Poll of the Day > I feel like I wasted too much time working a crappy low-paying job

(+) Yeah! (+)

And now its too late to really do anything about it. Its my own damn fault for the most part, but I also didnt have a lot of options.

Im living comfortably, but at the same time I feel like Im waiting for things to come crashing down and when that happens, Ill be royally fucked.

I just dont see how I can dig myself out of this hole. Im in my mid-30s, so I dont have time to spend getting an education that takes years and years to complete (theres not even anything I can think of that I want to go for anyway), but I also dont have time to start at a new job and work my way up either.

S*** sucks. Just needed to vent a little.

Damn this is literally the same problem Im having right now. And I fucking hate my job and my co workers. Im done. I need to step up I guess.

People make career changes at all stages of life dude. Just make sure your 401k/retirement account carries over and it shouldn't be too much trouble to switch things up

Mid-30's is still a good time to move up. You have at least another 20-30 years in the workforce, don't spend them doing something you hate and doesn't provide a decent living for you.

As for what to study, depends on your interests. I would talk to a career counselor and see what they recommend.

I don't remember making this topic, but it describes me to a T

That's a tough position to be in. Hopefully you're able to find something better you can transition to, nobody should have to settle doing something they don't like for 30ish years.

In 4 years, youre still going to be 4 years older, regardless of whether or not you went back to school. The only difference will be whether you did something in that time or not.

If you have an extensive work history, youll be fine.

So I worked hard, often over 60 hours a week from a very early age. I saved up a ton, barely spent anything on myself, but got married at 27 and that ate up most of my savings (but not all). Worked making over 60k a year, bought a house etc, but my wife got sick back in 2011 and that blew through all our savings (Even with insurance as it has a 1 mill cap).

So yeah, if you can get a job you like/find rewarding do it. If you don't have kids and a family though, try for a job that you don't hate, that you don't need to work even 40 hours a week.

I have a friend in the bay area who works for uber eats and makes about 34$ an hour (after tips) on average. He controls his own hours, and even gets paid when traveling for himself (just takes an order going his way). Other friends have worked jobs that tip (Baretenders/waiters etc) and worked 6 hour shifts 3 days a week but still made more than many people do with full time jobs (rarely had less than $600 in tips a night).

There are tons of ways to make serious money without having a degree, and whatever your age is. Alter your lifestyle so it doesn't cost as much (I literally spend less than $900 a month all in), and get a job you don't hate that makes double that (at least) so you can save up a decent amount.

Don't worry about careers etc, the days of loyalty from companies are gone. There are tons of ways to not only make a living, but save for retirement, while still having plenty of time to enjoy life now.

If I could go back in time to when I was younger I would tell my younger self to not work so hard, not go to college, and not get married till I found someone and lived with them long enough to ensure I would be ok having a child with them. I spent waaaay to much of my 20's working and going to school.

I went to a vocational school 8 hours a day for 9 months at 19 to get my electronic techs degree, while working 8 hours a night graveyard at Carl's Jnr (actually really liked that job). I worked in that field buy pagers went poof eventually and I switched to running shipping and handling for Value Media...my first salaried position (28k a year..was alot back then) but I was working well over 60 hours a week for that. No loyalty from the company owners they declared bankrupcy after 2 years suddently with no warning to us and moved to a new state. I worked full time while going to college as well, and for my masters worked full time took care of my wife (Who was sick) and did the observation hours etc that was required for a teachers credential in CA all at once (barely got any sleep).

I worked hard for a very long time and never got to go on vacation at all, never got to travel (still have not), and even when I had time off (weekends etc) I was so tired and had so many things to do it wasn't really enjoyable.

So......don't do that...do feel bad about not doing that.....don't feel bad about some blah job you have been doing, if you have only been doing it 40 or less hours a week. Try and find something you can do that you don't hate, that still gives you enough time to live.....and focus on the living part, the time your not working. Money doesn't matter if you never have time to spend it.

Is trade school an option?

supergamer19 posted...

Is trade school an option?

