Decision Made

[CoolChange]

Meh, if they don't want to do a contractor thing, so be it. I am sick of the nonsense anyway.

Ditto; but, there is something about the devil I know being a somewhat comforting thought going into ESR.

Good luck and congratulations on making the decision.

 

[W2R]

Brewer, given the title of this thread ("Decision Made") the only response that comes to my mind is, "er, well, Congratulations?" I hope your decision is a happy one for you and that life gives you everything you desire.

Being done with the decision making process and seeing a clear path ahead is a nice feeling, that's for sure.

 

[KB]

Congratulations on making your decision; I know you have wrestled with it for awhile. I hope it all works out the way you want. The good news is that once you make the decision, all the crap that happens at work seems less important.

 

[FUEGO]

Congrats, this sounds awesome. It sounds like you are entering into this with the right attitude. Worst case, in a year or three you go back to work (somewhere).

One idea to do before you announce your resignation, make sure you have all your excess vacation/PTO/sick days/leave days used up sufficiently so you don't leave anything on the table. I am slowly realizing my employer has strange rules about getting paid out for leave time that are counter intuitive and totally different than what I am used to in similar jobs. I thought I had a vested right to certain pots of leave time I have accumulated but that vested right extends to only a certain number of hours of leave. In other words, I would be better off taking a few weeks off right before my resignation, then cashing out the remaining leave time. If I resigned with the full amount of leave time in place, the amount they pay out is limit to 30 days vacation (or something like that).

 

[brewer12345]

Congrats, this sounds awesome. It sounds like you are entering into this with the right attitude. Worst case, in a year or three you go back to work (somewhere).

One idea to do before you announce your resignation, make sure you have all your excess vacation/PTO/sick days/leave days used up sufficiently so you don't leave anything on the table. I am slowly realizing my employer has strange rules about getting paid out for leave time that are counter intuitive and totally different than what I am used to in similar jobs. I thought I had a vested right to certain pots of leave time I have accumulated but that vested right extends to only a certain number of hours of leave. In other words, I would be better off taking a few weeks off right before my resignation, then cashing out the remaining leave time. If I resigned with the full amount of leave time in place, the amount they pay out is limit to 30 days vacation (or something like that).

Exactly: if it does not work out for some reason, I go back to work (or DW does if I find I cannot).

Things are pretty straight forward here. I cliff vest in retirement goodies in December. They don't allow us to carry over material amounts of vacation time and we don't accrue PTO/sick time at all, so there is very little to be left on the table.

 

[hausfrau]

Congrats- I sort of did the same thing last year, except the impetus was me missing my young child desperately! DH has a job that covers our modest bills and allows us to save (only around 15-20% now).

I'm mostly happy and so is DH and the kiddo, but sometimes I'm conflicted because I know I'll never make the kind of salary I did again. Sometimes I wonder if it would have been wiser to stick it out for until we both had the option to RE.

 

[DallasFH]

Congrat Brewer!!!

Does your wife have a clear understanding you are not trading your Corp job to be a maid yeah? I see another post about house cleaning above and scare to death trying the same exit.

 

[brewer12345]

DW and I have always shared house tasks, kid stuff, etc. I don't expect much of a change, although I will pick up stuff like mowing the lawn when we fire the lawn service.

 

[WM]

Congrats! That's really exciting. I know you were intending to wait it out and go straight to ER, but this way it's like you're getting an early start!

 

[obgyn65]

Congratulations, Brewer.

 

[Redbugdave]

That's great Brewer! Now, you can slow down and smell the roses. And more important things like doing stuff with the kids, and hunting and fishing and gardening and...

Kinda like Donald, (The WebCajun)...
Country Living - Home Vegetable Garden - YouTube
Country Living 2 - Growing a Vegetable Garden - YouTube

Ahhh...

 

[Brett_Cameron]

Congratulations, Brewer. I enjoy reading your comments and posts and believe you will be successful.

 

[Dreamer]

Congrats making the decision. It seems that you have been unhappy for awhile regarding the job situation. I agree with the others that you are intelligent and plan well, so I think that you will do fine and will be much happier. Good luck!

 

[haha]

Way to go Brew. Live long and prosper.

Ha

 

[LoneAspen]

Hey Brewer - where in Colorado do you live, if you care to say? You mentioned lawn service, so I assume you're in Denver or the Springs.

I lived in Littleton, and also in Teller County (west of the Springs, up in the mountains) when I lived in Colorado, and loved it. Someday, I hope to get back there, at least for a year or two to start my "Life 2.0" hopefully in a couple years, if I'm lucky enough to be able to (semi) retire.

Regardless, be safe out there...I understand Colorado is having a heck of a time with the drought and fire conditions. Makes me sad to see all those forests burning in the summertime

 

[brewer12345]

Heh, I am in the south burbs of Denver. I always wanted to live out here and DW grew up here. Have been plotting a way to get back here since 2004, but it did not gel until 2011 when I got lucky with a transfer. Since this is where I always wanted to retire, I am happy to already be in place.

 

[Milton]

Given that you have unique and irreplaceable expertise, you hold the whip hand in any negotiations. To make the next year easier to endure, why not demand that they now provide you with the flexibility and "upside" you currently crave?

 

[walkinwood]

Congrats on the decision! A year will fly by faster than you can imagine now.

Get started on an aged beer that you can uncork on ER day!

 

[Packman]

Congrats Brewer. I took the plunge almost 2 years ago and haven't looked back. Couldn't stand the last job I had and figured I didn't need another one. Also live in the south (east) burbs of Denver. We love the weather about 9 months a year - if only we could have the year round temp and humidity without the snow!

 

[Buckeye]

Good for you. I think I would rather live in a van by the river before I'd go back to a cube now that I've tasted freedom. Sitting at a desk all day just isn't healthy for me.

If our business stopped making money, we means tested out of SS and and our retirement plan fell apart, I think I'd go back to school for some job where I at least got to move around, like a physical therapy assistant or a locksmith, even if it paid a lot less than what I could get at a corporate position.

Try teaching. I'm doing my student teaching (8th grade intensive math) and I'm spending 8 hours a day on my feet. The most physically (and mentally) demanding job I've EVER done. And you'll be paid a lot less than you are worth!

 

[Brat]

Brewer could teach his craft at the college level.

My SIL is tired of HS teaching, he wrangled a college dinner time class because no one else wanted it. He is now negotiating another class and plans to transition completely to college level teaching in the fall.

If that type of activity in any way interests you start building professional networks in the B schools nearby. The first class is a lot of work because you need to create your lesson plans but after that ....

One issue you could confront is insular academia, some schools are credential focused to their detriment. Your experience these last years could be material for a PhD thesis.

 

[photoguy]

Indeed. When I am ready to break the news to my superiors I plan to offer to be a contractor for them. I have unique expertise they cannot replace so I will pitch them on having access to my skills and a third to a half the cost of me as a full time employee.

Congrats on your decision.

Is there a reason why you decided on contracting vs going part-time? Some mega-corps have programs for going part-time to meet "work-life" balance needs.

Also is your contracting rate going to be higher than your current hourly equivalent? I would expect to pay a contractor a higher rate than salaried employee.

 

[brewer12345]

Congrats on your decision.

Is there a reason why you decided on contracting vs going part-time? Some mega-corps have programs for going part-time to meet "work-life" balance needs.

Also is your contracting rate going to be higher than your current hourly equivalent? I would expect to pay a contractor a higher rate than salaried employee.

The organization I work for is not a for-profit private employer. The management culture is stuck in decades past. Part time is not even a possibility. I know they use contractors from time to time, so that is at least familiar to the powers that be. I'd guess my chances of being a contractor are at most 50/50, and only that high because they will probably crap their pants when I tell them I am leaving.

My goal for a contracting rate is to make them not abuse access to my precious time. They are extremely cost conscious, so the pitch I will make to them is that they can retain access to me for the critical stuff they would have a tough time doing without me while not requiring me to show up every day and twiddle my thumbs waiting for the next firedrill. Part of the pitch will be that instead of covering salary, bonus, benefits, etc. they just pay for the time they actually use. The hourly rate will be higher, but the total tab at the end of the year would be lower.

Realistically, I am dealing with a Neolithic culture, so none of this may fly. That would be fine with me, as I never wanted to take this route in my career in the first place and I wouln't be crushed to be done with it after I quit. Maybe in a few years I will be comfy publicly stating what I have been doing the last several years.

 

[Brat]

Keep a good diary.. it will be a great resource.

You could do at least as well as Michael Lewis.

 

[photoguy]

Realistically, I am dealing with a Neolithic culture, so none of this may fly. That would be fine with me, as I never wanted to take this route in my career in the first place and I wouln't be crushed to be done with it after I quit. Maybe in a few years I will be comfy publicly stating what I have been doing the last several years.

There is something very appealing about having a clean break (at least for me). Even though financially it may be better to contract, when I am done with something I want to move on.