To all the teenagers wanting to move out

[Sgt. Slaughter]

Good luck to ya, then. Tell those turds to hurry UP!

[greg72982]

So, you'll get a raise to 12 bucks and hour???

So try somewhere else rather than "around here". You're young, single and can move anywhere you want. Even though you are young now, you won't be forever.

In a larger dept., your bachelor's degree wouldn't be a waste of time. My dept no longer requires on to be hired, but you better have one if you want to make Sgt.

Veterans' points are only 5 and can only be used once. I wouldn't join the military just to get that......

Actually we are possibly picking up three more boroughs. This would raise the wage to about $15 an hour and I would be promoted to full time status (We are regional so we don't fall under civil service).

Yes I can move, but I did that for about a year and wasn't happy. I want to work in this area it's just PA is horrible with their part-time BS. Places that have the money to support decent police departments are using state police because it's cheaper. The state police's response is now they are going to start charging people in these areas at a per person or per household rate. I agree with them 100%, they don't have the manpower to cover all of these areas that are to cheap too get a police force. A local township here has 40,000+ people and tons of businesses meaning tons of tax revenue, yet they still use state police.

BTW here you get 10 points for military.

[retdetsgt]

Actually we are possibly picking up three more boroughs. This would raise the wage to about $15 an hour and I would be promoted to full time status (We are regional so we don't fall under civil service).

Cool.... Then you'll be making what a shift manager at McDonald's makes....

I'll shut up. Obviously you're okay with it or you'd make a change.

[greg72982]

Cool.... Then you'll be making what a shift manager at McDonald's makes....

I'll shut up. Obviously you're okay with it or you'd make a change.

It's a step up from what I am getting now but you cant make a career out of it. I'm working on it.

[Cass]

My problem is that it is starting to make me bitter toward the department and the job as a whole. I like the job but I dump a ton of time into it and other than the goat, don't have much to show for it. But I guess I have it better than some people.

I knew I wouldn't be rich but I figured I could at least make a decent wage.

GREG:

This thread was originally all about tough love, so here’s some for you. Please don’t take this the wrong way. I don’t want to make you feel bad or spoil your fun, but someone’s gotta say it:

The goat may be a squirrel magnet, but other than that it’s really a huge splurge that you cannot afford. Every time you turn that key in the ignition the value of your car decreases. At the end of the “day”, there will be nothing left...

Wanting to have ”something to show for your work” is the wrong focus at this early stage in your life and career. You have to think farther ahead. Some people here mentioned retirement, but from what you have shared with us, you should be worried about next month, the next six months or the next year.

My guess is that you spend about half of your paycheck on car payments and premium gas. Does this make sense to you? I really think you need to re-evaluate your priorities.

There is nothing wrong with a guy in his twenties living with his parents for economic reasons. In fact, it may make a lot of sense depending on the circumstances. HOWEVER, if you were my adult kid (BIG stretch, I know) I’d tell you: “You can spend the money you earn on whatever you want, but if you’re going to buy a sports car instead of contributing to the household, you ain’t parking it in MY driveway, son!” :cool:

If I were you, I’d sell the goat and pay cash for a used car that better fits your budget. No down payment, no loan. Just pay for it and own it. No long term debt. Put the money that saves you each month into a savings account to create a bit of an emergency cushion, or towards your move on to bigger and better things (and there WILL be).

If you truly think that you absolutely NEED a fancy car or other luxuries to make you happy, then you need to figure out a way to pay for them … and I’m not talking credit cards (or switching over to “the dark side” :eek. Look at it as an incentive to MOVE ON and find a better-paying job.

You probably also have school loans to worry about...

If you resent your current job, then it is time to ACTIVELY pursue something else. Do it before you snap and are forced to leave your job on a bad note. You want to apply to the next agency with your current employer as a positive reference.

I guess after everything I just told you the wedding is off, but then again, we couldn’t have afforded a big bash anyway…
:p ;)

I wish you the best of luck and hope you’ll find a better job and some true fulfillment soon!

Time to grow up, Greggy.

