Money makes the world go round. It isn't everything but it is important.
So when we work hard we want to be compensated with as much financial gain as possible.
But so many of us seem to be stuck in careers and positions that keep us struggling with earning the most coin.
So that leaves you wondering... what do I have to do to score a job that can net me three figures a year?
Redditor Iamyes_ok wanted to hear from all the people whose jobs put them in a tax bracket a lot of us strive to be in, they asked:
"People who make 100k+ a year, how did you do it?"
Let me get a pen and paper because I need some wisdom on this.
There has got to be a way for a struggling artist to get financial security.
Sign Me Up
"Union Electrician in Northern California. $137k. 40-55 hours a week." ~ Ratchet_72
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Drive
"Uber driver in NYC. 50 hrs driving is tough in city but at least they’re paying good, also it depends what type of car you drive, regular car (UberX) can’t make that much. And WAV cars which is only in NYC and pays 30% more for even UberX trips, if you got Wheelchair rider $15 bonus per trip. In addition there is Uber black, SUV and they make good money also but u need a luxury car." ~ scheduleIT
Hunkering Down
"8 years after college. Security Engineer." ~ prtekonik
"Similar, got a PhD and hunkered down for a few years to gain expertise in a well paying field. Sacrifice your time and social life to gain a valuable skill. And market yourself. You are a commodity. I sacrificed a few years to focus on school, but after that I’ve had a better than normal life."
"In fact, I have tons of time now and a high paying career. I was trying to say invest in yourself. And build a reputation as the best in your field. I can see where that last part might sound too capitalistic. But just have a reputation and skill set to move jobs as you like—and that require skills but branding yourself into someone companies want to hire can add to your flexibility and pay." ~ Regular-Violinist-71
Computer Science
"Electrical engineering undergrad, went back for a computer science Masters because the company I was working for was willing to pay for it. If all you're looking for is to cross the 100k threshold, just do well with an undergrad CS degree. Kids are hitting that straight out of college these days." ~ Mikeavelli
10 Years
"10 years in the Navy, working on electronics/RADAR. Now a DOD contractor. Still no degree, but I'm a little over half-way done." ~ T0BYs_Grundle
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All interesting ideas.
I couldn't be an electrician though.
I'd be burning down city blocks, not a good idea.
Finished Elsewhere...
"I was a journalist for a few years, making 55k at my last job. Then, I quit and did a three-month software engineering boot camp. Took 10 months to get a job offer after that, because of the pandemic economy, but that first job in tech paid 100k." ~ mfuechec
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Work Away
"I wrote a buttload at first, but it really boils down to having a set of skills and knowledge that is both in demand and hard for others to obtain. Never stop growing and always find peers at your level and above your level to absorb knowledge, skills, and strategies from. I work in healthcare data, specifically the value-based care reform part of it. There are plenty of analysts I've worked with that are happy to cruise at 60-90k for 10 years because it isn't stressful."
"And there are others who are more ambitious and are hitting 200k+ before 10 years (by becoming leads or managers or principle analysts). Hit 100k after my 4th year and 4th job. Especially if you are young, there is no point in company loyalty if you're letting them gape your anus. Do what's good for you." ~ ST_POST_ACOLYTE
Top 10%
"I don't make $100K by my sister and BIL do."
"Sister: Director of Accounting and Finance at a multi billion dollar company. $160,000."
"BL: Partner at a large firm: $190,000. Once he becomes equity partner since he was promoted young his salary will be $300,000-$1M."
"Both graduated top 10% of their class and received highest honors in their masters." ~ CanadianCrownCorp
Be Competent
"I don’t make six figures but know a lot of people that do and one of the most common things I’ve noticed is when they meet someone that is more successful or more skilled than them they don’t see them as a threat or challenge. Instead of trying to compete and seem better they learn from them and don’t want to be better than they are right now, but want to be better than they are in the future." ~ Pristine-Ad-469
These Low Effort Jobs Have Surprisingly High Salaries | George Takei’s Oh Myyy
Have you ever worked one of those jobs that paid you to kinda sit there? If you have, you know the joy that comes with watching the entirety of Breaking Bad ...Privilege
"I’m 28. I could say it’s because of my degree, but really? My degree isn’t remotely worth 6 figures and the reality is because of my parents. Both my parents work in the entertainment/media industry and have for over 30+ years now. When I was applying for jobs out of college."
