It's 02 a.m. My staff are packed and ready to go. I feel excited about new opportunities to work on the ship—the new company, new challenges, and new opportunities ahead of me.

My friend was going to pick me up in front of my house. It's time to go. You got to do what you got to do, and I was trying to think positively and see the good side of upcoming challenges. Kids were sleeping, and I did. I was ready to sacrifice the time and be away from my family to get the money in return. I felt proud of myself and knew my duty as a father figure in the family.

I only had one worry at that moment. I decided to give my time away from my family to make money and give a better life for my kids. But when, if ever, will I be able to have both money and the time to spend with my family? That was a huge puzzle for me.

Money Vs. Time

We've all heard it a million times — time is money. But the truth is, the two aren't equal.
Money is tangible; it allows us to purchase and experience things. And if we run out, we can always get more. Time, however, is different. You only have 24 hours in a day, and if you need more, the next day is only sometimes an option. Whether you've got a tight deadline on a work project or you're trying to maximize the time you spend with your kids on the weekend, there's always a need for more time — or, at least, to use that time more efficiently.
Money can help you to spend your time better. Of course, time can also help you to spend your money better. The question is, what matters more to you?

We're all busy. Everyone has a to-do list that's a mile long, and while items are added to this list all the time, everything seems to stay on the list. There's a lot to do and only so many hours to do.
Some things naturally take longer than others. Some things are harder than others. And some things are just so obnoxious and frustrating that you dread doing them. You want to focus on these items — the tasks that take forever, take too much energy, and generally sap the life out of you. If you could cut these off your to-do list, how much better would you feel about life in general? Think about these tasks, and then visualize how your life looks without dealing with them.

You can't survive in this world without money, so you do need to spend some time earning it, but time is an extremely limited resource, and you should keep that in mind. There are only so many hours in a day and so many days in a week that you can work before you exhaust your body and mind. It's important to strike the right balance between reasonable effort and too much work.

Most business owners need help finding this balance because they value money more than their time. They aim to save money on different tasks and aspects of their business by performing those tasks themselves. That only adds to their stress and doesn't save them money in the long run. For example, you might save money upfront if you don't hire an accountant to handle your books and the task yourself, but do you really save money?

Working on a cruise ship will ultimately save you money. You are granted room and board as an employee, and other expenses are limited. Life on board is busy, leaving little time to spend your paycheck, helping you conserve your finances for the future.
After completing one contract, you'll more likely be chosen for another. Once you have your foot in the door, this career path is straightforward: working your way up the ranks as high as you want to climb. Life at sea can be enriching for those who enjoy the more nomadic lifestyle.
Sometimes—no matter how many digits are on that paycheck—it isn't worth the tradeoffs regarding health, mental well-being, and work-life balance. If you're at a crossroads, contemplating whether to stick it out or take a hike, your job may no longer be worth the money.

Most jobs on cruise ships are served up with a side of stress, but if it's contributing to a major decline in your overall physical or mental health (or both!), that's a problem. If you're having trouble concentrating or feeling anxious or depressed about work, it may be time to find a less stressful job.
Stress is dangerous and can lead to long-term mental and physical effects—from headaches to gastrointestinal issues to trouble sleeping—so keep an eye out for these stress-triggered symptoms. While those dollar signs are great for your wallet, they may also harm your well-being.

Some people are lucky in this world because they can have the time to spend with their family and the money. But in my case, I had to choose. Either I wanted to stay home, accept a job that is not even enough to pay the basic monthly bills, or I was going to accept being away for a while and make money to ensure that my family had everything needed for a comfortable life. I made up my mind this time, thinking that money is more important and will make me happy. 
Besides that, my situation was a little more complicated. I also needed to sell my car before joining the ship. There were three reasons for that. I lived in the secluded part of the city that was not really safe, in the small cottage on the city periphery with my beautiful wife and our two kids. We were happy and grateful in that small cottage; we appreciated every moment together. Since I decided to return to the ship, the problem was that I could not leave my family to live in that cottage without me. It was in a secluded part of the city, in a dark street without light, and I was scared to leave my family there. It would be okay if I were at home, but my sign-on date was approaching, and I needed to sort out many things before I went. I needed to find a new apartment to rent in a safer city area. Yet, I was broke without much money left, so I needed to sell the car I loved. It was difficult to sell the car because I was already very emotionally attached to it. Still, the priority was to find a new home and leave my family in a safe place so I didn't need to worry about it on the ship. I sold my car for much lower than a realistic price because I had little time left. I needed to rent a new apartment quickly and also to leave some money at home for my family until I got my first salary on the ship. I found one small, modest apartment in a nice and safe city suburb, and it gave me peace of mind; I did not need to worry anymore about the safety of my family. I was ready to go.

Slowly, I opened the apartment door while lifting my luggage so I would not drag it on the floor with a noisy sound to wake up my kids. As any father, you have that feeling of responsibility to provide a better life for your loved ones. It's your job to put the food on the table no matter what; I know that, and I was aware of my primary duty to be a good provider for my family. You have to make some difficult choices in life, and this time, I decided to try my luck on Margaritaville at Sea Paradise...If only I had a little clue about what was coming up...