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when doing the 'right thing' just doesn't pay enough...
sooo... my truck needs a new tranny. Or, I need a new truck. Mechanic god, whom I trust implicitly, says: "I don't want to tell you what to do... and I'll put in a new transmission for you... but... you're probably going to need some pretty significant engine work before too long... and you might want to think about dumping this and getting something else."
Easy for him to say.
Three years ago I gave up my career of more than a decade, to work in Public Safety. Back then, when I bought the truck, the payment was less than one week's TAKE HOME pay. I won't be making that for another 3 years where I am now.
At the time it seemed the right thing to do. I was dissillusioned by the direction TV News was taking (I was a producer/director/TD) and in fact they cancelled my NEWS for Gerry Springer and that's what helped me make the decision...
Now I've got FOUR JOBS, well, three and currently non-paying FTO, and I'm still not making the bills. I stopped in at the "no-one-turned-down-for-credit-GUARANTEED" car place... and they can't do a thing for me. The Dodgemonster has a year of payments left, about 5k. According to blue book, even with the minor body work it needs, *and* accounting for not-perfect mechanics, it's worth closer to $7k. But I've got old bad credit from college, and now I simply don't make enough. Even with the other two paying jobs. I must have: truck, 4wd, beyond that, I don't even care if it has airconditioning for the 2 days a year I need it up here. (o.k., so it's nice for road trips... but... )
I work FT as a Dispatcher, I'm a Reserve Deputy, I work PT Admin Assist at a Muni PD and I'm on-call with a unique program between Catholic Charities and the State Police. I literally work 7 days a week, even though 2 of them are "on-call" (but those are ON CALL for 48 hours straight!) I simply can't work any more hours physically. I don't live beyond my means at ALL. No movies, no going out, no LIFE. My expenses are mortgage, fuel oil, electricity, fuel for the truck and truck payments. I do have a small farm which normally pays for itself, this year (bad economy, no one buying) it's costing me about $50 a week. But that's $50 a week that most people spend just on entertainment.
...sigh... just looking for commiseration I guess. I know I'm not the only one that's chosen border-line poverty in order to work in LE. I just don't get why it has to be so damn hard.
Easy for him to say.
Three years ago I gave up my career of more than a decade, to work in Public Safety. Back then, when I bought the truck, the payment was less than one week's TAKE HOME pay. I won't be making that for another 3 years where I am now.
At the time it seemed the right thing to do. I was dissillusioned by the direction TV News was taking (I was a producer/director/TD) and in fact they cancelled my NEWS for Gerry Springer and that's what helped me make the decision...
Now I've got FOUR JOBS, well, three and currently non-paying FTO, and I'm still not making the bills. I stopped in at the "no-one-turned-down-for-credit-GUARANTEED" car place... and they can't do a thing for me. The Dodgemonster has a year of payments left, about 5k. According to blue book, even with the minor body work it needs, *and* accounting for not-perfect mechanics, it's worth closer to $7k. But I've got old bad credit from college, and now I simply don't make enough. Even with the other two paying jobs. I must have: truck, 4wd, beyond that, I don't even care if it has airconditioning for the 2 days a year I need it up here. (o.k., so it's nice for road trips... but... )
I work FT as a Dispatcher, I'm a Reserve Deputy, I work PT Admin Assist at a Muni PD and I'm on-call with a unique program between Catholic Charities and the State Police. I literally work 7 days a week, even though 2 of them are "on-call" (but those are ON CALL for 48 hours straight!) I simply can't work any more hours physically. I don't live beyond my means at ALL. No movies, no going out, no LIFE. My expenses are mortgage, fuel oil, electricity, fuel for the truck and truck payments. I do have a small farm which normally pays for itself, this year (bad economy, no one buying) it's costing me about $50 a week. But that's $50 a week that most people spend just on entertainment.
...sigh... just looking for commiseration I guess. I know I'm not the only one that's chosen border-line poverty in order to work in LE. I just don't get why it has to be so damn hard.
Good luck with finding a vehicle. I hate car shopping.
Seriously, I was fine when I was single and upwardly mobile. Now that I'm in civil service/public safety... BLECH. 
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