My job in Belgium: How much does a mechanic earn?

What is your job?
I'm mechanic in a garage. My days are very varied - replacing brakes, maintenance, changing tyres and much more.

Do you like your job?
Very much actually. I like to work on cars and love to work with my hands. Sure, after a day's work my hands are very dirty, but that's part of the job and I wouldn't want it any other way. I go home happy every night. If I had to say something negative, it would be having to get up early. But that’s a price I gladly pay.

What do you think of your salary?
It's good enough as a starting point (€1,500 net per month). Of course I would like to earn more - who doesn't? - but for my first permanent job this is definitely a nice salary.

How many hours do you work per week?
I work 38 hours a week.

Do you save?
I'm trying, but I'm not doing very well. As a student, it was harder to put money aside. Back then I gave hockey training to students at KU Leuven to earn some extra pennies, but I did other things with that money. But now that I have a permanent job, I really do my best to put a bit of money aside on a monthly basis.

What is your biggest expense?
I work on a lot of my own cars, and that eats up a big part of my budget. I also spend a lot of money on hockey and games. Of course, I have the advantage of living at home, so I do not have a lot of costs for the rest. Soon I would like to live alone, so I might have to do something about my savings.

What can you definitely not spend money on?
Spending money on fashion I find difficult. The latest clothes or shoes really do not interest me.

What do you gladly spend money on?
Fixing up my own cars, my hobbies - hockey and gaming - going out with friends, having a good meal.

What would you do if you won the lottery?
I would set aside some of it for the future. In addition, I would also donate some of it to charities. And I’d buy a few nice cars, of course.