…

[gbflyer]

CCFR in Juneau Alaska is always looking for firemen and paramedics. I have 2 friends that work there. They have lots of time off. It probably sucks just about as much as it does in any other fire house. There are 3 helicopter outfits there as well flying tourists in AS350’s. I suspect a fella like you would be a hot commodity. There is also an Air Guard station with a UH-60.

Houses and COL are expensive, there’s lots of rain. Outdoor opportunities are limitless. Good community, lots to do for the kids. Quite a few wolf huggers. You’d probably be backing - up financially.

Come on up. Oh and thanks for your service. Not everyone is cut out for it and I appreciate those that are.

 

[ranchhand02]

Go for it. Updated your Linkdin and start networking with people. Apply to jobs and see what fits your skillset. I have heard that St George, Utah is a hotbed for remote workers. I work remotely as a traveling sales rep. I really enjoy it.

 

[Kimber7man]

No idea if they would have anything you would be interested in, but you might want to look at NWSC Crane down in southern Indiana. Outside of Bloomington, there's very few liberals and you'd be on the edge of Hoosier National Forest. Wife could do her remote work (she happen to work for Simon by chance?) and you'd be in a nice supermajority red state.

I live here, and have several clients down in Bloomfield and Greene County, and it's pretty nice down there...

 

[Lone Hunter 1]

I just hit 12 years with the Fire Department. I make good money (120k with about 175 hrs of OT last year.) Good money, not great in the Biden economy, but enough we’re comfortable with my wife’s salary (90k) and the extra I get from the NG.

I like what I do, but I don’t love it anymore. When I got hired I felt like I hit the lottery, but I don’t feel that way anymore. As a firefighter/paramedic I spend most of my time on a medic transport vehicle taking 15-20 runs a day, and dealing with the dregs of society is getting really old. Tons of homeless and an administration that won’t do anything to address the abuse of the EMS system. Getting off the medic is still many years away for me… Promotion is an option but that’s sort of like hitting the reset button with seniority. Plus watching who is getting hired these days I don’t feel like babysitting most of these folks.

At 15 years, I’ll be vested, which means 30% of my pay at age 48. 25 years would be a full retirement and 60%, going up from there if I stick around longer, to include doing the DROP program which is a huge chunk of money.

Someone recently said that pensions are modern day indentured servitude and being in a pension system I tend to agree. I feel trapped by it. It’s too good to leave but not good enough to stay.

To top it off, my wife and I have decided we really don’t like central Ohio. Columbus is a liberal hell hole that gets worse by the day. I find it soul sucking… It’s like a constantly growing amoeba that turns everything around it into suburban hell. We live in a rural area about an hr away. It’s nice, for now, but we have a massive intel chip factory getting built right down the road and we know it won’t be long until the city gobbles up everything around us and the Silicon Valley types move and bring their politics with them.

We would both love to move. Wyoming probably tops our list, followed by Idaho or Montana. My wife is already remote doing corporate retail so the only thing holding us back is my career. We love the outdoors, and there just isn’t a lot of outdoor activity here. Sure a few lakes, and Wayne NF is about an hr and a half away, but this is mostly private farmland. Great deer hunting, but not exactly a ton of places to hike around an explore, camp, backpack, etc. Not to mention western hunting is my passion and that is becoming harder to do every year as a non resident.

I’ve come to the conclusion that 3 years would be about the perfect time to move if we’re gonna do it. Vested in the pension, my son will be 6, so just starting grade school. If I wait to 25, he will be starting high school, which is much harder.

Financially I’d probably take a hit especially with regards to retirement, but I’ve learned that money isn’t everything. Life is too short to live somewhere you hate.

A little background on my resume… I’ve got a BSBA in management from a well respected university. I spent four years as a Tank Officer in the USMC Reserve. I went to Army Flight School after that and currently fly UH-60s part time. I kept my commission for a while and was a Company Commander for 3 years, but recently reverted to being a Warrant, mainly to have a better lifestyle for my family. I’ll probably attend the Aviation Safety Officer course in the next year or so which will pad the resume a bit.

So I’ve got a unique background to say the least. If anything, I think it’s pretty clear I’m trainable and capable.

