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Whats more important?


StevoD

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two thread in one day im getting greedy.

 

Anyway whats more important working a position which you have no passion for waking up in the morning thinking here we go again but get a reasonably good salary, or working in position you have a passion for enjoy turning up to work every day but earn say little more than the minimum wage?

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Depends on what you want from life: Nice things, or not to hate getting up every morning. Very few people have both.

 

Some unlucky sods have neither!

 

that why im asking just to see peoples take on what they rather

Edited by StevoD
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I've done both.

 

Working in a pub is superb fun when you're in the mood for it, as it's basically working with your mates at night and drunk people are (usually) funny. Pay was atrocious though, and still is in hospitality. Running a plumbing company definitely pays better, and it's not as horrendous as people think, but when stuff goes downhill it does so in a seriously bad way :lol:

 

What do I prefer? Neither, really. Put a gun to my head and I'll pick a fun job over a well paid one though. But only because I've seen the other side and already had the nice things.

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Depends how big your commitments are. You might slave in an uninteresting job to look after your family (or save up for something special like a GTR or a year travelling) rather than do something fun and see them miss out on things.

 

Other than that though, fun job over better paid every time.

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Depends also on your current circumstance, can you afford to go the lower paid job? Do you have a rabble of children to feed? Do you have to cover expenses i.e. mortgage/rent? Or live at home where there is a safety net?

 

As said above, money isn't everything, but it does help...

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My outlook is it's about what you need and not always what you want. That's why I want to get out in 5 years time at 55. I could carry on working until 65 and have a bigger pension etc etc and do much more but its about what I need so I am getting out a that point and being content living to the standards my family and I currently have. Just my perspective. :teeth:

Edited by Payco
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Its a tough one, but really down to what you feel is best for you in your situation.

 

Ive had all sorts of jobs over the years and I am currently doing a job which I dont really get much satisfaction from it but the pay is really good and its a fairly easy job. Downside is that I spend 3 hours a day commuting (£20 a day in petrol) and by the time I get home in the evening, put the kids to bed, then cooked tea, cleaned etc I dont end up sitting down for my evening meal until 9pm. I have tea, wash up then its virtually bedtime. So, my whole week revolves around getting up, getting to work, house work then bed. When it comes to the weekend I have a long list of stuff I would like to do, but usually that gets thrown in the bin and I end up getting dragged into doing family stuff. Which I dont mind, but it means I get virtually zero time to do anything I want, such as persue any hobbbies & interests. So I end going back to work Monday feeling like I havent really relaxed and done anything I wanted over the last week..... and repeat.

 

My mate on the other hand, works from home and he finishes work at 5pm and bang, thats instantly an extra 4 hours every evening he gets to play computer games, workout, watch footie, go cycling and really do what he wants. Not to mention he gains 2 hours every morning not having to drive into work. So thats 6 hours (!!!) a day he gets to do what he wants. On top of that, his missus also does all the housework & cooking so thats extra time he gains there. So he is always relaxed and has so much spare time on his hands he doesnt know what to do with it. On the other hand, he doesnt get paid as much as me. But then thats the trade off - money vs quality of life.

 

The reason why I am sticking it out atm is that in this day & age jobs are not for life. In the past ive been made redundant several times and can go from a decent office job earning decent money to being on the dole or working as a labourer on a building site for peanuts before you know it. So I figure I may as well try to earn & save as much cash as I can whilst I have the opportunity.

 

Have to say a few years back I spent one whole year as a labourer, £50 a day, 12 hour days. It was hard work, but very rewarding. I got a tan, got in shape and didnt really have to use my brain much. I had a right laugh & banter with other lads, most of whom had been labouring since leaving school and thats all they had ever done. So whilst the cash wasnt good, the actual job satisfaction was great.

 

Its not often you are lucky enough to be in the situation where you get paid really well for a job you love.

