Vanholio: 5 Ways Your Job Don't Pay Good as You Think

Dollar bill with George Washington bug-eyed surprised and his hands on his forehead

Ain't nothin' costs ya more than strugglin' to make a buck. Drains your wallet in a bunch a ways, too. Gotta ask yourself: Is your job worth it? Would van life be better?

Here's part a what I learned long time ago from "Your Money or Your Life" by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez. It totally change Vanholio's direction and got him into van life – eventually.

This here is part of one of the nine steps in the book. It'll get ya thinkin' ...

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Real Wage = Gross Wage – Taxes – Work-Related Expenses

Most folks think their wage is what they earn. Well, maybe their wage after taxes. If they're real sophisticates, then they add in their fringe benefits. But that ain't enough. Ya gotta calculate in ALL the work-related expenses. Only then will ya get the real picture.

5 Work Expenses to Subtract From Your Wages

1. Showing Up and Suiting Up

For most jobs, ya got work clothes, commutin', lunches, trainin' (especially if college is involved!), dry cleanin' maybe, mobile phone service, and a host a things your expected to have. In some jobs ya got to keep up an image, and that makes it worse!

Ask yourself: Would I spend money on X, Y, and Z if I didn't have a job? For anything where the answer is "yes," subtract that expense from your wages.

2. Little Compensations

Hard work has whole lot a other tiny expenses. The harder I work, for example, the more I spend on eatin' out, coffee, beer, full-price books and movies, conveniences, and a whole lotta other services. 'Cause I deserve it!

But damn, them small luxuries can add up. And some a them ain't too good for ya in bunches, neither.

Subtract your "compensations," the ones you don't spend on when you're chill. They cuts outta your real wages.

3. Pay for Play

And of course, when you work hard, ya gotta play hard. Yep, need your downtime from all that killin' yourself for The Man.

Vacations cost big money. Hobbies and sports cost big money. All the fun that gets you away from your life costs big money. And it seems like ya got it to spend, too.

But don't forget to add it into the expenses of your job. Like the little compensations, it cuts into your real wages.

On the flip side, the more ya can make your life like a vacation, the less ya need to spend extra on all this stuff. Maybe that means workin' less. Or maybe that means makin' a livin' doin' what ya love or bein' where you love.

4. Escape Schemes

When your job sucks, you're lookin' for a way out. Often, you blow money on them schemes, too: risky stocks, lottery tickets, get-rich books, multilevel marketing programs, etc., etc.

If your gettin' soaked for dreamin', take that off your wages, too.

5. Poor Health

Lots a folks, 'specially if they're older, kiss The Man's ass for health insurance. But what's all that stress and humiliation costin' your body and mind?

Americans are drugged up on antidepressants, opiods, liquor, sleep pills, and all kinds a other shit 'cause work stress is fritzin' them out. Even things like cholesterol medication and such is sometimes 'cause folks don't got time to cook and eat right. And who has time to exercise?

If you're spendin' on medications and doctors and coaches 'cause your job keeps you wired up, stressed out, sittin' on your ass, and eatin' junk all the time, start subtractin' them costs from your wages, too.

Is Your Job Worth It? Can Ya Relate?

If ya done all that above, maybe it's got ya depressed. It gets worse. The second part is to divide your net profit into the total hours your job sucks up. That's your 40 hours plus commutin' plus doin' extra laundry plus drivin' to get your kids from the sitter plus all the other shit ya wouldn't do without that job.

So did ya start the math? Is your job lookin' like it pays pitiful? Does quittin' and movin' into a van look more attractive ... ? Comment below.

And check out "Your Money or Your Life." I promise: After the harsh steps, you'll start seein' the way out to financial freedom. No gimmicks. Just sensible progress.