Among Friends

[phoenixbrd]

Congratulations on your new job!  I would be so grateful to be working and especially to have a position that has a pension fund that is being matched!  In time, your salary will go up and in the meantime have a smiling heart and enjoy your work!

[muttmom]

Mandatory is mandatory.  The fact that you have been unemployed for awhile could make it easier to adjust to your new take home pay.

Congratulations on your new job.

[carlycat]

You are lucky. Almost nowhere has pensions anymore. And an 11% match! Most people get 5-6% if they're lucky. That's 11% free money. Your salary is 22% higher than you think. Keep that job you will be so happy when you retire. If you had that 11% now it would be spent on restaurant food and phone bills. :-) 

[IMW]

What a great deal! Pretend that the amount you take home is your entire salary, you will to live on it. One day you will be so very happy you did.

[Black Cat Back]

Thanks to all of you for your kind well wishes.

The one good thing is the insurance takes effect on day 1.  That's hard to find!   I've been paying so much for Blue Cross.   The insurance is about $130 a month with copays, but I was paying $400 for just a medical $6000 deductible that I would never meet baring a tragedy...what. a joke!   Plus I had no dental or vision.

There is little if no overtime and the only drawback is it's farther than my last job in commute time.   I was 10 min from work then, but now it's twice that time, but not a bad drive per se.   Just more wear and tear on my 20 year old car!    There is covered parking though.

I will go into it with a good attitude.  City jobs were very hard to come by.  I interviewed with the city 5x before I got this offer (which was the best in salary compared to the others).   I'm not a big spender.   These months of no work have made me very frugal.   I don't go out to restaurants (extremely rare), I don't buy clothes and shoes, etc.  I am a good grocery shopper and make my meals.   My rent is high now, but I can't move yet... too stressful too soon.   I hope to eventually.   I need some down time from stress for a bit!!

I don't drink, smoke or have any bad vices (except chocolate chip cookies once in awhile!!).   I know I can do it.   And... after 6 months, I can move to another position that might pay better if I choose. I know they give preference to on staff personnel.   

I'll make it work.   It will be hard getting a new routine... I'll be ready for the Labor Day holiday by Sept!   

[AuntG]

You have laid out a sensible plan and I know you can do it.  One thing you will probably need is a newer car at some point.  Good luck and think about that great pension you'll have some day.

[pdlinda]

I worked for County govt for 25 years and had the same mandatory pension contribution (13% when I left) with matching from the County.  I am retired a little over a year and it was worth the sacrifice I had to make, for sure!!  I preferred paying in more to know that the retirement trust fund is well funded and safe.  They always adjusted the contributions based upon the health of the County's finances and the general state of the stock market.  

[GCR18]

If you are thinking of working at this job until retirement, it's a good investment.  Cut back where you can.  

[Meowingkitty]

Think of it this way. When you retire you will have a nice nest egg. If you are like most people you don't want to work forever. This will help you get that much closer to the day you can say bye bye. 

[Nataliesgramma]

Congratulations on your new job! It might be a struggle for awhile, but it will be worth it. I was able to retire at 60 with a nice pension. ALL of my friends and family my age are still working and don't know if they can retire because they didn't plan.

Time goes fast....