What do you do, what do you make, where do you live?

[Malarky]

Jun 8, 2015 11:28:25 GMT -5 chen35 said:

I work for a company most people hate, making more than most people think I should. So I'm not super inclined to say the industry. 
I'm a CFO working in financial services. My base salary is 170k. My bonus and stocks typically add up to 170k in a good year.
I live in the western US.

      DH programs voicemail hell.  You know, when you can't speak to an actual person because it's what the company pays him to program.  

He aint quite in your ballpark with salary but he is loathed and despise.  

Pays my bills and lets me take random days off when I need or want to.  

[Deleted]

I'm a wage slave looking for a better job. Or at least a less painful one as I have burned myself 3 times last night. It's getting annoying.
I make jackshit. Between that and DH's SSDI we survive. Right now we are waiting for his pension paperwork to be processed then that will be put into savings.
I live in MA.

[swamp]

Lawyer. Dunno, I just started my own business. Upstate NY.

[Ombud]

Accounting, not CPA
Last year = 60k
◇ work 24 hrs week
♡ on track to do 70k this year
♤ but 1/2 is from gov't pension & dividends (FIRE)
Live in SF Bay Area (Diablo Valley)

[MJ2.0]

clearly I went into the wrong line of work and live in the wrong area of the country.

Logistics Supervisor for clothing corporation
just under $50k
NJ
recently divorced, one small child, still paying house bills

[ken a.k.a OMK]

Retired Electrical Engineer and Naval Air Reserves. Wife is retired QA manager from a spice company. Our SS and annuities are $75k a year. Living on the Eastern shore of MD.

[NoNamePerson]

Pot smoking, vodka swilling retired senior citizen who has no idea where she is  

[teen persuasion]

Library IT, part-time, $15k.  DH works with auto accident safety research, $34k.  WNY, family of 4 to 7 depending on who defines "dependent" (2 boys left at home, one DD in college, one DS *just* graduated college, one DD in navy still using our address as "home", but essentially independent.

[Deleted]

Jun 8, 2015 15:26:03 GMT -5 MJ2.0 said:

clearly I went into the wrong line of work and live in the wrong area of the country.

Logistics Supervisor for clothing corporation
just under $50k
NJ
recently divorced, one small child, still paying house bills

meh, that was my life. I figured it taught me how to budget & save well, so I didn't blow my income on KUWTJ when it increased. Friends that had a higher standard of living from go did not weather the recession well & didn't know how/couldn't cut back to bare bones. 

I will say that jumping companies made a big difference in my income, so make sure you cruise salary comparison sites and hassle your boss a little if you are not in the median pay for area. Great bosses do this for you & hassle HR on their own, but they are rare. Switching companies elevated my income more substantially. Depending on where you are in NJ there are several big-players in the area. 

[lexxy703]

Jun 8, 2015 15:38:11 GMT -5 NoNamePerson said:

Pot smoking, vodka swilling retired senior citizen who has no idea where she is  

If you knew where you were I'd come for a visit.  Sounds like my kind of fun!

[MJ2.0]

Jun 8, 2015 15:51:26 GMT -5 @rockit said:

Jun 8, 2015 15:26:03 GMT -5 MJ2.0 said:

clearly I went into the wrong line of work and live in the wrong area of the country.

Logistics Supervisor for clothing corporation
just under $50k
NJ
recently divorced, one small child, still paying house bills

meh, that was my life. I figured it taught me how to budget & save well, so I didn't blow my income on KUWTJ when it increased. Friends that had a higher standard of living from go did not weather the recession well & didn't know how/couldn't cut back to bare bones. 

I will say that jumping companies made a big difference in my income, so make sure you cruise salary comparison sites and hassle your boss a little if you are not in the median pay for area. Great bosses do this for you & hassle HR on their own, but they are rare. Switching companies elevated my income more substantially. Depending on where you are in NJ there are several big-players in the area. 

no need - I'm planning to go to school full time next year for engineering. So my income will take a massive nosedive for a few years.

