Make 6 figs and be miserable or make 40k and be happy?

[Neumeier]

I am a UPS package driver. The pay, free benefits, and retirement is unbelievable.

I work crazy hours every day. Last night I was delivering packages at 9:30 at night in the pitch black and it isn't even peak season yet. Most nights I get home and my daughters (3 and 9 months)are long asleep.

I talk to the FedEx Ground drivers on my route and they make 40-45k but their day is a breeze. Most of them have about 80 stops (currently I have over 150). They regularly get out around 4-430. The catch is that there are no benefits/retirement. I could go on my wife's though.

I don't want to miss my kids childhood for a job, but I need to make money and the retirement is nice. I find myself thinking about this often as I am now at 3am.

[barn32]

I am a UPS package driver. The pay, free benefits, and retirement is unbelievable.

I work crazy hours every day. Last night I was delivering packages at 9:30 at night in the pitch black and it isn't even peak season yet. Most nights I get home and my daughters (3 and 9 months)are long asleep.

I talk to the FedEx Ground drivers on my route and they make 40-45k but their day is a breeze. Most of them have about 80 stops (currently I have over 150). They regularly get out around 4-430. The catch is that there are no benefits/retirement. I could go on my wife's though.

I don't want to miss my kids childhood for a job, but I need to make money and the retirement is nice. I find myself thinking about this often as I am now at 3am.Are you required to deliver a certain number of packages everyday, or do you just deliver the packages that are there to be delivered on your route regardless of the number.

In other words, do you work until all packages are delivered? And how many hours a day do you average working?

[Neumeier]

Are you required to deliver a certain number of packages everyday, or do you just deliver the packages that are there to be delivered on your route regardless of the number.

In other words, do you work until all packages are delivered? And how many hours a day do you average working?

You have to do whatever is on your route. I work 10-11 hours. There is no light route at UPS unless you've been there 30 years. If I get back at 6:15 I'd be one of the first people back.

The killer is the pickups. My last pickup is at 6pm. So even if I was hypothetically done at 3 I'd have to wait around for the last pickup. In reality I have 25 pickups from 4pm to 6. Some guys have pickups at 7:00!

[barn32]

On the one hand you're lucky to have such a good job, but on the other hand you would like to have more time off to spend with your wife and kids.

It's a tough decision. Your future self will be very happy with the extra money and retirement benefits, but your present self is unhappy with the long hours and time away from home.

It's a difficult balancing act, especially with a family. If you were single, it's a no-brainer.

It would be hard to give up so much, especially if you have a lot of time in.

I don't even know if there is even a right or wrong answer.

I would be inclined to stay, but this is a decision only you can make.

Good luck with it.

[forced89]

I have been retired for 15 years now. During my working career I was faced with the same issue. For a number of years I left the house at 4 am and didn't get home until 10 pm. One thing I could do though was interrupt my workday to attend my kids functions.

It was apparent to me that I had 3 masters to serve, my wife, my job and my kids and that one of them would lose out. I focused on my job and my kids and ended up with a divorce. My kids grew up great and we continue to have a great relationship. My retirement dollars are substantial.

For 15 years I have been living a good life. My ex-wife is too as I made sure a substantial portion of my retirement dollars go to her and will continue to got to her after I die. In addition I use my retirement dollars to help out my kids.

Do I wish I had done it differently? Not one bit. We are all living longer which means a bigger percentage of our lives are our retirement years. If you don't prepare for retirement, there is a good chance you and your family will suffer financially during this period.

I know many of you will disagree with me but I am comfortable with the choice I made.

[Boris]

Here's two cents from your "future self" as it sounds like you are in a place I was when I was in my thirties. The point of working your ass off is to lay the foundation for retirement. You live on whatever foundation you build. Your priorities will change organically as your family ages. What is most important will shift. So, if you can live on the lower salary now, keep your current job and invest the difference for later. You can never make-up for not investing heavily for your future now. I'd suggest keep pressing forward as long as your health and marriage stay strong. Trust me, you will know in your heart when it is time to change.

[Inner Dirt]

Since you know the business what about getting a Fedex Home delivery route? I believe they are private contractors and I have heard after getting things established a guy will hire a driver to run a route and then get a contract for another one. Maybe you could own a few routes and have others drive them and just fill in or drive limited hours. Of course self employment isn't for everyone but it can give you flexibility.

[EMD4ME]

I'd take the 40k and be happy. Its not worth it. The look on your child's face is worth more.

[Dave Schwartz]

Neumeier,

You have described the age old problem faced by almost everyone who has a choice.

I say, "Have a choice" because some people fell into a poverty trap where they simply do not have the skills, attention span, or whatever to thrive financially.

A few years ago my wife and I were watching a lifetime movie (sappy as they can be). There was a mom & dad enjoying their 4 year old dress up for Halloween. An older woman was with them - neighbor, perhaps.

The neighbor says, "They are adorable. You've only got 6 more."

The wife says, "What are you talking about?"

Neighbor says, "Six more. Halloweens." The wife doesn't understand (and neither did I at the time).

She goes on... "Look.... When it comes to kids, you only get about 8 or 10 of everything. Take Halloween, for example. You get those until 4th grade. After that, they will spend Halloween hanging out with their friends. Same with birthdays. Christmas, you get a little more - maybe to age 16 or 17."


This hit me right between the eyes. With children, we just do not have an unlimited number of holidays, birthdays, or even Saturdays (when it comes right down to it).


Regards,
Dave Schwartz