This is what Im doing through a plumbing and steamfitting union. Got in at 32 best decision I ever made. Ill be making $34/hr in sept then $42 one year later. I have full fringe benefits including annuity and pension. Its never too late

It's called start working on changing what you want to change right now, otherwise you'll be having these same thought only worse a decade from now. Starting in your 30's what you wish you had started in your 20's is better than starting in your 40's what you wish you had started half a lifetime ago.

Unless you're trying to be a pro athlete, mid 30s is not too old to start a new career

supergamer19 posted...

Is trade school an option?

Mensis posted...

This is what Im doing through a plumbing and steamfitting union. Got in at 32 best decision I ever made. Ill be making $34/hr in sept then $42 one year later. I have full fringe benefits including annuity and pension. Its never too late

Exactly what I was going to suggest.
Trade school costs little (sometimes it's paid for, too) and takes way less time than a 4 year degree, and you can get benefits/pension/etc... And there's lots of need for it.
Ideal choice for someone in their 30's still w/o a long term career.
Not sure how dangerous welding is, but I've heard they can easily make $100K after a few years.
Or be an electrician or whatever you prefer.

I was in pretty much the same situation years ago, but was able to get out of it. I spent 5 years working in a gas station, started at my company as a drafter, now I'm an engineer. Didn't even need to go back to school. I was able to get into a company that did on the job training and worked my way up from the bottom. It's all about finding a place that rewards hard efforts, then just busting your ass for a few years. Take every chance you can to learn something new, and always volunteer for the difficult work. It's a lot of long miserable days but it pays off in the end. 7 years later and I can make more in one day than an entire month at that shit job.

I think trade school would have been a more viable option when I was a bit younger, but I kind of wore myself out physically (and mentally too tbh) at my old job so thats not really a good option now.

I have no problem learning a new skill though, but I need it to be something focused where I dont have to take a bunch of classes I dont need. I guess my biggest (which has always been a problem) is having absolutely no direction. Theres nothing I really want to do lol. I certainly know a lot of what I dont want to do though lol.

The best option is becoming a welder. Welders in my area make 50 an hour. If you really don't want to go to a trade school, you can get a CDL and start local trucking(OTR truckers don't make shit unless you team drive with someone or buy/lease a truck). You can get a CDL from somewhere like Swift in like 2 weeks.

Yeah, that's why I specifically mentioned welding.
Out of all the trades, it seems the least physically demanding (I guess you spend a lot of time standing, but other than that...) while still paying really well, and since you're starting in the field older, that's an important consideration.

Wouldn't really recommend trucking to anyone, just seems like a terrible job, and the ludicrous ~ 90% turn over rate seems to corroborate that. Sitting in a truck half of the day, constantly away from home/family, probably not eating very healthy and limited time to exercise... Plus driving long distances is just tiring. And Last Week Tonight covered it recently and the claimed $100K + salaries are a lie. They make you foot all kinds of bills for the truck even though the company owns it, so after expenses, you don't even make much.

Welding is a good profession for sure but make sure you know what you are getting especially if you are coming from a non-trade field. It is extremely physically demanding. You need to keep your body in fixed positions for extended periods of time and you need to have a steady hand. Over time it takes tolls on your vision, sight and breathing even with the best ppe.

Like I said its a great profession just wanted to give you some insight into the reality of it. I dont consider myself a welder per se but Ive logged over 100 hrs through my trade school; it aint easy

streamofthesky posted...

Yeah, that's why I specifically mentioned welding.
Out of all the trades, it seems the least physically demanding (I guess you spend a lot of time standing, but other than that...) while still paying really well, and since you're starting in the field older, that's an important consideration.

Wouldn't really recommend trucking to anyone, just seems like a terrible job, and the ludicrous ~ 90% turn over rate seems to corroborate that. Sitting in a truck half of the day, constantly away from home/family, probably not eating very healthy and limited time to exercise... Plus driving long distances is just tiring. And Last Week Tonight covered it recently and the claimed $100K + salaries are a lie. They make you foot all kinds of bills for the truck even though the company owns it, so after expenses, you don't even make much.