[Plain Old Petunia]

Jun 8, 2015 13:56:29 GMT -5 cael said:

Wow now I feel like shit about my salary, again, looking at y'all's salaries.

We lower earners are people too.

Staff accountant in a small CPA firm, NOT a CPA, grossed 56k last year.   Made another 2k doing financial statements for a local non-profit.  Live in the central valley of California.  Happily divorced for 8 years now.  

[Deleted]

High school teacher in Alabama. I earn $61,000 a year with a M.A. and a ton of years of experience.

DH is retired and gets $27,000 a year in SS. He has no pension, no 401K, etc.

We are a family of three because the cocker spaniel is almost as expensive as a small child would be minus daycare.  I should run the price of her $5 a bag grain-free treats through the Phil script. 

[Opti]

Jun 8, 2015 1:25:33 GMT -5 joemilitary said:

Since its an anonymous board, figured we could compare notes. Also hoping this may help cheer me up.  (potential career paths & what people live on in certain areas)

ETA- by what do you make?  I meant how much money

ETA 2- also if you are part of a family / team...what does your partner do & how much do they make? (and size of family?)

Well, its not totally anonymous, because some posters do know me...

but this might cheer you up or not-

My top income was $90K/yr. as a UNIX admin.

I am currently working as a PT receptionist making $10.20/hr.

Career paths?! LOL.

One of my many dreams is to be a film-maker. I'd like to make six figures a year before I die.

(I'm searching for FT & a "career path" too.)

[Opti]

Jun 8, 2015 15:26:03 GMT -5 MJ2.0 said:

clearly I went into the wrong line of work and live in the wrong area of the country.

Logistics Supervisor for clothing corporation
just under $50k
NJ
recently divorced, one small child, still paying house bills

Depends on your point of view. I think you are doing OK. I recently spoke to a friend I knew growing up. One of the things I shared is I didn't want to move from NJ, to the state we are both from. There is the low and high here. Lots of possibilities. There are people I have met that survive on $300/mo. and government programs. And...

You've been to Princeton. You know there are millionaires, powerful people, etc.

Its easy to get jealous of the rich, and not notice the masses of people doing worse.

[Opti]

Jun 8, 2015 1:25:33 GMT -5 joemilitary said:

Since its an anonymous board, figured we could compare notes. Also hoping this may help cheer me up.  (potential career paths & what people live on in certain areas)

ETA- by what do you make?  I meant how much money

ETA 2- also if you are part of a family / team...what does your partner do & how much do they make? (and size of family?)

TMI, but if you want to cheer up, here's a gut check I and friends have had.

 I've never had anything to trump the clerk I talked to, who shared she was happy to be in NJ

because she didn't have to live in fear of getting killed (daily). Didn't have any of my family killed in front of me or within earshot either. (Like her.)

[Deleted]

Jun 8, 2015 16:01:20 GMT -5 MJ2.0 said:

Jun 8, 2015 15:51:26 GMT -5 @rockit said:

meh, that was my life. I figured it taught me how to budget & save well, so I didn't blow my income on KUWTJ when it increased. Friends that had a higher standard of living from go did not weather the recession well & didn't know how/couldn't cut back to bare bones. 

I will say that jumping companies made a big difference in my income, so make sure you cruise salary comparison sites and hassle your boss a little if you are not in the median pay for area. Great bosses do this for you & hassle HR on their own, but they are rare. Switching companies elevated my income more substantially. Depending on where you are in NJ there are several big-players in the area. 

no need - I'm planning to go to school full time next year for engineering. So my income will take a massive nosedive for a few years.

Because you want to I hope!! What kind of engineer?
My trajectory took a little longer than an engineer, but my earnings ended up being similar or higher.

