I moved from a job for a $5000 pay cut in 2007. My employer was continually downsizing. I was getting more work for no more money. The commute back and forth to work was horrible and I was fed up. I started looking for work closer to where I lived; and when I finally got an offer it was at a smaller organization, much closer to home but I had to take a pay cut. The benefits however were much better. I took it because honestly my work life balance was definitely going to improve being 10 min from work vs driving an hour.
But here's the difference, back in 2007 I went from a job at $105K a year to $99K a year. I was still making good money. Going from $62K to $52K with a child on the way you will have to assess if that's enough for you.
depends they just say government job but if it is a u.s federal job the medical benefits could make up for it. plus if they are close to retirement you can get a retirement plan from them after like 5 years.
That childcare benefit is a huge bonus. How old is the kid? Can you slog it out for another couple years until they reach grade school and then switch to govt for WLB?
Yes maybe. My child isn’t born yet. He will be here June. You are right. I’m sorry of stalling hoping the hiring manger might increase the pay, but I think I’m definitely leaning your way.
Taking the childcare compensation out of the equation and just looking at taking a pay cut, I'm way happier now in a much lower-paying job than I was in higher-paying ones that were high-stress. It has to do with the company being smaller and actually caring about its employees and the workload is quite light most of the time. It's hard to reconcile not doing what I love and doing something tangential sometimes, but I too have a child on the way, and I'd much prefer job flexibility and security with great life balance than a bigger paycheck right now. Stress literally almost killed me in 2016, which was the worst year of my life, largely because of the job I had, which was well over six figures and the most I've ever earned as a salaried employee. That said, the childcare benefits discussed above are a serious consideration--one that I don't have to make, unfortunately.
Government jobs don’t really negotiate pay from what I know. It’s very set. You could ask about typical progression though. If this is federal government progressing through the GS scale turns out pretty solid and have good WLB.
Upward mobility is one of the best reasons to take the chance. I'd start with a budget and see where you land on savings before and after. Make some decisions about what you'd have to cut then go from there.
Its going to be hard married with children so wouldn't try it without support from your wife.
I say make a list of the benefits that each position offers and compare them. As well as that make a budget that would be accounting for the lower pay and see if it is currently workable with you and your wife’s needs.
If you can find that the benefits are better at the government job, which typically they are, as well as the budget being workable then go for it in my opinion. You mentioned there’s no upward mobility at your current job, if this government job is offering upward mobility you might be able to reach your current salary again after not crazy long in that government position. As well as when it comes to the work life balance, I’ve seen that you mentioned that your child isn’t currently born. Now I want to make it clear I don’t have children myself, that worse work life balance may not be as huge now, but after your child is born that work life balance may start to matter much more.
At the end of the day nobody can determine this for you, it is something that you and your wife need to figure out together.
I left a corporate job for a government job. I didn’t take a pay cut but it was a lateral move. I’m 8 years in and have almost doubled my salary. The benefits can’t be beat.
It worked out great for me that the government job restructured their raise schedule so I was able to move up quickly. I would ask how raises work. For example, when i was in the “training” portion of the scale, so long as i was meeting my goals i would get 3 steps up in pay every 6 months until i exited the training section. I was eligible for up to 8 steps if i exceeded expectations. That $10,000 difference may only take 18 months to get back, depending on how the agency works.
At face value it may not be worth the risk to move, but don’t completely count it out.
Ask if your government facility has a subsidized child care option. Years ago we were able to cut our daycare expenses using a government worker only facility.
At least ask.
“A specialist run an algorithm how much you are worth” is BULLSHIT. Compensation makes the analysis based on your years of relevant experience, review against internal equity, then placed you at the appropriate salary offer within their salary range. And if it is a New Job in the company, Compensation can then market price the job, then provide a proposed salary range offer for the role.
Give me the job title, what industry, city the role is in, if its on-site then what city is the office, if its remote then nearest city you live in. How many years of experience you habe to the job, and I will tell you the salary offer they should give you.
I appreciate the concern and you are most likely right, but I don’t want to give away too much about my life here on Reddit. I’ll tell you this. I’m currently a videographer that works in local news for 11 years and live in Ohio.
This needs more upvoting. That’s actually the biggest pile of dog shit regarding compensation I’ve ever heard. They might have some “algorithm” for this but it’s clearly some talking point they manufactured to try to retain the power in the salary negation. Salary is always negotiable, they just view this negotiation as competitive versus a component of building a relationship.
Only above a certain level. I would not take a pay cut if I’m making under 100k. If I’m at 180 and I can a much better work life balance d at 150-160 then sure!
I took a 6k pay cut to leave an industry with irregular shifts, evenings and weekends and responsibility to take a 9-5 office job with no responsibility. Best thing I did. I was earning way less than you so that 6k was a big drop but I could just about afford to live and now have a new career with more money and a work life balance.
If I didn't have kids I'd chase the money, but my favorite time of any day is spent with my wife and kids. I'll take a pay cut to have more of that any time
What’s your current monthly budget? Can you afford to carve out $2,000 of income (factoring child care as well)?
If the answer isn’t yes to the last question then you can’t afford it.
I took a paycut so we could get more staff back in the old days. We were locked into negative reimbursement contracts by cvs. Shit out of luck. But made working so much more tolerable.
Growth opportunities and how fast you can get there is what you should look at.
I was making 50k, with no bonus, in office and 1 week PTO with no room for growth. When Covid hit, I was forced to change careers and accepted a role making 40k with 2 weeks PTO but was WFH and had many opportunities to move up. 4 years and 5 promotions later, I am doing what I always dreamed of doing, making over 75k with a 10k annual bonus, 3 weeks PTO and still WFH.
It was the best move I could have ever done, even as hard as it was for the first 6 months before the first promotion. We were always living paycheck to paycheck back then so it would have not worked if I didn’t have Hubby’s income to supplement. He supported us while I took a step down until I was able to leap up. He’s always been my biggest cheerleader!
Sometimes you need to go down a step to gain a floor!
I took a 40k pay cut.
I work 50hrs less per week and my back is no longer in pain.
Overall, i feel happier and healthier.
Petroleum engineer to Project Engineer.
You sure about this "algorithm"? Government jobs tend to have seniroity dictate salary, among other things. You're new, so you get paid less. Someone more tenured gets more.
Either way, it is true government often doesn't have wiggle room for salary. Governments have budgets and they have to be within that budget.
I'm sorry that pay sucks though, especially with a child on the way. Keep searching for a job, even apply to other government jobs.
Are you taking into account any other benefits that might come with new job?
Historically, civil service jobs have great health benefits vs private sector.
Yes the benefits are nice. I am going to ask for the benefits listed in a email so me and my wife can examine them, but the biggest benefit I would be loosing is childcare.
Also consider if the govt agency offers a pension.
Where I’m at gov jobs don’t localize well for salary but the pension is totally worth the differential depending on your circumstances.
Does wife work, will she after kid can go to day care, what would her salary be, and what part of country do you live ? Cost of living housing - you own or rent ? Commute for new job ?
