I lost it all...and Thanked God for it.

[iamwhatiseem]

July 2006. This is a time I would say I was at the height of my career, with very real chances to keep right on growing that career. I was operating a successful 3 plant operation with profits averaging 15% above industry norms. Big office, maple wood desk...carpeted..french doors...guest table..sofa.
And with that six-figure income I spent it well. I also saved a lot too but spent a LOT.
2700 sq. ft. home, garage..concrete drive...6 ft vinyl fence surrounding entire back property. Awesome kitchen with a 14ft. island, all new appliances.
55" TV?...no...two of them. And three 40" tvs. Five DVD players, game systems...2-3 laptops, iPads...leather furniture...in both living rooms.

2008 was rough. Like a lot of businesses, we did not survive it well. In 2007 we invested 2.2 million in an expansion...and the market imploded. It happens.

I was in the hunt. My email and cell phones were on overdrive. I was being sought after by companies not only throughout this area...but all over the country.
But I couldn't help this nagging feeling tugging at me. I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want to work 70 hours. I don't want my life consumed by a job...that when you really get down to it...doesn't mean a damn thing.

So here it is, at the tail end of 2016. I am living in a 950 sq ft, 2 bd apartment. Met someone awesome...both of our incomes combined is less than half what I made alone. The job I have, the hours are phenomenal. I go in around 6:30-7am...and done most days by 1:30-2pm. I make a laughable $57.5k a year...but...I owe no one one red cent.
I feel like the luckiest man alive. I am free.
I don't care that I don't have 5 TVs...three couches and love seats and matching leather recliners..and..solid cherry furniture...and..whatever.
I have an awesome lady...more time on my hands than ever before, I have never been this happy in my life.

Thanks for letting me share.

 

[peach174]

You can't buy love.

 

[RodISHI]

.

You can't buy love.

Or peace of mind and tranquility.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Aye...the other night we sat on the couch in the living room, couple candles burning...the Christmas tree lights...just talked.
We play cards sometimes, or tri-ominos...even battleship ...watch $9 a month netflix.
Stuff we all believe we have to have...only gets in the way.

It's not the stuff that is important, it's everything important you have to give up in order to get it.

 

[Weatherman2020]

We thought our home and everything inside were gone in the 07 wildfires. What did we do the week before we learned it was still standing? Talked about what kind of house we would like to get later.
It's all just stuff. Stuff that is really not important when you realize it can be a lot lot worse.

 

[Pete7469]

We thought our home and everything inside were gone in the 07 wildfires. What did we do the week before we learned it was still standing? Talked about what kind of house we would like to get later.
It's all just stuff. Stuff that is really not important when you realize it can be a lot lot worse.

We lost everything in a wildfire last year, it sucks but in the end it's all just shit you collected, most of which your kids will sell or throw away.

 

[Bleipriester]

July 2006. This is a time I would say I was at the height of my career, with very real chances to keep right on growing that career. I was operating a successful 3 plant operation with profits averaging 15% above industry norms. Big office, maple wood desk...carpeted..french doors...guest table..sofa.
And with that six-figure income I spent it well. I also saved a lot too but spent a LOT.
2700 sq. ft. home, garage..concrete drive...6 ft vinyl fence surrounding entire back property. Awesome kitchen with a 14ft. island, all new appliances.
55" TV?...no...two of them. And three 40" tvs. Five DVD players, game systems...2-3 laptops, iPads...leather furniture...in both living rooms.

2008 was rough. Like a lot of businesses, we did not survive it well. In 2007 we invested 2.2 million in an expansion...and the market imploded. It happens.

I was in the hunt. My email and cell phones were on overdrive. I was being sought after by companies not only throughout this area...but all over the country.
But I couldn't help this nagging feeling tugging at me. I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want to work 70 hours. I don't want my life consumed by a job...that when you really get down to it...doesn't mean a damn thing.

So here it is, at the tail end of 2016. I am living in a 950 sq ft, 2 bd apartment. Met someone awesome...both of our incomes combined is less than half what I made alone. The job I have, the hours are phenomenal. I go in around 6:30-7am...and done most days by 1:30-2pm. I make a laughable $57.5k a year...but...I owe no one one red cent.
I feel like the luckiest man alive. I am free.
I don't care that I don't have 5 TVs...three couches and love seats and matching leather recliners..and..solid cherry furniture...and..whatever.
I have an awesome lady...more time on my hands than ever before, I have never been this happy in my life.

Thanks for letting me share.

57k is quite a large sum compared to European wages.

 

[Weatherman2020]

We thought our home and everything inside were gone in the 07 wildfires. What did we do the week before we learned it was still standing? Talked about what kind of house we would like to get later.
It's all just stuff. Stuff that is really not important when you realize it can be a lot lot worse.

We lost everything in a wildfire last year, it sucks but in the end it's all just shit you collected, most of which your kids will sell or throw away.

There have been times while cleaning up junk I wish it had all gone up.

 

[Pete7469]

There have been times while cleaning up junk I wish it had all gone up.

Yeah,

but it does suck when you need a tool and just as you go to retrieve it you remember that it's a chunk of rusting metal.

Or you see a certain gun and think :

"I've got one of.... oh wait.... no I don't...."

 

[Weatherman2020]

There have been times while cleaning up junk I wish it had all gone up.

Yeah,

but it does suck when you need a tool and just as you go to retrieve it you remember that it's a chunk of rusting metal.

Or you see a certain gun and think :

"I've got one of.... oh wait.... no I don't...."

