Money or Happiness

[fngTony]

I’m 42 and hopefully will be out of the corporate world within 5 years as my real estate investments overtake my salary.
I work behind a computer/s all day and it’s getting really old.
However, I appreciate that I can make 6 figures even if it’s not exactly fun…

I can’t imagine the thought of working a corporate job for 20 more years.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’m on the other side, would love to be in your shoes. Either way a couple decades of the same grind wears anyone down.

 

[CorbLand]

That’s why I’m content with the middle of the road approach we took. We’re not in debt much other than the house, some savings etc but still paycheck to paycheck.

Same here. I went to college and got the job I have because it provides a good paycheck and time off. The inflation rate over the last couple years is the only thing that screwed me. But we get by and make it work.

 

[Lvthntitall]

Write down the pros and cons of staying and do the same for leaving. Look in the mirror and ask yourself if you are just feeling sorry for yourself. Once you do those things you gut will let you know what you need to do.

 

[Yoder]

Working like a slave to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to have liberals brainwash your children at college sounds like a terrible plan. Tell them to join the military or get a job a loan and go to community college. It's their dream. Let them fulfill it.

 

[Freewilly]

Fantastic post

I was facing the same type of dilemma
Working at the same place for 44 years
made enough money
had respect
was the go to guy.
Could have stayed 5 more years easy.
Making the decision to retire, I find I don’t need someone to bolster my ego.
living off my savings and SS
I choose happiness

 

[go_deep]

There was 19 kids in my college class, 2 dropped out. There was 2 kids in my college class going to school on their parents dime, guess which 2?

Your kids want time with you, if they really only want your cash, well you come to your own conclusion on that.

 

[9.1]

Take a job interview every year or two just to understand your options and get some practice at it. If you do make a move, do whatever it takes to not burn bridges with your current employer.

 

[Customweld]

You doing any meaningful things as hobbies/sidegigs?
Perhaps that would ease the struggle of the daily grind. Volunteer, mentor, church, etc. if you started something and just knew you could do it full time, make a little money and love it, then consider a change.

I was/am in the same boat. I started volunteering at the local soup kitchen, doing some physical work with fish and game and taking/teaching youngsters how to fish. It definitely made me feel like I was more than a robot at work. Sometimes all you need is that little spark to make you feel alive again, with no need to drastically alter your life or financial trajectory.

 

[Rich M]

I know a couple people that lived their life always saving for tomorrow at the expense of today and tomorrow never came.

That sucks.

We went belly up in 2010 and were at a negative value due to recession killing business. I got another degree and never worked so hard over the next 8-10 yrs. 2023 was the first yr w most weekends free.

Yes, live and have fun. But plan for the future.

 

[49ereric]

Working like a slave to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to have liberals brainwash your children at college sounds like a terrible plan. Tell them to join the military or get a job a loan and go to community college. It's their dream. Let them fulfill it.

If you brain washed them at home college won’t effect them

 

[swampfox]

I left a job I loved to make nearly double at another company, and it was a tough adjustment that I doubted a lot and was not nearly as happy at. But for my situation the extra money made the rest of my life so much easier that I felt it was well worth it. Taking a massive pay cut to still put in a ton of hours for someone else would be hard for me to do. But of course everyone’s situation is different.

I know LinkedIn is stupid, but if you aren’t already my suggestion is to get on there, update your experience and skills, and make yourself open to recruiters. It’s a dumb game to play but at least for me it worked wonders in getting significantly more pay. For white collar type jobs it’s a great resource unfortunately. I’ve never posted anything but just by having my info on there I was able to get a lot of recruitment interest. On top of that, watch for new jobs in your area and be patient for a really great opportunity.

You may be able to find that you can switch to another job in the same line of work that pays close to as much (or even more) than you are making now that you enjoy significantly more. I’d give that a try before throwing away the salary and years of experience.

 

[MattB]

Working like a slave to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to have liberals brainwash your children at college sounds like a terrible plan.

i feel badly for any child whose parents were such scrubs that they wouldn’t teach them the morals and values to resist liberal brainwashing.

 

[william schmaltz]

I once thought the two were separate. I went from broke wildlife tech to roughneck rich and then to working in the environmental field. Spent most of my time working in the field and on the road for five years before I took a big pay cut and switched to state govt side when my kids were born. Within 3 years I was getting recruited by fed agencies and consulting firms for senior level jobs. Basically a three year risk that traded pay for family life resulted in being set in a much better position than I started in as I now work as a manger, make manager money, and get to be home. So sometimes doing what feels right by your family, although tough, works out better.

Consider giving yourself a five year plan to fund other ways to make supplemental passive income. When we set our minds to paying debt or saving for a rental, I would actually get (somewhat) excited to get to work and fund my plans. It becomes so addictive that usually we meet 5 year goals in 4. Replace some or most of your income with passive and let off the gas of your career for the remaining 15 years. That’s my plan anyways.

As others said, you may be surprised at what you’re really worth somewhere else. It’s also worth getting offers other places and bringing them back to the table you’re already at for negotiation.

The “man up” for 20 years suggestion is hot garbage. Most of us have been in a situation where we’ve had to man up and work a shit job for extended hours to get by or go the extra mile for our families. But that’s no way to live for 20 years. Gimme a shack on the rocks over castles in the sand.

 

[william schmaltz]

Reminded me of this song. Every few months it rotates on my playlist and gives me a much needed fresh breath of perspective

 

[Yoder]

i feel badly for any child whose parents were such scrubs that they wouldn’t teach them the morals and values to resist liberal brainwashing.

Two good friends of mine are great fathers. Both of them sent their daughters to college. Paid for the entire thing. Both now hear about the evil patriarchy and systemic racism on a daily basis.

 

[Luked]

I think you answered your own question.
I was in a similar boat a few years ago.
Worked a job as a production manager at an aersol plant somewhat local. About a 30 min drive from home.
Was making over double the money I had at any other job I had ever had.
I only worked 3 days, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 3-12 hour days. Being the boss mine were more like 14 hour days.
The problem I had was my kids are still young and live with their mom, so Divorced family. When they would be with me on the weekends I might see them for about 2 hours a day if that.
I worked that job for almost 2 years and finally had enough.
Took a job that was about a 30k a year cut but I can work from home when I want. Is 10 minutes from my house, and much happier.

 

[TaperPin]

I know LinkedIn is stupid, but if you aren’t already my suggestion is to get on there, update your experience and skills, and make yourself open to recruiters.

I’ll second that. My wife is good at her job and happy where she was. One year she decided to make a good LinkedIn profile, and maybe a year later it caught the eye of another company wanting to expand and now she does the same thing for twice the money.

 

[eddielasvegas]

“Every man has two lives, and the second starts when he realizes he has just one”

Good luck with your decision.


Eddie.

 

[tyco]

I left a job recently and took a >50% pay cut. My hours are less, I’m home more, and the bills are still paid.

Golden handcuffs are tough to break free from. If you’re looking for examples of those that have done it without regret, my hand is raised.

I’m glad I worked those long hours and helped set my family up with a solid foundation. Now that we’re there, the extra time and doing something more meaningful for work is more important to me than the bigger paycheck I walked away from.

 

[MattB]

Two good friends of mine are great fathers. Both of them sent their daughters to college. Paid for the entire thing. Both now hear about the evil patriarchy and systemic racism on a daily basis.

It has been my experience that great fathers don’t raise kids with wandering moral compasses.