<prompt> Human: So I am a game ranger in South Africa.Currently earning around 12k usd PA not bad for someone my age, 24.Now my problem is that all my education and skills have been developed in a field that will have very little relevance in a normal job. Do you know how to use Excell? I know the basics, but I have advanced rifle handling and am licensed to walk guests in a reserve with free roaming big 5.Now my question is. Do I leave my current job which allows me minimal opertunities to grow or increase my income in the long run?There are other things that I really want. With my working hours and the fact that Im on site for 6 weeks straight means I cannot even look at relationships. I cannot have a dog honestly bothers me more than being single. I cannot spend time with friends and family. Its near impossible to study part time due to the hours that I work. There are a couple of things that are keeping me here. The money is decent with my current expenses, taking into account that they supply me with on site accommodation, food and the basic necessities. But the main thing is that I absolutely LOVE what I do. I cannot imagine myself doing anything else.Any advice? Assistant: Are you saving enough to have a retirement? Is your living situation safe within reasonable limits? Do you have money to meet your day to day needs?Last question is the kicker: Are you fulfilled today, tomorrow and can see being fulfilled in 10 years? No one can say I WILL BE HAPPY DOING THIS IN 10 YEARS. But if you cant say Yeah, I could see it youve got to consider taking steps.Sounds to me like the answer is youre making enough to live off of, and are content. Dont chase anothers dream. Live yours.Personally, I turned away from a lot of career paths because I was worried about monetary growth and all that. Its only with perspective that I realize I would gladly trade 1.5 of my degrees to make a reasonable salary per year and walk the fields and forests of my home in all seasons. Note: My perspective might be warped by how you seem to have near my dream job :EDIT: Theres a lot more of philosophy of contentment you could put in here, the only thing Ill add is that youve got to leave room for intellectualfamily fulfillment as you age. Write, draw, paint, whatever it is you need something to give perspective. Theres a reason so many of the great hunters of yore also wrote, imo, its because while spending 300 days a year in the field is awesome, you build up a tension in the silence and need to let it pour out of you. No one around write stories.Also: Family. Seriously, talking to this at a kid I used to coach a few months ago, and he was worried about getting a dream job in dream location, but little growth and all hed have is a loving family, a fiancee and home. I yelled and what the is wrong with that?. People would, and have, killedlost everything for a shot at that kind of simple dream. Dont mess it up shooting the moon.Maybe have a slightly larger e-fund foreign currency if possible in case SA goes the way of Zimbabwe?Human: No. Definitely not saving enough for a retirement. If I saved enough for a comfortable retirement Id not really have any money left.My situation is safe. And I have enough for my needs. Half of my salary is going to medical aid, car payments and various other odds and ends.I am somewhat fulfilled. But the void is growing. I can feel a noticeable difference between how I feel about my job now compared to the thrill and excitement when I just started a couple of years ago.Its a dream job. By most accounts. I literally get paid to eat 5 star lodge for and take tourists around to go and look at some of the most beautiful creations on this planet.Assistant: Ok, so now its time to dig into your budget. Do you track your costsexpenses?Make a budget, track whats coming inwhats going out. Look for other revenue streams photography, private safari might pay way more and youll have skills for it, even just selling the occasional photo or photojournalist fluff piece might add some revenue.I see you play CS, love it, make sure your budget specifically breaks down and includes cost of entertainment overtime i.e. amortized cost of gaming comp skins you want to buyyear.What debt can you eliminate? Car payment are you over-card for your needs?Are there promotion opportunities higher level rangermanagement you can get? Do they require training? Can you take online courses for this training?Your skills, by the way, are probably more portable than you realize. Plenty of jobs for game wardensrange managers in the US, AU, maybe other parts of Africa.However, until youve tracked and budgetd your expenses and tried to decrease spending Id not throw the towel in on financial stability.EDIT: Have you left and come back? What I mean is this: I believe that, if financially possible, you should experience life away from your goal locationjob, before moving back to it. Example: I met my wife at college, was pretty sure we wanted to settle down in the same state, but did 3 years of grad school out of state. Spending those 3 years out of state absolutely settled in my mind that I needed to move back and never leave.Human: I dont track my expenses. Only expenses that I track are my gaming expenses as they have a history of getting out of hand.I sell photos occasionally. But the company also pays me for photos they use for social media, which is nice. Private safaris would be a breach of my contract. The only way I could do those is if I resign and work permanently as a freelance ranger. Which would result in my daily earnings to quadruple. But there are no guarantees of work.I had a nice car which I sold. Now have a beat up old pickup truck. Cheap. But comfortable and reliable. Think thats the only responsible thing Ive purchased in the last couple of years.There are higher positions available. Problem being they generally result in me being moved to an office as rather a manager or head ranger. Whats the point? Looking at the wilderness through a window. Other problem is that because you dont do drives you dont get gratuities. On a good month I earn a significant amount more than my manager. Worst case scenario I earn 20 less than what she does.I can qualify further into guiding there are levels, FGASA level 1, level 2, level 3 and then you can specialize in various fields. But at max my salary will increase by 50 and gratuities will remain the same.Ive spoken to quite a few people about it and theyve told me the same. Especially because theyve spent time with me and know how good I am with people.My main concern is not really financial stability. My main focus is happiness and a stablesupportive environment history of depression and the doodads that come along with that. But unfortunately in the modern day you cannot simply ignore finances.Another thing is that my mom is extremely ill and we dont know what tomorrow holds. So Yea. Its tough seeing her 6 times a year.  <response>: Sorry about your mom.I think check the sidebar youre first step is 100 track expenses, maybe not down to the penny, but find a good spreadsheetapp and really track where your money is going. Maybe you only do this for a few years or maybe take a few years off, move home find some job and spend time with mom, but no matter what you do part of Adulting 201 is have a budget.Moving into private is scary, maybe something to think about in a year or two, might be more flexible make hay while the sun shines then take a season off and chill. If youve got a history of depression though I might prioritize a highly regular schedule, so if you do move, Id not go fully indie but sign on a private company that does most of the work for you.Good point about management.Again: Regardless of what path you take best of luck youve gotta make a budgettrack expenses. Figuring out where your money is going is a huge underlying question to a lot of these things. Someone posted an article yesterday about a little old lady that died with 7mil US in the bank and some rich dude that had to declare bankruptcy after a market crash. If it turns out you can save crazy money doing this or going private sector and doing this maybe your plan is do this for 5 years, save up a nest-egg and figure life out. 