"My dad said he could simply get me a job (at a large, well known production company) because he’s very close with several people there. And he wasn’t lying. I did still do an interview, but in all reality that was really just a formality. They ended up training me for what I had to do anyway."
"I want to say I’m aware of the privilege I’ve had my entire life. I’m also aware that it isn’t this easy for most people. My parents haven’t always helped me out with EVERYTHING but I would be straight up lying if I didn’t admit that they’ve helped me with most things including where I work." ~ itsniceinpottsfield
"One month on and one month off, year-round. Good money and paid travel. Started out as a deckhand and worked my way up. Mostly on-the-job training and a few classes that I had to pay for along the way. Each class lead a raise in pay. My college degree in Forestry is largely irrelevant." ~ northstar42
Degrees Needed
"PhD in anthropology and moved into the field of UX (user experience, in the tech industry), getting a job as a UX designer (and now researcher) for a software company. I initially started grad school thinking I wanted an academic career, but as I was finishing I realized I needed a break from academia and learned about the booming field of UX."
"Was able to take a human-centered design course in my last possible semester of grad school, which allowed me to get some projects under my belt, learn some new methods and techniques, and pick up the lingo of the field. I went to a tech career fair on campus and got a callback from one of the companies I talked to, and the rest is history."
"Despite the memes about humanities and social sciences degrees being worthless, they're actually becoming quite valuable in the tech and design industries." ~ ThatNeonZebraAgain
Give & Take
"By giving a ton of crap about what I am doing. And taking a lot of crap and dealing with it." ~ blowafuse
"Yeah it is true that hard work and being good at your job is not a guarantee for success by any means, but it certainly helps." ~ redsfan23butnew
Doing Extra
"Overtime lots of overtime. With my high school diploma I’m currently welding on some of the baddest vehicles on the planet." ~ Various_Mind_5467
Bulletproof
"Be right. Take the time to become an expert. Care about your work, and the people you work with. If you become stagnant, leave. Help yourself, and your employer all the time. Become un-fireable." ~ gehuffman
bulletproof machine gun GIF by Warner Archive
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Just did them to do them really?
"Honestly some times it’s just pure luck. A lot of people on here giving the 'worked my butt off, studied hard' etc. and that’s all well and good, but sometimes it’s luck as well and making the right moves. Sure, I have a masters degree but honestly I don’t feel like I worked all that hard on either of them. Just did them to do them really? (Paying for it now though with loans)."
"In the end I just figured out every weird job I had was basically sales at the end of the day. Then I parlayed that I to sales type work. And applied to industry that pay well (pharma, med device) got completely lucky to get into that and just keep working when I’m there. I honestly feel like I’ve gotten lucky along the way and ended up here… that may be a crappy answer to some, but it’s honest." ~ BraveCat45
Bottoms Up
"I can't speak for myself but my fiancé. No college degree but he worked his butt off and slowly moved up. Started at the bottom entry level of his industry and learned everything he could, got promoted, did the same again and again and again and ten years later became a director of operations. Hard work does not always pay off but his did and he is still working his ass off to learn as much as his can." ~ Not_Quite_B
Get Ready
"Be prepared. I'm going to sound like a tight a**, but when I worked a laborer job, I took any course offered. I did my job, didn't complain and was prepared. Every promotion I got, I could outline what I had learned. I worked hard, but had work life balance. But nothing was beneath me. Some jobs were pretty gross, but I did them with a cheerful heart and just kept getting promoted. But I learned money isn't everything. I have enough. Now it's about family and positive experiences." ~ cisco54
I'm Crafted
"Discovered a passion for technology in the late 70s/early 80s. Threw myself into it and kept learning. It's been my craft for almost 40 years and has served me well. I don't do it for money. I do it because I genuinely love building systems and automating processes. The money comes because I love what I do." ~ barrywalker71
Women Roar
"Graduate degree in the sciences. Being a female in a traditionally male industry. Working hard. Tolerating bureaucracy and bullsh**. Not being thin skinned. Knowing which fights to pick. Learning the office politics and using them." ~ Raggmommy
walking stick jungle GIF by Katy Perry
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Say Hello...
"Started as a customer service rep taking phone calls. Figured out how to get top performing and focus on the metrics that leadership thought mattered. Played the corporate game, climbed the ladder. Took about 10 years to make it to a Sr Analyst/Consultant level and have my first $100k year."
