This is sorta off topic, but then again it's not...

What would you do at this point in time? IF you had a job that was almost guaranteed (unless the gov goes belly-up and we have a 10 or 11) but someone offered you a job that would give you about a 60% increase in pay, but there would certainly be a possibility that the job would disappear if the rollover is anything more than a 5 or 6(my guesstimate)? So you would have a greatly increased income on one hand and stability on the other. We are currently prepped for about 6 months (even have non-hybrid seed for next year's garden and lots of emu poo - great fertilizer even when fresh!)- all done except for the last minute dog/cat/emu feed and filling the big water containers so that is not an issue.

Thoughts please. Our brains are turning to mush on this one and need some input to firm up one side or the other. Thanks all.

-- Valkyrie (anon@please.net), July 04, 1999

Answers

I don't think it is at all off-topic. Personal finances are a central issue. I just left a job that would have been fairly secure, and paid $7.50 an hour, to take a construction job that ends late October but pays $21.83 an hour. At that ratio it seemed a no-brainer. For just a 60% rise in pay, I think I would have opted for lower pay and security.

-- Gus (y2kk@usa.net), July 04, 1999.

If you're already done with your preps, stick with the stable job, and try to arrange moonlighting for the one with better pay. $$ + jobs may be very hard to come by after January 2000.

We think that in January many bizzzzzz's will hire extra bodies to "go manual," but by the end of 4 weeks without dramatic improvement in the infrastructure these same bizzzzzzz's will close, "temporarily" to wait it through, and then permanently as their cash for "hold" runs out.

It's great that you are done with preps! Then all you have to do is hit the earning money motor to stock up the greenbacks (+ coins) to pay your way thru 2000 to preserve the preps.

xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxx

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), July 04, 1999.

I, too, don't think it is at all off-topic.

The answer would appear to be in in how serious one thinks the impacts will be. This is a personal matter and must be decided by and for each person.

It's just like the crap table. You pay your money and take you chances.

If you tend to think in the upper ranges of severity then the answer would be to go for the money now and transmogrify the cash into "solid" assets of your favorite flavor.

The ol bear *likes* solid assets.

-Greybear

-- Got Intution?

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), July 04, 1999.

The best way to answer a question like this is to go with your "gut" feeling. The way to figure that out? Take a l-o-n-g walk in a place that will surround you with trees. Sit and look around, breathe in some fresh air and just watch things that are around you. The deeper you breathe, the more you watch, the clearer things will become.

Good luck, I'm sure you will make the right decision. Trust yourselves.

-- M.Moth (Derigueur2@aol.com), July 04, 1999.

But how do you feel about the type of jobs? Are they both the same sort or is one much more apealing to you in terms of position, location, hours, etc?? Money is just one part of the equation....

-- farmer (hillsidefarm@drbs.net), July 04, 1999.

I for one completely expect my job to be gone by 2nd quarter of 2000. I manage an employment agency and we are highly computerized. On the other hand, my family owns the business, the work is pretty easy and interesting, and the pay is good.

This month we are getting pygmy goats (two bred does) and rabbits. I'll be making more cages as time goes on, will try to have 10-12 does and a couple of bucks by rollover. Pellets to get us through the winter and into the spring, feed corn for the animals (or for us if it comes to that).

We will be getting a new 4 inch well drilled this summer, along with a new pump. That leaves the old, 2" well for use as a hand pump backup.

You have to do what you think is best. Will you enjoy the higher paying job?

-- Jon Williamson (pssomerville@sprintmail.com), July 04, 1999.

I was recently offered a job in Los Angeles. I am going to turn it down simply because I can not risk the harm to my family at this time.

Seems foolish to give up anything for that. DO WHAT YOUR GUT TELLS YOU IS RIGHT.

Your gut instinct is very rarely wrong.

-- Not Transferrable (noway@la.com), July 04, 1999.

Flip a coin. Heads, the new job with 60% more pay. Tails, the old job, with more stability.

While the coin is in the air you will know your true feelings. Follow them.

-- Mommacares (harringtondesignX@earthlink.net), July 04, 1999.

