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The $300K Question
The issue really is more complicated than just money. A man desperate for some advice posted a question on a discussion board asking what others thought.
The problem was essentially this. He had been working for a job that went belly up and lost $100,00. At 38, he had very little to show for his years hard at work, and he was finding it difficult to get by on an income of $60,000 in Seattle with a stay-at-home wife and three growing kids. He's been offered a job in Iraq for one year with a salary of $290,000. Should he take it?
There's much to consider here. First of all, with a little frugality, the family could probably live quite comfortably on an income of $60,000. Most people live on less. The next issue is safety. Is the money worth putting your life at risk when you have a family depending on you? Even for a year? Then there's the issue of what that much distance and time will do to his and his wife's relationship.
Yes, the money is good and he's providing a service to his country, but is all of that worth missing time with his family and potentially damaging his familial relationships? We think there's more to life than having more money, but it's a tough situation. Share your thoughts in the comments!
My husband was offered a similar opportunity. While we are always on the side of supporting our troops in Iraq..the resources that are available to the US Services are much clearer than the ones provided to private contractors. I would do my homework to find out what insurance is provided first. Also, I would find out what support is available to the employee and their family during their time overseas.
Wow, that is one tough decision. A few big questions that weren't answered in the post are: What is the job he'll be doing? What part of Iraq will he be in? Does he get any vacation time? Being apart from your family for a year is a huge sacrafice, but sometimes families have to split up for a while because of circumstances. (For example, a new job or one person has to stay behind while the old house sells.) Plus, if he had vacation time where we could come home for at least one visit, that would help a lot. But if he's working a risky job in an area that's not very secure, no, it is definitely not worth it.