Found the New Adventure

If you remember back in July, I told you about looking for a new adventure.

Well, I have found one. Sorta. It's not really new. Since I have been involved in it for over 15 years.

If you haven't caught on yet, I have rejoined the workforce and am off of stupid f&^king unemployment that paid crap.

I have gone to work full time in the family recycling business. My official position is Vice President, Sales, Marketing, and Safety. So far, most of my work has been distributing curbside tote bins in communities where we have programs. I am also going to be getting my CDL to be able to fill in running roll-off containers or evening doing curbside collections.

The business started 15 years ago chopping newspaper as animal bedding with our forage chopper and square baler in the farm machine shed. Now we have 25 full time employees, four curbside trucks, one hook-lift roll-off truck, and we have programs in all or part of 8 Western Illinois Counties.

The benefits package is pretty fair. 15 days paid-time-off. 6 paid holidays. Health Insurance. IRA. Plus, they are pretty much going to be paying for all my fuel since I am using my truck to do the deliveries routes I have been working on, which includes pulling a trailer and lots of stop and go. Of course the company should pay for the fuel and such doing this work, but I can also use this fuel to do my own running.

The only downside to this new position is the pay cut I took. To the tune of about $13,000/year. Now before anybody reading this flips out on me let me explain a little bit. My old job, I had a 100 mile/day commute which was costing me $100-$125/week in fuel, which translates to $5,500/year that I won't be spending just to get to and from work. And since I am also getting fuel put in my truck, that saves another probably $500-$1,000/year of personal driving. Plus, I don't have to spend 2 hours/day on the road plus do the job. Granted, I may have some 9 and 10 hour days, but the 5 minute commute is nice. So really, I have only taken a cut of about $7,000/year. Which requires more careful budgeting to make my truck payments and pay my other bills. Plus, I pretty much have to quit carrying my credit cards. Although, that is not all a bad thing. I had racked up a HUGE credit card debt. In the 5-figure range. Ended up cashing in a bunch of savings bonds, dating back to when I was just a really young kid, just to get them paid off so I wasn't paying $200/month in interest.

I also have some other flexibility in my schedule to get personal business done, like banking, attending civic functions for groups I belong to, and if I need some extra time off I can get it. Like this week, I was trying to get the ONW Newsletter finished and into the mail. I didn't get started running copies until 6:30 Tuesday night. I was able to work late Tuesday night to finish up the newsletter and start work late.



Anyway, I am a back to work and it is kinda nice. Although, I wouldn't mind being retired already.