I considered the airlines a bit due to the pilot shortage… I love flying and it’s something that has come very naturally to me, and the income potential there is huge long term, but I’m very hesitant to make that leap. I’d have to go get my commercial multi, take a pay cut for a few years, build time at the regionals, and even if I did make it to a major I’d always be tied to a big city even if I commuted. Bottom line, it’s just not a lifestyle I want with a family, and there aren’t a lot of domiciles in WY/MT/ID.

I’ve also considered PA school, but again going back to school full time with a young family seems like a terrible idea.

I’ve got a former NCO/crew chief who is fully remote with Raytheon and loves it. He’s at about 90k but can work literally from anywhere. 9-5, flexible schedule. I never thought I’d want to drive a desk but at this point in my life at age 36 I’m over doing the sexy stuff. I’m not sure how well my resume would translate to something like this but I’m very tempted… I feel like I need to start building my linked in profile, put my resume out there in another year or so and see what bites. In the mean time, I have a job, so no harm no foul if nothing works out. I’d probably take a pay cut, and I’d certainly have to work longer until retirement, but I feel like the flexibility would be worth it.

Putting this out there to rokslide for perspective… I’d love some input from an outside viewpoint. Is it doable to find a remote job with a decent salary given my resume? Have a lost my mind to consider walking away from the pension and a secure job to move and start a new career?

BuckeyeRifleman, Do you think it will be any better any where else? I completely understand what you’re talking about. I got hired into the F.D. in 1987. I felt like I hit the lottery also. I used to get mad when I had to go home from work and in later years I would get mad about having to go to work. After about 14 years in the dept. I was getting real tired of the BS. Like you, medical calls, bums, druggies, all the fires and being up all night plus the dumb azzes they promote it gets to you. Then,after being up all night, go work 8-12 hours on a part time job after pulling 24 hrs. the day before. One more thing, when you retire and go to draw Social Security they will TAKE HALF of your money. Fire,Police, and railroad are punished for having a retirement plan. In 1983 our great (severe sarcasm)Senate voted a bill in called the windfall tax . I get HALF of my SS that I worked for, they steal the other half. I also worked for my pension. My dept didn’t pay near as good as yours. When you think about going somewhere else the commies are moving there also. They come from perverted places and ways and spread their poison. Think long and hard about a career change. I have been retired 10 years now.

 

[huck]

Just remember they call it work for a reason. If it wasnt they would call it fun. That said , I quit a real good job about 10yr. ago to be self employed , had 20yr. in with that outfit . Best thing I ever did , dont make squat for money but I and my family is happy . Thats what life is really about.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

I work in a state position as a fisheries biologist. Have 2 young kids and my wife transitioned to staying home with them when we had the second. Her prior income doubled our salary. My income is about half of yours currently and I have to work 35 years to get a full pension while contributing ~10%. Health benefits are great, vacation and holiday package is great. I enjoy my job overall although my current role is more desk work than I would prefer. Lots of overtime opportunities, but ot budget is limited so it is comp time.

I need to find a consistent side gig to make some cash. I come from a family of farmers and self employed tradesmen. They can not relate to feeling trapped by the pension system and when they needed more money they just worked harder or more hours.

I have considered private sector consulting work to double my salary, but those companies rarely keep people in any one location for significant lengths of time and job security can leave a lot to be desired.

My current position is highly desirable in my field, so I should be thankful. It is just hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The biggest benefit right now is a consistent schedule that allows me to spend lots of time with my young kids.

Just providing my random thoughts as my current situation is similar to the OP at a much reduced salary.

 

[rentalrunner22]

I took a 10% paycut to move out west 6 years ago. I wouldn't move back to an area I didn't like for a 300% raise. I'm not exaggerating. Apply for jobs that interest you and pay "enough for your family" (define that), and live your dream. It doesn't take $100000000

 

[kylegreulich]

Not exactly in your shoes but I recently made the jump into aviation in my early 30s. Regional airline pay has gone up significantly, and maybe a career at something like Skywest with an SLC base is an option. I don't really know what the life of a 20 year regional captain looks like because most people goals are to move on, but the desperation for captains is obvious where maybe for some people that type of position can be a career, rather than stepping up to majors.

