I am Getting Burned Out at Work

[Dhal22]

As of Spring 2021, I had amassed $70K in consumer debt (all tools/tools that I still have/tools that I plan to use the rest of my life).

I put a purchasing freeze in place at that time, which was a tremendous relief to my wife. I set about working 65-77 hours every week, and last Saturday night I finally ran myself into the ground, coming down with a *nasty* flu bug which has caused me to miss 2 days of work and counting.

I had hoped to work these long hours all through 2022 and into 2023, but it looks like I am not capable of this at 55 years old and 80 lbs. overweight. I had been already off of drugs & alcohol for years. I got off of nicotine & caffeine in December 2021 specifically for the purpose of optimizing my endurance (for working long hours).

Starting in July 2021, I have been paying $220 every 2 weeks for 2 hours of “body work”, where the massage therapist straightens out my spine, etc. and gets the knots out of my neck. There is also some stretching in these visits.

The $70K debt at somewhat of a high interest rate (average 15-20%) has been paid down to $30K & refinanced to much lower interest rates (averaging about 5%).

I had hoped to pay off all the debt & buy $30K more in tools in October of this year, but it looks like reality has slapped me in the face.

I'm 55 and have used a personal trainer since my late 40's. I used to be 200lbs (6'2"), now 185 but way more muscle and definition. Weight lifting, stretching, yoga, all is wonderful. And her healthy eating lifestyle............

It has become my 4 times a week mental oasis; work hard, feel the burn all day, great habit to form.

 

[mmcmdl]

Of that $70K in tool purchases, I need 0% of the items.

Houston , we have a problem !

Personally speaking , my hobby machine shop supports all of my other hobbies which make me a few bucks over the year . Machining was my living until I went more into the mechanics of production machines . Its nice for a company to find someone who troubleshoots equipment but also has the skills needed to make parts to fix the problems on sight . Like many others on here , I've scaled down , wayyyyyyyy down over the years . My companies in the past could not wait on cheap parts off a slow boat from Chiana or wherever else these low cost providers were located . This goes back to the bean counters and watchdogs who save the company $$$$ on paper . Look , I saved you $100 bucks on this part ! Meanwhile , the line is down for a month . I always tell them to show me the money they saved the company , put it on the desk in front of me . Machining has become a global thing over the past 20 years FWIW . If I needed 100 parts or so , I could source providers world wide these days , not so 30-40 years ago . I'm not sure just why our so called hobby machinists think they need all these brand new expensive machines to do G Job type work . Great if it makes you money , but , then it's not a hobby any more , rather a second or third job . 99.9% of the time , it's not the machine that makes the part , it's the guy operating the machine .

As far as machines go ? Gimme some old iron over these imported machines any day of the week . I considered the ShopFox lathe a paperweight POS . Just my opinion , but coming from a machinist of 44 years . I would rather waste my time rebuilding and using older top quality machines of any kind , hence my hobby in the older IHs, Cubs and Deere tractors . Long winded post as always , but really , why all these new expensive machines and tooling when " 0% " are needed ?

 

[mmcmdl]

I really hate machining, but sometimes you have to make chips to do a project, makes no difference if you are fixing your own lawnmower or doing a job for a customer. What I really do is provide solutions to problems, the machine tools are just there to further that end if I need them. The more tools you have in the tool box, the more stuff you can do. Once people know you're out there and learn what you can do then they will come to you and you can putter around in the shop and get paid for it.

This sums it up . /\/\ Well put Jim .

 

[erikmannie]

…, but really , why all these new expensive machines and tooling when " 0% " are needed ?…

Maybe I was taking the word “needed” too literally, as in “One only needs food, water, air and shelter”.

For a one- or two- person welding & machining shop (be it hobby or commercial), I would need at least 75% of the equipment to do what I want to do, which is: GTAW, GMAW, SMAW, OAW, FCAW, oxyacetylene brazing & cutting, GMAW aluminum, milling machine skills, lathe skills and (e-)bicycle repair.

I am more interested in the crafting process than I am in knocking out a part, so this is why I stray away from doing work for other people. I would much prefer to geek out on the work process than the work itself.

I started working when I was 12 years old, & I am planning on staying in the workforce until I turn 65. I was hoping to get at least 10 years on the back end to finally work on my own stuff.

Isn’t it the case with most *hobbies* that one is not expected to get the equipment to pay for itself? I was hoping that hobby time is a chance to be free of practicality and/or pragmatism.

 

[mmcmdl]

Ahh...........................................so bicycle repair is the hobby , and the welding and machine skills support this . Nothing wrong with that . Just learn to keep things in check would be my answer . Deep debt is something I shun , although if something interesting comes along , I'm on it as always . Your hours and my hours were pretty much the same . If I was awake , I was working . I went from 2X to 1X at the Fortune 500 spice maker right down the road . Nice place , but at half of what I made didn't and wouldn't cut it . 6 months I was G O N E . If the pay was close , I would still be there . Now , they can't find anyone to do the work , go figure .

