<prompt> Human: Ok rpersonalfinance, I am in a unique position that I havent seen discussed before, so I need some advice.Im a professional working for a small 15 employees firm. My salary is 70k. On the last day of the year, I get a bonus which is decided entirely by the business owner 1 person without any input from anyone and not based on any metrics. Last year the bonus was 50k and each year it has increased by about 15k.Obviously, my boss likes this arrangement because it incentivizes hard work basically 7 daysweek and 60 hrs per week, but its not a situation I like because so much of my compensation is unknowable and held up for most of the year. On the other hand, it allows me to max my 401k every year on the last day of the year and I can start every new year debt free with a nice pile of cash in hand. Also, my boss is fair about calculating the firm 401k contribution as based on the previous years total take home salary bonus rather than just salary, so I get about 5k extra towards my 401k each year.However, I live in a very high cost of living city and 70k does not go far, so I usually find myself with 10k in cc debt come bonus time although living comfortably, taking a couple big vacations per year, etc. Also, starting next year I need to buy health insurance for my wife and it will cost 10k more under the firm plan so my expenses are going up.Ive had a few frank discussions with my boss about this. He says he doesnt believe in yearly raises because people stop being hungry and get complacent; he likes the bonus system because he can reward the top performers more generously. Ive been with this firm for 4 years and my salary is still the same as when I started, but like I said, overall compensation is increasing by about 15k per year so far. In our most recent discussion, my boss basically said have I ever failed to take care of you? Dont worry, you will be bonused out at end of year. He also implied that, if I were to get a raise, my overall takehome would be less because I wouldnt be sharing the firm risk as much and, under the bonus system, I get extra reward for sharing that risk. I also expressed some concern that he may die during the year and I would be left holding the bag with no cliaim to half my salary. He took affront to this, basically saying that 50-70k is a minuscule portion of his estate and that his heirs 2 daughters, he is divorced would see that I got my share if he died. I know he is pretty wealthy like maybe 5 million in the bank and his daughters are well off MDs, but I do suspect I would get screwed in any case because even quite rich people do not part with money when it comes to strangers, generally speaking.Finally, my credentials and experience would only get me about 70k in this market if I could find another job, so its not like I can hop ship to another employer and start at 130k.Advice? Arguments I can use in my favor? What about getting a mortgage?  <response>: You really need to start smoothing your consumption without using credit card debt. You live comfortably and take a couple of big vacations per year, but youre spending money you dont have when youre spending it.If you went one year living with the money you had in hand, your end of the year bonus could be spent entirely on your next years consumption. For instance, youve spent 2015s bonus during 2015 before you even received it. You should stop doing that. Your 2015 bonus should be divided by 12 and spread out over 2016. You also say your bonus goes up 15K, but that your expenses due to health insurance are going up 10K. That seems like ample room to use your 2015 bonus to pay for 2016 health care costs. That is, unless, youve already spent your 2015 bonus before you received it.If you could get yourself to smooth your consumption with only the money you have on hand, you wouldnt notice the difference between a year end bonus and a salary equal to basebonus. Unfortunately, youve already said youre only worth 70K in the market. So you really should be looking to changing your behavior, not your bosses, because you have no bargaining power.Also, if you get yourself to smoothing your consumption then theres no worry when your boss dies and you get no bonus.You should only spend the money you have. If that means no large 401K contributions or no big vacations one year, so be it. But thats how you fix the problem. 