When was your last cost of living raise?

[sobo]

Since college graduation, I've worked for only three companies in 34 years. The first one for ~4 years, the next one for 4 years, the third one for 10 years, then returned to the second company in 2007, and have been at that company since then, although that company was acquired by a larger company in 2017. Through it all, I've made three substantial salary increases in the company moves, and I made some pretty significant raises (~7%) in the years from 2007 to 2012 with the "second/fourth job change" company. In 2012, I took the opportunity to take a position with that company in Afghanistan, and followed that with an even more responsible position in Saudi Arabia, which more than tripled my income over 3 years (basically, I made about 10 years' of income in 38 months). When I repatriated here, I was able to parlay those overseas years into greater-than-COLA raises just for me to decide to stay on the payroll (yes, I did interview for two jobs after repatriation, for which I was contacted on Linkedin, just to see what was out there - I got offers on both, but I didn't take them).

Since repatriation almost 10 years ago, I have now passed on my project management duties to the younger personnel, since I am no longer enamored by the stress, pressure, and time dedication of being a PM. Now, I content myself with being the "elder statesman, senior professional" and spend a lot of my time teaching the younger, up-and-coming engineers in the art of project development and design, project management, and how to keep a project profitable while all the while remaining totally ethical and true to your and the company's ideals. It's a job I really enjoy, they tell me I do it really well, and I've been doing it completely from home since St. Patrick's Day 2020, so I really like my "commute", too. I'm pretty content with the way things are right now and the raise I just got (~5%), and I don't see myself on the payroll all that much longer anyway. Just getting my last kid through college and then I'm pullin' the D-ring to retirement in the forests of north-central Idaho...

 

[CLT65]

Most of the restrictions on income are self imposed.

True. A lot of it is simply understanding how things work, then after that it's the willingness to put in the work, get the training/education, or make the the move. When I was younger I didn't have a clue.

Sometimes it's fully understood and intentional- other priorities cause you to turn down otherwise good opportunities. I have one that I have some regret for turning down. It was a tech position with an onsite contractor at the U.S. National Labs, a great job working with a good friend (technically a management position but not really). I was thoroughly qualified and it was mine to accept, but I turned it down. We decided we just didn't want to raise our kids in Albuquerque.

 

[Alexx1401]

True. A lot of it is simply understanding how things work, then after that it's the willingness to put in the work, get the training/education, or make the the move. When I was younger I didn't have a clue.

Sometimes it's fully understood and intentional- other priorities cause you to turn down otherwise good opportunities. I have one that I have some regret for turning down. It was a tech position with an onsite contractor at the U.S. National Labs, a great job working with a good friend (technically a management position but not really). I was thoroughly qualified and it was mine to accept, but I turned it down. We decided we just didn't want to raise our kids in Albuquerque.

EVERYTHING is a trade off. I missed some solid gold opportunities when young. Now that I am not I can pick and choose. I "could" make more if I up and moved but we like it where we are. Many when raising kids will make life choices more around the kids than maximum dollars and NOTHING wrong with that. Only thing that bothers me is when people who will not lift a finger to do anything cry about what I make and think I should support them.

 

[sobo]

I'm having a phone chat with my boss on Monday.

I had a good year but I'm not expecting much, maybe 2 1/2%.

You guys need to eat more biscuits and gravy.

And bacon.... a lot more bacon...

 

[Alexx1401]

And bacon.... a lot more bacon...

Bacon makes EVERYTHING better
Many years ago I used to stop at a donut shop on my way to one job. They had maple bars with bacon on them. first time I saw them I thought "strange". Later I got to thinking how could it not be good? So next time in I bought one. BIG mistake for my waistline.

 

[oremike]

20/20 hind sight is wonderful but one can only speculate as to the actual differences different choices might have made. Case in point, I walked away from an entry level job at Intel in 1979. One might speculate that if I'd have made a career out of Intel I'd be well off in retirement. One might also speculate that I'd have ate a bullet in the first 3 years. Given those two choices, I'm glad I walked out and rode my 750 Honda chopper to the beach instead of staying at Intel.

 

[sobo]

20/20 hind sight is wonderful but one can only speculate as to the actual differences different choices might have made. Case in point, I walked away from an entry level job at Intel in 1979. One might speculate that if I'd have made a career out of Intel I'd be well off in retirement. One might also speculate that I'd have ate a bullet in the first 3 years. Given those two choices, I'm glad I walked out and rode my 750 Honda chopper to the beach instead of staying at Intel.

I did sump'n similar with my Honda CB750 in 1980.
Got to see a shiit-ton of the US of A for a coupla years.
And never regretted a minute of that time spent or life lived...