Pretty sure being a new hire anywhere would bring a lifestyle change that is quite perceptible. But you’re right, money is everything.

If you don't need weekends off, tell me how QOL changes if you all of a sudden have to work weekends vs getting weekends off. That's probably the largest change in QOL as a new hire. That and Holidays. It's a short term sacrifice for a substantial increase in pay.

I'll be honest. I work the weekends. That gives me the weekdays off, and everything is much, much easier.

Many of our trips are actually better during the weekends. Some people's kids play sports primarily during the week. This is just proving the point that QOL is in the eye of the beholder. You may not be able to bid exactly what you want but if what you get is what you want and it comes with a substantial pay increase, there really isn't much of a QOL loss.

On a tangentially related subject (barely)….I was talking to my neighbor. Pretty much just an acquaintance, but we’re chatting over some beers, and I get the normal “do you ever work?” kind of comments, which is fine, and I roll with it and say “well, sometimes”.

Anyway, he was telling me about the travel sports his kids play. Holy cow, it added up to a lot of money. Well into the five figures. Kids, I get it, spend everything on them, but heck, my parents weren’t broke, but all I got for sports was the $5 registration fee at the local little league field, and an admonishment to “just walk it off” when that damn ball nearly took me out.

I’m going to step outside and shake my fist at some clouds now….

Yes. Travel sports are a scam for 90% of the kids who play them. And I played extensive travel sports playing up. It's just gotten completely out of control..

…cus it’s not for the kids who play them. The industry is set up for the for-profit club dues, facilities fees, jerseys, refreshments, etc. Anyone who thinks travel sports is designed to help the athlete is standing a little too close.

I don’t disagree with anything you guys are saying. My kids play travel sports. The main reason why I put up with it is because it keeps them really busy. So busy that they don’t have any time to get into trouble. No drinking, drugs, etc.

Yeah, weekends off is overrated. But that’s me, I don’t have kids, and I like to have time to solve all the things that happens during the week while my wife works.

She can have the weekends for her own sanity, since I’m not easy to live with sometimes.

Weekdays while she's at work is how I get to go to the range for just 15 bucks a lane on weekday pricing and spend 6+ hours playing xbox in peace.