Money

[Droopy]

I was looking through the Sunday newspaper classifieds today mainly out of curiosity, but also with the slight hope that I would find something that has the potential to get me out of trucking with equivalent or better pay. I did see one such ad that had the potential for that: New Car Sales- will train the right person- no experience required- $49,000 to $81,000 a year starting wage- apply in person, no phone calls please. But I'm afraid I'm not the "right person." Probably too guarded and reserved to make a good salesman.

I made the most money of my life last year- $47,000. I'll make about 55k this year if I stick with it, and I don't think I'll be going anywhere. When I started out on my own in 1995 I was working in a machine shop for $6 an hour. I lived in a 1969 model, 8 x 47, mobile home with drafty windows and a soft bathroom floor. It was located in a trailer park that was one of the poorest sections of town. Fortunately, a year later I got on with a trucking company that paid for my CDL training with the promise that I would work for them for at least a year. I was elated when I got my first pay check from my first trucking gig. I had cleared $400 after taxes. It was the biggest pay check I had ever had by far.

It's been a long hard road to establish myself in life. I've finally found the right balance between money and living arrangements. I'm 35 now. I sometimes envy people who are smart enough to get a college education that then propels them at a young age well past what's taken me 13 years to establish. But I'm alright now, and I have a treasure of life experience to draw from that you can't get from college or by landing in a cushy job when you are 22.

It really hurts not to have enough money. It's stressful and depressing. A lot of people get into money problems unnecessarily in this country because they don't know how to find that balance between money and living arrangements. A lot of others come from disadvantaged backgrounds and they can't catch that break that they need to make things better. I read somewhere that the median yearly income in America is $30,000. That means that half of the people working in this country make less than $30,000 a year. The richest country in the world, eh? I'd hate to see what the rest of the world lives like.

[Connonym]

1. With outsourcing and technology I know I've passed my highest earning potential

I'm making about half of what I made 3 years ago. Combination of stagnation of wages and less work. I lost my house as a result. Now I can't afford to live w/o a roommate and with 2 kids that's no easy task. We're renting from family right now and I'm constantly aware of the tenuousness of that situation. Money may not buy happiness but having it sure helps insulate against a lot of agony.

[PeaceNikki]

2. I feel for you. BUT

Be very leery of jobs like that. It's likely mostly or all commission based so the income can be very unsteady. Sales is not for everyone and if you have reservations at all, it's probably not for you.

If you feel comfortable with your current income right now, despite the amount of time it's taken you to get there, consider yourself lucky.

Being content with what you have can sometimes leave you wanting more, but stop and reflect in the comfort that you have right now. Throwing a massive career change into the mix right now might be something undesirable.

Good luck and hang in there. :hug:

[Droopy]

5. Oh, I'm not going for the sales job, Nikki

I said in the OP that I'm probably not the right person for that. Yeah, I'm doing alright right now. I've got enough money, I have decent health insurance, and I have a retirement plan going. It's just that being a trucker isn't an easy job and I long for a peaceful existence on the job. But I guess there are harder jobs, too.

[SPKrazy]

3. shacks and shanties

if they are lucky

I'm sure the limpballs of the world would say "they live in warm places so its like a paradise"

bloated bellies from malnutrition

death at early ages from starvation

that's how they live

[Labors of Hercules]

4. Be careful if you want to go into car sales...

Don't sign onto a big, high-turnover dealership, even if they promise you'll make more money (cuz it's bullshit). They are usually salesperson-abusing snakes who care nothing about building relationships with customers and everything about making the sale (which means they hire a shitload of "commission-only" salespeople to compete with each other, so the only way to succeed is by being a nasty customer-chasing creep). First thing, ask the salespeople how long they've been there, if the majority have been working for over 3 years, it's probably a good bet they've got their heads in the right place. The best dealerships are MID-VOLUME, with a solid repeat customer base, (and these are also the most likely to offer salary + commission).

Be ready to work long hours, and only sign-on to sell auto makes you believe in. (For me it was Honda and Subaru)...

Hope this helps!

[Droopy]

6. I appreciate the advice

But as I indicated in the OP, I'm not going for that job. It's just nice to think about not having to sling freight off the back of a truck every night. :)

[Droopy]

7. kick

:dem: