My boss gave me a “raise” last year. $5 a day. I work 10+hour days in the Florida sun. 6-7 days a week. If I work all week, my base pay is about $750 after tax. For 70 hours. And no days off.

When we get busy, my commission could double that number, but the workload is also double, if not more. It’s an absolute fuckery. At the peak of summer I’m making $1500 a week (this isn’t every week, only the best couple, a normal summer check is more like $1000) but I’m getting home around 7pm, leaving my house around 6am, and not taking any days off. In essence, I don’t have a fucking life.

If I take a day off, 1/7th of my commission is given to the other guy, not to mention any tips he might make that he doesn’t care to tell me about.

I made close to 60k last year, and saved as much as I could for the off season. I had one problem with my truck where I had to spend a huge chunk of winter savings to get it fixed (there’s still things I have to fix that I just can’t afford right now) and I’m still playing catch up from surviving the winter. I don’t know how the younger generation is surviving.

If you’re under 30, you pretty much have to have no life, save everything, and have zero-cost fun, or you’re asking for a hell of a wake up later in life.

I turn 30 on Saturday. My credit sucks but I’m working on it. I have no money, but not from spending it on the wrong stuff, just from playing catch up. I have no land, no house, and not many possessions. I can’t imagine trying to be in a relationship.

Starting in June I’ll be living out of my truck. You can’t find rent here for less than $1000 a month. It’s just not worth it anymore when all I use it for is sleep.