Feeling torn and confused?? (Long)

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 08-22-2007, 08:43 PM

Ok, not even sure where to start this...

I've got some various options for life and I haven't a clue what to do?? And I feel like everyone (including myself) is pulling me in a million different directions.

I'm in a job where I like the people, but I'm not wild about the job itself. Now, in saying that I'm not miserable...just not challenged and the future options there are not in my interest. I make $15/hr - which here is the low side of a living wage (it's spendy up here).

After letting go of aviation I feel totally unchallenged and unmotivated in life. Nothing else has "grabbed my attention"...and I haven't been able to develop any new goals or dreams. ALL of my life I've been very driven by goals and dreams, so to have nothing clearly outlined is driving me up the wall.

My Dh graduates from college in May (woo-hoo! not much longer!) and last night he put the option out there for me to go back to school starting next fall semester.

So, here's the quandary...do I just stay in the job I'm in forever? The pay isn't bad, there's room for growth (though I'm not interested in the options it would be more pay) and they're real good to me.

OR - do I look for another job down the road that would be more challenging to me and forgo more college?

OR - do I take my Dh's offer and go back to college? And if that's the case...how on Earth would I figure out what to study? I like the idea of being a elementary school teacher, or a high school science teacher, or working in a science field. I'm already 30, wouldn't be able to start for a year, and looking over the required courses/credits for any of those options it would take anywhere from 5-7 years (there are huge lists of prerequisites!). Would I be just too old when I graduated?

Now, from a frugal standpoint - college means no income from me for years, not to mention a ton of expense from college.

Should I just learn to be content with the job I'm at? They ARE very good to me. Should I work towards a degree? I've dreamed of getting to go back to college but never thought it would be an option? Ugh...but the expense!!

Ok, do I look confused? Yeah, that's me...

Thanks for letting me lean on you all...

**i.m.cheap** · 08-22-2007, 09:42 PM

I started college this fall at 45. I am an Education major. Yes, I will be 50 when I finish, and that is taking 16-17 hours a semester. If I didn't go to college, I would also be 50 in five years.

**Libby** · 08-22-2007, 09:49 PM

You sound a lot like me except I dont have the SO nor live with him. Im in a great job that I do love but its not the actual job its the environment and people I work with. The pays not overly great but it very modest and gets the bills paid on time and lets me live my life somewhat comfortably. I too am debating school again and I tried an online course back in the late spring/early summer and wasnt ready to put my 100% all into it plus the course materials weren't in the school bookstore for 2 wks or so and it was only a 6 wk course

So that was a huge waste of money and a great lesson learned!

Id suggest sticking with your job for another few years while you try to figure out what you want to study and see if you can take part time/evening classes or even online classes to get some of your prerequisites out of the way. Since your SO graduates in May - YAY!! - does that mean he is gauranteed a fulltime job right off the bat? If so that could change your situation. That way you're both working somewhat with a gauranteed steady income and when you're ready financially you can decide to go to school fulltime and have some of the credits out of the way.

But thats just my 2 cents. HTH

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 08-22-2007, 10:28 PM

[QUOTE=shorty;757453Since your SO graduates in May - YAY!! - does that mean he is gauranteed a fulltime job right off the bat? If so that could change your situation. [/QUOTE]

Dh already has people who want to hire him at a few different places so should have no trouble with that (though we're not counting our chickens before they're hatched). With the pay he'll be getting we can comfortably live on his income and make headway on bills.

So, yeah...work full time, be a housewife, or go back to college will all be options come spring!

How am I supposed to figure out the right decision?

**Libby** · 08-23-2007, 12:16 AM

Id still be game for both of you working. Him with his cozy income and yours though less than his would still be coming in. You can be paying off bills/debt and accumulating a lil nest egg for emergencies (bigger then an EF). Once you get a year or so under your belt, try the online courses or part time night classes. That will give you time to choose properly what you'd like to study.

But again thats my decision and remember a lot can happen between now and May!

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 08-23-2007, 12:36 AM

Originally Posted by shorty

Id still be game for both of you working. Him with his cozy income and yours though less than his would still be coming in. You can be paying off bills/debt and accumulating a lil nest egg for emergencies (bigger then an EF). Once you get a year or so under your belt, try the online courses or part time night classes. That will give you time to choose properly what you'd like to study.

But again thats my decision and remember a lot can happen between now and May!

Thanks Shorty! Sounds like wise advice.

I *would* love to be debt free before starting back to college. Would make it all less stressing. And yes...a lot can change between now and May.

**Its_Donna** · 08-23-2007, 05:02 AM

Look for this book at your library: 48 Days to the Work You Love by Dan Miller

I am currently ready this book and it's very enlightening. Good Luck in whatever you choose. You seem like a very level-headed individual so I know you will make a good decision.

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 08-23-2007, 06:13 PM

Originally Posted by Its_Donna

Look for this book at your library: 48 Days to the Work You Love by Dan Miller

I am currently ready this book and it's very enlightening. Good Luck in whatever you choose. You seem like a very level-headed individual so I know you will make a good decision.

Hey Donna...thanks for the book suggestion... I checked and our library system has it, so I put it on hold!

Can't wait to read it!

**Its_Donna** · 08-23-2007, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by Luv2BeFrugal

Hey Donna...thanks for the book suggestion... I checked and our library system has it, so I put it on hold!

Can't wait to read it!

I am confident you will really enjoy this book.

**Michelle68** · 08-23-2007, 06:24 PM

Kathryn, just remember--you're NEVER too old to go to school. Good luck with whatever you choose. Personally, I'd also want to be debt free before I went back to school.

--Michelle

**boogiemum** · 08-23-2007, 07:41 PM

I think I would hold off on school and hold off on finding a different job for the moment. I don't believe in forcing things. I would look around and maybe even try 1 course that interest you to see where you are being lead. When things are meant to be changed up they will just fall into place. A really cool job will come your way, or you will discover that you just have to go back to school to do_____. Good Luck!

**lullaby80** · 08-23-2007, 08:02 PM

Remember that you can always take most of the prerequisites from a community college, many even offer all of them to be taken online! So you could always work and go to school (and community college is much cheaper anyway) or even ask your employer to help out with tuition and stuff (many companies do this).

Whatever you decide -- good luck!!

**i.m.cheap** · 08-23-2007, 08:10 PM

At least where I live, in Kansas, Science and Math teacher positions are so difficult to fill that there are plenty of scholarships available if you want to teach one of these two disciplines. You do have to agree to teach one year for each one year of grant money you receive. The state provides up to $5,000 a year for college. If you take the money for four years, you have to teach at least four years, then you owe nothing. If you drop out of teaching before the agreed amount of time, you pay back the money with interest.

Check into financial aid available, you might be surprised what you find.

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 08-23-2007, 10:24 PM

Hey...scholarships...good idea!

No company programs

Bummer... But good idea!

No community colleges up here...I wish! But the University isn't terribly unreasonable so I won't fuss too much.

Gonna stick with what I'm doing work-wise at *least* until the end of next summer...that'll get Dh out of college and him solidly into a new job.

I'm feeling drawn towards being a middle school science teacher? Honestly never would have thought of that before. Ever! But, I like working with that age group...and really enjoy science (yes, I'm a geek/nerd). And if at the beginning of next year I'm still feeling pulled that direction...I can take one math class to get back in the swing of things while still working... I looked at the degree requirements...WHOA...talk about a huge list of math!! That's cool though, I like math...ya just can't double up classes in a semester...cause each is a prerequisite for the next. Erf.

We'll see what happens...it's in God's hands, not mine.

Thanks ladies!

You all are

!