Payoffs versus Tradeoffs

When deciding if someone should stay home or go to work, there are a couple of questions that go through someone’s mind, namely:

What if…

  • He/She loses her job?
  • He/She is the sole breadwinner?
  • He/She won’t be home often enough?
  • He/She won’t make enough money alone?

With every job, you can only really pick 2 of these 3 options:

  1. Good Money
  2. Job Stability
  3. Free Time

It can be difficult when you are let’s say the only breadwinner in the family, and your wife or husband is feeling resentful that they’re being stuck with the kids for more than what they consider to be their fair share of the time spent parenting.

However, there is always a limit to everything a person can do, because we cannot make a day longer than 24 hours.

It also makes you choose what your priorities in life are: Money, Time or Stability?

Good Money + Job Stability

No free time to spend at home with your kids and your husband or wife, because you’re at the office all the time, traveling all the time… those positions that pay a lot of money and have job stability to boot are not easy.

Job Stability + Free Time

Money may not be very good, but it all depends on what you consider to be a good salary.

If you have job stability earning $50,000 a year and set hours per week, it may seem like a lot of money to you, but not to others.

So it all depends on your situation.

Good Money + Free Time

No Job Stability is usually the one that’s missing here.

If you can earn a lot of money per hour and you have the option of lots of free time, you may be working for yourself.

Or maybe you’re a star 🙂 But I didn’t think stars and celebrities had a lot of free time. When they’re on the set, they’re working long hours every day.

This is the category I fall into. I have no job stability, but I work for myself, make my own hours, and make a decent amount of money in a short amount of time.

Coupled with low expenses, it’s more than what I need for the year.

With that being said, I do wish there was more job stability, but it’s because I am taking a higher risk with this route.

What category are you under?

Are you one of the super lucky ones who make a good salary, has free time AND job stability?

About the Author

Just a girl trying to find a balance between being a Shopaholic and a Saver. I cleared $60,000 in 18 months earning $65,000 gross/year. Now I am self-employed, and you can read more about my story here, or visit my other blog: The Everyday Minimalist.