Also, at least in the Northeast, pilot examiners are making a killing. I am sure exams are cheaper in other parts of the country, but man the last couple years, these guys are easily pulling in $200k cash if they want to. My CFI ride alone was $1300. I have taken multiple rides with regional pilots who supplement as DPEs. That's probably more work than you are looking for but I think it's gotten to the point where you can live off DPE salary and work when you want to. I even know a couple that travel to rides, own their own planes, and can basically write all the ownership expenses to the business. Doesn't seem like a bad life.

 

[Rifleman86]

Decided to stick it out for now… Wife just left her career to spend more time at home which I’m very happy about, so that means I’m the primary breadwinner. Not exactly wise to throw away a six figure career when that’s the case. Plus, I did the math on my pension. ~2.2 million over 30 years if I stick it out for another 12 years, not factoring in raises and pension increases for inflation. Nor does that include my military pension. That’s a significant chunk of change to walk away from and I’ll be in my late 40s. Not young, but not exactly old either. It will make jumping to a less stable but more lucrative and flexible career like full time aviation much easier. Plus by that point I should have the flight hours to get a helicopter EMS or firefighting job.

My current career is recession proof, and I feel like we’re about to collectively feel that pain. The cracks are showing with the run of bank failures. I lived through 2008, and this feels eerily similar.

Would l love to say “f*ck it”, sell a bunch of stuff, load up the truck, move to WY/MT/ID? You bet. That’s cool to do in your 20s, and in hindsight I should’ve done it about 10 years ago. But it’s not so wise in your late 30s with a family to support.

But it’s important to pause at points in life and reevaluate where you are and where you want to go. Appreciate all the input in this thread. Helped me work through it and feel better about where I’m at.

 

[Hooverfb]

I just hit 12 years with the Fire Department. I make good money (120k with about 175 hrs of OT last year.) Good money, not great in the Biden economy, but enough we’re comfortable with my wife’s salary (90k) and the extra I get from the NG.

I like what I do, but I don’t love it anymore. When I got hired I felt like I hit the lottery, but I don’t feel that way anymore. As a firefighter/paramedic I spend most of my time on a medic transport vehicle taking 15-20 runs a day, and dealing with the dregs of society is getting really old. Tons of homeless and an administration that won’t do anything to address the abuse of the EMS system. Getting off the medic is still many years away for me… Promotion is an option but that’s sort of like hitting the reset button with seniority. Plus watching who is getting hired these days I don’t feel like babysitting most of these folks.

At 15 years, I’ll be vested, which means 30% of my pay at age 48. 25 years would be a full retirement and 60%, going up from there if I stick around longer, to include doing the DROP program which is a huge chunk of money.

Someone recently said that pensions are modern day indentured servitude and being in a pension system I tend to agree. I feel trapped by it. It’s too good to leave but not good enough to stay.

To top it off, my wife and I have decided we really don’t like central Ohio. Columbus is a liberal hell hole that gets worse by the day. I find it soul sucking… It’s like a constantly growing amoeba that turns everything around it into suburban hell. We live in a rural area about an hr away. It’s nice, for now, but we have a massive intel chip factory getting built right down the road and we know it won’t be long until the city gobbles up everything around us and the Silicon Valley types move and bring their politics with them.

We would both love to move. Wyoming probably tops our list, followed by Idaho or Montana. My wife is already remote doing corporate retail so the only thing holding us back is my career. We love the outdoors, and there just isn’t a lot of outdoor activity here. Sure a few lakes, and Wayne NF is about an hr and a half away, but this is mostly private farmland. Great deer hunting, but not exactly a ton of places to hike around an explore, camp, backpack, etc. Not to mention western hunting is my passion and that is becoming harder to do every year as a non resident.

I’ve come to the conclusion that 3 years would be about the perfect time to move if we’re gonna do it. Vested in the pension, my son will be 6, so just starting grade school. If I wait to 25, he will be starting high school, which is much harder.

Financially I’d probably take a hit especially with regards to retirement, but I’ve learned that money isn’t everything. Life is too short to live somewhere you hate.

A little background on my resume… I’ve got a BSBA in management from a well respected university. I spent four years as a Tank Officer in the USMC Reserve. I went to Army Flight School after that and currently fly UH-60s part time. I kept my commission for a while and was a Company Commander for 3 years, but recently reverted to being a Warrant, mainly to have a better lifestyle for my family. I’ll probably attend the Aviation Safety Officer course in the next year or so which will pad the resume a bit.