[retdetsgt]

Cass,

Tried to rep you, but couldn't. I like your style, Kid. I wish I'd have had ten people like you working for me.

I have two daughters and a stepson who I really love as my own son. But a couple of years ago, I had to close the Bank of Dad to him and my youngest daughter. Both are in their 30's.

Over the years, I've given each quite a few thousand bucks to "tide them over" which was really me paying the consequences for their lousy life decisions. I finally had to start saying "no" and let them deal with their own mistakes.

A huge error I made was letting my daughter move back home after she got out of the Navy. I thought this was going to be for a month or two until she got on her feet and got a job, apt., etc. Unfortunately, she settled in and apparently thought she was 16 years old again. After 6 months, we had an eviction. And it was ugly, but she had plenty of time to do what she needed to do and she elected to sit on her *** and live off of me while she worked at a minimum wage job with no chance of advancement.:rolleyes: That was plenty of money for her as long as I fed her and gave her a place to live and she was contented with that. Unfortunately for her, I wasn't. I got tired of coming home and seeing a 23 year old sitting on her *** on my sofa.

I went from having everything I owned in a 1962 Chevy Nova to where I am today by constantly moving forward and sometimes doing without. I never once in my life asked my parents for anything other than emotional support now and then and I'm proud of that. I finally made a decision that my kids are now adults and I'm tired of supplementing their life styles with what I earned over the years and they did nothing for.

I love my daughter and step son to death. They are kind, wonderful people, but they have no common sense when it comes to money, I guess. They complain about where they are in life, but do nothing to change it. I honestly had to accept the fact that they will no doubt spend the rest of their lives living from paycheck to paycheck, probably never owning a home and in constant financial crisis. :(

[Creeker]

Cass,

Tried to rep you, but couldn't. I like your style, Kid. I wish I'd have had ten people like you working for me.

...

I am in the same boat, but not the same story... seems I don't rep enough people as I should, else I'd have backed you up, Sarge.

[patchcop]

I am in the same boat, but not the same story... seems I don't rep enough people as I should, else I'd have backed you up, Sarge.

Same here

[WilliamTomFrank]

Outstanding advise Cass. I tagged ya.

And superb story to you as well, RetDetSgt.

Similarly, I never asked my parents for anything either. My parents gave me the basic food, clothing, and a place to live. If I wanted anything more than that I had to buy it with my own money, which I did.

Now I own a 2001 33ft travel trailer, drive a 2000 chevy pickem up truck, and got a good job at a PD and on my way to becoming an officer. Im proud of myself and strive to be better.

[Cass]

RDS -- It was do or die for me early on so I really didn't have much choice but to support myself. If I had had parents who spoiled me I'm sure I'd have different priorities in my life right now. Parents like that mean well, but they don't realize they're enabling their kids and ultimately make things harder for them. Good thing you figured that out before things got even worse.

It bothers me that people mess up their (financial) future by making unwise decisions early on and wasting their money on luxuries. I have well over 100K in debt from hospitals and doctors and it's absolutely daunting to think that I'll never be able to pay it off in my lifetime. This wasn't debt caused by me, so I can't understand why people would voluntarily create this kind of financial crisis for themselves. I wish I could have started out with a clean slate.

GREG -- I've been thinking more about this and other stuff that you wrote in other threads. Somewhere there's joking about your car compensating for the lack of "length". I don't really want to get into the whole "size debate", but it's really skill that makes all the difference (and that can be learned...).

Now IF you actually believe that you have to compensate for certain physical attributes (as opposed to just joking about it), then let me tell you that you don't need a fancy car or anything else that you can buy. You're already compensating for it with your sense of humor, charm, endearing personality, and ability to make fun of yourself. Doesn't matter how big a guy is or how powerful a car he has, if he's an arrogant airhead he won't make it past second base with most... ;)

I also noticed that you tend to put yourself down. Not sure how much of it is just joking around, but be careful not to convince yourself that those things are true. You seem like a good guy with his heart in the right place, and I know that you're keeping us wildly entertained with your funny posts. Now you just gotta live up to your full potential.

Good luck !!!