In the wider scheme of things that doesn't sound too bad- nurses get paid an awful lot less, and train drivers may or may not have a degree, but does that matter? After all, we all make choices to do things in our lives, whether that is driving trains or reading/writing books, and I don't think either are especially easy. That said, the money for post docs and academics certainly isn't huge-but you do get to study an area which (should) be of interest to you, which must be the main thing.