"The best part is, I have no student loans and maybe $10k in debt not including my home loan. Not sure how realistic that is anymore since so many entry level positions are being outsourced, but for me hard work and perseverance has paid off." ~ Beholder84
Get It...
"Lots of college and hard work. I didn’t have as much fun as a lot of my friends and put my life on hold about 8-10 years longer than they did (for marriage/kids/house). I also moved to cities where I didn’t know anyone to take the best offers." ~ mtaa4
All plausible ways to gain some pennies.
Let's see what we can accomplish.
Money, money, money... it's a rich man's world.
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Never miss another big, odd, funny or heartbreaking moment again.
For many childhood memories are overrun by living nightmares.
Yes, children are resilient, but that doesn't mean that the things we see as babes don't follow us forever.
The horrors of the world are no stranger to the young.
Redditor -2sweetcaramel- wanted to see who was willing to share about the worst things we've seen as kids, so they asked:
"What’s the creepiest thing you saw as a kid?"
Serious Danger
"Me and my best friend would explore the drainage tunnels under the Vegas area where we grew up. These were miles long and it was always really cool down there so it was a good way to escape the heat of our scorching hot summers. We went into this one that goes under the Fiesta casino and found a camp with a bunch of homeless people."
"Mind you we are like 11 years old lol. And we just kept going like it was nothing. It wasn’t scary then but when I look back at it we could have been in some serious danger. Our parents had no idea we did this or where we were and we had no cellphones. We could have been kidnapped and never have been found."
oofboof2020
Waiting for Food
"I was at a portillos once when I was 12 and I was waiting with my little brother at a booth while my parents got our food. This guy was standing with his tray kind of watching me then after a couple of minutes he started to walk over really fast not breaking eye contact with me."
"He was 2 feet from the table and my dad came out of nowhere and scared the s**t out of him. He looked so surprised and just said he wanted to see if I’d get scared or not. He left his tray full of food near the door and left. My folks reported him but we never went to that location again since we found a better one closer to home."
nowhereboy1964
Captain Hobo to the Rescue
"When I was a pretty young teen, my friends and I were horsing around in San Francisco and started hanging out to smoke with some homeless guys. Another homeless dude came up and began aggressively trying to shake us down for anything (money, smokes, a ride, drugs- all of it) and wouldn’t take no for an answer."
"We got in over our heads and could tell this guy was now riling the other 2 guys up and they were acting like they wanted to jump us. Some grandfather-looking old homeless man appeared out of nowhere and yelled at us to get the f**k out of here- nice kids like us don’t belong down here at this hour!!"
"Captain Hobo saved our lives that night. My parents sincerely thought we were at a mall all day lol."
FartAttack911
Survival
tsunami GIF
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"I was 7 and survived the 2004 tsunami in Thailand. Witnessed the wave rise way above the already massive palm trees (approx. 40ft?) and my family and I watched/heard the wave crash into the ground from a rooftop."
faithfulpoo
These Tsunami stories are just tragic.
On the Sand
Scared The Launch GIF by CTV
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"We were a group of kids who went to swim in a local lake. And there was a dead body on the beach with their hands raised and their legs bent unnaturally that local police just took out of the same lake. I've never put my foot in these waters again."
oyloff
Be Clever
"I was walking to school and I was about 5 or 6 years old and some guy pulled up beside me in his car and asked if I would get in. He also offered me sweets to do so. I said no. The creepy bit was when he calmly said ‘clever boy’ to me, then drove off. I’ve never even told my parents or anyone else about this as it would most likely freak them out."
OstneyPiz
Bad Jokes
"Dad's side of the family pranked me by burying a fake body on our back property and had me dig it up to find valuables. Was only allowed to use a lantern for light. They stuffed old clothes with chicken bones. Sheetrock mud where the head was... Random fake jewelry as the treasures... I was like maybe 10 or 11.. I remember digging up the boot first and started gagging because it became real at that point."
Alegan239
YOU
Who Are You Reaction GIF by MOODMAN
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"Woke up to find my little brother staring at me in the dark, asking, Are you really you?"
PrettyLola2004
Siblings can really be a bunch of creepers.
No one should talk to others in the dark though.
Not all pet owners have the same relationship with their pets.
While anyone who decides to become a pet owner, or pet parent as some say, love their pets equally, some never ever let them leave their side.
