What do Mustachians do for work?

[CientoUno]

Pretty simple-- what field are you all in and what are your thoughts on it? How is it working out for your FIRE goals? I see some sweet sexy salary numbers thrown around here sometimes and it got me curious.

I'll start. I've been teaching English abroad for 4 years, currently in Thailand. If I was OK with a lifetime in Thailand this would be stupid good for FIRE goals, with the cost of living being what it is. But I'll be headed home to give my field of study a proper try-- something in the communications/ad/marketing field. Hoping I can get myself a decent enough salary, since I already save like a freakin' legend =D

(As an aside, I'd be curious to talk to anyone else doing something similar, maybe pick your brain a little bit as far as the best ways to go about landing something good... if you wouldn't mind)

[Frankies Girl]

Nothing now. FIREd last year. :D

When I did work, I was a graphic designer/illustrator.

Arty folks are here in small numbers, but it is mostly STEM and educational careers that make up the majority on this forum.

I never earned the high salaries that I've seen on this forum, but I was making way better money than 99% of my friends in the same field, and had some awesome benefits (but the workplace was insane and I'm still suffering the after effects). It helped enormously towards our savings/investing goals, and for some years before I quit, I was maxing my 401k and two IRAs, paying all medical and living expenses, and saving a small portion of my salary and all of my husband's salary. I think our savings rate was like 70% the last couple of years.

Full disclosure: While we were doing really, really well on our own, I was accelerated to FIRE by an inheritance. It shaved about a decade off my FIRE plans.

If you're in the marketing/ad industry, you'll need to live in a big city to make any sort of decent salary. Which may not be an issue for you, but if you are looking to save lots of money, living in someplace like NYC or LA for instance is going to cost a whole lot more than someplace like Austin, TX or Miami, FL. So doing research at least a year out about what sort of marketing/advertising you'd like to get into and what cities appeal to you (and if the two could match up) might be prudent.

[shelivesthedream]

I work as a freelance creative. If anyone is desperate for more detail, PM me. Sometimes the engineering salaries make me want to hurl, but I'm sat here at work making great art with a great team on my own terms. I use MMM principles to build on my natural frugality so I can afford to only work on projects I am interested in and still save enough to have choices and retire at at least 65. Not all creatives are arty-farty airheads!

[meg_shannon]

My husband is a research physicist at a national lab. We're currently at the tail end of a year in Germany for a research collaboration. Living here has allowed us to save a lot of money as the cost of living is much cheaper than central NJ.

I'll be starting pharmacy school in 2017. I had planned to go much earlier, I'll be 32 when I start, but took a break to be a SAHP while our daughter was small, and have supported my husband's career through it's travel. Now that he's done so much travel, he can afford to turn down a few or limit them in time and to the summer months. Until I start school, I'll be working as a pharmacy technician and funding a personal 529.

I'm not sure we'll do a typical, if there is one, RE. We're more aiming for the security of FI. My husband's career is exactly what he's wanted since high school. I've been planning on pharmacy school for almost ten years now, and will just be starting my (paid) career in 2021.

[TravelJunkyQC]

I'm also not in the STEM fields, although I would have loved to. (Humanities heart with a Scientific-Cartesian mind). I studied Anthropology and African Studies, went on to work as a freelance photographer and writer, which has brought me to where I am now, in Communications. I love writing, although for the past two years I've been working in magazine editing, which has been draining because I'm perpetuating the consumer culture. As such, I start a new job in less than two weeks - still Communications, but for a technology firm. Super excited about a return to science. Nothing close to an engineer's salary though (although I still put away approximately 50% of my take-home). I'm hoping to FIRE in 11 years (at age 40), or perhaps earlier since I live on very little and enjoy freelance writing - so Semi-FIRE in that sense.

