to sacrifice my 20s for money?

[CharliesSister]

Name changed because this is outing, I've posted about my job before.

I'm 25. Fairly recently I got a job abroad as a Nanny. The money is very good, enough for me to put around £6k a month into savings. I'm very lucky.
However, the salary is high because my life has been sold (temporarily) to the family I work for. I work 7 6 days a week, 24 hours a day. I live in a country where socialising is near on impossible, and I don't have time anyway. I have one months leave a year which I use to see my family, I don't go on holidays.
The positive side of having no life is that I don't spend any money, so the vast majority goes into savings.

The plan is to stay working here until I'm 30 or go mad and use the money saved to buy a house outright, and therefore buy significant freedom and stability for my 30s onwards.

However, all my friends are off having a wonderful time of it. There's posts all over social media of lovely holidays, exciting new relationships and parties. I've been invited to several big parties back in the UK where all my friends will be (and I've not seen most of them for 6 months or more) and I know I can't go.
I'm tired all of the time, I'm insanely bored (there's nothing to do here) and no one around me speaks English so I'm isolated too.

Am I silly to stay? My friends and family are jealous of the opportunity I've been given so I feel incredibly guilty to not be loving it but someone today said that I was wasting my youth, and money isn't everything.

(Note: whilst I don't actively enjoy it, I don't hate it either and feel I can stick it out for a few years)

I'd stay in the job and save, but set some time periods to re-assess (because I wouldn't want to hate the kids/job so much I resented it). Perhaps re-assess in 2 years. When my DP and I graduated from Uni we still kept in the same rented room (£35 a week- bargain even then). It wasn't nice, it wasn't good, we lived quite frugally. All our Uni mates that got jobs were renting bigger and nicer places. We did question ourselves. But it helped us put down a deposit on a house in a nice area and we are so glad we stuck it out!

I'd review it every 3 months by doing the old pros and cons list. Think about yr end goal-a relationship? kids? Doesn't sound like there's any chance of that where you are and those things obviously take time. Money helps but it isn't everything.If you miss out on yr end goal then it wouldn't have been worth it. Also how much are you missing out on being away from yr family/friends? I don't mean partying etc just spending time with them. Go with yr gut. Hope everyone's posts on here helps you

Go for it if you can stick it out without driving yourself mad, but don't feel you have to hold yourself to the plan of staying there til you're 30 - I'd suggest another year or 2, that would give you a substantial nest egg and you could come back here, buy a house and enjoy life a little more whilst doing a lower pressure nannying job.

Definitely stick it out for 2/3 years.
Relax for a few months and then settle down, financial security is so important.

Don't stay 4 years.

I spent age 23-25 essentially living at work - that was about career progression not money, and it has worked but I'm glad it didn't go on longer.

If I were you I would make sure I re-assess say every 3 months. Look at your savings accounts, record how you're feeling about it and look back on previous notes you've made. That way you are only re-committing (in your mind) for a set period and it can make it more manageable. Plan fun stuff for the month off you get too! Depending on where home is, even a year will set you up with a decent deposit. Having a mortgage isn't that bad either.

How do you get on with the other 3 nannies? Are you able to spend any time doing non-work related things?

I wouldn't. I might do it for one year, but to lose all your twenties? No way. Money isn't everything. Your twenties should be a fantastic time in your life, not just lost to work and saving.

Apologies if this is personal OP but how much have you got saved up so far?

Depending on that I'd just stick it out for 1 or 2 years then come home and buy outright (or with small mortgage).

Don't mention your savings to people back home, they may want handouts when you come back!

You're one of four nannies earning upwards of £100k each?

No, you're not silly to stay. It's sensible to save as much as possible. You never know what life's going to throw at you. I worked hard in my 20's and 30's. I thought my life was sorted then at the age of 39 I suddenly found myself single with a baby - not planned at all. I was lucky that I'd paid off my mortgage and was high enough up in my career to be able to work part-time and enjoy being a mum.
I'm really old compared to you but I'm still having fun! Just different fun to the life I thought I had mapped out.
What would you rather be doing instead? If there's something you passionately want to do then follow your dream. If not, then you're wise to stick with it for now.
Don't tie yourself to an end date and don't beat yourself up if you decide to give it up. Also, don't look at other people's social media posts and think they're having a great life compared to you. The chances are they're really not!