Taking their pet with them to work, running errands, even on vacations.
Many pet parents even allow their pets to share their bed with them when going to sleep.
For others though, this is where a line is finally drawn.
Redditor Piggythelavasurfer was curious to hear whether pet owners allowed their pets to share their bed with them, as well as the reasons why they do/don't, leading them to ask:
"Do you let your pet sleep in your bed? Why/why not?"
The Tiny Issue Of Water...
"Absolutely not."
"I have fish."- Senior-Meal3649
Everyone Gets Lonely Eventually...
"I adopted an eleven year old cat the day before Halloween."
"She has mostly lived in my closet since I got her, and she hasn’t been too interested in coming out."
"Last night, she came out of my closet and jumped up on my bed, and crawled under my covers and curled up by my feet to sleep."
"I was so happy!"- YellowBeastJeep
The Comforting Reminder That You're Not Alone...
"I recently lost my Greyhound but I used to let him sleep on my bed with me."
"The company was nice and he was no trouble to have on my bed."- HoodedMenace3
Hungry Cookie GIF by De Graafschap Dierenartsen
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What Do You Mean Allow?
"I have no choice."
"She is a cat, cats do whatever they want."- Small_cat1412
"He lets me sleep in my bed."- Poorly-Drawn-Beagle
Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way
"I carry my old boy upstairs to bed every night."- worst_in_show
Hug GIF by The BarkPost
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Who Needs An Alarm Clock?
"I let my two cats sleep with me."
"They're so full of love and just want cuddles all the time."
"And so do I."
"We've all developed a lil routine."
"Get to bed, oldest sleeps on my feet to keep them warm, youngest lies in my arm while I lie on my side (she the little spoon), then when I snooze my alarm for work in the morning the youngest paws at my face and meeps loudly to wake me up."- GhostofaFlea_
Whose Bed Is It Anyway?
"Yes."
"They're also kind enough to let me squeeze into whatever space they've left for me."
"Although I do get a few dirty looks off them."- Therealkaylor
"I found this tiny kitten screaming her head off under a car."
"Would not come out."
"Got some food and some water in dishes."
"I stood by the tire so she couldn't see my feet."
"She got curious about the food and water and started gobbling it down."
"I thought she would bolt when I squatted down."
"She was too busy eating."
"I grabbed her by the nape of the neck and all four legs went straight out and she tried to scratch me to death."
"I got her in the door and tossed her toward the couch."
"She ricocheted off the couch as if she was a ping pong off a table and I lost sight of her."
"I put out food and water and a sandbox and did not see that kitten for three days."
"On the third day, I came home and she was on my bed pillow."
"I thought she would bolt when I came near, but she didn't."
"I wanted to sleep so I tried to scoot her little butt off my pillow."
"She would not go."
"I put my head down to sleep and that is the way it was from then on."
"She ran the roost."- Logical_Cherry_7588
sleepy kitten GIF
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Sleeping Is A Prerequisite...
"No, he's a cat and he cannot keep still during the night."
"He walks across the headboard, opens the closet doors, jumps into the windows and rustles the blinds, etc."
"If he would sleep he could stay, but alas, he's a ramblin' man."- Spong_Durnflungle
Saying No Just Isn't An Option...
"'Let'."
"Lol."
"It's a cat's world and I'm happy to be on her good side."- milaren
Felines Only!
"The cat does, the dog doesn't and the horse certainly does not either."- Xcrowzz
Angry Tom And Jerry GIF by Boomerang Official
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Is That My Hair On That Pillow?
"My dog is perfect."
"She comes up, cuddles til we start to fall asleep, then gets down to sleep on her bed so she doesn't get too hot."
"Jumps back up in the early morning for wake up cuddles."
"The hair everywhere is the only downside but she is so cozy, what can you do."- HoodieWinchester
It is easy to understand how some people are able to fall asleep more easily knowing their friend and protector is there, in bed, with them.
Though we can't blame others who don't want to run the risk of being scratched or bitten in the middle of the night either...
The old wives' tales.
They are the stories of legend.
I think we all need a big DEEP Google dive though.
Where did they originate?
WHO ARE THE OLD WIVES!
You don't hear about them as much anymore.
It's like science and logic are suddenly a thing.
But they sure are a good way to keep your kids and their behavior in line.
Redditor the_spring_goddess wanted to discuss the tall tales we've all been fed through life, so they asked:
"What is an old wives tale that people still believe?"
