Help, please! What should I do?

[Margarita]

Wow, I haven't been here in forever! I was going to post this at WT, but I realized it would be more appropriate here, so here I am. For those of you who don't know me, Hi! *waving* I hang out regularly at Csara's other 2 boards, WeddingTalkers and BabyTalkers. I hate to jump in begging for help, but I'm pulling out my hair here and thought it might help to get a bunch of different opinions. Some background info first...

As most of you from WT/BT know, I'm wrestling with work issues right now. To recap, three months ago, I quit a cruddy full-time job to do data entry from home for a couple of reasons: 1) we're trying to conceive, and I didn't want to continue being exposed to diseases (worked at the health dept), 2) also related to baby making, I needed something to do from home to supplement my hubby's income, 3) to develop my wedding coordinating business.

Well, I'm not so sure the wedding coordinating is for me because I suck at sales. I'd be awesome doing the coordinating (if I do say so myself) if I could just get someone else to find me customers. Not likely. I still may pursue it, but I'm waiting until the 2 weddings I'm helping plan in July. So, I'm doing data entry. And I just found out that the work load isn't what I was expecting and won't increase until the fall. :mad:

Bottom line: We need more money. Or at least, *I* feel like we do. My husband says whatever I decide to do is all right with him, he's not worried. To get down to the nitty gritty, what would YOU do in my shoes? I've posted the several options I'm considering, and "Other" so you can suggest other things I could do to make extra money. Each option has its own set of pros and cons, which I won't bore you with TOO much. ;) You do need to know that if I quit the data entry, I will have to start completely over with it when I have a baby (waiting list, training out of town = hotel expenses, etc.). Also, my husband will be getting a new teaching job that will come with a raise in salary beginning in the fall. Plus, he's planning on setting up a summer band and private summer lessons. We do have savings, but I'd *really* hate to have to cover expenses with it, and that's what's freaking me out right now. Maybe I'm just being too anal.

Another thing that bothers me is guilt for staying home when I'm not actually (that we know of :)) pregnant yet. This has nothing to do with my husband, it's me worrying too much like usual. So, if ya want, you can also just tell me to quit worrying and enjoy it while it lasts.

I'm going to quit babbling now and let you guys vote. This could be interesting!

[brandis77]

I voted "other". This is a significant decision you are trying to make, and I think you are the best judge of what you want to be doing right now. Money is very important, particularly when you are thinking of adding to your family, but is it worth being unhappy/stressed/worried for?

I definitely know what you mean about the feelings of guilt for not bringing in money or a lot of money. My hubby makes more than twice as much as I will probably ever make. He can afford to support us both, but I feel so awful when I am not contributing financially. I spent 6 months not working when I was waiting for my work visa, and I became very depressed knowing that I was just draining our finances and not replenishing them. I feel your pain. :(

Finally, to your question.. If I were in your shoes (which is very hard for me to imagine right now, but I'll try), I would probably pick the option that brought in the most money and that I was the happiest with. So, if the data entry brought in a lot of money but made me miserable, I would move on to the next option.

[nicolef888]

Hi Margarita-

I kind of know how you feel. I was laid off about 3 weeks ago and I'm going through all the guilt of not bringing any money, etc. It's definitely a tough decision and one that should take a lot of though. I voted, continue with the data entry job and do the payroll for your parents. In addition to all this, keep your eyes open for something that might be of interest to you. You never know what can come along.

I know that it's easier said than done but try and enjoy your time. Try to take some long walks or have lunch with an old friend. I am trying to make the most of my unemployment time by working on all those little projects that I didn't have time for when I worked full time.

[ksix]

I'm leaning toward keeping up with data entry when it's available, and doing payroll for your parents...I'd drive four hours a month for someone to make my car payment!! And other than that--keep your eyes open for something if you want, or just do as Nicole said--enjoy this time. Make the money you can and still be happy. To me, that's what it's all about. That's what I'm working on doing too...

[suzieq728]

Margs

I voted other. Mainly because I am at a fork in the road in my own life right now, and for the life of me I can not figure out what to do....

I have made a trillion pro's & con's list, and I still come back to square one :rolleyes: . To be honest I think in my case, its more like a mid-life crisis...

sorry I couldnt be more of a help to you sweetie.. But I know you will do the right thing. Do whats best for YOU... You come first, and you have to be happy... ;)

[Christmas Bride]

Hey, Margs!
I voted keep doing data-entry and drive to do payroll for your parents! I think that if your work load would pick up by fall and your hubby will be making more then, then you should just try to do it until it picks back up...besides, if you find out soon (let's hope) that you're preggers, then I wouldn't want to start all over from sqare 1 with the data entry! Just my :2cents: !!!

[Margarita]

Thanks for all of your help, girls! I voted because I'm now also leaning toward data-entry and payroll for my parents. :) I haven't told them yet because I'm still checking into some details with the data-entry people.

It just now dawned on me that when I get near the end of my future pregnancy and after the baby is born, taking time off could affect my data-entry job. :dunce: I can't believe I never considered that before. :rolleyes: Their policy might require me basically to start over anyway, so I'm asking questions to find out what my options will be. I won't qualify for leave under the FMLA because I'd have to be working at least 24 hours per week for 12 months prior to the leave - not gonna happen. They have a maternity action plan to fill out that they're sending me, so I'll have to see if I can avoid having to retrain. For some reason, they seem to think if you don't do any work for more than 3 weeks, you forget everything and have to have a week of training again. Geez, I'm not THAT stupid!!!

So, assuming they will be flexible and not make me do training again, I'll keep doing that and also payroll twice a month. I'll also keep my eye out for good full-time job prospects because we could always use the extra money.

I'm so glad this is finally beginning to look more clear. I was going nuts and stressing out way too much about all of this (which is completely normal for me :rolleyes: ).

[andrea]

update please LOL

[Margarita]

So demanding! ;) The most popular option won, so far. I am still doing data-entry from home and started doing payroll for my parents twice a month. In fact, I have to go this Thursday. I've started getting books on tape to listen to during the drive, and I'm getting to where I'm pretty fast getting the work done, so it's not a bad deal at all. I am still keeping an eye open on job openings, but there hasn't been anything that looked good enough to change what I'm doing as of yet.