Make a list of plus and minuses for each choice. Sleep on it. Then, go with your "gut" feeling. (You have usually made up your mind deep down inside, and are really looking for some rationale to back it up - "confirmation," so to speak.) IMHO, "right" or "wrong" choice by reason doesn't matter as much as the emotional dynamics that will come to play in making whatever decision you make a success. If it is what you "really want," you have a better chance of making it work and you also allow your intuition to come into play in the decision.

-- marsh (armstrng@sisqtel.net), July 04, 1999.

>>>>>>>>>>>permaculture<<<<<<<<<<

-- hope (dogs@zianet.com), July 04, 1999.

OK - a little more input... it's my husband's job. He is currently a deputy sheriff and we all know what that could mean at the rollover. The other job is as a helicopter pilot for one of the local TV stations. If he retires from the sheriff dept. job, he will get a good retirement, but not enough to sustain us here with no other income until 2002 when our son will graduate from high school and we will be free to move. We decided we would stay for him to finish HS before we were y2k aware. He is doing well so we really don't want to move him if we don't have to. We have 5 acres and lots of trees and critters and extremely high real estate taxes - ych! There is danger in both jobs, but more so if he stays with the department and TSHTF.

-- Valkyrie (anon@please.net), July 04, 1999.

Location... location... location. This doesn't seem the time to give up a place with 5 acres (and water?). You don't say how big the town is.. or population covered by the sheriff's dept. Though there may be danger on rollover, he also may be in a position to assure that citizen's rights and property are protected in a FEMA/GUARD rollout. Also, he is in a good position to be well informed of whatever comes down (even moreso than at a TV news station). Would taking the helicopter job force a move, or could you stay where you are - or rent and keep the property - if you decide to take the new job? Could he take an unpaid leave at the sheriff's dept. and try out the new job? If so, might want to grab the good money while you can while preserving the more secure location and job as long as possible. Or moonlight as someone else suggested. Otherwise, might want to research the gas and oil situation before you make up your mind. (doesn't look good from what I have seen) If there are major problems with gas and oil and price skyrockets on whatever supply is left, will TV helicopter pilots be in high demand? Sheriffs always will.

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), July 04, 1999.

Linda -

We can stay where we are as long as the money holds up. We have good neighbors - on a little cul de sac of 5 acres parcels - 28 of the 23 are preparing. Our neighbor has a well that can supply normal usage to at least 10 houses so we should be OK if everyone is careful (We're sharing gas and most of us has a gen that we can back him up with for well pump.) Both jobs are helicopter jobs - as long as the county keeps its birds up. He just retired from the Nat'l Guard in May but ret. pay for a while from that one. I just don't want to see him on the ground after the roll over. If it is only a 2 or 3 - it is a wonderful opportunity to really stash some cash for our retirement. Urrrgh! Why oh why did this decision have to come now!!! Guess this is one of those adult things that makes you wish you were a kid again and someone else would make the hard decisions!

-- Valkyrie (anon@please.net), July 04, 1999.

I believe the underlying lesson of Y2K is about choices.. on many levels. Any of us studying this have had to contemplate many choices we never thought we would have to. [I could list a whole bunch, but then... so could you.] And of course, "choice" is at the bottom of the Y2K problem. A million choices along the way to consider the short-term bottom line rather than start remediation, thinking that there would be plenty of time to fix things some other day. Choices by managers. Choices by programers. Choices by you and I.. collectively and individually. Lessons to learn.. one way or t'other. And since that is entirely too much heavy thought for an Independence Day, listen to this Y2K song (real audio) while you read the following:

"Life is a test. It is only a test. Had this been a real life, you would have been instructed where to go and what to do".

THE FACTS OF LIFE:

The 2 most common elements in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity.

If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.

Money can't buy happiness...But it sure makes misery easier to live with.

Deja Moo: The feeling that you've heard this bullshit before.

Psychiatrists say that 1 of 4 people are mentally ill. Check 3 friends. If they're OK, you're it.

Nothing in the known universe travels faster than a bad check.

A truly wise man never plays leapfrog with a unicorn.

It has recently been discovered that research causes cancer in rats.

