra in the UK anyway - though it is easy to lose your money by paying a "registration fee" or "fee to be in the book for casting agents to see"

I recall going to a well-known extras agency and even they tried that. "You'll get more regular work if you pay and go in the book" they said.

I replied "I'm quite patient, when I have earned some money from extras work via the non book method, I'll then use that money to go in the book. I don't want to fork out £80 now, I'd rather use the £80 I earn and reinvest that to go in your book."

I don't recall ever hearing from them after that. Was about 15 years ago that I had the interview.

They do on occasion find work for people but they find a lot of money for themselves by taking £100 off each applicant that sends their photos in. How many of those applicants even earn the £100 back in a year I never found out.

There is a genuine extras agency that doesn't take any fee unless you earn, and their book is only open for a short time each year - usually around about now. Personally I'd jump at the chance of £100 for a "boring day" doing that, but that's just me, I always did find film and TV production fascinating and wanted to be part of it. It's not everyone's idea of a living, I know.

do the job but always keep your eyes open for better. nothing wrong with that.

@ InWrocław

I do not pay for any of the extras agencies I sign up for. They are free and I they take the sum of your first paid extras gig as payment, then after that the money that you earn is yours, so at least you do not have to dig in to your own pocket to sign up and they have to get you a gig to make money. Sort of a no win no fee deal.