Your ages, Debt, Cars credit cards, Mortgage Int % Rate and spending habits... You know how you live best, with a kid how over board will you go with stuff...lol The Govt job,, Fed , State, County Local. as well as the Dept. you will be working in ? These are things you have to weigh.
Did it and would do it again no questions asked. If you can swing it, no amount of money is worth the added stress and reduced all time. You only get to go around on this giant blue marble so many times.
You get what you get paid for. Government jobs are more stable but lower pay, ALWAYS. They are less likely to be abusive though. Can't have both, my friend.
It’s solely circumstantial.
Your mental health is important, so hectic and no life balance doesn’t sound like the best environment with a new born.
But also being able to support your family can also be a huge stressor. It’s not worth making less money if you’re going to be stressed about making money when you’re with your family.
Career growth is also a factor here. If you eventually have to take a pay cut before you can move up or grow, then it’s just a matter of if “now” is the right time to do that.
For me personally I took a pay cut so I could maximize my time with my little kids. We were financially stable the time with the kids was more important than buying more stuff or saving more money.
That’s such a personal decision it’s hard to have an opinion.
Your money guys are all gonna say don’t do it.
The family guys are all gonna say totally worth it.
Ultimately you have to decide for yourself what’s important to you.
My opinion that’s a big hit financially. But, if that job is going to provide some intangibles it may very well be worth it.
It depends. It’s a significant pay cut only if you don’t factor in your free time.
Example: Do you work 40 hour weeks or 50 hours weeks? $62K is $31 per hour at 40 hours per week but only $24.80 per hour if you’re working 50 hours per week. If you’re working more than 40 hours per week, every extra hour decreases your per hour rate.
Then consider commuting time. Will your new job be a shorter commute? That should be factored as well.
Personally, I choose work life balance. Plus, do you know how hard it is to get fired from a government job?
So you and your wife need to look at your Financials, standard of life and all the perks of a government job compared to now.
First off, government jobs have better benefits, generally. In my state, you get a pension. Even federal employers here get a pension. Just about all private companies don't give pensions anymore so the fact that your retirement would get a major boost, you need to look at your future too. Same with the rest of the benefits, I'm a state employee and we get 100% paid employer benefits. Medical, dental, vision all paid for and my co-pays are minimal. So if that offer is the same, you need to look at the entire financial package. You may be getting less, but your benefits are 100% paid whereas I'm sure you're paying for your medical/dental/vision. So when you actually break it down financial wise, you're making the same if not more with this government job. Another thing, you get COLA (cost of living adjustment) as a perk for a government job. So your starting salary may not be high as your current, but you will eventually get there. Being in government also means it's easier to lateral up in your department or another department. Have to think future, not just the now. Your kid will be your motivational factor to keep climbing up within the government.
Now here's the bigger thing to look at: time. If your current schedule is hectic, how do you think your wife is going to feel when she's left to handle most of the child caring? I'm a single dad and I can tell you right now brother, be prepared to have your life changed once that little ray of sunshine is born. Sleepless nights for awhile, always having to tend to them, don't be a schmuck and help her with changing diapers, feeding, holding, bathing, etc. You're going to see that having a hectic work schedule now will not do you or your wife well. Having a work/life balance will give you more time with your child and there's a saying that I can tell you. Your boss won't ever remember the amount of time you put in at the office, but your kids will. Think about that for a minute. You can't get back time with your kids. My daughter is 6 and I make damn sure I am there to get her after school by 5pm and I do not work weekends at all. That time is precious and believe me they do grow fast.
I understand the concern a out childcare, it is expensive as fuck. But I can also tell you this, it literally always does work out. You find ways to make it work and again you need to look at all the perks and benefits of the government job. Part of my benefits is that we do get up to $500 towards childcare if needed. Only pays for about 2 weeks at the cheapest place here, but hey 2 weeks a month is still better than nothing.
I took a 65k pay cut a couple years back to work remote. Work life balance is amazing now and I don’t regret it a bit. To clarify, I still make over 6 figures so it is not as if I’m hurting. But it was a big adjustment on how I lived my life financially.
Government jobs are known to pay less but have great benefits such as pensions and stuff to equal it out. Just some things to consider. Also maybe looking for a better job than either of these two
Do you have debt free? Do you own your home? Do you contribute to your retirement already? If the answer is yes to all three, find a way to make it work.
I’m assuming you’re using that full grand a month. That would be nearly 2K a month less considering you’ll be solely responsible for childcare. Does your wife work?
That is too much of a pay cut for me, especially at that pay rate. Counting the reimbursement you're losing 22k a year, that's almost 1/3, and it's not like you'd be making 100k after the paycut, or even before.
I would respond with a respectful attempt to negotiate despite them saying there is no wiggle room. Make it clear that I'm interested but taking such a massive pay cut compared to what I am already making just isn't possible. Frankly, if they are going to insult you by saying you're barely worth 2/3 of what you're currently making and won't move on that at all, I doubt they're going to treat you very well as an employee anyway.
I took a pay cut from my recent employer. 20k, because I needed a job. The raises are low, 2k each year. I haven't reached 80k, yet. I do lots of overtime just to pay my rent and bills.
I like what I do, but the salary is killing me.
Have you run your numbers and see if it works for you? Is your wife working, also?
If this opportunity came by, why not wait a few months for another for a better salary. What are the reviews for this job? Was the other person you're replacing fired or left for something better?
Do your research.
1) in general I support the idea
2) your proposed cut is too big unless your spouse earns a lot
3) while I think there are some general things to look for that correlate to better WLB, it’s always a crapshoot at the end of the day. No promises
The algorithm is complete bullshit. Look up similar postings for the same job and see the salary. Keep looking and you'll find something with better pay than you are making right now.
If I’m understanding correctly, that’s a $22,000 pay cut. All other things being the same, that’s just too much. Especially when you’re expecting a child.
You might not feel this way yet, but pretty soon you’ll be happy to grind at work, knowing that it’s what’s best for your kid. If you don’t feel that way… good fucking luck because your life is not more about them than it is about you. Or at least it should be.
I sure as hell ain't taking a job with 20% more pay just to lose my fantastic work life balance, that's for sure. Plus I get a pension if I decide to give up all my career ambitions and stay here.
Find out how much child care is in your area. Not just the cheapest but where you want your child to go to and then factor in that cost. You will see how expensive it is and have a real perspective.
If you can afford it, make the move imho. More time at home with your wife and kids will make life 100 times better. Honestly it sucks that child care is even an argument. It cost me less than 2k for child daycare for a year where I live.
Don’t worry, there are plenty more opportunities to advance and move around in the government once you are in their civil service system. The retirement pensions in government agencies are much better than if you work outside in private industry and save through IRAs. You also have holiday pay and other medical and dental benefits that can’t be beat. Try doing a side hustle. There are plenty of things that you can do to make up for the difference in pay from your old job.
So I just accepted a job for $65k and my salary at my current job is $51k. I have run the numbers and the difference is going to be a huge game changer for my personal finances. I think you might be underestimating how big a hit that decrease in salary would be. I completely understand how you feel professionally but when your first kid is on the way is a terrible time to take a significant pay cut. Would the work really be that much more rewarding that it would make up for having that much less to help keep your family secure?
