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You Ever Want Something Badly Then When You Get It...

1K views 17 replies 12 participants last post by  toomanytoys84 
#1 ·
I've been pushing for a promotion at work. The same job I am doing now but on a corporate level. Well, today I was told, we are going to put you in this position as a trial as we don't have a corporate level of your job title. They want to try this out as we have just purchased 5 mines and they want someone to look after what the maintenance departments are doing.

I was super excited, till the next words out of his mouth was "I need you to leave Thursday morning for one of our southern locations. Everything you need will be provided for you, you will stay there 1 to 2 weeks" That SUCKS! I'd love it if I were still single, but being married, little girl, and one brewing in the pot. I really don't like being away from home. This will not be a something that happens a lot though. Probably a few times during this transition period of bringing the new mines online with our ways.

3 hour drive one way is too much to commute every day. And I will be expected to work EVERY day I am there, no time off during this stint.

I'm really torn on what to do here. I'm considering a near doubling of my salary. That would make enable my wife to be able to give up her nursing job and she could be home with the kids, but I won't be home nearly as much. Right now I work 7 to 4 M-F with every weekend off....

Probably looking at 7 to whenever working 6 days a week.
 
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#2 ·
The fact that one of you will always be there with the kids is enticing, but you won't get to see them grow up as much.

I worked a lot of hours and most weekends for a lot of years. Never did get "ahead" and I missed a lot of the two older ones as they grew up. This one, we are both working, but less hours for me. She gets more Daddy time than the other two did... Pretty much ensures she'll be screwed up. :D

As long as you are sure (get it writing) it'll be an intermittent situation, that's one thing... If this is a constant thing... I would have to think about it, personally.
 
#4 ·
Look at this opportunity as an opportunity. There are pluses and minuses. You need to talk with your wife about it. Financial security is more of an illusion these days. The extra pay, if put into savings(not the stock market) can give you a safety net. Your wife at home with the kids is a great opportunity for them. They will be safer and healthier with mom. It will be hard on both of you. It is a hard decision, you can never know what is best. Just give it your best shot. Good Luck, Rick
 
#5 · (Edited by Moderator)
I know exactly what you are saying about never gaining on money. I started out at 6.00 dollars an hour in 2002, went to nearly 20 in 2003, and have increased from there. I have worked more hours and less hours over the years. I've never felt anymore secure with a 500 dollar check or a 3000 dollar check. I just spend more or less depending on my income potential for that year.

Now I am honestly at the lowest amount of hours I've ever really worked, about 45 a week. Prior to this I was 60+ a week. Money has been good and bad. I've never been one to put myself in a bad financial situations. I prefer to live leaner and worry less. Right now with my current pay check we stay head mostly. Have a little spare cash here and there and we pretty much do what we want.

More money though would enable us to remodel the house quicker, pay down some of the bills I married into. She was a bit nuts with credit cards and such.

I guess, really I want to advance my career, and become more solidified into the company. More job security(I hope). Coal mine isn't necessarily the most secure job in the world right now. I want to spend time with the kids. Working every other saturday, or 10 hours a day isn't a real big deal to me. I mainly don't want to be gone for weeks at a time. My dad always made time for me and even now he is my best friend. Me and him do everything together when we can.

My wife was very unhappy when I told her I'd be gone for a week.

I guess it comes down to looking at 50k a year to 100k a year + bonuses(probably about 20k a year in monthly bonus) and being home less.

And yes I'd want it in writing that this travel thing would only be for a year, or 6 months, or some kind of guarantee.
 
#6 ·
This is one to discuss with the wife for sure. I'm a home body myself this would be a difficult decision for me too. My wife as we both agreed while raising the kids hasn't worked very much at all outside the home. I have worked on the road a few times & hated it. If your financially comfortable now then maybe hoping something local will come up later. I don't think anything in the corporate world is a guarantee even if it is in writing. With today's idiots running the country nothing job wise is guaranteed.
 
#7 ·
I was in the same situation about 5 years ago. I had the oppurtunity to get a job driving truck that was a home everynite job. Would have doubled my salary to start and the mrs. could have stayed home. Problem was I would have been working 14-15 hours a day and the commute is about 45 minutes each way. It left NO time for family and meant I never would have had time to sit down, home to bed and up the next morning and off right away day in, day out. I turned it down and while I aint rich monetarially I feel I am rich with family. Money comes and money goes but family is always there. You gotta choose whats best for you, if indeed this would only be for a very short period and then it would be local again that you would be home everyday I would be going for it were it me. Good luck with your decision.
 
#10 ·
If you've doubled your salary, consider getting an apartment at the new location & bringing the family along when you go there. You may have to home school, but it is one solution.
I used to work a week at a time out of town, sometimes for multiple weeks, though I did get weekends off. We did what we had to so my wife could stay home, child care in this area isn't really affordable when all is said and done. That said, depending on where I was, she would occasionally pack up with the young children and come spend a night with me wherever I was if my accommodations would hold the four of us.

I'd say, go for it as long as it doesn't reach a point where you are out of town more than once a month or so. Also, get more certifications, education, whatever you can do to show the company you are committed to excelling in your new position.
 
#11 · (Edited by Moderator)
Thanks for the advice. Gives me good things to think about before I sit Dow. With the misses and figure this out.

I want to do it. I've always been the type take an opportunity when it's available but now it's more than me.

One thing I hate is I won't be home to fire the wood stove. But making more money I can get a 12 hour burn outdoor and have my dad fire it.
 
#12 ·
If the Misses isn't happy all the money in the world won't make Her happy and your kids will be miserable also. That said if you can pin it down to 1 year of less and reach an agreement with your wife it should be doable. I had the opportunity to go on the road and make more money but passed on it. Turned out to be kind of a funny deal as latter the owner told me no one pays enough for his free time. :D
 
#13 ·
I used to work a week at a time out of town, sometimes for multiple weeks, though I did get weekends off. We did what we had to so my wife could stay home, child care in this area isn't really affordable when all is said and done. That said, depending on where I was, she would occasionally pack up with the young children and come spend a night with me wherever I was if my accommodations would hold the four of us.

I'd say, go for it as long as it doesn't reach a point where you are out of town more than once a month or so. Also, get more certifications, education, whatever you can do to show the company you are committed to excelling in your new position.
I'm with Howard on this one. If you don't like it you can always do something else, but if you turn it down, the opportunity may never come up again. Kind of a "fish or cut bait " situation. Good luck.
 
#15 ·
I mostly work 7-3:30 40 hr week unless a vehicle breaks down or storms when the co keeps people overtime so it isn't often but last year we worked almost 30 16 hr days one streach and 2 weeks the other add comuting times and I didn't see the family even though I was home every night ! So you going out of town a few weeks a year isn't that much different unless they add more mines for you to go to . I know it's a tuff call , good luck
 
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#16 · (Edited by Moderator)
We decided I'd take it. Yesterday I got home at 7. Today I am waiting at the house to go to a staff meeting at the main office which is 5 miles from house.

Hopefully this all calms down after the first of the year.

She doesn't want to quit completely said she is going to drop to part time. I guess if she quits she loses her nursing license.

Still better. My mom will watch the kids on the 3 days she works. The oldest will be going to school in august too

My big thing is I don't mind the hours. I love coal mining and my job but I love my time home too. Going to have to balance them out the best we can
 
#18 ·
Got to come home last night for the yearly Christmas party me and my.wife attend every year. Home today and heading back out at 5 am tomorrow till Friday then I'm off till December 26th. Had vacation scheduled till after Christmas so I still get that. Looking forward to almost 2 weeks off.
 
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