Is money everything?

Smudger78

Hi,

Just thought I would share a dilemma I have been struggling with over the last six months. Basically I have a good job which I've been in for a couple of years but which over the last year has made me miserable. A combination of the pressure along with a long commute reducing my time at home with my wife and young son have left me feeling pretty depressed at times to the point where I can only think of the next period of leave I have and dread going in. I took the job as I wanted a new challenge and it was at a more senior level than my last role, it was also with a new company and offered a significant pay increase.

So after two years I am now considering taking a job which would reduce my salary by 10k but would be lots closer to home and with less pressure. Am I mad for considering taking such a large pay cut in the current climate or are some things more important than money??

princessdon

Do you really have to ask?

A stable job that pays your minimum is all you really need.

Quality family time is more important than money (once needs are met).

Is there a compromise in your current job? Ie can you work from home 1 day a week/fortnight, or work 1 hour a week longer Mon- Thurs with a half day on a friday?

DCFC79

No your not mad, ive seen pretty much the same question posted on here before. If you were to move closer to home you would have less traveling costs plus more time at home which could offset the loss in salary. Have you looked into what kind of salary you could live on and what your travel costs are.

an9i77

The answer to your question is no, it is not everything. I'd take a 20% pay cut for a job which was more enjoyable for one that i hated. Not sure if I'd go much below 20% though...

hcb42

I am on a good £30K less than my career "best" and I dont regret it for a minute.

Torry_Quine

There are some things money can't buy such as family time and health. I think it makes perfect sense to move jobs.

ktothema

Hell no! I'm on a job that is pt and pays very poorly compared to my previous role, but the lack of stress and the time I spend with my daughter and having far better personal health is worth every penny.

Maz

What do you value more? An extra 10k a year or spending time with your family?

If taking the drop in salary means that you can spend time with your young son, then you have to decide which means more to you.

Personally, I would give the world to recover the time I wasted going to work and farming out my kids to a childminder when I could have been there with them enjoying their precious childhood and watching them grow.

Some things you just can't put a price on.

Fiddlestick

Smudger78 wrote: »

Am I mad for considering taking such a large pay cut in the current climate or are some things more important than money??

Absolutely not.

I earned a great deal more than I currently do at my old job but I hated it at the end, for a number of reasons.

I may earn less these days, but I'm far far happier and that's something that you really cannot put a price on.

LadyMissA

Depends if you can afford a £10k drop in salary. I am guessing you are on a pretty good salary to even cotemplate a drop of £10k.

needahol

I'm another who took a drop in salary in order to get away from a job I hated - I haven't regretted that decision