[MJ2.0]

Jun 8, 2015 17:16:01 GMT -5 @rockit said:

Jun 8, 2015 16:01:20 GMT -5 MJ2.0 said:

no need - I'm planning to go to school full time next year for engineering. So my income will take a massive nosedive for a few years.

Because you want to I hope!! What kind of engineer?
My trajectory took a little longer than an engineer, but my earnings ended up being similar or higher.

I do want to, and civil.

[justme]

Financial analyst (corporate not stock/advising stuff), 70k, central Florida.

[mroped]

Jun 8, 2015 13:56:29 GMT -5 cael said:

Wow now I feel like shit about my salary, again, looking at y'all's salaries.

You don't have to feel bad! You work for it(I'm guessing ) so there is no need for that.

I'm a mason in the real sens of the word. It annoys me when people claim that they are masons and all they can do is lay block or brick.
I'm trained to do it all and have done it all over the years.
My favorite however is natural stone work or building fireplaces and things of the past-water wells lining, baking ovens, masonry heaters( babushkas for those that know ), smoke houses, you name it. Love restoring old masonry structures brick or stone alike. Every time I do one, I learn something new and is always a chalenge fixing them.

As far as money, I have no idea what I'm making. DW takes care of that just to make it easier for me and I'm thankful for that.

We live in Central Pa.

[plugginaway22]

I live in central PA and need our 1940's grey stone on the house 're-pointed'....you guys are not easy to find.

[Deleted]

Engineer
Salary + bonus puts me in the low 100K's
Upper Mid-West (Flyover country)

No complaints over either COL or salary.

[WholeLottaNothin]

Labor services rep for DOL. Live in central nys. Gross about 45k a year. DH works for the state also, working with the developmentally disabled in a group home. He has a base salary of about 33k a year but gets more with OT.

[Tired Tess]

Secretary

Well, it would be a good salary if I handled it better..

The Garden State

[Deleted]

Dh: engineer (mech) Age: 51
Base salary: 130k + bonuses
Upper Midwest

I had to retire early for medical reasons, am 58 and plan on taking my S.S. early @ 62...

[Cookies Galore]

I work on licensing and assessment examinations. I currently make mid-40s and live in SEPA. Hubs makes about the same.

[Malarky]

Jun 8, 2015 17:51:46 GMT -5 mroped said:

Jun 8, 2015 13:56:29 GMT -5 cael said:

Wow now I feel like shit about my salary, again, looking at y'all's salaries.

You don't have to feel bad! You work for it(I'm guessing ) so there is no need for that.

I'm a mason in the real sens of the word. It annoys me when people claim that they are masons and all they can do is lay block or brick.
I'm trained to do it all and have done it all over the years.
My favorite however is natural stone work or building fireplaces and things of the past-water wells lining, baking ovens, masonry heaters( babushkas for those that know ), smoke houses, you name it. Love restoring old masonry structures brick or stone alike. Every time I do one, I learn something new and is always a chalenge fixing them.

As far as money, I have no idea what I'm making. DW takes care of that just to make it easier for me and I'm thankful for that.

We live in Central Pa.

Yours are really valuable, rare skills these days.  BIL would love to know you, but alas you are too far away.  

If you ever want to visit MA and have a free place to stay- we could discuss what it would cost to have my 130 year old  stone basement rebuilt.  Properly.  I can get any number of yahoos who can "fix" it.  

[lynnerself]

I neglected to include the family part:

DH
Environmental specialist for the State
PNW
$75000.

Also only for the 3 more weeks

(And our 2 kids out of college)

[Ombud]

joemilitary, wonder where to settle & what to do next?

[mroped]

Jun 8, 2015 18:01:28 GMT -5 plugginaway22 said:

I live in central PA and need our 1940's grey stone on the house 're-pointed'....you guys are not easy to find.

Very few that do that anymore. Most people want to go the "easy route" and stucco it or put siding over.
"Grey stone"as in limestone?
If you want, we can figure a way to get in touch with each other.