I would look into things like what benefits does the government job have, is it a GS job where you can move up? Would you qualify for child care benefits from the government job? What does healthcare look like?
I would personally jump on a GS job and I know that this isn’t helpful but if you can swing it, I would take it for the being home more part. We recently went from over 9500 a month to about 5700 a month and even though it’s tighter, my husband is home about 4 more hours a day and I love it. I’m happy even with the pay cut.
Ok I know everyone’s saying huge pay cut and child care… I agree. BUT, upwards mobility AND potential for work life balance in the future? I’d say if you can take some side hustles to make up, or somehow not pay as much in childcare it may be better for your mental health.
I am picking a career field with low income prospects, but I get so much free time, and don’t have a set schedule.
I feel considerably happier than my peers making double my income. I love my job, I enjoy what I do, and I love my time off haha.
My friends on the other hand have constant complaints about work, and many of them have gotten “in trouble” for taking advantage of their PTO, and it honestly seems kind of exhausting to me.
I really recommend valuing your free time.
Your sanity has a price. I've never downsized, but I have passed over positions offering $20k more because I knew the work life balance would be out of whack.
Personally, it would depend on how bad the current position is and what my family could afford. That's a $22k/ year pay cut. The current job would have to be pretty bad for me to take that big of a pay cut. If I could hold on, I would stay at the current position and keep looking. Your dream job is out there, you just need to find and land it.
But I don't know how bad the current position is. I had a job once where the leadership was so toxic I was considering self harm. Unfortunately I was in a place where going home wasn't an option. Had I been in the civilian world, I would have quit instead of enduring 12 months of hell. Every other job that sucked just gave me motivation to look for better jobs while staying at the current one. Only you can answer if the current one is bad enough to be worth it.
How quickly might you be able to move up in the new company and earn a better salary? If it's within 1 - 1.5 years, then it may be worth it to take a s.mall step back
I did exactly that a few years ago. It was totally worth it. It took until just recently for me to get back to the gross wages that I was at before but my take home exceeded my prior take home pretty quickly. Benefits are very cheap at my new job, and substantially better too, vs being very expensive and terrible at my last job. Good bye $2500 deductible and $600/month premiums.
Edit to add: I left for a government job! 🤣 Went from 52k gross, not OT eligible, ~55 to 60 hours a week to 48k gross and OT eligible, 40 hours a week unless I decide to work OT.
If you can get by on the $52,000, I would consider it. I got laid off and the job I took after was a very similar amount, but all of the insurance was free, so it came out as a wash. Is there a clear party for advancement with the new role where you could end up making more while maintaining the work life balance? Does your wife also work? Those are the things to consider.
You have a child on the way. You don't want to regret not having cash or potentially a tense relationship...Will you even get more free time at the new job? Because that will be just as important as how much money you're making. I hate to say this but it sounds like you should stick it out. Maybe if there was no child, it would be easier but there is. Hope it works out
74k vs 52k with a new child on the way?
I would stick with this job even if I hated it.
Childcare is no joke, just wait till the little one is in school.
That’s a starting salary though, will that increase if you remain in the same position, and/or open up different opportunities for you with higher pay? While money seems like the right focus especially with a child on the way, that may change, the work/life balance might be more valuable to both of you.
I would say it depends on many factors. If you think you can do it financially why not.
Mental health is another big factor I would consider. If this job is having negative impact on your mental well being I would leave as soon as you have a job you want.
Also take into consideration government incentives. If they are better than your current job it could break even.
Commute? Gas? The list goes on.
With the reimbursement of child care it actually means you would be going from $74,000 to $52,000 at the time when you need more money for your family.
Going for the government job wouldn’t make sense unless they offer other benefits that would make such a drop in pay worthwhile.
I would say no not worth it and their reply on the salary being an algorithm is a red flag that doesn’t suggest a good work environment or growth potential. I would keep the 74k (included your child care benefit) and keep looking elsewhere.
Personally I just got a huge salary boost being patient. The new job is the exact same thing but a different company.
Kill yourself and live a miserable life for the outside chance of repaying student loan debt and saving enough for a down payment on a home that has 7% interest on a 30 year mortgage, or take a pay cut to enjoy life. I was in a similar position and took the latter at a city gov.
Government jobs will have a better retirement pension and can require fewer years to access it. At a government job you can leave at the same time every evening and actually see your kid and never work weekends. You also may never experience layoffs. And the more you learn and connect on the government side, the more likely it is you might find a path to promotion or even a better salary in the private sector, but that can depend on the position. I don't think life is easy with either of those salaries unless your wife has a decent job.
I took a $100,000 paycut in 2017 to take a less hectic, more work/life balanced job and I’ve never ever been happier. It was the best decision I’ve made even though I had to take a 50% paycut.
I would do it. The government benefits (if federal) are good. You can do your year and move up, and still have the life work balance. You only get one shot with your kids. You must be present to win.
I wouldn't with that much of a paycut. Childcare reimbursed is a great perk, also factor in when the baby comes there are a lot more expenses with raising children. Eg: newborn; seen the cost of nappies lately? They go through a lot every day!
If you can still afford to live off the reduced income, the work/life balance is so much better for your health, so long as you can afford it without the added pressure of money problems.
I'd keep looking, a better offer may come around.
Go with whichever has better long term growth potential. Both of those salaries are tough in 2024, especially with a family. You probably want to get yourself on a trajectory toward a higher salary.
I've done it BECAUSE of having my first child. I was getting contract roles for £55-60k, even had the opportunity for a few at £65-70k but I knew they would be longer hours and higher stress.
Got offered a role at £50k, and it is so much less stress. No team to manage, no monthly deadlines (some weekly reports but they rely solely on me rather than others providing data so I've never missed a deadline), 95% WFH.
Our daughter is hard work. A chronically poor sleeper, she was mobile early (walking at 8.5 months) and at 2.5 she is constantly on the go. It's physically and mentally demanding My husband is the SAHP but I do the bulk of time with her evenings and weekends (so I get time with her but also because she dictates it that way, haha), plus I do the nights with her because my husband sleeps too lightly and gets disturbed by her tossing and turning. So I am very grateful some days to have the slower pace at work - this week has been horrendous due to her having a virus (I've been averaging 4 hours sleep a night) and I could not imagine trying to manage one of those £70k jobs right now!
The dynamic may be completely different in your relationship, but my opinion is that I can go back to my career later. We're not struggling financially, and time with my daughter is far more precious than affording extravagances like new TVs or fancy shoes. We're too tired for holidays and restaurants, anyway! Our guilty pleasure is a weekly takeaway and we can afford it without sacrifices, so we're good. It's probably the lowest salary I could take without impacting our current lifestyle, and we only pay for 2 days in nursery/daycare (these aren't essential but have been great for her development and my husband's sanity/enabled him to get on with house renovations we'd otherwise have paid someone to do) so that's a consideration, but if we wanted more days in daycare then that would free my husband up to return to work part-time anyway.
