I'm pretty much in the same situation as you are. After coming back from South Korea, teaching English there for a little over three years, I got a job (in Real Estate) and I'm on track to make $90k this year as well. Like you, I get almost no time off (12 days, so less than two weeks a year!). So, because of the massive time it takes to fly to Asia, I'm pretty much stuck going to Mexico or Central America for my sacred 12 days off. Or I could stay and vacation in America, but who wants to do that?Hero wrote:Today I was offered a job that pays $90K per year. The downside is that I only get 2 weeks vacation per year. That means I can forget about taking any trips abroad for a while. But maybe that's not such a bad thing; these week-long vacations that I've taken to the Philippines, the Ukraine, and the Dominican Republic have not been very productive, due to their short duration. Maybe the better plan would be to work at this job for a year or two and save up enough cash to get myself set up permanently in a foreign home. What say you?
Here's the thing, $90K a year isn't even that much. Even if you do max out your 401(k) contributions (which I recommend) you still get screwed on your taxes, just not as much. The tax code really rips off single people in this country. Then you have all kinds of other deductions from your check, medical, dental, vision, SDI, your FSA, etc. It's like your paycheck gets passed around like a drunk sorority girl at a frat party, with everyone getting a piece. By the time everyone gets their hands on your paycheck, there isn't that much left, considering how hard you work.
I guess just take the job and have an exit plan. Try to stick it out for as long as you can, until you can't take it anymore. Personally, I hate my job, but the money is just good enough where I'm going to keep doing it until I can't take it anymore. I imagine one day I'll wake up and I just won't be able to get myself to go to work. I'll just have to e-mail my boss a letter of resignation and get on the next plane to Asia or South America.
That's my plan, at least...