I want to quit my job and work odd jobs!

[Gailete]

FLA, I was also a nurse as well and got sick at around 45 and ended up on SSD.I only started nursing when I was about 33. My problem was I had had a divorce, a remarriage and another divorce in the meantime and that 4-year second marriage cost me everything I had. I went into living on half my salary and had money going into the company stock purchase plan, my IRA, a savings bond plan, no credit card debt, plus regular savings. Within a year and half of marrying this fool we were $40K+ in credit card debt, had a $100K mortgage and a $400+ car payment! Not only did I have to divorce him, I had to sell the house and so ended up following the divorce and house sale with $1000 in my pocket and all my savings drained dry and having to start all over again. A couple of years later I got remarried and then sick three weeks later. 14 years later, I'm happy to report that I have some savings again, a retirement account again. I know (or assume) we will be poor the rest of our lives, but I cherish being off that merry-go-round of craziness. I'm proud of you for your resolve to not touch your retirement money that you have worked so hard for and I hope that even if you never recover completely, that you will have days that you feel well and enjoy life.

Best wishes to you!

[sv2007]

I hate working a 9-5. I figure if I string together enough odd jobs, I'll still make the same amount of money. No benefits, though. But I'm young so it's no big deal.

Do any of you guys do it? I bet it's more fun than working at a desk all day!

If you hate your job so much, then maybe it is not worth working there. It'll suck if one day you just snap and jump off a building or start shooting your co-workers : )

Look for another job; even desk jobs --there're lots of different desk jobs. Or, like you posted, take some time off from regular work and do some odd jobs.

As for benefits, you may be wrong on that. I have young friends in their ealy 20s; I think that's pretty young. They worry even more than me because they aren't financially established. They worry about the life flight bill if they crash badly, about how to take care of their kid if they die, about their future if they get injured. So here, I have to disagree with you. I'd recommend getting some insurance here.

[sv2007]

Do what makes you happy.

...also keeping in mind about your future.

There, that's perfect.