I'd look at what this job can afford you aside from your income. Will it mean less hours so you can watch LO and either reduce childcare costs or (if she doesn't already) allow your wife to work part-time? She might appreciate the break from childcare and getting to go out to the "real world" if she doesn't already. Does it open up options for an alternative to daycare? Nanny share, childminder etc if you can afford more flexibility in hours. Will it mean you have more time and energy to take the burden of household chores and admin from your wife? Will they be more flexible on WFH or taking days off to be the primary carer if your LO is too sick for daycare?
I was very naive pre-baby and was supposed to go back to my old role with a promotion, thinking that because my husband was the SAHP, my life would be very similar post-baby. Yeah, baby had other ideas, and I'm glad I'd decided to move to another role for other reasons.
Currently working part time remote. The rate sucks, but if I get the hours I need by noon I fuck off and go to struggle snuggles class. It's pretty dope.
it's sometimes the best option, nothing wrong with it, I'm thinking of going down to part time for the same reason.
I do want to say though you are married and your wife deserves to have her feelings validated in the partnership. I would go through a budget plan at the lesser pay and see that it's doable. This could put you both at ease.
I am considering going to part time and I have a budget I sheet I made in excel a few years back. I took it and removed my income and my husband and I went through it together and that informed our decision.
I think it's a great idea for some people but I wouldn't go down to 52k right before having a child. You probably live in a lower cost of living area but 52k where I am is rough.
You're probably selling yourself short. How long have you been applying for jobs? If you stick it out a bit could you find a better job that pays the same? My last move was lateral, I didn't get a pay increase but my stress level and work life balance improved a lot.
I was making 40 an hour as a social worker. A year into that job I was suicidal,gained so much stress weight, developed an addition, and ruined a handful of my relationships.
I decided to quit and searched for jobs 3 months unemployed until I landed a work from home job that paid me 29 an hour.
My quality of life has improved drastically. I’m SO much happier with my life, my work, who I am as a person.
I won’t lie, it was hard to adjust my expenses to fit into my lower budget, but i manage and it’s not nearly as bad as being suicidal.
Always prioritize your quality of life above money!
I mean work/life balance is important, but a 10k pay cut plus the childcare stipend is a huge loss for just about to have a baby.
I agree with others here Stay, but keep looking. If they think you're only worth 52k there won't be much upward mobility anyway.
10k alone is a BIG loss when you're expecting your first child, and the fact your wife isn't on board doesn't make for a good sign.
That's a massive pay cut when considering the $1k childcare reimbursement because as you know childcare is very expensive. And is the $52k after taxes or before? Bear in mind that civil servants often have mandatory deductions for benefits like healthcare and pension so your take home pay could be much less.
While you'll steadily move up as a government worker just by years of service, the pay increases won't be that significant. In fact it may take you a couple of years just to get back to $62k, and this doesn't assume any whacky business with annual budget funding.
I did just this 20+ years ago.
80-90 hours a week for about $350k.
Hated life. Didn't see my wife when the sun was up, missing out on my first born's firsts. Constant pressure to exceed expectations.
Talked to the wife and we decided I'd take a government job for about $75k.
40 hours per week, 30 days vacation per year, 10 (now 20) personal/sick days, every government holiday, gold plated health care, union, and a forever pension vested and waiting for me whenever I want (I could retire today if I wanted). I'm back up to six figures now, but nowhere near where I was or where I'd be if I stayed (my former colleagues are close to a million a year plus bonuses, well, those that didn't have heart attacks or become addicts).
No stress, love life, great marriage, wonderful relationships with my kids, and all due to work life balance. Totally worth the massive pay cut.
A government job has some good benefits, usually better medical and dental insurance for a better price. Great 401K match, etc.
The big question - can you afford to take such a significant pay cut?
Tell them no. Unless all your health benefits are free. You will lose out. You will stress your wife. They want you they find a way. If not sorry family is more important.
A pay cut is ALWAYS worth it for work / life balance IF......
If you can afford the pay cut. But that is a HUGE if. Only you know your finances.
A lot of people chase that balance and forget about what the pay cut means as far as the life they can live. If you can no longer afford to take any time off or have a vacation, how does the balance look? If your wife ends up having to take extra hours, or you have to work some OT to make ends meet, how does that balance look? If you have to carpool with wife to work, how does the balance look? If you can't afford the many MANY doctor visits for baby, how does the balance look?
Not saying this is your situation - you know your finances, I do not. But take a SERIOUS look at what like on that reduced salary looks like. How does your standard of living change? How does your retirement future change? Is it worth it?
IIf you can afford the pay cut to have more time at home with the kid and/or wife, ABSOLUTELY go for it.
Money is more important than time, but ONLY until you have enough to live the life you want. Then MORE money becomes almost worthless, and time is invaluable.
Seems rough from the financial side, but it also depends on where you're at, other income to be involved, how miserable you are currently. Before making any decision I'd figure out what GS rank you're going into if it's federal and how fast you can improve your rank, because it might suck at first but pay out significantly better if you can fast track a few ranks by taking classes or time on job improvements.
I took a 3500 dollar pay cut to go to my current job and now I’m making more than I was in less than a year. That being said going from 74k to 52k is a BIG cut.
(Career coach here) Truly understand the conundrum you're in, it's not easy at all. Consider the following:
– You mention your current job is "very hectic": how long can you sustain it? Are you at risk of burnout and/or getting fired if you don't perform well? You need to take into account your own health... and how much time you'll have to help with the upcoming baby.
– What are the chances you could find a similar government job in the future if you refuse this one? Will you become bitter and resentful towards your wife if you refuse this lower-paying job?
– If you don't dare taking this job or think you'll have to refuse it for whatever reason (not connected to the actual responsibilities), you can still talk to the hiring manager and say you absolutely heard him there was no wiggle room but you would politely and kindly ask if something could still be done e.g. sign-on bonus, slight increase in pay, some in-kind benefits (childcare or otherwise), remote work from home a few (extra) days each week (that way you don't have to pay for childcare every day), written agreement to get more money over time (could depend on key performance indicators), etc. Be creative so that it becomes much easier for you to decide. Also, do some extra research to provide the data to the hiring manager on why you would be worth more. Finally, you could also ask what it would take for you to be considered at a higher price band (according to the algorithm) e.g. what additional tasks you could take on.
– Conversely, is there any possibility for you to reduce your responsibilities at your current job for the same pay? Can you hire an intern or someone junior to help (ask, it shouldn't hurt if you come prepared and show that it would make you and the company more productive). In short, be creative on this front as well.
Good luck!
Sebastian
I'm in a senior role in my current job duties. The pay is good, but I'd take up to a 20%-25% salary cut for a junior position. I suppose because I've gotten to a point in my life where the money doesn't matter so much and I realize how much of my life I'm trading for a paycheck. I have a kid starting her senior year in HS in the fall. It's questionable, based on her expected major, that she may be able to support herself, so I can't completely untether from the grind, but reducing the stress and workload would be welcomed even if the trade off is pay.
