Yeah I guess in theory you can survive; IF you sell everything you owe on, sell everything you OWN to pay off small credit debts, etc. Or, you could simply go corporate for the first few months/years, jam out some serious hours, have a LOT of fun (no schedule though!), and be experienced on both ends of the industry and have something to fall back on if the airlines ever go through hard-ship again which is probable. I'm just under 50k/yr non-salary as an FO and just under 75k/yr as a captain. I won't complain or suffer on that. Nor will I "settle for less pay" and take a step BACKWARDS in my lifestyle. Not happening. Maybe a little, if I went to SWA, etc where the pay if not so shabby and the next year be where I'm at today, then i'll sacrifice a little in the name of retirement.

I really gotta hand it to you guys, though, I admire your ability and self-control to be able to live on that kind of pay and NOT go into debt in the meantime. Seriously, kudos.