How good/bad do I have it at my job?

[jackdaniels]

As entry level jobs go, yours isn't too bad. Very soon you will have a decision to make, do you want to stay in this field and work teh extra hours/weekends to make the extra money you WILL need (gf becomes wife, the couple becomes a family etc...) OR do you want to keep the easy going job and do something else on the side to supplement your income.

FWIW I started out along the same lines as you did (about 6-7 years ago), decided I wanted to keep a job that didn't require me to be there 24/7 and do something else on the side. I didn't keep my original entry level job, but did manage to find other, higher paying positions in my field (comp-sci) that had a similar structure. I get paid prolly about 75% of industry standard but I work 7.5 hour days, am never on call, GREAT benefits and excellent job security (union job at a university). This allowed me to concentrate my efforts on building a sizable side income doing other things.

Having the security that comes with a paycheque as well as the extra monies from side ventures assures that I will never become a multi-millionaire but will be comfortable enough that I won't ever have to be worried about the mortgage payment or where my next meal is going to come from. The best (or at least the good) of both worlds.