zawillif,
You're, what? Around 21 or 22 years old? Heck, I started flying at 15, and then started instructing at 17. Got a job flying jets for a charter operator at 21. Finally, at 27 I landed my present gig with NJA (10 long years ago! Is time accerlating?!). My W2 didn't show more than 30K until I was 26 (and my first instructing job paid $700/month).
My point?
I can understand completely where you're coming from. This is a tough business. Hang in there and take the positive advice offered on this thread (ignore the negative comments. Sounds like a little jealousy for someone so young and inexperienced getting so far already). In the past, I found staying in touch with prospective employers and being persistent with a good attitude went a long way in offsetting my lack of experience. Also, if you meet someone who can help you, it's NOT cheating. It would be foolish to walk past open doors because someone on this board gets jealous of people with connections.
And to the person who implied that zawillif couldn't "manage his assets", well, maybe it's been a while since you were at that income level. Even for a single person, $18K won't get you a place to stay in a safe neighborhood, a reliable mode of transportation, AND put food on the table. Sometimes it's hard to believe some of the immature comments on this board.
Good luck Z!