Money or a life?

friends are over rated. make that money, cry your self to sleep on your fat stacks, profit.

 

U could die tomorrow... live life

U may not die till your an old fart, and will need the security you established when you were young and strong.

Is either outlook "wrong"?

Tough spot your in.

 

if you're debt free, life. If you’re not debt free, work as hard and as long as you can to get out. Life is great when you can do what you want because you don’t owe anyone a f’n thing.

 

I’m only 18 so I’m even less knowledgeable than you probably, but... the way I look at it, I would rather lose out on family/friend time now than lose out on it later. Another way to look at it... it would be better (for me at least) to struggle now in order to set yourself up for a more enjoyable future.

And I know everyone says money isn’t everything, but honestly, in this society, it’s a lot. I would much rather spend my later life with my family on plenty of vacations instead of being stuck at home struggling to get by putting your family in a stressful situation which would most likely make the time together much less fun.

 

I can directly related to that point, but will say that, after remaining friends with my two best friends since 4th grade, the friendships fizzled out of life changes and new friendships have evolved. My advice on that is don't hold yourself back due to friendships. If the friendships are strong, they'll be around when you have life sorted.

Oh, and definitely school- more education, a bachelors degree in business, or get an engineering degree. Both go far in todays business world. Get it done while you're in your 20's because by 30 it'll be near impossible, and by 40 it's near useless. I'm 48 and after machining school/CNC diploma, I should have gone for an ME degree. Many companies care less about when the engineering degree is in, and just want an engineer in the role. My company has hired process engineers and chemical engineers for validation engineer jobs and similar.

 

You betcha.

Some folks make decisions based on 'can I make the payment?'.

Others make decisions based on 'can I avoid the making payments?'.

 

I see what you are saying with the 6 jobs, but at the same time that can become an issue depending on the builder and their reqs/previous team/etc. I am on the other side of the house doing plans and design, but for instance if we have an engineer/cad/tech spec come in that has quit more than a few times we typically like to know EXACTLY what triggered their reason to leave. I know with on the job construction a lot of madness can happen as depending on the scope of the build, department, gang dynamics a lot of things can change once word of the job concluding happens. But if it always turns into some exclusive situation about you having to bail on the job, it can get suspect after a few times.

I echo what JimBeam says in that stability can really make or break some folks depending on their job discipline. The last thing folks want is to second guess on a possible hire for a job, but not know if they might bail before the job is complete. With you being 20...no better time to work hard and see who you really are. Some grow from this opportunity and become workaholics to a degree, others appreciate the opportunity and eventually seek lesser avenues/time tables. We can speculate all we want, but different things fuel us for different reasons. My old man is a die hard workaholic and always loved his job, me, I do what I need but Im not gonna lose sleep over it although the job is always paramount and I don't leave a task behind. At the end of the day, if it will get old to you then it will...but you can always change that. If you get a family and criteria to be supportive for...then you might have to rethink the "plan."

 

we don't come on earth with the only purpose of making money. The trick is to be balanced between enjoying life and earning a living

An old man once told me that he wished he didn't choose money over enjoying life when he was young because now he has all the time and money he needs to enjoy life but his health isn't allowing him to. That was his biggest regret.

 

Already got kings, army paid for that .....

True, I've been noticed plenty by my boss. Should be easy for the raise

Already on that

Just making it harder

I have no land and only one vehicle, atm I am but one of those is going to change

 

65 hours a week at $17/hr sounds like a good college incentive job.

But keep those skills you’ve gained, they will help you get there!

 

Funny how different the wages are in other places. Minimum wage here is $15/hr. IMO gaining experience and skills to get you to the $35-45/hr job in the future is what I would focus on.

 

Here's a tip. There's a high probability by the time you're 30 your association with 95% of them will be casual at best. Folks just take different paths.

Sounds like its time for some new friends anyway. Ones with some desire to be independent and make their own way while seeing and learning new things.

 

True, I like what I do now but the hours are getting rough. Only way to make more in my feild is get good operating everything. Work your way up to foreman, superintendent on and on.

