Hi there:
I'm looking for advice. This will be scattered. Apologies in advance.
I started a new job about 3 months ago. The job is 60+ hour weeks and high stress. I'm not sure it's a great fit, though I know I'm performing well. Between leaving my old job and arriving for the first day of this new one, I unexpectedly lost a really close relative. I'm still reeling from that loss and, full disclosure, my interest in leaving may be caused by the reality that I'm dealing with overwhelming grief while trying to just make a mark in my new gig.
My husband and I save well, but we're not as frugal as some folks here. Still, we're in good shape. My husband and I could FIRE in about five years but I'm really tired now and just want out even if only for a while. That said, I am worried about quitting and having a hard time finding a new job. You always hear the "it is easier to find a new job when you have a job" cliche. Notwithstanding the worry about the impact of a gap in my resume on finding a new job...
I am just ready for something else. Over the past few years, I've slowly been pursuing a PhD. I'm about a semester away from the exams that would put me to the point of writing my dissertation. I learned last night that the University would be willing to pay for my coursework AND give me a stipend of 1500$ a month to pursue school almost full time (I'd be a graduate assistant, working about 18-20 hours a week).
I am an economist so I keep thinking of the opportunity cost of the retirement savings these years. I am only 38, about to be 39. I earn 150k. My husband and I together save about 100k per year. (He earns about what I earn and we live in a high cost of living area.)
Quitting before January is out of the question. I want to leave now, but I committed to a year and I'll make it through January. I could either tell myself to hang on and do another 5 years, or quit in January and pursue the PhD, then maybe go back to work three to four years later for 3-5 years. (The PhD won't increase my earnings potential, but I hope it makes me marketable.) If we go down to one salary, we will still be able to save a bit. And we can live comfortably on my husband's salary.
What would you do in my situation? (And if you feel like typing it up, why?)