I'm below 100k right now, that's what I'm aiming for first, but I hear what you're saying.
I'm 32, so I'd like to think I'm far from my top income point. You guys are right, I'm grateful for my job, but there is no where to move up to from here and it doesn't make business sense for them to pay me a large amount more. I already make $10k more than my predecessor. I could stay here for 5 more years and get maybe a dollar a year or so, but then I'm 37 and still not on the path I want.
I have turned down many other options that were a dollar or two more because I'd lose the freedom I have now.
There are 2080 work hours in a year, so a dollar an hour is just not much in the grand scheme.
Hell, a $5/hr raise is $10,400/yr. A lot of money unless its stretched over 5 yrs and you figure inflation and taxes.