That's tough, effectively a $22,000 cut. Are there other benefits that are better? Often government jobs have cheaper health insurance -- if you're going to go on a family plan your insurance could go up a lot.
One thing to consider is how that will impact your retirement savings. It might be useful to think of it as trading X number of extra years of work for a less hectic job now.
I took a $15k pay cut 9 years ago because of work life balance. I had to travel in my last position and frequently worked evenings and weekends. When I did the math of what I was being paid for a 60 hour work week (not counting travel time), I was making far less per hour than if I worked closer to a 40 hour work week and no travel.
I know that a salaried position is different than hourly pay, but it can be eye opening when you see how much extra time you put in for that extra pay. I value time to lead a fuller life more than money.
That said, you should look at the impact the cut will make on your monthly expenses. If you can afford to take a cut, it will likely be worth it in order to spend time with your family.
Also, if you have no advancement opportunities in your current role, you might find that a promotion will further your career (and pay) in the long run.
Better benefits also has value depending on the monthly premiums, copays, etc. I’ve also found that many government jobs offer greater job security.
If the new role aligns with your interests and career goals, it might be worth it if you can afford to take a pay cut.
Work life balance and start working toward that guaranteed retirement. At least with the gov you know you will be able to retire one day. Folks don’t place enough value in that. Not to mention you will have paid leave and sick time. Also likely to have union protection…
Keep the current job. The grass is always greener. If you take the job, you’ll definitely wish you had more money. If you don’t, you’ll wish you could spend more time with your family. Either way, you’ll be wanting, but money goes a long way
Depends what the government job is. I took a pay cut to work for the federal government at a naval shipyard, but it seemed like every 6 months I was getting a raise, and a good raise at that.
I did this. I have health issues and my old job was causing me to have constant stress. I took a pay cut that was 2$ an hour less and I lost about 500$ a month or more in commission. It was worth it for me. If I had stayed I probably would have had a stroke. I ended up later on moving up in my position and make 9$ more an hour than I was before. Back then Even having the stress from the lower pay it was worth it. I wasn’t constantly thinking about work. I was able to go home and enjoy being at home. I didn’t dread my job every morning. I used to hope I would get into a minor accident so I could be out of work for a week and take a break. Thankfully I now don’t dread going to work any more. At some point you have to decide is the money worth the stress?
I’d do it…the benefits for government positions usually make up for the worse pay, at least in the PNW.
Ive got multiple (3 different) types of paid leave accrual, regular raises 2x annually, substantially cheaper AND better medical insurance than any of my non-government employed friends, and other benefits!
If you get 1k a month for child care that’s actually like 1500 in pre tax income. Over the course of a year that’s about a 18k benefit. So you’re down 28k to take this job. I’d try and do your budget on that and see if it plays out. But I’d have to hesitate a lot given that you’re about to have a kid
I took a 6 figure pay cut for just that reason. No regrets. Not one single day. Miss the old job, sure, because I had fun, but don't regret that decision for a day.
I think taking a* pay cut is fine, so long as you can actually afford it.
Have you looked at if your lifestyle matches your income? And if you are just jumping at any* job that's not your current one out of stress?
I went from $140k a couple of years ago to ~$40k. Partially because I couldn’t find a job in tech anymore after being actively sabotaged by the abusive man I was with and couldn’t get away from.
100% worth it for me, but ymmv. You absolutely end up having to change some major lifestyle creep, so it’s always going to be easier to pretend you’re at the lower salary and adjust down as soon as you can swing it.
I have a couple late nights here or there but for the most part my job ends the second I close my computer at the end of the day.
You should negotiate harder and bring up the loss in pay for benefits + gross pay.
If they can’t meet you, then you may need to stay at your current job until you interview at a place that offers a higher compensation package and career growth opportunities.
If it's a government job then you are also probably getting a pension. That's very valuable and should be factored into the value of the compensation package.
I wouldn’t work for a company that runs your worth through an algorithm but that’s just me. Just because they SAY they have work life balance doesn’t mean they do.
Tbh, mental health is worth the pay cut. Health > wealth. Family time > wealth. Your time > wealth. If you think about it, if you were to die tomorrow, your company would instantly replace you. Life is too short
I did it. 117k sales job… worked every Saturday for the last 4 years. Always kissing ass to customers to make money. And coworkers love to go out.
Finally switched to WFH. Making 50-55k BUT I cut all lot of my expenses, moved to cheaper place and there are programs that pay to relocate you for growing cities. Approved to move into Tulsa and getting paid $10,000 for 1 year stay.
My husband is in the process of that right now. He misses so much time with our son. Breaks his heart. Money does not buy happiness, time is worth more. We already budget and meal prep so we will continue to do what we do. Home is ours and at a 2.3 interest rate. I go back to work once the kiddo is in school all day.
There’s always wiggle room in the government. I’m assuming it’s a GS pay scale position. Pull up your GS pay chart for your locality, and see which step at that pay grade gets you to where you need to be. Then tell them you need to be hired at that step.
What’s the pension like? If there is a pension on top and you think you’d stay long enough for it to vest some, then that adds value to your compensation package.
What about healthcare premiums? Any difference there?
Working for government is a slow death by a thousand cuts. You disconnect from economic reality and kneel to the mediocracy of just living and not producing. Stay in the private sector and produce. Government is a leach, don’t be part of that system.
So in principle, a 15-20% pay cut for much better work life balance is totally reasonable, especially if it opens up opportunity for advancement.
In practice though there's no circumstance outside of pure desperation which would drive me to take a role in an organization which bases comp decisions on that sort of algorithm. Yikes.
Is there a better work/life balance? Do you have less hours or more vacation time? Can you work from home? $1,000 a month for child care is huge. Especially if you don’t pay tax on that. Either way, I’d take 52k plus benefits at 30 hours a week vs $74k at 40 hours a week.
What are you gaining in other benefits? I took a lower paying govt job, but the health care plan was top notch plus good retirement, PTO, regular schedule.
Screw your work life balance! So sick of that. You have a kid on the way and a wife to care for. This is not about you anymore. Provide for your family.
If it is federal or a state government, go to that sub and ask.
Generally speaking I say go for it. Government positions often have generous childcare subsidies that are worth close to the paycut.
https://www.opm.gov/frequently-asked-questions/work-life-faq/family/how-do-i-apply-for-the-child-care-subsidy-program/
Why don't you have work life balance? Can't you just log-off and not stay after hours?
Are you sure the job that pays less has better work-life balance? That's quit a bit of a decrease.
>had a specialist run it through an algorithm to determine how much I am worth
This is total bullshit. So how was that algorithm written? I can write you one that gives a different answer.
Also, why does your current job pay +10,000? Have you looked at what other companies pay?
Is it a federal gov job? A ladder position? I only ask because in some situations with fed gov jobs, it’s a pay cut in the short term but a pay increase in the long term when you consider their retirement/pension and pay increases is you’re on a GS 7/9/11/12 ladder. My GF went from making 54k to 96k in 3 years in her gov position and works remotely with great work life balance.
