Dilemma - sell and stay or keep and move?

Here it is guys . . .

I gave up a 36K a year job to move down to Devon two years ago. I rent a nice little house and have been teaching in a few schools down here. Trouble is, I cant get a permanent job here, its not that I'm crap (or so they say) its just that jobs are so few and far between that usually when they come up they've already been earmarked for someone else. I've looked for other work but to be honest, with my outgoings I need to take home a minimum of £300 a week, which down here is nearly impossible unless you've got some exec job after working your way up for 20 years!

So, I could always move back to the Midlands where I could walk into a job tomorrow. But, quality of life (and this is no disrespect to anyone who lives there) would be seriously affected and overall happiness reduced.

So, I'm thinking, money although not seriously tight is dwindling and I've got a nice Supra sat outside that hasnt moved for two weeks. How can I warrant that? I could use that money to collect some interest in the bank, and just make me feel a lot less stressy about the next few months financially. I'm thinking of trying to find some self-employed opportunity - doing what i just dont know - which could keep me down here, in which case I would need the money from the Supra to fund it.

So:

Sell and stay or keep and move ? ? ?

Quoting what Matt told my sister when she was in a similar position-selling the car is a very short term solution to a financial problem. You then don't have the car you love and what if nothing changes and you end up moving back anyway (minus the Supe). I suppose it depends how bad things are and how many other options have been tried (e.g looking further afield but still within travelling distance for work). If you look at the other side, you could sell the car, re-train and buy another car. So I guess it's really down to what you feel is the best for you and I'm afraid only you can decide that.

Chantelle (absolutely no help with people's problems at all !)

Why is the quality of life so much different? Surely earning a decent enough wage helps give you a better quality of life? Id much rather be moving if i were you just for the financial security and to keep the supra. Finance is one of the biggest stresses particularly if you dont have it!

Have you tried the schools in somerset (I work in the team that gives them their budgets) there is normaly teaching jobs popping up all the time

sorry to hear of your dilema Jo; IMHO assuming you havent already, make a concerted effort to find out the teaching scene; they always seem to be short round here?

good luck

Rich

Thanks for all the words guys. I'm registered with a couple of agencies who will always try and find me teaching placements. I've been lucky and just finished a whole year in the same school. I'm just a bit fed up of it as I really want to work and detest the hit and miss of it all. I dont get paid for all the 13 weeks holiday during the year so like now the pressure is on financially, although I will cope without selling her, just having a downer at the mo.

A lot of people would give their right arm - and their left - for 13 weeks holiday. I've had one week so far and I am bored out of my brain. I've offered to clean the neighbours' windows, wash and wax cars . . . Doing my bike test next week for something to do.

Sorry - just on a downer, and I dont like it. I prefer to be happy go . . .

Oh and Rayman - I odnt mean this to sound bad but money really isnt everything. Quality of life here is fab, you cant beat a stroll on the beach watching the sun set or rise or both. I guess everyone is different but where i am now is my idea of perfection.

Hey Jo

I would say keep the car and move, there are some lovely areas around Staffordshire and shropshire which i think are comparable to Devon for scenery and quietness.

Good luck with your decision making.

Oh and Rayman - I odnt mean this to sound bad but money really isnt everything. Quality of life here is fab, you cant beat a stroll on the beach watching the sun set or rise or both. I guess everyone is different but where i am now is my idea of perfection.

Oh i know i just figured that was the main reason you was struggling at the moment and thinking about selling your supra. I guess you'll be fine once you get regular work, then you have the best of both worlds.

Im sure whoever has a beautiful supra like the one you have is capable to sort any problems in the life , DONT SELL the SUP myfriend I'm sure you know you can sort the other problems without selling the car , might even take a bit of time but you ll be fine mate;)

Thanks for all the words guys. I'm registered with a couple of agencies who will always try and find me teaching placements.

Are agencies the only way to go for teaching jobs? if not i'd be pushing myself forward for anything i can find (1 secondary school & 2 first school positions on Google) and am qualified for. You obviously like the area and would prefer to stay so i say give it 100% to get a permanent position.

As for the car...........well for me it depends on whether you really like that specific supra or not? could you live with a plain coloured and standard powered one? if so then you could just advertise yours for a price you'd be happy with and see what happens, if you leave it til you really need the money you may let it go for less than you'd like. Once a job is sorted out you could then buy a very nice standard'ish supra for £7-10K?

Oh if your really stuck I'll swap my NA with you whilst you get a perminant teaching job sorted

Oh if your really stuck I'll swap my NA with you whilst you get a perminant teaching job sorted

No thanks - I hear yours has got scratches on it!!! Good luck with it by the way. x

What's wrong with the Midlands then? We live in Portsmouth and we are considering moving up the country. Obviously the biggest issue is that we wouldn't be 5 minutes from the sea but surely there is some great countryside there too?

I'd say go with your gut, you may regret (in fact you probably will) getting rid of the supe just for a quick short term fix.

BTW are you allowed to work in the summer holidays if you're a teacher, not sure how it all works.

Best of luck in your search mate.

I do not hate the midlands but if I had a chance to move to Devon I would go.

Selling your car will only be a short term fix and lets face it you will never get the true value ( what it means to you)

Am sorry but the supra is still only a car at the end of the day, your happiness comes first and well being not the supra, to put a car first is just daft IMHO especially when the supra market is so low priced at the mo you can easily get another.

Good luck

You don't have to move back to a city to get work...think about somewhere like the New Forest - still got that country-side quality of life, but you've got the whole of Hampshire, Dorset, and Wiltshire within spitting distance - there must be plenty of work to be had that close to Southampton.

Sorry to hear about your situation fella. Don't sell the Supra it will only be a short time solution as already mentioned earlier in the thread. Good luck with what ever you choose to do fella....