I remember being in high school and thinking 40k a year was a great salary. But here I am, making 40k a year, and I'm scraping by.
I could find a higher paying job. Maybe. But it doesn't mean it would be a better job.
Also, I'm not motivated by money or success. I don't need fancy cars, a big house, expensive gaming systems, branded clothes, a big TV, fun vacations or nights out at the bars. I don't even drink anymore. And I certainly don't need a beefed up resume. All of that means nothing to me.
I just want a small house with a decent back yard for my dogs. That's it. I want the simple life.
But instead I live in a small $850 a month apartment. Houses where I live are well above $1200 a month for rentals. And to buy a house you're looking at 250k for a house that isn't falling down. “Move to a cheaper market.” I live in Kansas.
One might think that $850 a month is easy on a 40k a year salary. And some may even think that's a great salary to buy a home. Well let me break it down for the people whose mommies and daddies paid for everything:
I make 40k a year, but after taxes, insurance and required contributions to my 401k, I bring home around 28k a year. Subtract rent, car payment, car insurance, student loans, Wi-Fi, electricity, water, trash, food, cell phone and fuel, and I'm left with penny's.
I Uber on the side to make extra money, not because I like the money but because most months I have to so I can survive. But I hate it. And I've spent almost just as much on maintenance and paying for repairs on my car.
I haven't had a full enjoyable weekend off in over a year.
The thing is, I don't want to grind. I don't want to hustle. I just want to f***ing live.
F*** OT.
F*** getting a part time job.
F*** getting a side hustle.
F*** investing money I don't have.
I just want to spend my weekends taking the dogs on long walks and then coming home and watching movies while ordering in food. I want to be able to visit family and friends that I haven't seen in years. I want to take my dogs on a road trip once every four months to explore something new. I want to only work 40 hours a week and spend the rest of my time simply enjoying life.
But that's not reality. Not for a single guy like myself.
Imagine if when you started your job they asked, what motivates you? What do you want out of life? And when you answered you could be honest. “I want a simple life, with a house, a backyard for my dogs, and to spend my weekends doing what I want to do, not what I have to do.”
And afterwards they would say, “let's get that for you.” And then they make it happen.
That, to me, is worth more than a good salary. Because at the end of the day, it's not about how much money you make, it's about how much of this short life you can fully enjoy.
I don't necessarily love my job. And some days I hate it. But I love working for the University and I love the extra benefits I absolutely would not get in the corporate world.
It's not about the job for me, though. It's about the life I'm able to live outside of the job. And unfortunately 40k a year isn't even enough for the simple life I desire.