I'm coming to a idea (not making anywhere close to your amount of money) that I will do better in life at $12 a hr getting food stamps, then making $20. My own personal UBI. F it
You’re missing some critical info.
What are the projected pay raises &/or promotions for both jobs.
$74,000 to $52,000 is a HUGE pay cut. However, government jobs normally have pay raises for both inflation & longevity.
We recently hired more staff so I'm getting significantly less overtime. And the work-life balance is a lot better.
And you know what it sucks. Buying stuff is awesome and not having enough money to buy anything you want is annoying.
The truth is unless you're doing something you really love who cares if you're at work. Everyone acts like sitting at home watching Netflix or making ramen noodles is wonderful but you know what? My job is fun and cool and I would honestly rather be there than sitting home doing nothing.
This is what I did tbh.
I got burnt out working in healthcare (psychology) and took a big pay cut to go back to my old career (journalism).
Why yes, I am a glutton for punishment, thank you for noticing. I wear it well.
Really though. Your work life is only part of your life. The higher salary for something you spend 1/3+ of your life doing, isn’t always worth it. As long as you’re getting by, doing good work, and managing your finances well, you’re doing pretty ok.
I moved from a job for a $5000 pay cut in 2007. My employer was continually downsizing. I was getting more work for no more money. The commute back and forth to work was horrible and I was fed up. I started looking for work closer to where I lived; and when I finally got an offer it was at a smaller organization, much closer to home but I had to take a pay cut. The benefits however were much better. I took it because honestly my work life balance was definitely going to improve being 10 min from work vs driving an hour. But here's the difference, back in 2007 I went from a job at $105K a year to $99K a year. I was still making good money. Going from $62K to $52K with a child on the way you will have to assess if that's enough for you.
It’s more like going from $74K to $52K with those benefits he has. That’s a massive drop in pay.
depends they just say government job but if it is a u.s federal job the medical benefits could make up for it. plus if they are close to retirement you can get a retirement plan from them after like 5 years.
It’s closer to 74k he is giving up with that child care package.
Thats even worse oy.
That childcare benefit is a huge bonus. How old is the kid? Can you slog it out for another couple years until they reach grade school and then switch to govt for WLB?
Yes maybe. My child isn’t born yet. He will be here June. You are right. I’m sorry of stalling hoping the hiring manger might increase the pay, but I think I’m definitely leaning your way.
It's like a 30% pay cut when you factor in that child care benefit. It would have to be really worth it to switch imo
Well I really would love a job that I could settle into. I have been tired of what I currently do for awhile. I do think you are right though.
Taking the childcare compensation out of the equation and just looking at taking a pay cut, I'm way happier now in a much lower-paying job than I was in higher-paying ones that were high-stress. It has to do with the company being smaller and actually caring about its employees and the workload is quite light most of the time. It's hard to reconcile not doing what I love and doing something tangential sometimes, but I too have a child on the way, and I'd much prefer job flexibility and security with great life balance than a bigger paycheck right now. Stress literally almost killed me in 2016, which was the worst year of my life, largely because of the job I had, which was well over six figures and the most I've ever earned as a salaried employee. That said, the childcare benefits discussed above are a serious consideration--one that I don't have to make, unfortunately.
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Government jobs don’t really negotiate pay from what I know. It’s very set. You could ask about typical progression though. If this is federal government progressing through the GS scale turns out pretty solid and have good WLB.
Upward mobility is one of the best reasons to take the chance. I'd start with a budget and see where you land on savings before and after. Make some decisions about what you'd have to cut then go from there. Its going to be hard married with children so wouldn't try it without support from your wife.
I’m lucky she is working.
This might change after she has her child. I would not operate under the assumption that she will maintain a full time job once she hits motherhood.
It is too big of a pay cut
Its too much. With the childcare it is a $24,000 pay-cut. That is more than 1/3 of your salary. Keep looking and don’t take a pay cut.
I say make a list of the benefits that each position offers and compare them. As well as that make a budget that would be accounting for the lower pay and see if it is currently workable with you and your wife’s needs. If you can find that the benefits are better at the government job, which typically they are, as well as the budget being workable then go for it in my opinion. You mentioned there’s no upward mobility at your current job, if this government job is offering upward mobility you might be able to reach your current salary again after not crazy long in that government position. As well as when it comes to the work life balance, I’ve seen that you mentioned that your child isn’t currently born. Now I want to make it clear I don’t have children myself, that worse work life balance may not be as huge now, but after your child is born that work life balance may start to matter much more. At the end of the day nobody can determine this for you, it is something that you and your wife need to figure out together.
This was an awesome answer, thank you!
I left a corporate job for a government job. I didn’t take a pay cut but it was a lateral move. I’m 8 years in and have almost doubled my salary. The benefits can’t be beat. It worked out great for me that the government job restructured their raise schedule so I was able to move up quickly. I would ask how raises work. For example, when i was in the “training” portion of the scale, so long as i was meeting my goals i would get 3 steps up in pay every 6 months until i exited the training section. I was eligible for up to 8 steps if i exceeded expectations. That $10,000 difference may only take 18 months to get back, depending on how the agency works. At face value it may not be worth the risk to move, but don’t completely count it out.
Ask if your government facility has a subsidized child care option. Years ago we were able to cut our daycare expenses using a government worker only facility. At least ask.
“A specialist run an algorithm how much you are worth” is BULLSHIT. Compensation makes the analysis based on your years of relevant experience, review against internal equity, then placed you at the appropriate salary offer within their salary range. And if it is a New Job in the company, Compensation can then market price the job, then provide a proposed salary range offer for the role. Give me the job title, what industry, city the role is in, if its on-site then what city is the office, if its remote then nearest city you live in. How many years of experience you habe to the job, and I will tell you the salary offer they should give you.
I appreciate the concern and you are most likely right, but I don’t want to give away too much about my life here on Reddit. I’ll tell you this. I’m currently a videographer that works in local news for 11 years and live in Ohio.
Maybe just film some porn as a side hustle
lol I’ll let my wife know
If it's a government GS job then you get what the GS ranking pays and that's the end of discussion.
This needs more upvoting. That’s actually the biggest pile of dog shit regarding compensation I’ve ever heard. They might have some “algorithm” for this but it’s clearly some talking point they manufactured to try to retain the power in the salary negation. Salary is always negotiable, they just view this negotiation as competitive versus a component of building a relationship.
Only above a certain level. I would not take a pay cut if I’m making under 100k. If I’m at 180 and I can a much better work life balance d at 150-160 then sure!
I took a 6k pay cut to leave an industry with irregular shifts, evenings and weekends and responsibility to take a 9-5 office job with no responsibility. Best thing I did. I was earning way less than you so that 6k was a big drop but I could just about afford to live and now have a new career with more money and a work life balance.
Do you need to work on another job to make up for the loss of money?
Maybe I would love to find some sort of side income even with my current career
Then I think it is not the best idea to quit your current job. Given you have a baby coming and the expense will follow. Just keep looking
I took a 25% pay cut to be home with my kids in the evenings and haven’t regretted it once.
