Savings-Ad6795's journey

I recently posted about feeling financially stuck in my role as a development planner in the public sector. I have a planning-related degree and a postgraduate qualification, and I started my career as a graduate planner. I really enjoyed the work and appreciated the flexibility of hybrid working, which has been a significant advantage for me. A few years back, I was offered a higher-paying role elsewhere, but it came with longer hours and more pressure, so I turned it down to maintain my work-life balance. Now, I've progressed to a senior planning position, but I'm becoming more aware of my earning potential. My salary is decent, but after covering my mortgage and living expenses, there’s not much left at the end of the month. I've been discussing with colleagues the possibility of moving into contract planning roles, as I've heard they can offer much higher pay. However, I understand that this comes with trade-offs like reduced job security and fewer benefits. The job market is tough right now, and finding opportunities has been challenging. I’m also on track to achieve my professional chartership soon, which I hope will help me find better opportunities. I do enjoy my current job and appreciate the support from my employer, but I can’t help but feel that by prioritizing work-life balance earlier in my career, I may have fallen behind financially compared to my peers. It's hard not to notice that many people my age seem to be earning significantly more.