Has this economy continued to hurt your wallet, or are you doing just fine?

[El Jefe]

Originally Posted by NewChief

We're working our asses off, but we're doing okay.

I got board certified, which added 5k a year to my salary. I also took a promotion which added 20 contract days, extended hours, more duties and another 5k a year or so.

That was fortunate and gave us some padding because in the meantime my wife's employing company changed owners, leaving her at an impasse. She ended up striking out on her own, opening a business, and continuing to do freelance work. While we're actually pretty tight right now due to some initial issues with the business, it's looking like it's going to be profitable. I tend toward financial pessimism on a personal level, but I'm feeling pretty optimistic right now about our potential earning in coming years. We just have to get the business in the clear over the next few months, and things should be okay.

The main problem, currently, is that I work probably 10 hours a day and serve as Mr. Mom while my wife is working around 12-14 hour days, 6 days a week, starting her own business and billing 20 hours of freelance design work a week. It puts a lot of immediate pressure on the family, but we hope we'll be better for it in the long run.

More power too you, I have found the disconnect between career and life to be a gray area to some. I have been working 55-65 hours a week for the past 6 or so years. I still currently am in school full time as well, I have found that these types of time constrictions are detrimental to what is truly most important in my life. I have cut my school hours back from 17 to 12 and it has helped a lot. Money, careers and school are always there to go back to, time with family, spouse and kids if you have them is not.

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by El Jefe

More power too you, I have found the disconnect between career and life to be a gray area to some. I have been working 55-65 hours a week for the past 6 or so years. I still currently am in school full time as well, I have found that these types of time constrictions are detrimental to what is truly most important in my life. I have cut my school hours back from 17 to 12 and it has helped a lot. Money, careers and school are always there to go back to, time with family, spouse and kids if you have them is not.

It's definitely a tough juggling act. We hope that hard work for the next two years will pay off with increased time with family in the long run. I get extended time off in the summer. If my wife gets her store and design work at the proper level, she can be mobile in the summer. This will allow us to experience extended travel with the kids in the summer months.