(for more on my own story, please visit this thread. Even though it is a few years old, it will still provide a general idea of where I currently stand)
The basics: 35, married, no kids. No debt whatsoever. House is paid in full. 110% LBYM type. Low annual expenses (highest would be property taxes at close to $6K this year). Current total savings of around $170K.
The problem: my BS bucket is beyond full. I have been at my current job for 13 years and counting. Can-not-stand-ANY-of-it-anymore. No benefits, terrible salary, no perks, not even paid vacation anymore. Did I mention the terrible salary? Less than $30K a year. Used to be higher, but my hours are now cut during the slow months. Industry is on terrible shape so the alternatives, if any, are no different.
The symptoms: an alarming decay in my overall health. Haven't slept well in ages. Gained at least 15 pounds in 1 year. I sit in front of a computer all day long, at a desk that was not originally designed for computers. Bad posture. Weakness, low energy, loss of sexual drive and libido, loss of muscular mass, difficulty concentrating, do not enjoy things as much as I used to, etc... All of this might sound normal at a certain point, but I am only 35!
What makes it worse: On top of the fact that I positively DESPISE my full time job, the hours can be long. TV industry. Working 3 weeks in a row with no days off, no overtime and no extra pay is not unheard of. I always have to beg for time off after long stretches of work, even though it is well deserved. If I don't ask, I don't usually get it.
But wait, there's more! Two additional jobs to supplement my income (one part time from home, the other a start-up that I actually enjoy and am hoping to grow into at least a second part time, also from home) take stress levels to new heights...
The reality of it all: my wife has the better job, with incredible benefits (health insurance for both of us included) and better pay. We can easily live on her paycheck alone. We have a high savings rate and, excluding the occasional splurge, we in fact save most if not all of my income. Since we got married the goal was always to live on one paycheck and save the other one. This is why we managed to save six figures in 2/3 years while making average or low salaries. At one point last year we were saving about $4K a month. This year we bought a "new" (used) car, paid cash, so savings rate have been lower, but we still managed to save $10K+ in 2013 so far.
What triggered my decision: I about had it with my boss this weekend. Long story short, he expected me to work during Father's Day and gave me an attitude when I told him family came first (this after working 2 weeks in a row, and counting, with no extra pay).
The plan: As I was explaining above, we really do not need my full income. At least not to cover bills. I am seriously thinking of downshifting and perhaps even take a few months off to recharge batteries, relax, exercise and feel like my old self again. The goal is to have a face-to-face with my boss and request either more time off, a raise, or different work conditions (or all of the above), or simply tell him that I am moving on. Alternatively, I could offer to work from home (I can EASILY perform most of my duties that way) for a lower pay. I'm sure he would love that. At this point, even a 30% pay cut would not drastically change our lifestyle and it could even give me the chance to grow my own side-business. Again, most of my salary was usually saved anyway, so other than less or no savings (at least temporarily) I do not think we would feel a dramatic shift.
The question to you all: what would you do in my shoes? I am not thinking of calling it quits, but I do need to slow down and re-assess the situation. Some health symptoms are alarming at my age, and and I fear they will only get worse if I continue down the same rabbit hole...
Your experienced feedback is always appreciated.
The basics: 35, married, no kids. No debt whatsoever. House is paid in full. 110% LBYM type. Low annual expenses (highest would be property taxes at close to $6K this year). Current total savings of around $170K.
The problem: my BS bucket is beyond full. I have been at my current job for 13 years and counting. Can-not-stand-ANY-of-it-anymore. No benefits, terrible salary, no perks, not even paid vacation anymore. Did I mention the terrible salary? Less than $30K a year. Used to be higher, but my hours are now cut during the slow months. Industry is on terrible shape so the alternatives, if any, are no different.
The symptoms: an alarming decay in my overall health. Haven't slept well in ages. Gained at least 15 pounds in 1 year. I sit in front of a computer all day long, at a desk that was not originally designed for computers. Bad posture. Weakness, low energy, loss of sexual drive and libido, loss of muscular mass, difficulty concentrating, do not enjoy things as much as I used to, etc... All of this might sound normal at a certain point, but I am only 35!
What makes it worse: On top of the fact that I positively DESPISE my full time job, the hours can be long. TV industry. Working 3 weeks in a row with no days off, no overtime and no extra pay is not unheard of. I always have to beg for time off after long stretches of work, even though it is well deserved. If I don't ask, I don't usually get it.
But wait, there's more! Two additional jobs to supplement my income (one part time from home, the other a start-up that I actually enjoy and am hoping to grow into at least a second part time, also from home) take stress levels to new heights...
The reality of it all: my wife has the better job, with incredible benefits (health insurance for both of us included) and better pay. We can easily live on her paycheck alone. We have a high savings rate and, excluding the occasional splurge, we in fact save most if not all of my income. Since we got married the goal was always to live on one paycheck and save the other one. This is why we managed to save six figures in 2/3 years while making average or low salaries. At one point last year we were saving about $4K a month. This year we bought a "new" (used) car, paid cash, so savings rate have been lower, but we still managed to save $10K+ in 2013 so far.
What triggered my decision: I about had it with my boss this weekend. Long story short, he expected me to work during Father's Day and gave me an attitude when I told him family came first (this after working 2 weeks in a row, and counting, with no extra pay).
The plan: As I was explaining above, we really do not need my full income. At least not to cover bills. I am seriously thinking of downshifting and perhaps even take a few months off to recharge batteries, relax, exercise and feel like my old self again. The goal is to have a face-to-face with my boss and request either more time off, a raise, or different work conditions (or all of the above), or simply tell him that I am moving on. Alternatively, I could offer to work from home (I can EASILY perform most of my duties that way) for a lower pay. I'm sure he would love that. At this point, even a 30% pay cut would not drastically change our lifestyle and it could even give me the chance to grow my own side-business. Again, most of my salary was usually saved anyway, so other than less or no savings (at least temporarily) I do not think we would feel a dramatic shift.
The question to you all: what would you do in my shoes? I am not thinking of calling it quits, but I do need to slow down and re-assess the situation. Some health symptoms are alarming at my age, and and I fear they will only get worse if I continue down the same rabbit hole...
Your experienced feedback is always appreciated.
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