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You make $65,000 (USD 🤢) in a dead end career... (piefed.social)

submitted 16 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago) by Tooks@piefed.social to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

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You make $65,000 (USD 🤢) in a dead end career doing nothing but showing up sometimes. Guaranteed employment without change in intensity or salary until retirement in 15 years at age 62. You receive 3 weeks paid vacation, reasonably priced medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401k matched at 2.5%, and virtually unlimited sick days as long as you don't call out too often (>3x month). You are given 6 college credits per semester to use at the local university. You're currently working on a PhD.

You live comfortably and have 1 year's salary saved. Zero dependents.

Do you ride it out, or do you seek a career change before it's too late.

I know, infinite unknown variables, but what would you do regardless?

UPDATE: I'm slightly taken aback by how many of you actually took the time out of your day/evening to reply to my personal crisis. I've think I've replied to everyone, which, in doing so, made this morning surprisingly sunnier. So thanks for that.

Adding some thing I've shared in replies. I'm a homeowner with zero debt aside from a very affordable mortgage. Purchased my car outright new in 2024, had household concerns addressed over past five years (new roof, HVAC systems, sump pump, water heater, shed, remodeled bathrooms), have three degrees, and a lifetime of piss poor fortune.

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[-] Carl@anarchist.nexus 7 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago)

Yeah, this is impossible to answer until we know the cost of living in OP’s area. In my area, $65k would be decent for one person, (slightly above the average for a single individual, but only about half of the average household income) but would basically be hand-to-mouth regarding income and expenses. You wouldn’t be able to save anything with $65k, which means you’d have zero wiggle room for future planning or surprise expenses.

If I was able and willing to move to the middle of bumfuck nowhere, I could be really damned comfortable for $65k. But that would be entirely dependent on my job (ability to WFH, and thus able to pack up and move), availability of things like groceries/hospital/etc., and also my willingness to suddenly have an hour drive before I’m in town. If you hate rural living and are tied down by an in-person job, the “move where it’s cheap” idea doesn’t really have a lot of options.

this post was submitted on 06 Aug 2026

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