I've been thinking this morning about money. For a good few years, I've been adamant that I want to be rich, loaded with dollar.

But thats NOT what I want. Money can give a lavish lifestyle, yeah, but I'd still want more.

I have a steady job, I earn like £900 a month. My debts I had will be paid off in a couple months. I live with my parents. I'm 20 years old (21 in July).

In June, I will have a HND in electrical.electronic engineering. My employer wants to let me do the final year of a degree in Business and Management in September for a year or two.

My employer has paid for all my education. I work in an internal sales office for a manufacturing business. We manufacture interconnect solutions for miltary and aerospace businesses.

But I just keep thinking to myself, IT FUCKING SUCKS. Nobody gets pay rises when asking for them, we just have to wait for the october pay review (in which case, I want more than fucking 13.5k a year this october!)

I hate the idea of working 9 - 5 5 days a week, all year round, just to make ends meet. My dream has always been to own my own place, have a hot tub, and not have to go out to work every day. I want to work from home doing something, but I have no idea what. This is what frustrates me.

I don't really know what this post is about, I'm trying to figure out what I want in life. I can't be fucking arsed with a 100k mortgage round my neck for the rest of my life.

I've looked at Saudi jobs, and others in middle east in things like project management, but they always want like 5 - 10 years experience in that relevant field, plus usually a degree in something.

I'm just curious if anyone else has been stuck at some kind of cross roads, but not knowing what their possibilities are or could be?

I enjoy technology, computers, building websites. I'd love to like, own my own ISP, like virgin media but different, and things like that. Possibly Niche networking, but I just don't know. Plus I don't have any savings to startup anything.

money offers freedom!!

money itself doesnt bring happiness but the freedom it gives does

I reached a crossroads about 8 years ago. I had just finished studying Fine Art, and was temping at Norwich Union data inputing. It was dull as f*ck. Then I decided I was gonna do something about it, so did something I really enjoyed, but could be a career - Architecture. It's been a long road, I am not reaping the rewards particularly financially yet, but I love what I do, so am not merely earning cash in order to enjoy what's left of my day, or life. Do not just aim to live for the weekend.

You might compain about not getting a pay rise, but that's life these days in the UK. If you are looking for mega bucks then abroad is possibly where to look. I know Australia avoided the recession and is doing pretty good.

Yep, been here.

I worked in Science research (Agrochems) for 7 years, the pay was pretty pants and never went up much. The place where I worked was full of people moaning about it (me included)

Anyway over two years ago, I thought

"Fuck this for a game of soldiers!"

Was critically honest about my skills, what I liked doing, what I was good at etc

Decided on technical Sales.
Kept badgering people to let me tag along with them to find out everything about the role.
4 months after my "fuck it" moment a job comes up, I get recommended for it and get it.

Have been doing it 2 years, work is much harder, much longer hours, much more rewarding. I have had two pay rises which both were more than my combined pay rise when I was a researcher. Bonuses too.
I have been approached by three headhunters.

My main thought "why didn't I do this sooner!"

Ironically I still have to deal with people at my old work and they are still sat in their moany ruts.

Life's too short

Scamp

I see positives where you see negatives. You're young. You're debt free. You're working on becoming more self aware. These things give you time and flexibility. You're already way ahead of the curve. Nobody has certainty at 20. Find what you love to do but that also has money in it, spend 5 years becoming inspired to be the best at it that you can, then you will have stabilised yourself and be in a position weather to start a small business or remain employed by someone else.

PS

Daniel, should you ever find yourself looking for startup funds in the next few years then you ought to check out the Prince's Trust.

While what they do is technically give loans out (as well as training, mentors, ongoing support, free stuff, etc) you'll never find up to 4grand at just 3% APR, with the first 4 months repayments at £20 and the following at £120.

Great charity that have helped a few friends of mine.

RLAJay has it spot on, my friend used it, now she has her own business selling rave clothing and hiring out sound equipment for DJ & MCing stuff. Real niche but she more than covers her bills and absolutely loves it!

Some might argue but there are times in life that you have to work/do things that you dont enjoy doing in order to survive or as a stepping stone to something bigger and better. I started working Saturday and Sunday when I was 13, helping out in my father's business. I hated it with a passion because I wanted to play out with my mates. But my motivation at that time was getting extra pocket money that I could save to buy things that my mates couldnt have. It also helped me not to be lazy. Because of that early "training" I worked hard at school, won a scholarship to do chemical engineering. Graduated. Worked for myself in the nuclear industry. I do 7-4. Money is fab. Gave me loads of time in the evening to see my kids, go to the gym, socialise with my mates, do stupied courses for a laugh etc etc.

What Im trying to say is your destiny is in your own hands...!!

Thanks it seems good I took a real quick look at that but it seems to only be for unemployed or on low hours? I may be wrong though.

I am definitely thinking CAREER CHANGE but I need to have a good think about what interests me, what I am good at, and what would make enough money to get by whilst I still enjoy it.

I do envisage myself selling something in a niche market, really unique and new. Its how I have always looked at myself, being unique and trying not to conform to society's norms all the time.

I am now looking at things in a lighter view than this morning, was feeling pretty crappy but in a better mood now.

This is exactly what happened to me too. I was paid pocket money based on helping out in the family business. It made me an entrepreneur from an early age, putting a business mentality straight into my reality without me even knowing it.

PS