So I’ve got a unique background to say the least. If anything, I think it’s pretty clear I’m trainable and capable.

I considered the airlines a bit due to the pilot shortage… I love flying and it’s something that has come very naturally to me, and the income potential there is huge long term, but I’m very hesitant to make that leap. I’d have to go get my commercial multi, take a pay cut for a few years, build time at the regionals, and even if I did make it to a major I’d always be tied to a big city even if I commuted. Bottom line, it’s just not a lifestyle I want with a family, and there aren’t a lot of domiciles in WY/MT/ID.

I’ve also considered PA school, but again going back to school full time with a young family seems like a terrible idea.

I’ve got a former NCO/crew chief who is fully remote with Raytheon and loves it. He’s at about 90k but can work literally from anywhere. 9-5, flexible schedule. I never thought I’d want to drive a desk but at this point in my life at age 36 I’m over doing the sexy stuff. I’m not sure how well my resume would translate to something like this but I’m very tempted… I feel like I need to start building my linked in profile, put my resume out there in another year or so and see what bites. In the mean time, I have a job, so no harm no foul if nothing works out. I’d probably take a pay cut, and I’d certainly have to work longer until retirement, but I feel like the flexibility would be worth it.

Putting this out there to rokslide for perspective… I’d love some input from an outside viewpoint. Is it doable to find a remote job with a decent salary given my resume? Have a lost my mind to consider walking away from the pension and a secure job to move and start a new career?

I know im way late to the party, but sometimes its a matter of perspective. I'm from North Canton area. So i know what youre saying about Columbus (and you didnt say it, but Cinci as well). However... having moved to metros of Texas, Cinci/Columbus look like conservative bastions by comparison lol. Which i was not expecting at all. I remember my first conversation with someone here when i was in shock to hear someone refer to them as more conservative. Everything is relative.

 

[Newtexican]

Someone recently said that pensions are modern day indentured servitude and being in a pension system I tend to agree. I feel trapped by it. It’s too good to leave but not good enough to stay.

I agree 100%. In may I’ll have 16 years in with a major oil company that offers 100% company funded pension. At 43 years of age it’s a minimum 12 more years to hit the magic number of 55 and the pension numbers really look nice.
I’ve been thinking of finding another job closer to family and better quality of life. I guess the fear of missing out on that pension gets the best of me at times.

 

[rentalrunner22]

Could also put feelers out there for consulting with your skillset and see if you're able to get some work. I just started some reliability engineering, root cause analysis, and project mgmt consulting. If I can find some sustainable business, it should allow me to get better at my skillset and give me more lifestyle flexibility. Best of luck on your career journey.

 

[ProbablyHunting]

I agree 100%. In may I’ll have 16 years in with a major oil company that offers 100% company funded pension. At 43 years of age it’s a minimum 12 more years to hit the magic number of 55 and the pension numbers really look nice.
I’ve been thinking of finding another job closer to family and better quality of life. I guess the fear of missing out on that pension gets the best of me at times.

This is ridiculous. Pensions are a rare privilege that few people get anymore. Having a guaranteed early retirement with benefits 12 years before the national retirement age is not indentured servitude. No one is forcing you to stay. They're encouraging you to stay with money, which is a big difference.

As others in this thread have said, the real indentured servitude is debt. Stay out of debt, keep your wants small, and you have the freedom to do whatever you want. Living isn't that expensive if you keep it to the essentials.

 

[TaperPin]

An old thread, but I was glad to see the decision to stay put. Less populated states look great from the outside, but you literally need to outlive people to move up the food chain in many cases.

I‘ve known ems fixed wing and helicopter pilots, paramedic/fire, contract paramedic, straight fire, etc. in various states out west and you would have to be careful thinking grass is greener, unless there was an out of the ordinary opportunity because of a major organizational change.

Our oldest is a paramedic/fire and his area outsources transports to a private company full of inexperienced crew, which is nice, but it’s also boring for him. He will probably move completely into fire to get on a rescue truck.

Out west our reserve units might not be something you’re interested in so think long and hard on that. Artillery is not for everyone, and some air guard units are notorious for being frequently deployed.

Unless you already have a crap ton of hours aviation is a hard row to hoe - there are only so many seasonal crop dusting and tourist hauling jobs out west and tons of mechanics and other wannabies working for peanuts at every airport. If you love it, commercial pilots live all over the west and have made it work.