I'm off to visit work in a minute , have some business to catch up on . I hope I didn't miss the latest boat .

 

[WobblyHand]

Isn’t it the case with most *hobbies* that one is not expected to get the equipment to pay for itself? I was hoping that hobby time is a chance to be free of practicality and/or pragmatism.

Yes, this is true. But hobbies shouldn't drive one close to the edge of financial trouble either. Make sure you have enough cushion for things that may go wrong in life, and for you and your spouse to live fulfilling lives. Won't tell you how to allocate your home budget, but a happy home does involve some compromise. From the limited perspective you have given us, it seems you are getting a huge share of the pie.

To make it more explicit, pay down your debt. It is making you have to do things that aren't good for your health. Debt is restricting your choices you can make in life. Get rid of that debt, it will free you. Try to live within your means, if you can't afford it, don't buy it. Save. Then buy stuff, if it is within your budget. This will reduce a lot of your stress in life.

 

[Beckerkumm]

Credit card debt is slow agonizing death and should only be used to avoid immediate death. If you need to sell stuff to get out of debt, do it. There are few businesses profitable enough to survive credit card interest charges. Dave

 

[woodchucker]

I'm of the opinion, that my hobby stuff is paid for in cash. Period. My house is paid for, my cars, I owe nothing. If I can't afford it, I don't buy it. I do not like debt. The NY Giants went to PSLs Private Seat License.. 10k for the privilege, then they raised the price of their tkts by $25 or $40, can't remember, and made you purchase parking passes (at a higher rate then the past) and ahead of time including the pre-season which I don't go to.

I bailed. I could not see taking on that debt.. since 64 my dad had the tkts, and when he died in 82 I took them over. It broke my heart to have to let them go. But debt is a losing proposition. Glad I didn't buy them, guys that own them hate it now, they are worthless.

A hobby should be fun, not only do you have the machine costs, but the raw materials are $$$$$... Even woodworking right now, the wood is in the stratosphere. Even the guys that mill and sell wood here are killing me in prices. I need wood for my son and DIL sideboard and one of my regulars wanted $14 a board foot, when I was paying $4 a board foot 2 years ago. It's not that his prices went up, it's that he can ask because the other prices went up.

 

[macardoso]

Not criticizing, but wanted to share my outlook. Wife and I both have career jobs and make decent money. We are very frugal regardless and a vast majority goes into retirement and mid-term investments. We discuss our finances in the entirety and have planned our house and retirement expenses first and foremost. We still drive 2003 cars for gosh-sakes!

My hobbies are paid for with the pennies I find between the couch cushions! Not actually, but I am always shopping for only the best deals and buy used. House, family, retirement, investments, and everything else always come first. In the high spending years (machine purchases or big projects) I don't think I've spent over $2k, and usually much much less than that. Always cash. I never hold a credit card balance and I'm scared to death of doing so. I don't particularly enjoy pitching to my wife why I want a new mill, robot, etc. for the basement, but it is much better that we communicate before I show up with one. She's fairly supportive, and even more than money, we worry about not accumulating too much junk. If something comes into the shop, I try to find an equal amount of stuff to leave.

I'd look at cutting off the spending for now and work what you can to get rid of the debt. Once you're in the clear, maybe find a sustainable way to enjoy your hobbies that doesn't sacrifice your financial situation. Just my opinion.

EDIT: The one *fun* part is if I make any money doing my hobbies, I throw all of the profit into the shop fund. Makes little side gigs extra exciting.

 

[rabler]

I am more interested in the crafting process than I am in knocking out a part, so this is why I stray away from doing work for other people. I would much prefer to geek out on the work process than the work itself.

I started working when I was 12 years old, & I am planning on staying in the workforce until I turn 65. I was hoping to get at least 10 years on the back end to finally work on my own stuff.

Isn’t it the case with most *hobbies* that one is not expected to get the equipment to pay for itself? I was hoping that hobby time is a chance to be free of practicality and/or pragmatism.

That is certainly where my interest are. I really don't expect this make me a single penny. I'm delighted if I can make a part for around the house that would have otherwise cost $10. I was working fairly hard myself, living apart from my wife to do so, etc. Then cancer struck. We looked at our budget and savings, and I was able to retire after a bit more than a year. Essentially I had a year of sick leave and vacation, used that up and retired. Sure, I live in a manufactured home instead of something that we would have built, but that also meant I can afford the 2200 sq ft shop that the crew is out there building right now, cash, after selling off the previous property. And we have the property to support my wife's hobby, horses and gardening. I'm only 58, been retired 2.5 years, and am VERY glad my wife and I were able to make that work.

Plan for the future, but remember that if you get run over by a bus tomorrow, you need to have enjoyed today too.