My life, and the suckage it contains

It's true, I really do never stop complaining. Wait till you hear what I'm complaining about now: I got a job offer from the place in Olympia (that's good). But the offer is for the same salary I currently make as a paraprofessional (that's bad). True, the cost of living in Olympia is cheaper than here by about a bajillion percent (that's the official number, look it up); however, as it stands now I am somewhat of a kept woman, with the BF largely taking the hit as far as rent and other "shared" bills are concerned. Which means, other than the fact that I now have to give up my feminist credentials, that my personal bills will not substantially diminish once I move, which means that I will continue to be on the verge of homelessness. Yes, I exaggerate, but it does mean that I won't be able to start saving for a house or for Canadian permanent-resident status or for retirement, all things that I had wanted to start doing sooner rather than later. As it stands now, I might be able to afford the down-payment on a house by 2040. But my children, should I have any, will just have to settle for working at the local Arco station, since I won't be able to send them to college. Especially since college tuition will be up to about $500,000 a semester, and that's just the state schools.

But seriously, think about this: I recently went to a budgeting-your-money type seminar, in which I was told that--prepare yourself, now--people our age (20-30) will need to have THREE MILLION DOLLARS saved in order to retire comfortably at the age of 65. That number is of course taking inflation into account, but still. That number scared the shit out of me. THREE MILLION DOLLARS. Just repeat that to yourself a few times and let the terror wash over you.

Anyway. Where was I? Oh yeah, the job offer. So now I'm all conflicted - do I accept the job knowing that I will be poor for a few more years at least, but at least secure in the knowledge that a job is waiting for me, and it's a job that sounds to be interesting and secure (and btw, does not include evening or weekend hours)? Or do I refuse it, on the risky hope that I will receive a larger offer somewhere down the line? And even if I do receive a larger offer, will it come soon enough to offset the broke-ness of being unemployed for however long? It's a gamble, and I'm not a gambling woman.