Lots of money in medical - lots and lots - especially the management side, specialized, or traveling types. A relative used to buy and sell, or do contract management for old folks homes and can’t imagine making as much money doing anything else.

PA education can now be accessed online for much of it - a relative of a relative just finished up a year ago and did most of it remotely - but I have no clue what, when, who or how. The money a well groomed PA makes working as the primary source of contact for a high volume joint replacement surgeon is ridiculous - however, explaining 10 times to old people how to take their pills, multiplied by 20 times a day, would get old for me. Everything is specialized so there‘s probably a flavor that fits most people, not that all of them make good money, because they don’t.

Before changing careers, laterally at least, a lot of people would benefit from learning how to appreciate the job they have - much of our satisfaction is based on perspective and self talk. Smart people can do a number of different things well, but not being content in a good situation can take a big chunk of progress and flush it with each move. A retired advertising executive client once told me he would have enjoyed an anthropology career a lot more than advertising, but it wouldn’t have paid for the 8,000 sqft Wyoming retirement house we were building him, or the chunk of cash that had his kids off to a good start.

 

[Huntndog]

I was in a similar situation. Having served as a Presbyterian minister for 25 or so years I was burnt out,but still needed a salary and years put in for a pension.
We started a boarding and training kennel ON THE SIDE.
As the kennel grew we phased out of ministry and into full time dogs. We became debt free and kept putting the profits back into the business. Fifteen years later I hunt and fish all over the world and we make at least 7 x what I used to get paid. It’s a ton of work,but well worth it to builld a business.
My advice is figure out what you love to do most and go for it.
BUT pay as you go. Live off your wife’s salary while you intern or work two jobs at once…….whatever is necessary. It’s wide open out there if you find your niche.

 

[bozeman]

I would strongly advise for those 'no longer happy' in their current situation to do this: turn off ALL social media (including this site) for 30 days and each day make a list of what you are thankful for. After 30 days, see if you still are 'no longer happy'. Simple to do, but not easy.........Keep in mind that comparison destroys contentment..........

 

[menhaden_man]

Hey @BuckeyeRifleman , sorry if I missed any of this in earlier but here are a few thoughts. I've lived in close to 15 states and been to most parts of the country. Did a similar move for similar reasons in 2020 (I'm about ten years older with three kids) and only regret was not doing it sooner.

- What's your house situation like? I ask because that's typically the biggest expense. We sold our place for about double what we paid and picked up our new house with cash (a >2,500 mile move though).

- We paid off all our student loans, vehicles, and properties. Surprising how much less $ you need to live without debt burden, though inflation, foreign wars, big gov't is quickly taking a cut into that buffer. We both grew up poor with no inheritance so it can be done with reasonable intelligence, work ethic, and mobility.

- Hypothetically we left a LOT of money on the table leaving, but my quality of life, time with the kids, and overall health is better than it's been since high school in the 1990s.

- I agree that it's important to not overlook politics. Liberals make great coffee and music but that's about it. I enjoy not having rainbow flags in my children's faces every day and don't mind that they still have Christmas parties at school or pray before the football game. Also turns out that standards (grades) and skillsets like long division are important in life!

There are some slick websites that can help you size up what a move might look like. Good luck buddy - you won't regret it.

City-Data.com - Stats about all US cities - real estate, relocation info, crime, house prices, cost of living, races, home value estimator, recent sales, income, photos, schools, maps, weather, neighborhoods, and more

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[bozeman]

That cost comparison really shows me how fortunate I am!! Wow, housing in other cities is INSANE!!!

 

[Rifleman86]

Hey @BuckeyeRifleman , sorry if I missed any of this in earlier but here are a few thoughts. I've lived in close to 15 states and been to most parts of the country. Did a similar move for similar reasons in 2020 (I'm about ten years older with three kids) and only regret was not doing it sooner.

- What's your house situation like? I ask because that's typically the biggest expense. We sold our place for about double what we paid and picked up our new house with cash (a >2,500 mile move though).

- We paid off all our student loans, vehicles, and properties. Surprising how much less $ you need to live without debt burden, though inflation, foreign wars, big gov't is quickly taking a cut into that buffer. We both grew up poor with no inheritance so it can be done with reasonable intelligence, work ethic, and mobility.