Always remember to pillage BEFORE you burn.

If you are given an open-book exam, you will forget your book.

COROLLARY: If you are given a take-home test, you will forget where you live.

The trouble with doing something right the first time is that nobody appreciates how difficult it was.

It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.

Richard's Law: You can't fall off the floor.

The average woman would rather have beauty than brains, because the average man can see better than he can think.

Paranoids are people, too; they have their own problems. It's easy to criticize, but if everybody hated you, you'd be paranoid, too.

A diplomat is someone who can tell you to go to hell and make you feel happy to be on your way.

Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.

Vital papers will demonstrate their vitality by moving from where you left them to where you can't find them.

Law of Probability Dispersal: Whatever it is that hits the fan will not be evenly distributed.

_____________________ DRIVE YOUR KARMA -- CURB YOUR DOGMA

Swami Beyondananada's Ten Guidelines for Enlightenment

1. Be a Fundamentalist -- ensure that the Fun always comes before the Mental. Realize that life is a situation comedy that will never be canceled. A laugh track has been provided and the reason we are put in the material world is to get more material. Have a good laughsitive twice a day, which will ensure reguhilarity.

2. Remember that each of us has been given a special gift just for entering (that's why they call it the PRESENT), so you are already a winner!

3. The most powerful tool on the planet today is Tell-A-Vision. That's where I tell a vision to you and you tell a vision to me. That way, if we don't like the programming we're getting, we can change the channel.

4. Life is like photography -- you use the negative to develop. No matter what adversity you face, be reassured: Of course God loves you -- He's just not ready to make a commitment.

5. It is true: As we go through life thinking heavy thoughts, thought particles tend to get caught between the ears and cause a condition called "truth decay". Be sure to use mental floss twice a day, and when you're tempted to practice 'tantrum yoga', remember what we teach in the Swami's Absurdiveness Training Class: DON'T GET EVEN, GET ODD.

6. If we want world peace, we must let go of our attachments and truly live like nomads. That's where I no mad at you and you no mad at me. That way there'll surely be nomadness on the planet. Peace begins with each of us. A little peace here, a little peace there. Pretty soon all the peaces will fit together to make one big peace everywhere.

7. I know great earth changes have been predicted for the future, so if you're looking to avoid earthquakes my advice is simple: When you find a fault don't dwell on it.

8. There's no need to change the world. All we have to do is toilet train the world and we'll never have to change it again.

9. If you're looking for the key to the Universe I've got some good news and some bad news.

The bad news: There is no key to the Universe.

The good news: It was never locked.

10. Finally, everything I've told you is channeled. That way, if you don't like it it's not my fault. But remember: Enlightenment is not a bureaucracy, so you don't have to go through channels.

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), July 04, 1999.

My advice is to stick to the sheriff's job. Definitely.

-- Gus (y2kk@usa.net), July 05, 1999.

Valkyrie,

My feelings are stick with the Sheriff's job for now too. Wait another 6-7 months, through the end of January. If things turn out as bad I think they will, the chopper job will fold in all likelihood. The Sheriff's job on the other hand will be right in the middle of the mess, AND if he can fly choppers the department will probably either confiscate one or appropriate one that he can then fly for them. Also, under martial law, the law enforcement field will be a strong one. Then, if things quiet down again, he can always look back into the outside job. Police work will be very secure work next January.

-- Gordon (gpconnolly@aol.com), July 05, 1999.

Be adventurous,

take the money and run...

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), July 05, 1999.

Valkyrie,

Is what your husband DOES in his current job satisfying and fulfilling? Or would the new job be better in that respect.

Is the indecision about money, or the way you both choose to live your lives?

BTW, as a trained sheriff, I suspect hed get rehired pretty fast, if necessary. How would that mess up the retirement benefits?

Diane

(LOL, Linda!)

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), July 05, 1999.

I'm not sure about the jobs, but about the house....

"We have good neighbors - on a little cul de sac of 5 acres parcels - 28 of the 23 are preparing."

Do you have any idea how much many folks would give to have even ONE neighbor who was preparing......just a thought.....

-- (y2kbiker@worldnet.att.net), July 06, 1999.