Industry: Government (United States)

I'm 55 years old and nearing retirement with a Federal Agency. 6 years ago I read Dave Ramsey's Book, "Total Money Makeover." At that time, I was in so much debt that I truly believed that I could never retire. After reading the book I realized that I needed to get control of my spending. To make a long story short, I paid off all my debt, including the house, in 3 1/2 years and I can't tell you how great it feels to not owe anyone any money. So, if you want to feel truly free, get out of debt. You will find that you enjoy your job quite a bit more if you know that you don't really have to keep working forever.

I worked in private industry for many years, finally settling into an IT job with county government. My experience is benefits are similar to state employees (pay into state retirement for pension, great medical & dental, paid or comp time for any overtime worked). But the work / life balance is the best of all. I am able to take time off with very little notice, and get 6+ weeks off each year. I am able to make it to all the soccer games and dance recitals. Government pay is very comparable to private industry and when you factor in the benefits and work/life balance and the benefits, it's a terrific career path. Consider public service and it may benefit you too.