Yeah. Photos too would have been tough.

 

[Pete7469]

Yeah. Photos too would have been tough.

Fortunately the wife got some of that stuff out. I am a volunteer fire fighter so we keep certain things in a semi-packet and easy to move state. I was at the end of my road filling the truck and listening to my ammo cooking off.

Between myself an a couple neighbors it sounded like Aleppo down there. We had enough weapons and ammo to take the Island of Fiji.

 

[Uncensored2008]

Glad you're happy.

That is really ALL that matters.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

57k is quite a large sum compared to European wages.

Perhaps...but we don't have European culture.
What I mean by that, is American culture absolutely surrounds the accumulation of stuff.
I am 51, so my parents lived their child rearing days in the 60's-70's. One TV. One phone. No $120/mo. cable plan, no $150/mo cell phones, computers, no McMansions...one car...
My generation can't get enough. There is always a bigger TV, a cooler cell phone, a faster laptop, a better graphics game system that will always have more games to buy...more small appliances in the kitchen than you could possible ever use...stuff...and stuff...and more stuff.
All of that stuff takes time...time to earn the money to get it. You need two incomes for all this stuff...who raises their children anymore?? We have stuff to buy!!

 

[RodISHI]

57k is quite a large sum compared to European wages.

It depends on which state and area you live here. The costs of living vary a lot from state to state and even areas within those states.

 

[Bleipriester]

57k is quite a large sum compared to European wages.

Perhaps...but we don't have European culture.
What I mean by that, is American culture absolutely surrounds the accumulation of stuff.
I am 51, so my parents lived their child rearing days in the 60's-70's. One TV. One phone. No $120/mo. cable plan, no $150/mo cell phones, computers, no McMansions...one car...
My generation can't get enough. There is always a bigger TV, a cooler cell phone, a faster laptop, a better graphics game system that will always have more games to buy...more small appliances in the kitchen than you could possible ever use...stuff...and stuff...and more stuff.
All of that stuff takes time...time to earn the money to get it. You need two incomes for all this stuff...who raises their children anymore?? We have stuff to buy!!

We have that consumerism, too. Pure materialism. Most of the cash is spent on gasoline, though. And Electricity costs twice as much in Germany as in America. Only Italy is more expensive in this regard. Our current price is over 23 ct/kWh. Food is cheap, though.

 

[Bleipriester]

57k is quite a large sum compared to European wages.

It depends on which state and area you live here. The costs of living vary a lot from state to state and even areas within those states.

We have lower wages but a better social security. We don´t know limited social welfare or health insurance, for example. However, it is far from perfect as our hospitals are on the decline.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

57k is quite a large sum compared to European wages.

Perhaps...but we don't have European culture.
What I mean by that, is American culture absolutely surrounds the accumulation of stuff.
I am 51, so my parents lived their child rearing days in the 60's-70's. One TV. One phone. No $120/mo. cable plan, no $150/mo cell phones, computers, no McMansions...one car...
My generation can't get enough. There is always a bigger TV, a cooler cell phone, a faster laptop, a better graphics game system that will always have more games to buy...more small appliances in the kitchen than you could possible ever use...stuff...and stuff...and more stuff.
All of that stuff takes time...time to earn the money to get it. You need two incomes for all this stuff...who raises their children anymore?? We have stuff to buy!!

We have that consumerism, too. Pure materialism. Most of the cash is spent on gasoline, though. And Electricity costs twice as much in Germany as in America. Only Italy is more expensive in this regard. Our current price is over 23 ct/kWh. Food is cheap, though.

Food is exorbitant here. Ludicrous.
Produce especially.

 

[RodISHI]

Food is exorbitant here. Ludicrous.
Produce especially.

Food has gone up everywhere. I found it interesting a few years back that a suburb of Denver had nicer produce for less and cheaper same brand cheese two bucks than here (at the same brand stores). It could be simply that they sell more overall.

We have lower wages but a better social security. We don´t know limited social welfare or health insurance, for example. However, it is far from perfect as our hospitals are on the decline.

Health care costs are really ridiculous everywhere if you ask me. As far as social programs go here again it does vary somewhat between states. The federal programs can be basically the same but the states are allowed to set certain criteria. ie. workers comp in Idaho can be purchased through a state ran insurance system instead of buying from a corporate company. When I had forty plus employees I found that much better than a corporates policy options. Even when one worker was paid well for a minor injury we got a refund at the end of the year. With a corporately run insurance company you would never get a refund. In farm country some of these farmers believe they are fully exempt from WC laws and one even told me that when Rod broke his hand on the job working for him plus the dickhead shorted his paycheck a few thousand dollars. They are not supposed to be exempt but are exempt from other employee laws so some think they should be exempt from all laws. Guys like that one are some of the biggest federal welfare recipients that there are.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

I found that there is much more to life than to spend each weekday earning money....so that you can spend it all each weekend.
Take clothes...new clothes cost a ridiculous amount...but then, used clothes is virtually worthless. How many here have ever seen the backroom of a Goodwill store? They throw away at least 20 items of clothing for everyone they sell. Some still have the tags on it.

 

[RodISHI]

I found that there is much more to life than to spend each weekday earning money....so that you can spend it all each weekend.
Take clothes...new clothes cost a ridiculous amount...but then, used clothes is virtually worthless. How many here have ever seen the backroom of a Goodwill store? They throw away at least 20 items of clothing for everyone they sell. Some still have the tags on it.

They are great places for finding materials too if one sews and has a creative streak.