££ Or Not???????

[RubyTex 1,957]

Definitely work to live not the other way round...granted it's nice to be earning a packet but to be away from home and family and not being able to have a dog because of it? Bollocks to that

[Steve_in_Devon 9]

I dont know how you have dont that for +20 years. I worked away from home for nearly 5 years and that was enough. Missed seen my boys grow up and only have weekends with them, I fely part time in the house, and was looking for something closer to home even at less money.

I have been lucky enough to find something with the same salary, but was willing to take a less salary and less of a job at one stage just to get back home.

 

Family more important that money.

[marshman 7,757]

On face value the question is a no brainer most people would rather spend more time at home with the family and having more leisure time. Thats ok if you can live comfortably on less money ,but can your family cut their cloth so to speak and maybe go without the things they've grown accustomed to ? Can you not only cover your bills but also cover unseen bills? We all know money can't buy happiness but it does make life a lot easier .

[Born Hunter 17,763]

Depends on so many things, for instance the quality of the time you will get with your family, how much you enjoy each job, the small print of each job and, whether we like it or not, the actual wage difference.

 

I made a good contact which could very easily have led me to a job earning 2-3 times the money I'm on now and paying minimal tax on that too. He even offered to get me on the training course just to see if it's where I wanted to go. Potentially 6 months of the year holiday. Sounds perfect? A lot of things were'nt right so I've shyed away for the immediate future.

 

My point is, it's a personal decision that none of us can even begin to make for you. You know the situation best. Just don't rush it.

[haymin 2,465]

Give it ago if it doesn't work out and your wife starts to hate you for f****n up her routines then you can always go back lol ?

[BROCK DOG 126]

Put your family first if you can live on the lower wage and makr your daughter happy thats the one to choose

[Nik_B 3,790]

Seen similar threads in the past, but

 

Been offered a job, close to home, but at a good bit less ££ than I'm currently on.

Had a few things over the years that I wouldn't have had without the ££, but getting fed up with it all. Worked away from home for 20+ years.

 

What are your thoughts?

Daughters desperate for me to work at home..................................so we can finally get the dog!

 

Good and Bad to both options........it's just the deciding that's hard....

 

Cheers.

 

I worked overseas for most of my working life. My last overseas job was in Libya, I hated it because I was stuck in the office with the kind of people that work in offices...complete tossers.

 

I got laid off when the revolution started there and luckily got out just days before it kicked off. I went self employed and have been working for the same client for nearly 3 years now. I work mostly from home but generally work a lot more days than when I was on a rotation.

 

I wouldn't want to go back to working away again, been offered a few jobs recently, very highly paid but I can't see the point of having money and missing out on my daughter growing up.

 

I've missed weddings, almost all my eldest daughters birthdays (because she was born in January and I always tried to get Xmas at home), several Xmas's and worst of all funerals.

[Nik_B 3,790]

Depends on so many things, for instance the quality of the time you will get with your family, how much you enjoy each job, the small print of each job and, whether we like it or not, the actual wage difference.

 

I made a good contact which could very easily have led me to a job earning 2-3 times the money I'm on now and paying minimal tax on that too. He even offered to get me on the training course just to see if it's where I wanted to go. Potentially 6 months of the year holiday. Sounds perfect? A lot of things were'nt right so I've shyed away for the immediate future.

 

My point is, it's a personal decision that none of us can even begin to make for you. You know the situation best. Just don't rush it.

 

The problem with that 6 months holiday as many people see it is it's 90% useless having time off when your family, friends, kids are all at work and school. Often you end up sitting round the house or doing things on your own. It's a very lonely life style I've found especially as all your mates do the same job and are scattered around the world and you don't get to socialise with people who understand what it's like. There is nothing more annoying that being constantly told how lucky you are having all that time off by people who don't have a clue. While the grass might always seem greener on teh other side of the fense there is a lot of be said for guaranteed time at home like weekends and being able to book time off when you chose. I've never been able to book time off work, people ask me do you think you'll be home for Christmas or Will you be here in what ever month and you just cannot arrange anything at all. Even though I still can't book time off I can get out for an hour here and there, having said that once again I was working Christmas day

[neems 2,406]

As long as you can stay on top of your bills i'd take the local job.

[Born Hunter 17,763]

 

The problem with that 6 months holiday as many people see it is it's 90% useless having time off when your family, friends, kids are all at work and school. Often you end up sitting round the house or doing things on your own. It's a very lonely life style I've found especially as all your mates do the same job and are scattered around the world and you don't get to socialise with people who understand what it's like. There is nothing more annoying that being constantly told how lucky you are having all that time off by people who don't have a clue. While the grass might always seem greener on teh other side of the fense there is a lot of be said for guaranteed time at home like weekends and being able to book time off when you chose. I've never been able to book time off work, people ask me do you think you'll be home for Christmas or Will you be here in what ever month and you just cannot arrange anything at all. Even though I still can't book time off I can get out for an hour here and there, having said that once again I was working Christmas day

 

 

I know what you're saying Nick but the having little choice over when you're off didn't bother me (perhaps naively), just having a shit load of holiday would have been all that bothered me.

 

What bothered me was initially having to take a pay cut, the job itself being shite, zero job security and being warned that it's potentially a dead end if you do the job too long (ie find it hard to move to anything else). I decided maybe I should just take a bit of time and assess my options, sometimes you don't know the worth of what you have sorta thing, ya know.

[Nik_B 3,790]

Which job was it if you don't mind me asking?

[Rake aboot 4,935]

I`m out in the north sea just now, arrived today, and it`s fekin torture, I hate being away, but will be doing this for a few years yet I think.

 

The minute I can afford to, I`ll be back working on the beach.

 

You also know, that you can give it a try, and if it don`t work, just go back to oil, plenty work out there bud. My kids are up now, but it`s my grandkids that I miss these days lol,,

 

I may look into contracting to cut the amount I work, the cash being charged for contractors is mental.

[the_stig 6,614]

ran my own business for 20 year worked silly hours as well as working away ----worked away a lot before i started on my own and between 2006-2008 i hand 12 weeks at home due to working away i`ve earnt the money ----- its had its benefits i owe no one and i semi retired at 50 and i can feck about doing what i want a few good investments along the way means i`ve been in a position to help my 3 kids out .... we`ve had good family holidays , i spoke with them most nights i was away on the phone, and the time i had with them was quality time , i never enjoyed working away but it became a way of life for all of us and the money was a bonus my mrs never had to work and she spent her time bringing up the kids ..if your fed up with then pack it up ---if you can balance it with family life and the extra money will benefit your familys future stick with it,,end of the day you`ll know best.

Edited January 22, 2014 by the_stig

[Born Hunter 17,763]

Which job was it if you don't mind me asking?

 

Wireline Logging Engineer. I went shooting with the chap that is the manager for the training school. Spoke to a few former field engineers too.

[Nik_B 3,790]

I thought as much, the odds of a regular rotation are slim to zero with wireline unless things have changed but they do tell people that to get them in. Schlum had guys doing 7 on 2 off and some of them had to go in to the office during their time off plus live in Aberdeen

 

I used to do the north sea but I found 2 weeks off wasn't enough between hitches, it took a few days to relax and I would start getting wound up a few days before going away which only left a few quality days and the stress was doing me in so I went overseas...well they say be careful for what you wish for I got more time at home between jobs but it wasn't uncommon to do a 7 week hitch and that was in Algeria which is a massive dump of a place