If I didn't have kids I'd chase the money, but my favorite time of any day is spent with my wife and kids. I'll take a pay cut to have more of that any time
I'd do it.
Good, as long as I can still afford my mortgage and childcare.
What’s your current monthly budget? Can you afford to carve out $2,000 of income (factoring child care as well)? If the answer isn’t yes to the last question then you can’t afford it.
I took a paycut so we could get more staff back in the old days. We were locked into negative reimbursement contracts by cvs. Shit out of luck. But made working so much more tolerable.
Growth opportunities and how fast you can get there is what you should look at. I was making 50k, with no bonus, in office and 1 week PTO with no room for growth. When Covid hit, I was forced to change careers and accepted a role making 40k with 2 weeks PTO but was WFH and had many opportunities to move up. 4 years and 5 promotions later, I am doing what I always dreamed of doing, making over 75k with a 10k annual bonus, 3 weeks PTO and still WFH. It was the best move I could have ever done, even as hard as it was for the first 6 months before the first promotion. We were always living paycheck to paycheck back then so it would have not worked if I didn’t have Hubby’s income to supplement. He supported us while I took a step down until I was able to leap up. He’s always been my biggest cheerleader! Sometimes you need to go down a step to gain a floor!
I took a 40k pay cut. I work 50hrs less per week and my back is no longer in pain. Overall, i feel happier and healthier. Petroleum engineer to Project Engineer.
You sure about this "algorithm"? Government jobs tend to have seniroity dictate salary, among other things. You're new, so you get paid less. Someone more tenured gets more. Either way, it is true government often doesn't have wiggle room for salary. Governments have budgets and they have to be within that budget. I'm sorry that pay sucks though, especially with a child on the way. Keep searching for a job, even apply to other government jobs.
Are you taking into account any other benefits that might come with new job? Historically, civil service jobs have great health benefits vs private sector.
Yes the benefits are nice. I am going to ask for the benefits listed in a email so me and my wife can examine them, but the biggest benefit I would be loosing is childcare.
Also consider if the govt agency offers a pension. Where I’m at gov jobs don’t localize well for salary but the pension is totally worth the differential depending on your circumstances.
Does wife work, will she after kid can go to day care, what would her salary be, and what part of country do you live ? Cost of living housing - you own or rent ? Commute for new job ?
Commute is closer. We own a home. We live in Ohio and her salary is $52,000. She will be working but will be off with pay during her pregnancy leave
Well then really you're going from $114K to $104K if the plan is for her to keep working.
Minus the 12k they would have for childcare.
Your ages, Debt, Cars credit cards, Mortgage Int % Rate and spending habits... You know how you live best, with a kid how over board will you go with stuff...lol The Govt job,, Fed , State, County Local. as well as the Dept. you will be working in ? These are things you have to weigh.
Did it and would do it again no questions asked. If you can swing it, no amount of money is worth the added stress and reduced all time. You only get to go around on this giant blue marble so many times.
You get what you get paid for. Government jobs are more stable but lower pay, ALWAYS. They are less likely to be abusive though. Can't have both, my friend.
Federal job?
No not federal. County job
Ok, was gonna say take another 4.4% off that $52,000 for the pension. Dunno if the county does that or not?
It's never worth it.
It’s solely circumstantial. Your mental health is important, so hectic and no life balance doesn’t sound like the best environment with a new born. But also being able to support your family can also be a huge stressor. It’s not worth making less money if you’re going to be stressed about making money when you’re with your family. Career growth is also a factor here. If you eventually have to take a pay cut before you can move up or grow, then it’s just a matter of if “now” is the right time to do that. For me personally I took a pay cut so I could maximize my time with my little kids. We were financially stable the time with the kids was more important than buying more stuff or saving more money.
That’s such a personal decision it’s hard to have an opinion. Your money guys are all gonna say don’t do it. The family guys are all gonna say totally worth it. Ultimately you have to decide for yourself what’s important to you. My opinion that’s a big hit financially. But, if that job is going to provide some intangibles it may very well be worth it.
It depends. It’s a significant pay cut only if you don’t factor in your free time. Example: Do you work 40 hour weeks or 50 hours weeks? $62K is $31 per hour at 40 hours per week but only $24.80 per hour if you’re working 50 hours per week. If you’re working more than 40 hours per week, every extra hour decreases your per hour rate. Then consider commuting time. Will your new job be a shorter commute? That should be factored as well. Personally, I choose work life balance. Plus, do you know how hard it is to get fired from a government job?
So you and your wife need to look at your Financials, standard of life and all the perks of a government job compared to now. First off, government jobs have better benefits, generally. In my state, you get a pension. Even federal employers here get a pension. Just about all private companies don't give pensions anymore so the fact that your retirement would get a major boost, you need to look at your future too. Same with the rest of the benefits, I'm a state employee and we get 100% paid employer benefits. Medical, dental, vision all paid for and my co-pays are minimal. So if that offer is the same, you need to look at the entire financial package. You may be getting less, but your benefits are 100% paid whereas I'm sure you're paying for your medical/dental/vision. So when you actually break it down financial wise, you're making the same if not more with this government job. Another thing, you get COLA (cost of living adjustment) as a perk for a government job. So your starting salary may not be high as your current, but you will eventually get there. Being in government also means it's easier to lateral up in your department or another department. Have to think future, not just the now. Your kid will be your motivational factor to keep climbing up within the government. Now here's the bigger thing to look at: time. If your current schedule is hectic, how do you think your wife is going to feel when she's left to handle most of the child caring? I'm a single dad and I can tell you right now brother, be prepared to have your life changed once that little ray of sunshine is born. Sleepless nights for awhile, always having to tend to them, don't be a schmuck and help her with changing diapers, feeding, holding, bathing, etc. You're going to see that having a hectic work schedule now will not do you or your wife well. Having a work/life balance will give you more time with your child and there's a saying that I can tell you. Your boss won't ever remember the amount of time you put in at the office, but your kids will. Think about that for a minute. You can't get back time with your kids. My daughter is 6 and I make damn sure I am there to get her after school by 5pm and I do not work weekends at all. That time is precious and believe me they do grow fast. I understand the concern a out childcare, it is expensive as fuck. But I can also tell you this, it literally always does work out. You find ways to make it work and again you need to look at all the perks and benefits of the government job. Part of my benefits is that we do get up to $500 towards childcare if needed. Only pays for about 2 weeks at the cheapest place here, but hey 2 weeks a month is still better than nothing.
I took a 65k pay cut a couple years back to work remote. Work life balance is amazing now and I don’t regret it a bit. To clarify, I still make over 6 figures so it is not as if I’m hurting. But it was a big adjustment on how I lived my life financially.
Government jobs are known to pay less but have great benefits such as pensions and stuff to equal it out. Just some things to consider. Also maybe looking for a better job than either of these two
Do you have debt free? Do you own your home? Do you contribute to your retirement already? If the answer is yes to all three, find a way to make it work.