- Hypothetically we left a LOT of money on the table leaving, but my quality of life, time with the kids, and overall health is better than it's been since high school in the 1990s.

- I agree that it's important to not overlook politics. Liberals make great coffee and music but that's about it. I enjoy not having rainbow flags in my children's faces every day and don't mind that they still have Christmas parties at school or pray before the football game. Also turns out that standards (grades) and skillsets like long division are important in life!

There are some slick websites that can help you size up what a move might look like. Good luck buddy - you won't regret it.

City-Data.com - Stats about all US cities - real estate, relocation info, crime, house prices, cost of living, races, home value estimator, recent sales, income, photos, schools, maps, weather, neighborhoods, and more

2024 Compare Cities

Best Places to Live | Compare cost of living, crime, cities, schools and more.

www.bestplaces.net

Personalized Location Ranking & Comparison Calculators | Dwellics

At Dwellics, we help you choose the perfect place to live using metrics that matter most to you. Explore 60,000+ U.S. cities, towns, and villages in seconds.

dwellics.com

Thanks @menhaden_man

We did the math and decided to stay put… for now.

As of now, I’ve got around 11 years before I can retire with a pretty decent pension. I have a feeling that will go by before I know it. I’ll be 48/49 years old depending on how much sick time I can burn at the end. Between that pension, my military pension, and the equity in my house/property, we’re gonna be sitting fairly comfortable spot to move wherever we want at that point. Not nearly as comfortable if I did a full 33 years instead of 25, but at one point all the money in the world can’t be traded for time.

By happenstance and frankly luck, the largest economic development project in the history of Ohio got started this past year about 10 minutes away from my house. It will be done in 2025 and bring in thousands of high paying jobs. 10 years later my house and the 20 acres it sits on should sell for enough money I should be able to buy/build where ever we decide to relocate to in cash. Even if we have to downsize a little bit or live in town, living mortgage free will be worth it.

Between that, deferred comp/TSP/Roth civilian and military pension my only real concern is gonna be healthcare. That can be taken care of by getting back in the guard, wife getting a work from home gig, or working at the local hardware store full time.

As much as I’d like to put in my two weeks tomorrow, load up the family and head west, it just doesn’t make sense. I’d still be compromising. I’d have to work for much longer to make up for my loss of a pension even if I made more, and I’d likely be tied to a big city that just happened to be a little closer to the things we like to do.

Pinedale WY, Cody WY, Dillon MT, Ennis MT, and Salmon ID are all on the short list. Taking the wife out to the Pinedale area in Sept.

 

[menhaden_man]

Thanks @menhaden_man

We did the math and decided to stay put… for now.

As of now, I’ve got around 11 years before I can retire with a pretty decent pension. I have a feeling that will go by before I know it. I’ll be 48/49 years old depending on how much sick time I can burn at the end. Between that pension, my military pension, and the equity in my house/property, we’re gonna be sitting fairly comfortable spot to move wherever we want at that point. Not nearly as comfortable if I did a full 33 years instead of 25, but at one point all the money in the world can’t be traded for time.

By happenstance and frankly luck, the largest economic development project in the history of Ohio got started this past year about 10 minutes away from my house. It will be done in 2025 and bring in thousands of high paying jobs. 10 years later my house and the 20 acres it sits on should sell for enough money I should be able to buy/build where ever we decide to relocate to in cash. Even if we have to downsize a little bit or live in town, living mortgage free will be worth it.

Between that, deferred comp/TSP/Roth civilian and military pension my only real concern is gonna be healthcare. That can be taken care of by getting back in the guard, wife getting a work from home gig, or working at the local hardware store full time.

As much as I’d like to put in my two weeks tomorrow, load up the family and head west, it just doesn’t make sense. I’d still be compromising. I’d have to work for much longer to make up for my loss of a pension even if I made more, and I’d likely be tied to a big city that just happened to be a little closer to the things we like to do.

Pinedale WY, Cody WY, Dillon MT, Ennis MT, and Salmon ID are all on the short list. Taking the wife out to the Pinedale area in Sept.

It's a complicated calculation and I also stayed put for a while. You'll know when the time is right and taking your lumps at work until the kids are a little more independent and the money equation makes more sense isn't the worst option.