I was getting paid 100k for my current job working out of southern California. Started working there in 2021, and at the time my wife and I were able to make due and still have some fun on the side but nothing extraordinary. Well come Sept. ‘22, my wife gets a new job getting a pay bump from 40k to 70k, then shortly is laid off afterwards in three months (thats a whole-nother can of worms).
We tried to make due with unemployment money and used the whole six months looking for any sort of career job she could take. Got 4 interviews from 50+ applications and rejected each time over little things.
During the entirety of that six months, we ended up living paycheck to paycheck with my salary covering rent (2.3k) and utilities. We made it work but made so many sacrifices in the process to make ends meet (my credit score has gone to shit because of this).
It took me one horrible commute down to my office to realize I should just fucking quit and live off the government (veteran status and qualify for disabilities). This lead to me coming up with giving my company an ultimatum, either pay me more or relocate me because we can no longer survive living in the city. The only reason I could even issue this is because of my performance reputation.
And what do you know, they can’t afford to give me the raise I need to stay where I’m at but they can look into relocating. Sure enough they were able to make it happen and a transfer is on the way thankfully (the company as whole isn’t the greatest but the team I work for is rock solid).
If you had told me 10 years ago I would be making 100k at a job I would’ve expected myself to be living in a modest house in the suburbs. Instead I got the delight of feeling anxiety every time I check my bank account and feel completely hopeless on my future of having a house and a family.
Maybe this relocation will benefit my wife and I in helping us reach our goals, but to be forced to relocate on a salary like mine speaks volumes about the state of the working class.