AP...let me tell you a true story of a family friend of mine. Talk about full circle. This friend graduated college with a flight degree in 93. He instructed until 94. In 94 he was hired at a regional. By 97 he had upgraded to left seat. In late 99 he got the big break and got hired at a major!!!! In 2001 he got furloughed and ended up unemployed for a while before ending up back as a 1st year regional FO. By 2005 he had upgraded to regional Capt (Again). This past November he got recalled to his Major...bid everyone good luck and left. I just talked to him....the major is United...and he is getting furloughed again. He just asked me to see if I can help him get hired back here at RJet (where he was from 2002-2007) as a first year FO again. This man was one of my Capt's who IF HE IS LUCKY (we aren't hiring right now) will soon be a FO junior to me. So lets take a look at his paycheck. Remember that when you get that upgrade or make it to a major and get that big raise you go out and buy a nice car and buy a bigger house...oh and marry that woman who has a taste for expensive wine and shiny jewlery (and doesn't particularly like being the wife of a welfare recipient).
I'm approximating
93-94: 14,000
94-95: 15,000
95-96-: 20,000
96-97: 55,000
97-98: 70,000
98-99: 75,000
99-00: 50,000
00-01: 100,000
01-02: (unempoyed half the year) 10,000
02-03: 20,000
03-04: 24,000
04-05: 60,000
05-06: 70,000
06-07: 75,000
07-08: 80,000
08-??? If he is LUCKY 18,000
His mortgage ALONE is twice what he MIGHT make this upcoming year....and that is just one bill!!!!
My first advice would be to get into some other line of work...but I have the bug..and sounds like you do too so I know that may not be an option. In that case, take the great advice you are being given and go get your CFI/CFII/MEI and instruct for a while...it is a skill set you will use the rest of your career.
Also remember...don't burn any bridges in this industry...you never know when you will need a job back (this does not apply to JO and his band of rats...you can leave and flick them off on the way out the door!!!)