Indirect "in your face"

**ChristopherJ** · 08-22-2008, 11:47 PM

Have to be careful posting to this forum from work...but I'm home now so...

I'm in a funny situation (well, I think it's funny) with what we're going to accomplish with paying off all our debt and where I work. Was just curious if anyone else is in this situation. I know DR talks about this in one of his CD's...about working at a job that doesn't match your beliefs.

We've started to work on paying off our debt using money I make at a company that solely exists to get people to incur more debt. Yes, I work for a mortgage company. Luckily, I'm not directly involved with the mortgages. I'm in technology (VMware server engineer), but nonetheless...is it weird that the money people are borrowing from us and paying back with interest essentially goes to create my paycheck so I can pay off my own debts? Anyone else in this odd situation? Did it bug you enough to find other employment, or did you shrug it off as no big deal like I have so far?

**Laura2** · 08-23-2008, 12:10 AM

Originally Posted by ChristopherJ

We've started to work on paying off our debt using money I make at a company that solely exists to get people to incur more debt. Yes, I work for a mortgage company.

Yes, by getting a mortgage a person incurs a very large debt to start with and he/she will usually end up paying back much more than he/she originally borrowed. But it really shouldn't be seen as a bad thing. As long as the borrower takes out a loan with payments that he/she can afford, it is a win win for both sides. My fiance and I just bought a house a couple of months ago. We would never be able to buy a house if loans didn't exist. For our loan, there is no penalty for paying it off early, so it is up to us if we'd like to save money by paying the loan off early. I know that the mortgage company will make a lot of money off of us, but in the end, we will have a house. I think the arrangement is good for both sides.

**Cricketlegs** · 08-23-2008, 12:34 AM

Well I don't think that is bad really. I mean, people need homes and they need loans to buy homes. Better to buy a home for most than just rent and have nothing to show for it in the end right?

Who has CASH to buy a HOME at 30???

The trick is to get rid of all other debt, secure savings and retirement and get rid of the house debt.

You DON"T have to be in hock on a house for 30 years if you are willing to work for it.

**Samigirl** · 08-23-2008, 12:35 AM

I don't necessarily see it as a bad thing either. Even DR says mortgage debt is the only kind of debt he doesn't yell about. (As long as it's a reasonable amount borrowed.) I know what you mean though about the irony in the situation.

**kittykatstrong** · 08-23-2008, 12:54 AM

I have a job that I don't agree with 100%. But I am doing the best for my family and putting food on the table.

**Greebo** · 08-23-2008, 06:11 AM

If your working there is starting to conflict with your principles on an internal level, then I think you should look for another job. Being in IT makes you pretty marketable.

On the other hand - if you are just finding that you're appreciating the irony, then by all means, keep on laughing at it!

**ladykemma2** · 08-23-2008, 06:51 AM

mortgages = honorable work

**McD** · 08-23-2008, 09:43 AM

That's precisely the reason I wont become a personal banker. I work at a bank, and have worked my way up from teller to customer service and operations supervisor. I am basically an assistant manager, I open accounts, run the teller line, handle schedules, audits, etc. I have nothing to do with lending and I want to keep it that way. I hate encouraging people to get into debt.

One of our promotions awhile back was "Need cash for the holidays? Take it out on your house with a home equity line of credit!" I refused to sell the product.

**Marie78** · 08-23-2008, 10:10 AM

I worked in a bank that made us sell any product at any cost to anybody and if we didn't make our quota in a 60 day span we were written up and within 6 months terminated. I was there 1 1/2 years and thankfully moved an hour away and left that toxic job. That job did not make me feel good about myself or this country in general. Any job that has involved sales and quotas on any level has really caused an internal conflict for me.

I am now working in an office setting in a non-profit organization. Our money is govt. funded and thankfully we don't do fundraisers either. I just get to go to work and do my job and feel inside that the company I work for is making a difference, even if it's only a small difference, it's a big difference for those we help. I feel more balance in my life now between my work and my beliefs. I am also making several thousand dollars more each year and I have great benefits. I wish you luck, it took me years to find a position that comes close to being perfect for me (we still have inter office issues- who doesn't though?)

**JerryG** · 08-23-2008, 11:12 AM

Christopher - I see the irony in what you do, but I wouldn't leave, if you're happy with the job other than that item. Many years ago, I worked as an assistant engineer at an aeronautical manufacturing plant. I designed hydraulic parts. Basically figuring out the quickest, cheapest way to produce / fix them. One day, while reading up on the function, intent of the part, I found out I was working on a hydraulic part for a bomb. They don't actually "name" them as bomb parts. The classification was something like 1) Part failure will produce the desired results (bomb) without any damage to the bombee (pilot or bomber). 2) Part failure will produce the desired results (bomb) with damage to the bombee. . . I really started having problems sleeping after that. Serious insomnia for years. Eventually, I left that line of work. When people talk about a controversy in their work and life, I often think about that time in my life.

**Telephus44** · 08-23-2008, 05:05 PM

We both experience it to a small degree, however since we find great job satisfaction in our current positions, we just laugh at the irony.

Even though we don't own a television set and haven't for 4 years, DH works for the cable company. Yes, we we get free cable (including all the pay channels) but don't have a TV to watch it on. I work for an envelope company and am responsible for tons of credit card offers, plus killing millions of trees - I recently did an envelope advertising all the extra perks for upgrading your Verizon cellphone - even though we just canceled ours a few months ago. It really make me laugh.

**cmdarlin** · 08-24-2008, 12:15 PM

I use to work for one of those payday loan places. I hated it cause you'd see people taking out loans they couldn't pay back. The interest rates were horrible. I felt like I was working for a loan shark. She even wanted us to go knocking on people's doors asking for payments. NO WAY! My DH said no and I was let go before I could find another job.

Debbie