What to do?

[dame_wolf]

Well J talked to the Portland job today and we didn't exactly get the news we were hoping for. They want him for a contract job and then maybe a perm possition later on. Things here are going down fast, at my work and in our relationship with our friends/landlords. I know I wont last out the month at work. So our options are I try and stick it out as long as I can at work (risking my sanity) and stay here while he goes to Portland for how ever long and does the contract then comes back here. Or we take the risk and make the move hoping that it becomes perm and/or I find a job fast. What do we do???

[Petra]

Sorry you didn't get news you were hoping for. It's hard to give you advice. I'm not sure what your financial situation is like. Do you have anything in savings so you would be able to survive for a while just in case they don't hire J after the contract is up?
What is the job market like in Portland? Do you think you'll be able to find a job quite easily?
From what you have described, it sounds like your boss is trying to get rid of you so your current job security is quite low.
Whether you decide to stay or move with J you should probably start looking for a new job.
If it was me I think I would move. Not sure if I could handle my husband gone and dealing with your landlords and your crazy boss. But you have to decide if you two can manage if things don't work out.
Good luck!

[oursarge]

What Petra said. She said it perfectly. Good luck in what ever you decide.

[TLC97]

Given the way things are for you now, I would move. Your happiness needs to be factored in.

[valleyrider]

DW,,What Petra said makes sense.. Not knowing all your circumstances it is hard for us to tell you what to do.. I hope as the days go on things will get better for you which will help both of you decide what is best. Good luck and keep us posted.

[dame_wolf]

We do have some savings but it would go to pay for the move and getting into some place there so right now I can't say how much would be left to fall back on. J says that if he takes the contract the wage will be atleast twice what a perm postition wage would be and that he would be working 7 days a week so the money during the contract would be good. What would prob happen is that we would live on raman and sandwiches (cheap food) and put every penny we could into savings and hope it was enough to make it through.

[dame_wolf]

Oh, J has an old friend that lives there that J says we could stay with if it came to that but... This guy has also said we could keep Koda there if we get some fencing up.

[lovesfortune]

Petra has good advice.

If it were me - I think I would move. Your current situation with your job would be enough to make me want to take the risk.

[Vacker Hast]

I have been following your threads and I wish you and J the best. I can't give you any advise on what to do but I wanted you to know that I am hoping the best for you both no matter what you decide to do. Good luck and just make the best informed decision you can then give it your best shot ... that's all anybody can do when faced with this type of situation.

Stacy

[dame_wolf]

I guess that if the contract is long enough we will be moving. If it is only a month or less then we are staying. I hope it's long.

[valleyrider]

DW,, when will you know how long the contract will be?

[dame_wolf]

Hopefully we will hear something today and not be told to call back when he gets back to the office (he's going to other locations for the next month). However, good news is that yesterday a ton of job openings were posted in J's field so he has applied for them too and is going to tell the guy that. He's gonna say that he would rather work for his company rather then a competitor but that he can not turn down a job offer from a competitor so why don't they hire him at a reduced wage and then when things do pick up in a couple of month bump up his wage to what he should be getting. That way they lock him down to their company (and we get to move without worry).

[gabhainn]

Just remember the reason contract jobs pay so much more than permanent ones is they dont take taxes out of the wage. J will be responsible, for his own witholding, so make sure you sock about 20% away so when the company I -9's ya'll at the end of the year you can cover taxes(for the feds, I dont know about state income tax Tx, doesnt have it)...............Kevin

[dame_wolf]

Good to know Kevin, thank you!

[dame_wolf]

Well the guy didn't get back to us before leaving so we are in limbo till he gets back, unless someone else calls from that office. I talked to J about just putting everything in storage, making the move and staying in the RV till he gets back. We'd actually get there about the same time he got back and maybe if J just walked into the office he would get somewhere.

[WashingtonBay]

Washington doesn't have income tax, Oregon does.

Oregon has no sales tax, Washington does.

I've often pondered living and working in Vancouver and shopping in Portland as being a pretty ideal situation ;)

Boy, it's nasty weather time of year to be moving here, keep that in mind in your planning too. Try to get here between storms, and know that it's not always this dreary. = Summer is lovely! :)

[Remali]

Maybe a fresh start in Portland is best? Things sound tough where you are at now, and it's good that you do have a friend out there in Portland. I think I'd make the move too.

[dame_wolf]

Yeah, I don't think I would mind being right on the WA side of the boarder and then do all the shopping in OR.

I lived in Walla Walla for 15 years...

[dame_wolf]

Talked to J again and now he says he's afraid of moving before he has a job. He thinks we can rough it out if we just stay put and ignore our friends/landlords and I get a different job (even though I've been looking and there are no jobs that pay what I'm making now). I don't know how he thinks we'll make it with less money when we're just scraping by now! When I tell him that he says he doesn't have an answer for me but when I give him an alternative he's back to stick it out here. I finally asked him if he was afraid because he doesn't like change. He didn't really give me an answer so I think that's a good part of it, he knows what is happening here and there he wouldn't. I don't know. I hate that it sounds like I'm complaining about him when I really am not I just don't understand how he thinks staying is better then going.

[Remali]

Moving is kind of scary, and I think quite a few people get nervous about it and have second thoughts.
Sure is understandable. I wonder if writing it down on paper and listing the pros and cons of moving, and the pros and cons of staying, would help him? I sure can understand worrying about the unknown with moving, but then of course there is the other side too....staying in the current situation. I sure wish he'd just get that job offer soon so you could move.

[dame_wolf]

Me too! He did apply for another job yesterday and got a phone number on one to call today so maybe we wont have to wait to much longer.

[Remali]

That's great there is a lead on another job.....I have my fingers crossed it works out! :)