"Wait an hour to swim after eating."
What a crock!
So many summer hours wasted.
I want revenge for that one.
Say Nothing
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"An undercover cop has to tell you he's a cop if you ask him."
LonelyMail5115
"Pretty much most advice when it comes to cops are old wives tales. I’m not even a cop but most of the advice you hear is pretty off."
I_AM_AN_A**HOLE_AMA
Say Something
"That you have to wait 24 hours to report someone missing."
Severe_Airport1426
"I really think this one is important and should be the top regardless. As it’s a piece of advice that needs to be relearned and the only way to do that is through awareness."
crappycurtains
"This used to be true. I think they changed it after some guy named Brandon went missing back in the '80s or '70s. You used to have to wait 24 hours if the missing person was an adult because they had 'a right to be missing' and then everyone realized that was stupid and stopped doing it."
AlbinoShavedGorilla
Body Temps
"That drinking ice cold water after eating oily foods will solidify the oil and permanently remain in your body. I informed my coworker that if your body temperature ever reached that point, you’d have bigger problems than weight gain."
chriseo22
"Oh, I have a cousin who 100% believed this. One of those guys who believed every early 2000s internet rumor and old wives tale. One night I chugged a big glass of ice water after dinner and he started freaking out and saying my guts were gonna harden."
"I sarcastically told him to drive me to the hospital if that happened. Obviously, nothing happened and the next morning I said something like 'Thanks for being on standby in case my guts filled with hardened oil.' He just walked off muttering under his breath."
apocalypticradish
Arms Down
"When I was pregnant, I was told by young and old alike that I should NOT raise my arms above my head or exert myself in such a manner because it could cause cord strangulation to my unborn sons and daughters."
Fatmouse84
10 Years Actually
Unimpressed Uh Huh GIF by Brooklyn Nine-Nine
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"Chewing gum stays in your stomach for 7 years."
"I remember accidentally swallowing a piece of gum when I was a kid in like 1995 and just accepting my fate like welp, gonna have this in my stomach til high school I guess."
Gecko-911
I was so afraid to sallow my gum when I was young.
This tale is haunting.
High/Low
Hungry Debra Messing GIF by Will & Grace
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"You can tell the sex of the baby by how you carry."
LeastFormal9366
"Pregnancy certainly wins awards for the most old wives tales. So much absolute BS was repeated to us by everyone we talked to."
IllIIIlIllIlIIlIllI
The Cursed
"If you’re a woman and you wear opal jewelry but opal is not your birthstone (October), you’ll never be able to have children, or will be widowed, or just generally have bad luck or something. You can counteract this by having a diamond in the same piece of jewelry as the opal, though."
"I have a nice opal ring that my parents gave me years ago, and I’ve had other women give me this 'advice' unprompted more than once when I’ve worn it. I have absolutely no idea where it started, but I’m pretty sure this little chunk of silicate rock has no concept of what month I was born in, let alone of how my reproductive organs work."
SmoreOfBabylon
Stay In
"Going outside with wet hair will make you get pneumonia. Or an earache. Or maybe arthritis. Depends on which old wife you listen to."
"Jokes on them - I haven't blow-dried my hair in decades and usually leave the house with wet hair in the morning. On winter mornings, the tips of my hair get frozen. No ear infections or pneumonia or arthritis yet."
worldbound0514
Dreams and Facts
"You never make anyone up in your dreams you've seen everyone in your dreams somewhere else before and never make anyone up entirely."
"How would you possibly prove that to be true? My partner adamantly believes this and tells me this 'fact' whenever I have a dream about someone I've never met before."
mattshonestreddit
"My late wife used to tell me that before she met me she would have dreams of standing at an alter on her wedding day but could never see the guy's face, no matter how hard she tried. After meeting me the face was filled in with mine. Don't know if it's true but one of those things I like thinking of every now and then when I miss her."
Darthdemented
Cracked
Getting Ready Episode 2 GIF by The Office
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"Some people still believe cracking knuckles causes arthritis."
Choice-Grapefruit-44
"There's a doctor (Donald Unger) that cracked his knuckles a couple of times a day for 60 years, but only on one hand, just to prove it. Both hands remained exactly the same."
MacyTmcterry
I love my knuckles.
Do you have any tall tales to add to the list? Let us know in the comments below.