Archive for November, 2008

Am I Evil For Working At a Day Job?

November 11, 200899 Comments

My question to you today is: does working at a day job make me evil?

I have been balancing the day job and internet marketing thing for years.  It's not that bad.  I'm getting my first 3-5 year computer programming job on my resume, lots of free training that would otherwise cost $5000, really good health insurance, and a reason to get up in the morning.

I don't always work 9-to-5 hours.  Some days I work 6AM to 2:30PM, or 10AM to 6:30PM.  It's also not the most challenging job.  I don't have to work overtime, I'm not on-call, I don't take my work home.  So I'm free to do internet marketing stuff after work, during lunch, and on weekends.

Quick Story:

Sometimes I forget to pick up my paycheck at my day job.  Last month when I went to the receptionist to pick it up, one of my co-workers, a really cool woman in her 40's, noticed I'd taken a while to pick up my check.

She commented, "Someone else must be making those Mustang car payments..."

I told her nope, I pay for my car, but I wasn't making payments on the car... I bought it for $20,000 in cash last year.

She was surprised. I shrugged and said I'd saved up some money.  I forgot to add that I own a home at age 24, or that I pay double into my principal every month.

I also kept quiet the fact that I'd launched a product the night before, and made more in 90 minutes than she made in 30 days.

How about the fact that I dropped two months worth of pay at that job for a one week vacation in Hawaii during the winter break?

No one at work knows my secret, that I make more than my boss, his boss, and his boss.  Out of 800+ employees at my place of work, the only people who take home more money than me are the president and his 10 vice presidents.

When do you think I should quit?

When I have a year's worth of income in savings?  Don't give me that, "Quit when your internet job has replaced your day job" line.  I did that years ago.

I'm not going to be one of those guys who quits without health insurance.  When did you quit and do you have health insurance?  Who is your provider?

Once you lost that "time crunch" to get back to your day job, did it kill your productivity?

I am completely lost here... I had planned on being self employed right out of college but this REALLY nice and easy day job fell into my lap.  Some days it keeps my busy, some days I get bored and wish I could take a road trip or something.

Stay or quit?  Please tell me in the comment box below.  If I don't get ten replies maybe I'll just quit regardless.

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