Little dilemma and looking for perspective if people don't mind?!
I got a cool job, essentially I work in an MMA gym and my days are a mix of teaching 1-2-1 with grown-ups (some huge lumps and pro-fighters through to mums who just want to lose weight) and kids. And I work with my coach and my friends.
Downside is I break even most months and on a good month save an extra £100 and whack £150 into investments (Vanguard).
The money is average (£30K ish) and the pension benefits are zero. I'm 37 so in theory I've got to work another 30 years. It's a very physical job and my shoulder aches a little as I type. I've only been doing the job 4 years and have to spend £150 per month commuting.
Moving closer isn't an option because my wife works in the city we live in and can't drive. There is no work for her ATM in the town I work and neither would I want to take her away from her friends. Maybe I shouldn't discount this option though?!
My worry is what I'll do as I get older and what I'll do to retire. I don't want to make the mistake that I'll never be old enough to retire either... my old man is 62 and thought he'd be dead in his 50s like his Dad. Thankfully, that's not happened.
The alternative is to go back to the real world where I worked in a hospital. Earn the same (to start with) and work up to about £35K. The pension contribution from me would have to be 9.3% which is less than I'm doing saving so that's no problem. And the job pays 14% - a fuck-ton and is about 10 hours less work per week than I currently do. The is progression, which means more money (up to low £40K)
I'm not sure what to do.
Cool job that I might not be able to do in 10, 20 and definitely 30 years with zero retirement benefits at the moment.
But I like it.
Or go back to what I knew, suck it up, be the man and jump back on the usual pay scale. Save my commuting money (that'll go into a Vanguard fund as well).
Mmm... decisions decisions.
I know what I'd like to do (stay and help work to build the gym up) but it's different to what I should do.
Cheers,
Alan
P.S. I have a 2 year old daughter and a second one on the way in 4 months