Do it. I wasted my twenties including huge amounts of money I earned.
I'm ok now but I'd be a lot better off if I'd done things more wisely.
Do you want a family of your own?
30 is no age to start and a hell of a lot easier if you are secure financially.
Best of luck

You won't get your youth back. Not a single day of it. Sounds melodramatic, but rapidly approaching my 50's I can tell you the harsh reality of that. So, it depends what is more important to you? the money? or the life? easy for me to say, I know, but looking back I know which I would choose.

I’d do it. It will be sorted for life and then be able to do what you want.
You won’t have to rely on parents nor a partner. From experience financial security brings an incredible feeling of freedom.
I would do an online course though - anything really, just to keep your cv and brain up to scratch.

I certainly wouldn't stay until you're 30, when you say you're already bored, tired and isolated.
I spent my late 20's working 100 hour weeks as a junior doctor, and looking back I lost a chunk of my life that I can never reclaim. I missed so much time with my beloved husband, and he died when I was 35.
It's all very well to have a large bank balance, but there are no pockets in a shroud.
I'd make an exit plan, and re-assess your job every 6 months. Leave when it's depressing you more than the money is worth. People in Britain manage to either rent or buy properties without having to go through what you are. You might eventually be buying a house with a partner, so two incomes and saving pots will be helping to spread the strain. Please think of your work life balance - at present it seems 100% work.

Don't have an end date in sight, just play it by ear. Get good advice about saving, agree with PP that saving for retirement is as (if not more) important than saving for a house so don't put it all in one pot.

I'd also be concerned about what you plan to do next, would you still be a nanny when you returned to the UK (albeit not so well paid/worked so hard?)? Or will you change career? If so use your spare time now to get some additional qualifications.

Do it for a few years. I wish I had the same opportunity as you.

I would do it for a year, maybe 2.

You won’t ever be ‘in your 20s’ young again. Your 30s are not the same.

When I finished uni, I went travelling for over a year. Then when we were back and working, we lived life to the full and squandered our money on fun. I’d rather be frivolous in my 20s than squirrelling money away.

You can save 6k a MONTH????

No way. How much do you get payed? Do you work for some high profile people?

I'd do 1-2 years max. You can't get that time back. If you are planning DCs of your own, then you need time to meet someone, have a bit of time just the 2 of you - just in case you realise he's the wrong one, and don't want to feel the pressure ot make it work because you're already 30 and really DCs... (I know several woman who ended up with really crap DHs that they admit they knew it wouldn't work out long term, but they were already in their 30s and wanted DCs, they didn't feel they had time to start again).

Would you need to be the prime minister to earn that here??

It's more than the Prime Minister earns when you take into account living expenses

24 hours a day 6 days a week is a lot of work...what country are you in as in some countries there are laws about employees only working a certain number of hours a day and having breaks during the day...

Do it as long as you can, like a previous poster suggested reassess it each year or two to see if it's still something you want to do

I understand you wanting to save as much as possible...did you know that at 6k a month, 72k a year , after 14 years you would have saved over a million ..now that kind of money would give financial security

Why don't you explain why you work 24/7; yet there are four of you?

I am 40, marries and pregnant. Even at my advanced age there is still travelling to be done, parties to attend and things to see and do. Me and husband have both saves enough to be comfortable and it makes life a lot less stressful. In my opinion, stick at this job for as long as possible and get some cash behind you. You can party etc at any age, your 20s aren't the be all and end all.

Lots of jobs in the UK pay over £80/85k, but assume the OP is low tax and lives in, so doesn't have any living costs.

Stick it out. Plenty of people have to work like that through their 20s for shit money. Not everyone is out partying and not worrying about life. You've got your 30s to be silly and arse about if you want. I am enjoying my 40s way more than my 20s.