A personal decision that I have made in the past is to quit my fast
food job that I have had since I was 16 to start a new job. At my old
job, I was working 6-3 monday-friday with some weekends. I was the
assistant manager. After I had my two kids I couldn't keep working
the weekends AND work the doubles that I had to pick up because I
was the assistant. So I decided to leave that job and come to the bank
to work as a teller. I start out at a lower rate than my last job and was
working 8-5. The hours were worse and the pay was worse than my
previous job, but I knew I couldn't make a career that I wanted at a
fast food restaurant. I then went from part-time to fulltime and
gained benefits. I also moved up in the ladder and started working in
the accounting department doing payroll and helping out with
multiple other duties, making $10 more an hour than where I started
out at. I started doing online schooling as well for my accounting
degree. This was a hard decision because I had to look at Can I afford
this? Will this benefit me in the future? Do I have time for this? What
is the success rate for someone in my position? I have two kids at
home, being a single parent, working fulltime, and going to school
fulltime was a hard decision to make. My job has a program that
actually pays for college if you are going for something work related.
Would they pay for my books? Would they accept my application for
them to pay my tuition? What are the stipulations if they do accept to
pay? Once I graduate I have to stay working here fulltime for atleast 2
years. Would they have a position for me in that field? What if I flunk
a class? Do they pay for that or do I have to? How much would I make
a year with a degree versus how much I make in a year now? Inflation
right now is CRAZY! It is increasing food prices and gas prices
tremendously right now which ultimately affects minimum wage
which again affects me and wages that I am being paid. With my
degree however, I will be able to take care of my two kids and myself
on my own, while still being able to afford my monthly expenses like
rent, electric, groceries, insurance. In a few years I will also be able to
afford a new vehicle that I desperately need (because I have has the
same car since I turned 16 and I am now 24 years old) and need to
update to a more reliable vehicle. I think ultimately the qualitative
factors outweighed the quantitative factors in my decision making.