[Fishindude]

Have not worked for the other guy since I was 25 years old, now 56.
Primary job is owning a construction company.    It can be a meat grinder at times, kind of high stress at times, high risk / high reward. 
No complaints, has been a great career and afforded me the opportunity to build a nice nest egg and get into a number of other investments that should make for a worry free FIRE (next year), and pretty much do whatever we want to do.

[rubybeth]

You may find this poll that MMM himself did interesting: http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2013/09/17/a-one-question-survey-who-are-the-mustachians/

DH would fall into "healthcare industry" (mental health professional) and I would fall into cubicle jockey or education (library administrator).

[big_slacker]

There was already a what do you do, how much do you make type thread a little while back.

Network engineer here, I move packets around when I'm not skipping out to snowboard or bike. ;)

[snogirl]

Retired military.
Now doing a short gig techy job with the State.
Setting up a small outdoor guide biz right now by volunteering for another company.
I do photography of the clients of his tours for him.
My trips are free that way.
Pretty soon that is all I will do.
One step at a time.

[BTDretire]

Consumer Electronics repair and electronics assembly the first 17, own a small seafood outlet the last
16 years. Lived frugal 30 years before I see MMM. Living frugal has paid off.

[PARedbeard]

I used to be an archaeologist. Then a court mediator. Now, I'm  working in non-profit for child welfare.

My wife is a geneticist, currently working on her Ph.D.

[tj]

I do purchasing and business development for a small-ish contract manufacturer.

[Tetsuya Hondo]

I manually masturbate circus animals for artificial insemination.

[runningthroughFIRE]

Accountant/financial analyst here.  It's pretty fun seeing how big companies operate, and they pay me comical sums of money to play in spreadsheets all day.  Current FI projection is just before age 35, but it gets slightly earlier every month I update it.

[Jesstache]

Hubby and I are both Aerospace Engineers.  It doesn't suck.

[JordanOfGilead]

I manually masturbate circus animals for artificial insemination.

That sounds like it would be a great conversation starter or killer depending on the crowd.

To answer the OP question, I'm in manufacturing engineering. It works well for my FIRE goals. I am getting paid a little above industry standard and "get" to travel somewhat frequently (building up airline, hotel, and rental car points for vacation use is a definite perk). Currently 24, have some debt holding me down at the moment, but still on track to FIRE before 40.

[ohana]

Science instructor at an elite liberal arts college.  Love my job, love my students.

[BTDretire]

I manually masturbate circus animals for artificial insemination.

  You might want to look for additional clientele, animals in the circus are being reduced, (PETA and others).
I hear polar bears are on the decline, maybe you could assist in increasing their population!

[NESailor]

Another bean counter here. CPA in private practice (work for a medium size subsidiary of a global manufacturer).  Not very exciting but decent pay.  Wife is a teacher at a private elementary school (actually very poorly paid vs. public schools in our area but we're working on that).  Current FIRE plans have us "free" at 42 or so but that's mostly because we're both voluntarily underemployed.  If a good opportunity came up for me or for her we could speed the process up quickly.  We love the LCOL area we're in so that limits our job opportunities. 

[CanuckExpat]

You may find this thread interesting: What's your job title and how much do you earn?

[Roboturner]

I'm a Reservoir Engineer in O&G, been scrambling around trying not to get laid off due to the awful oil prices. Cruising along to FI, but still have ~4 years to go, so hopefully I can continue working until then. Can't wait to get out, as I'm not overly fond of my jerb (SO MUCH SITTING - ESSENTIALLY A PROFESSIONAL SITTER).

[PARedbeard]

Science instructor at an elite liberal arts college.  Love my job, love my students.

Nice!

[Helvegen]

Nothing cool, just a desk jockey and I'm bored with it.

I'm attempting to completely change careers and go into the trades. I need a more physically and mentally stimulating job. The process is long because the particular apprenticeship I would like to do is not the highest demand, but by far the most interesting to me. I got the call today (after about 3 months of nothing) that they are starting the hiring process for new apprentices for that specialty of the trade, so they wanted to throw my name in the pot for the selection committee if I was still interested. Have to see what happens next. 

[ender]

Software developer.

[Yaeger]

U.S. Naval Officer.

[EllieStan]

I work in the Educational technology field.

Working in the public sector is not the best option when it comes to salary (can't negociate my income, lower income vs working for a company). However, I have a lot of flexibility when it comes to my schedule, I can even work from home. It's a 35hrs/week type of job, and that can work well with my FI goals. I can devote more time to other professional involvment or training (e-learning or evening courses) or even to a 2nd job/side hustle.

I don't want to RE as much as I want to achieve FI. I'm passionate about my career. I see my current job as leverage. I learn a lot, meet many people, develop many skills and get involved in many networking activities.

[sol]

SCIENCE!

[bobechs]

SCIENCE!

Has it blinded you yet?

[Zikoris]

Office clerk/receptionist. I don't make a ton, but I spend next to nothing outside of travel (last month I spent $618), so I'm still on track to retire young. I really like the lifestyle it provides me - very good benefits, located just a few blocks from home, relatively easy work, and I'm finished work every day by 3:30pm, so I have the full afternoon and evening every day to do whatever I want.

[tj]

Office clerk/receptionist. I don't make a ton, but I spend next to nothing outside of travel (last month I spent $618), so I'm still on track to retire young. I really like the lifestyle it provides me - very good benefits, located just a few blocks from home, relatively easy work, and I'm finished work every day by 3:30pm, so I have the full afternoon and evening every day to do whatever I want.

That is awesome! Around these parts, housing and industry aren't really separated by mere blocks. I'm also done by 3:30-ish, but I'm exhausted by the time I get home with all the driving and working....and I cut my commute drastically by moving closer to work. :D

[Zikoris]

Office clerk/receptionist. I don't make a ton, but I spend next to nothing outside of travel (last month I spent $618), so I'm still on track to retire young. I really like the lifestyle it provides me - very good benefits, located just a few blocks from home, relatively easy work, and I'm finished work every day by 3:30pm, so I have the full afternoon and evening every day to do whatever I want.

That is awesome! Around these parts, housing and industry aren't really separated by mere blocks. I'm also done by 3:30-ish, but I'm exhausted by the time I get home with all the driving and working....and I cut my commute drastically by moving closer to work. :D

Yeah, Vancouver has really good city design - it's one of the main reasons I live here. Though a lot of people here still decide to live in the suburbs and commute...

[mozar]

I work in accounting. It's officially called audit consulting. I work with the federal government to improve their policies etc. This forum helped me negotiate for a higher salary which took 5 years off my FIRE date. So it's working for me.

[CATman]

Catastrophe property adjuster for a major insurance company. I get called up on a moment's notice to fly/drive across the country when bad things happen to lots of people and help them put it all back together again.

[EcoCanuck]

Environmental Building / Design / Supervision Consultant. It pays better abroad.
Right now its helping build a nestegg and weather out the current slow moving economic storm. I also dig having a job that helps out everything - helping the environment is like trying to help everyone... even if they are kicking and screaming to try and get you to stop.

[FINate]

My 'stash works for me since I'm FIREd.

Previously a Software Engineer (BS CS, MS SE, MBA). I would say it worked well for me, I FIREd at 38 :)

[faramund]

I'm an academic who does research in AI. Its very good, not only is it a great job which I like, with low hours I'm obliged to do, it has very good superannuation. Its odd, it used to have good superannuation, and then there was a nationally mandated national compulsory superannuation that got put on top of it.

So, with my outside of super saving and that, I'm in a good position.

The only problem is that my wife has her own small business, and she loves working, so our compromise position is that we both work for another 6 years, 8 months, and 25 days.. but who's counting?

[Nickyd£g]

I'm a Senior Administrator an Accountancy exam body.  35 hour work week, excellent pay and benefits for the level I'm at (though no where near what some people on here earn!).  I'm pretty happy - nice colleagues, easy work, I don't have to manage anyone or take work home, can work 7 hours flexibly between 7.30am-7.30pm, I walk to/from work, take my lunch in etc.  I started Mustachianism late, so won't be retiring early, probably age 60, but that is still earlier than the usual 65.

[2Birds1Stone]

We just did this thread.

http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/welcome-to-the-forum/what's-your-job-title-and-how-much-do-you-earn/

[southernhippie]

I manually masturbate circus animals for artificial insemination.

wow

[zephyr911]

Government wage slave, military reservist, part-time Realtor and property manager (though I'm actively pushing more of the portfolio to paid management, because UNGHH).
My FT job is great for FIRE, especially now that I've ratcheted my spending down to roughly equal my side income (and should permanently surpass that point this year) so the entire 70+ takehome is investable. The benefits are great: 19.5 days of annual leave and more sick leave than I'll ever use (knock on wood), cheap healthcare, and many educational opportunities.

My 2nd job will help me quit the first much earlier - in exchange for one weekend a month and 15 days of annual training, it pays a high hourly rate with tax advantages, opportunities for extra days, and very cheap healthcare. I'll probably hold it through 2022 to achieve lifetime retired status, both for cost savings and for facility access in future travels. The 3rd is my no-shit FIRE job: I grew up immersed in it, have always loved it, and am positioned for continued commissions via my own investments and those of friends.

[PhysicianOnFIRE]

Physician (anesthesiologist), about 10 years experience post-residency.

Got a late start to a positive net worth in my 30's, but the annual gains are excellent now that I have retired all debt.  Became FI last year, good chance I'll be RE in my mid-to-late forties, but I reserve the right to change my mind. 

[ZiziPB]

Investment (real estate) lawyer working for a Fortune 500 company.  Two more years to go to FIRE for me :-)

[EXLIer]

Own a few commercial rental properties along with a car wash.  Could probably FIRE today if we really wanted to.   Live on the passive income of the properties while paying down the mortgages and my wife could probably make $3-$5K month working remotely.

More than likely I'll remain active in a management capacity with my properties and business for at least the next 4 years. 

We'll reevaluate our situation then.

[bacchi]

As little as possible.

[2lazy2retire]

SCIENCE!

Has it blinded you yet?

Was this meant for the guy who masturbates for a living?

[doggyfizzle]

Geophysicist, now 5+ year as a Fed, prior to that 5 years for a O&G service company.  Wife is a partner at a small bookkeeping/accounting firm.  Life is good on the coast in California.

[littleqt]

I do some back-end database work for a large software company. It's actually pretty enjoyable, but my dream is to be a software developer. I'm only about a year out of college, so I think I can make this work with dedication to learning more in my spare time.

SO works at a wealth management firm. We also live along the coast of California.

[mozar]

Was this meant for the guy who masturbates for a living?

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x11lvw_thomas-dolby-she-blinded-me-with-sc_music

[sleepyguy]

Me- "Jack of all trades" IT support for multiple small branches for global financial company in Toronto.  From fixing someones blackberry firmware to racking $50k network equipment and getting it operational with groups.  Job is all over the place, but it is pretty low stress, pay is 'ok'.  Benefits are pretty good as is vacation time and flex work.

Her- Sr Financial Manager.  High stress, long hrs, good benefits, good pay, good vacation, 100% flex work (at home), some travel.  Deals primary with top players and it's mostly big picture stuff and high stress... I've overheard calls and it can get close to screaming matches.

Both 37, two kids.  FIRE date is around 5-7 yrs, maybe bit longer, maybe bit shorter... depends on a few things.  I probably could stay at my company longer as the work is so low stress and easy I could do it half asleep.  Her not so much.  I'd like to try other things though (Tennis coaching, Poker, do more camping) so full-time work gets in the way, but we'll see.  Part-time work for me is also an option but we'll see.

[TheBeardedIrishman]

Automotive  sales