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A very tough question to answer. As others have said, a balance between the two is the best. I'm in a fairly unique role at the minute. It's very stressful but relatively well paid. I always wonder what it would be like to have a complete change in career direction for something more rewarding/fun but lower paid. The fear of throwing away what I have worked towards and regretting it stops me though!

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Well as they say, money wont make you happy, but it does make enjoying life a little easier.

 

Im in the lucky position that I earn decent money and dont mind my job. I have days where I really dont want to get up, but the lifestyle I live makes up for those days. I work with good people (most of the time) and we have a laugh. Would still pack it all in tomorrow if won the lottery.

 

As for your scenario, reasonable money, well that would be make it very tough!

 

Must admit, I do keep thinking that maybe I should chuck it all in and go live somewhere cheap, but then what?!?

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Well as they say, money wont make you happy, but it does make enjoying life a little easier.

 

Im in the lucky position that I earn decent money and dont mind my job. I have days where I really dont want to get up, but the lifestyle I live makes up for those days.

 

Indeed. My mate with all the free time in the world drives a crappy old mondeo. I drive a 911 turbo. No way would I be able to afford that on £50 a day labouring but happy job. Kind of makes it worth while!

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You spend a good proportion of your life in work so for me there has to be at least some satisfaction from the actual work no matter what the salary is. Like some others, I feel lucky to have a job I mostly like and get paid well for. But when I've been encouraged to consider promition on a few occasions (which would mean about a £15K pay rise), I've not gone for it because it would mean being in meetings 90% of the time. Meetings are my least favourite thing about work already. I don't think I could stick spending most of my time in them.

Edited by sipar69
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I think it's down to the person. I have a personality trait which dictates this for me. I dont know the name of it other than w@nker, possibly.

 

In my mind I have to 'have more' than my friends and family. Be that houses/cars/holidays. I dont know why this is, i just need it as a sad form of self-validation. This keeps me motivated to have a prestigious job that earns a decent salary. I couldn't give it all up and become mediocre.

 

I must point out, i'm never a snob with it and would never rub it in someone's face... i'm generally embarrassed by having nice things. :wacko:

 

Like I said though, this makes me a w@nker i guess!

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"Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work and driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for - in order to get to the job you need to pay for the clothes and the car, and the house you leave vacant all day so you can afford to live in it.â€

 

- Ellen Goodman

Edited by marzman
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The important thing is to be happy in life.....there are no 2nd chances.

 

Many years ago I worked a self imposed 3 day week to do the whole self-sufficient thing.

 

We were totally skint as a family, but it was the happiest time of our lives.

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I'm very fortunate, in a job I enjoy and get decentish money for it.

 

That being said, I can earn significantly more (25-50%) working further afield or in a different position (150% more abroad), but I wouldn't do it. My commute is 20 mins, I work on interesting projects, I have a brilliant view from my desk and my colleagues are awesome. Having a family having home time is important to me. I do sometimes have to travel further afield for work, or do very long days, but I enjoy those days, weirdly!

 

If I was single however, I'd take the opportunity to get ahead in life, beast it for 10 years then enjoy life. I did this with the kids, we had them young, got them out of the way and fine it's dented the fun of our 20's and I had to sell my cars, but i'll be 40ish when they are all leaving home and I'm still young to enjoy life.

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I did this with the kids, we had them young, got them out of the way and fine it's dented the fun of our 20's and I had to sell my cars, but i'll be 40ish when they are all leaving home and I'm still young to enjoy life.

 

That was a good call. I didnt start a family until I hit 40 and now when I want to relax and have time to myself im stuck with 2 kids to look after and the prospect that they wont leave home until im retired. Im quite envious of mates who had kids when they were in their early 20`s and now their kids have left home and my mates are free to do whatever they want to do. However, I just wasnt in the situation back when I was in my early 20`s to have kids. I always figured id wait until I had a house, was married and financially stable to "afford" to have kids.

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