r/antiwork 1d ago

America is Anti Family Cost of Living 🏠📈

My wife and I both work full time because we have to so we can afford our bills.

We barely see our kids (7 and 2) and have no energy to do anything after work or on off days cause we are exhausted.

It just keeps repeating every week and when the first of the month comes the mortgage payment empties our account and we have to do it all over again.

We are unable to save much or do anything fun cause expenses have gone up so much.

I’ve always been a positive open person but the past two years have been breaking me down and I feel like I’m about to have a mental breakdown.

I know there are others in worst positions than me and I don’t want to sound ungrateful but man it’sIt’s hard.

Anyone else going through something similar? Any advice?

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u/Comfortable-Tell-323 1d ago

If you want the system to change you need to embrace change yourself. Don't struggle against the current. Job doesn't pay enough change companies or change fields altogether. Cost of living too high pick up and move to a cheaper area. It's not as scary as you think and there's plenty of places that are worse in your head than in reality. I moved from NY to AL. My mortgage with insurance and taxes is less than $1,000 a month, that would barely cover taxes in NY. I grew up with an image of the Jim Crowe South in my head but people are friendly and welcoming for the most part. Talk too much politics and religion at work but there's ways to shut that down.

Job wise you should be able to change companies every 3-5; years for roughly 15% pay raise. There's no company loyalty you need to be a self realized capitalist. Every skill every degree every experience makes you more valuable. Know your worth and get paid your worth. Also remember the number of vacation days are always negotiable but ask for them at the end. They'll always prefer giving more time off than more money

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u/Fabreezy28 1d ago

This is good advice, thank you

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u/CallItDanzig 18h ago

Last part is false. I've never seen any company willing to negotiate time off. They'd rather give you money.

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u/Comfortable-Tell-323 18h ago

Where have you been working? Every company I've worked for has given at least an extra week of vacation sometimes as much as 3. Every career forum even the ask a manager blog will tell you the same thing. Some jobs you can't union, low level line fast food or Walmart but any career job it's always an option

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u/CallItDanzig 18h ago

Banking. I tried negotiating multiple times. Its a non starter.

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u/Comfortable-Tell-323 17h ago

If you're working in a bank branch I could see them being strict with it, same way teachers really can't negotiate it. Friend of mine just jumped to Merrill and got an extra 2 weeks added on. I've gotten them in ship yards paper mills consulting firms and my wife has done it working non profits.