125%

Two years ago in September, I started my current job. I was promised a review the same time, each year. Unfortunately, this wasn't as timely as one would hope. Last year my review came in mid-October. I hadn't traveled as much as I expected, nor did I receive as many assignments. Thankfully, it was my first year and they graded me kindly. I was warned that the next year this wouldn't be the case.

This year, I had traveled a great deal. I've often said that I've spent more time in the Eastern Time Zone this year than at home. While I seriously annoyed one client, I had made several others very, very happy. The latter never quite sunk in with me. I kept focusing on my one mistake I made in Indiana this summer.

Thankfully, my superiors are far more level-headed than myself. Again, I was graded most fairly. They were very pleased in my progress this year and the amount of money I had brought in for the company. I was sent out to clients more often than the department average, but my income for those assignments was somewhat lower. This is because of my specialty in my company's software. The assignments tend to bring in less money than those for other middleware technologies such as Application Server, Message Broker, or Process Server.

Starting next year at the latest, I will be making 125% of what I was making when I was first hired. They offered to start this higher pay rate starting with my next paycheck on the 15th. They are also going to pay my raise retroactively from September. Doing the math, all of this works out to about $300 more a month in my budget.

This will make it far easier to save up for SRS alone. I am considering moving to a nicer apartment. While I like my little home in upper Minneapolis, I wouldn't mind a nicer place. I would love to find an apartment that included a dishwashing machine. I would also like to find a place closer to work to cut down on my commute.

Starting tonight, I'm going to look into moving to a nicer apartment. I will request how much my rent will increase from my current apartment for comparison. My lease is up at the end of the year, and I have to decide soon if I want to move or not. It is possible that I'll decide to stay were I am for another year to save up faster. It is also possible that I may find better place without as much increase in rent.