That's why I said local trucking job. Only owner/lease operators make 100k+ when you go into OTR. The part about footing the bills on anything only applies to owner/lease operators, since it's their truck. Company drivers don't pay for shit, and would be illegal for a company to make them do so. Like for example, I'm a local driver and get to go home every day, making about 80k a year.(last year was slow as fuck though, so I only made about 70k)

Oh BTW, I forgot to mention this in my last post, but I'd be making like 120k or so if I was doing what I'm doing in SoCal. So yeah, local trucking is definitely the way to go unless you become an owner/lease operator.

rexcrk posted...

Theres nothing I really want to do lol. I certainly know a lot of what I dont want to do though lol.

I understand this feeling very well

rexcrk posted...

Im living comfortably,

Which seems surprising if you're working a "low-paying job" but maybe you have another income source?

rexcrk posted...

I just dont see how I can dig myself out of this hole. Im in my mid-30s, so I dont have time to spend getting an education that takes years and years to complete (theres not even anything I can think of that I want to go for anyway), but I also dont have time to start at a new job and work my way up either.

Not for nothing, but a lot of people career-hop in their 30s and kinda start over again. Given you're going to likely work until 67-70 (or whenever Medicare kicks in by the time you're eligible), you're not even halfway through your working years.

I gotta get my 401k rolling again. Iv maxed out my IRA the last 3 years but thats not as good as a 401k plam =/

The_Viscount posted...

Which seems surprising if you're working a "low-paying job" but maybe you have another income source?

Well what I mean is, Im living comfortably, but if (when) something big happens, it wont be good. Hell, I just got hit with an almost $3,000 hospital bill (part of which Im going to contest because they kept me there longer than I needed to be, but thats another story) and at the minimum payment, Im going to be paying that off until October 2023

But like, Ive had my car paid for a long time, but its old now. Im just waiting for the day when I need to replace it, and given how things are, thats going to suck big time.

I got extremely lucky because I had a friend who needed a tenant for his apartment a few years ago and I was able to move in, but if he ever decides to sell? Im completely fucked.

So big picture stuff like that is whats making me anxious. Probably for nothing but I need to know Id be ok for when shit hits the fan.

wolfy42 posted...

Money doesn't matter if you never have time to spend it.

Facts

I dont even worry about money. I dont have any and Im probably not going to try to get any. Im just gonna chill until its time for me to stop being alive.

wolfy42 posted...

Money doesn't matter if you never have time to spend it.

I mean, it still matters some

LinkPizza posted...

I mean, it still matters some

Definitely. All my life Ive always just wanted a balance. I have no problem working. I really dont. I dont mind contributing. (Thats not to say that, if given the chance to be able to live without work, I wouldnt take it )

But what I do have a problem with, is spending so much time at a crummy job, dealing with idiots and assholes, for a very long time, for not enough money to cover things should they come up. The whole system is completely fucked and I hate that theres really nothing I can do about it.

LinkPizza posted...

I mean, it still matters some

And there's always time to spend it. Most of the real spending is just basic shit anyway -- where a person lives, what they drive, what they eat/drink, etc -- most of which has nicer options. And the spend can buy time. If somebody commutes an hour, they can pay more to live closer to work.

rexcrk posted...

The whole system is completely fucked

I mean, not really?

rexcrk posted...

I hate that theres really nothing I can do about it.

Sure there is -- get more money. Learn a skill, get a side hustle, etc.

Youre not getting any younger so just grind now or you will just wonder what if later

Anyone know how to get a work-from-home job with only an Associates degree in business management / information systems that offers benefits, a morning schedule, and pays $40,000+ that isnt too stressful?

Or what kind of job that I could go to school for that takes a year or less that would get me a well-paying job?

Depends on what you like to do? Or what you dont want to do

If you dont have any skills or connections a good job isnt just going to happen. Your going to have to put in real work, skilled trades has been brought up by many people, but you get out what you put into it

Thats what Im lamenting. Its like cool, I didnt have many options out of high school and got stuck in a less-than-ideal situation. Already did my grind and wore myself out physically so I cant really get another physically demanding job.

Sooo, what? Im supposed to just live the rest of my life at shitty jobs that I cant even say well at least I make enough money for it to be worth it! at?

@rexcrk posted...

Or what kind of job that I could go to school for that takes a year or less that would get me a well-paying job?

Bruh, the answer is already in this topic.