Would you work if you don't have to?

[Anonymous]

Yes, but I’d reduce hours and work more selectively. In a health services industry. I LOVE what I do but it’s physically/mentally exhausting and care would improve if I had fewer cases each week.

[Anonymous]

No I would not do my current job. I'd probably find something to keep me busy, but I'd quit in a heartbeat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would never want to SAH while DH worked. If we could both f off and travel together, then I'd quit in a second. But I'd never leave him to bring in all the bacon.

This is us. I currently work, so does DH. Both in high pay jobs. Neither of us has to work at this point, and we could comfortably retire on what we've saved. But if we keep working we'll be mooooreee comfortable. And there are days when i'm not busy, or work wraps up by 4:30 and i'm bored and restless. And i remind myself that i would go insane doing that for two weeks by myself.

I also don't know how some people sleep at night, letting their spouse go off and work all day while they, well, don't work. Every day I have worked is one less day my spouse has to work.

But i do look forward to retiring by 52 or so, with DH, and getting to do the second half of life that way.

And yet you’re both still working when by your own admission neither of you has to. Sounds less like some altruistic you jump I jump partnership and more that you have zero idea who you are or what you’re interested in outside of your paid employment.

+1 so many people work because they don’t know who they are. People act like SAHMs are the people who lose their identity but it can really happen to anyone. Do you give yourself away to your kids or XYZ Corp?

[Anonymous]

Yes, but part-time. I love my job, and I believe it’s important to do something intellectually stimulating; however, I also want time to exercise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would keep the job but part time. I work in a school and there's so much BS. I want to keep working with the kids, but get out of some of the meetings and time-wasting. Or I would volunteer my time doing similar work.

+1

I would love to still work with kids or in a school but not full time. I don’t want to commute five days a week and the rigid hours. I want to be able to go to my kid’s events at her school without taking a day off work.

[Anonymous]

It’s hard to imagine, but yeah, I’d keep working where I am. But I’d retire earlier. It’s fulfilling for now and it would take me a few years to find a full-time volunteer thing to keep me occupied.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't have to work and I do, and a very intense job. I'm an idiot.

I was doing this and took a step back. I don’t have to work but do. I purposely dialed down my career last year. Six figures, but max of about 25 hours per week. I’ll keep it up till I’m 54 and an empty nester. I’m a single parent so this is a better balance- I was killing my self before for money I don’t need. Realized that was ego and took related but steady/easy job with less pay. It was a good move for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would never want to SAH while DH worked. If we could both f off and travel together, then I'd quit in a second. But I'd never leave him to bring in all the bacon.

This is us. I currently work, so does DH. Both in high pay jobs. Neither of us has to work at this point, and we could comfortably retire on what we've saved. But if we keep working we'll be mooooreee comfortable. And there are days when i'm not busy, or work wraps up by 4:30 and i'm bored and restless. And i remind myself that i would go insane doing that for two weeks by myself.

I also don't know how some people sleep at night, letting their spouse go off and work all day while they, well, don't work. Every day I have worked is one less day my spouse has to work.

But i do look forward to retiring by 52 or so, with DH, and getting to do the second half of life that way.

And yet you’re both still working when by your own admission neither of you has to. Sounds less like some altruistic you jump I jump partnership and more that you have zero idea who you are or what you’re interested in outside of your paid employment.

+1 so many people work because they don’t know who they are. People act like SAHMs are the people who lose their identity but it can really happen to anyone. Do you give yourself away to your kids or XYZ Corp?

Why do you think that, solely because someone gets paid for something, any meaning it provides to the person is inherently bad? And the meaning you get from your unpaid activities is inherently good?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't have to work and do work full time.

You sound greedy for money.

The better question is...would you work if they didn't pay you?

[Anonymous]

I don’t have to work and I don’t work.
I don’t understand why people would work if they don’t have to.

[Anonymous]

I’d have to be dirty, filthy rich to quit my job. I don’t have to work, but we live a certain lifestyle and that lifestyle could not be supported on just 1 salary…even though it is a great salary.

So no; if I hit the lottery, I’d give 4 weeks’ notice and go do good—human service related—things on a voluntary basis.

[Anonymous]

Yes and no.

I’m facing this question for the first time.

Everything financial leans toward me working. But I don’t have to.

I find with my first bit of free time, I’m drawn to working. (Free time because I took a career break for young kids. Youngest is in full day school now)

I could be a working-out all day, cleaning-all day, getting together for outings, helping and volunteering weekly or more often (which I did volunteering the last few years).

But I am finding consultant jobs in my field, somewhat unsuccessfully, somewhat successfully

It just makes sense for us financially for me to work. We’re doing great on Dh’s income as we have for years. But we could do better with this free time I have.

If he made an extra 100k per year (he’s at 130-150, and there’s potential for more), then I don’t know. Maybe I would work out all day!

[Anonymous]

No, I would become a professional beer taster

[Anonymous]

It would depend on why I "didn't have to." I would not work if I were independently wealthy. (Though I'd volunteer 20ish hours a week). I would work if the alternative were depending on my husband for an income. It's important to me that I be able to take care of myself financially.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t have to work and I don’t work.
I don’t understand why people would work if they don’t have to.

Because many of our jobs are very meaningful. And, I believe that humans were created to work -- to have a vocation and a purpose. Maybe it's at a paying job, or volunteering, or staying home with the kids. But if someone is just a lady who lunches and does yoga and nothing else...that is a waste of a gift, and I don't think that is ok.