I'm the do I really need that right now kinda spot...bought a $600 train horn cause why the hell not and oba

Oh I know, its sucks

That's what makes it tough to decide

College wont get me higher in this feild of work. Only learning to run better and faster

Minimum here is 8

Good point

 

Yeah...you're not going to make it very far making stupid decisions like that. Focus on priorities and you'll be alright

Go to trade school. Work hard and you will make more than you ever could with a Bachelor's degree

 

Right now you need to worry about getting yourself setup financially and having stability in your resume. No one wants to hire someone that jumps ship in a month or 6. Employers want people they can depend on to work and show up. Plus you're never going to have a retirement worth crap if you keep jumping jobs everywhere. That's a damn good wage for 20 yrs old and living in North Kalalacky. You can't listen to those West Coasters saying it is a ok wage. We don't buy $700k 1500 sq ft houses. lol

Best thing you can do for yourself is work your ass off while you are young so you make life easier for yourself later in life. If there is room for advancement with this company and it's a good company to work for then stick with it. Getting up to $20 a hr in a few months makes it even sweeter. If they are true friends they'll still be there and be happy for you that you're making something out of your life. If not then you don't need them. You'll make new friends that you work with anyway. When they are struggling you'll own your house and truck and have money to play with. Don't shortcut yourself in life when you have an opportunity like this. Besides that with moving around working you'll get to see different parts of the country. GF's will come and go at your age. If she's really into you then she'll hang out. If not I'm sure you'll meet someone else.

 

Forget about the money you are making today. No matter how good you think it is it isn’t. Forget about your friends. They will either be there years from now or they won’t.

Look at how to make the money you will need in the future. That means school / education or experience. I had a shit ton of experience and never reached the next plateau. Once I completed my apprenticeship I turned down pay rates I would have jumped at 5 years earlier.

Fact is your friends have lives too and what happens when you focus on them only to have them move away due to their own careers? I barely even know what cities 10 of my closest friends from high school live in. I probably know where 2 are at. My best friend through high school lives on the opposite coast and we see each other maybe once every ten years now.

Plan for the future while enjoying today. Always expect to lose your current job and look to how to to be in a better one next time. Construction sucks. When times are good they are very good. When times are tough you are working minimum wage to make ends meet. Feast or famine.

 

Later in your life, you'll appreciate the money you have made and saved over the years.

 

Having both a specific trade and a formal education in a field is a way to hedge your bets.

Or a skill set that allows you to find work most anywhere you go. Such as nursing, IT hardware or security, specialty welding, etc.

Think of the guy who is a shop teacher in HS or middle school but builds one custom house every summer off.

Or the guys who are firemen and work their off days doing small quality jobs like painting, deck building/repair etc.

Or the guy who works in an IT shop where they continually train and provide certification opportunities, who is able to moonlight at will doing personal PC repair.

 

Don't underestimate the time your career will take you when you are older and have money. I am in my early 30's and make a very good salary, as does my wife. We both work a ton though, and don't have near enough free time, it is honestly exhausting. Although we can afford any kind of vacation we want, it is hard to even find the time to take a vacation

I would never give up the fun I had with friends right after high school and in my 4 (ok 4.5) years of college. You are never going to have that freedom and the ability to enjoy that type of lifestyle again, until possibly retirement. Do things now that you can't do when you settle down. I took out a loan to backpack through Europe and took a job on a cruise ship travelling the Carribbean and the Med. Unforgettable experiences that I could not do today. I did probably take on more debt than I wish I would have, but that is all paid off now (except law school loans).

Make some money (work in moderation), have fun, don't let work overwhelm your life at 20. In a couple years you can do that.

 

You're 20 with good income and live relatively close to family and friends.... the road you take to see them they can take to see you, if they choose not to then get new friends and GF... you were in the Army you already know the mindset you need in order to be alone and do for yourself..at 20 we all think we are going to live forever and just start to realize whats important to us... if you like the job you're in then stay and excel to your highest potential. Making money is great but its what you do with it is what defines you the most.. some people spend it as fast as they get it and some save it for a later date...GF's are great but you're not married or have to be responsible for another living human ( kiddo) so until you have to be, live like there is no tomorrow...i've always heard you can't have it all so pick the one the fits you best...you can have money but a few friends or you can live like your friends and GF and make shit pay at a shit job just to have friends from your childhood who like most have said will grow up, move away, get their own lives that don't include you...everyone wants the hollywood movies life where they have the same friends their whole lives.....at least with the job you have it sounds like you get to move around some, enjoy the shit out of it man because one day you will wake up with a wife and kid and realize being gone all the time isn't something you want to do because you'll miss all the great things that come along with kids and a spouse ( if shes worth it we all know the useless types).. enjoy being young and being glad you can afford your lifestyle without having to ask for help..save a little and spend a little... i knew guys who ran marathons, saved a million dollars and wrote books all before they were 30 just to die 3 days after their birthday from a heart attack or in a car wreck...life is short but its also yours to live... good luck man