People who can improve their income in a way that doesn't cause them stress, mood, mental and physical health problems are part of a well-insulated minority.

Yah, I'm just gonna go to my boss and say "more monies plz" or I'm going to go scour the market and try to trade up. I suppose if I just look at the number and ignore everything else the latter might be doable...but I do want a personal fit and some kind of stability. I suppose if I'm willing to pack my bags and start over every year or so I can keep this going and mitigate the effect of working places I hate for the sake of a big number.

Oh yah, and I have no high profile github stuff, nor am I a whiteboard wizard. I guess I should just "git gud" though, which I'm sure is a negligible stress investment with a guaranteed pay off?

/s Truly, I'm not allergic to the subject, but the cavalier attitude kills me sometimes. So much "What's the problem, peasants?"

FWIW, you don't need to be nearly as "gud" as you think you do; when you're a hot commodity in a market like we have for what we do. Though I commend your desire to stay somewhere stable.

Eventually, you get to a point where you're comfortable, and $10k begins to equate to more time off, less after-hours calls, etc. (and be worth more)

I think the vast majority of people's mood, stress and physical health would improve if they had more money.

I think there's more at play here. I often find myself struggling because of this even though I'm not out of money. It's more a chaotic ever changing social context that creates uncertainty that money seems to ease virtually.

Pardon the joke, but just make more money so you can buy temporary wives.

When I said peace of mind, I meant having to avoid with stressful relationship. I wasn't thinking about intimate ones of course but it's not entirely different.