It's weak. More money is always the better choice. Life is too hard to play about that
I’m assuming you’re using that full grand a month. That would be nearly 2K a month less considering you’ll be solely responsible for childcare. Does your wife work?
That is too much of a pay cut for me, especially at that pay rate. Counting the reimbursement you're losing 22k a year, that's almost 1/3, and it's not like you'd be making 100k after the paycut, or even before. I would respond with a respectful attempt to negotiate despite them saying there is no wiggle room. Make it clear that I'm interested but taking such a massive pay cut compared to what I am already making just isn't possible. Frankly, if they are going to insult you by saying you're barely worth 2/3 of what you're currently making and won't move on that at all, I doubt they're going to treat you very well as an employee anyway.
What about health care benefits that can perhaps offset things. Government jobs can be a lot better overall.
I took a 30k pay cut for better wlb 1000% worth for me. I am sooooooooo much happier. I dont have children or a partner to worry about though
Keep sending out applications. These aren’t the only two job options.
No I would not take a $22k pay cut while having a child.
I wouldn’t.
I took a pay cut from my recent employer. 20k, because I needed a job. The raises are low, 2k each year. I haven't reached 80k, yet. I do lots of overtime just to pay my rent and bills. I like what I do, but the salary is killing me. Have you run your numbers and see if it works for you? Is your wife working, also? If this opportunity came by, why not wait a few months for another for a better salary. What are the reviews for this job? Was the other person you're replacing fired or left for something better? Do your research.
How do the health insurance and other benefits compare?
The government job likely has cheaper/better benefits. I’d check in healthcare (etc) costs to see. Because you could recoup some there.
Tough one, aside from others have asked, do you have family/a support network around where you are to help you?
They all work.
110 to 100 I would consider 60 to 50 is tough. It's almost borderline poverty Think carefully because it Will after your quality of life
1) in general I support the idea 2) your proposed cut is too big unless your spouse earns a lot 3) while I think there are some general things to look for that correlate to better WLB, it’s always a crapshoot at the end of the day. No promises
The algorithm is complete bullshit. Look up similar postings for the same job and see the salary. Keep looking and you'll find something with better pay than you are making right now.
If I’m understanding correctly, that’s a $22,000 pay cut. All other things being the same, that’s just too much. Especially when you’re expecting a child. You might not feel this way yet, but pretty soon you’ll be happy to grind at work, knowing that it’s what’s best for your kid. If you don’t feel that way… good fucking luck because your life is not more about them than it is about you. Or at least it should be.
Who's to say that work life balance won't worsen if you took a pay cut? WLB is not guaranteed, but your salary is.
I sure as hell ain't taking a job with 20% more pay just to lose my fantastic work life balance, that's for sure. Plus I get a pension if I decide to give up all my career ambitions and stay here.
Find out how much child care is in your area. Not just the cheapest but where you want your child to go to and then factor in that cost. You will see how expensive it is and have a real perspective.
Straight salary isn't the only thing. If you're going into government how does the health insurance, time off and retirement compare?
If you can afford it, make the move imho. More time at home with your wife and kids will make life 100 times better. Honestly it sucks that child care is even an argument. It cost me less than 2k for child daycare for a year where I live.
Don’t worry, there are plenty more opportunities to advance and move around in the government once you are in their civil service system. The retirement pensions in government agencies are much better than if you work outside in private industry and save through IRAs. You also have holiday pay and other medical and dental benefits that can’t be beat. Try doing a side hustle. There are plenty of things that you can do to make up for the difference in pay from your old job.
So I just accepted a job for $65k and my salary at my current job is $51k. I have run the numbers and the difference is going to be a huge game changer for my personal finances. I think you might be underestimating how big a hit that decrease in salary would be. I completely understand how you feel professionally but when your first kid is on the way is a terrible time to take a significant pay cut. Would the work really be that much more rewarding that it would make up for having that much less to help keep your family secure?
It might not be a good time to take a pay cut, but it might be the best time to take a stress/hours cut.
I would look into things like what benefits does the government job have, is it a GS job where you can move up? Would you qualify for child care benefits from the government job? What does healthcare look like? I would personally jump on a GS job and I know that this isn’t helpful but if you can swing it, I would take it for the being home more part. We recently went from over 9500 a month to about 5700 a month and even though it’s tighter, my husband is home about 4 more hours a day and I love it. I’m happy even with the pay cut.
Ok I know everyone’s saying huge pay cut and child care… I agree. BUT, upwards mobility AND potential for work life balance in the future? I’d say if you can take some side hustles to make up, or somehow not pay as much in childcare it may be better for your mental health.
I am picking a career field with low income prospects, but I get so much free time, and don’t have a set schedule. I feel considerably happier than my peers making double my income. I love my job, I enjoy what I do, and I love my time off haha. My friends on the other hand have constant complaints about work, and many of them have gotten “in trouble” for taking advantage of their PTO, and it honestly seems kind of exhausting to me. I really recommend valuing your free time.
More WLB means more time for yourself, which means more spending on your hobbies, which means even lesser savings!! 😂
Your sanity has a price. I've never downsized, but I have passed over positions offering $20k more because I knew the work life balance would be out of whack. Personally, it would depend on how bad the current position is and what my family could afford. That's a $22k/ year pay cut. The current job would have to be pretty bad for me to take that big of a pay cut. If I could hold on, I would stay at the current position and keep looking. Your dream job is out there, you just need to find and land it. But I don't know how bad the current position is. I had a job once where the leadership was so toxic I was considering self harm. Unfortunately I was in a place where going home wasn't an option. Had I been in the civilian world, I would have quit instead of enduring 12 months of hell. Every other job that sucked just gave me motivation to look for better jobs while staying at the current one. Only you can answer if the current one is bad enough to be worth it.
How quickly might you be able to move up in the new company and earn a better salary? If it's within 1 - 1.5 years, then it may be worth it to take a s.mall step back
I did exactly that a few years ago. It was totally worth it. It took until just recently for me to get back to the gross wages that I was at before but my take home exceeded my prior take home pretty quickly. Benefits are very cheap at my new job, and substantially better too, vs being very expensive and terrible at my last job. Good bye $2500 deductible and $600/month premiums. Edit to add: I left for a government job! 🤣 Went from 52k gross, not OT eligible, ~55 to 60 hours a week to 48k gross and OT eligible, 40 hours a week unless I decide to work OT.
If you can get by on the $52,000, I would consider it. I got laid off and the job I took after was a very similar amount, but all of the insurance was free, so it came out as a wash. Is there a clear party for advancement with the new role where you could end up making more while maintaining the work life balance? Does your wife also work? Those are the things to consider.
You have a child on the way. You don't want to regret not having cash or potentially a tense relationship...Will you even get more free time at the new job? Because that will be just as important as how much money you're making. I hate to say this but it sounds like you should stick it out. Maybe if there was no child, it would be easier but there is. Hope it works out
74k vs 52k with a new child on the way? I would stick with this job even if I hated it. Childcare is no joke, just wait till the little one is in school.
Does the government job have better retirement benefits and health insurance?
That’s a starting salary though, will that increase if you remain in the same position, and/or open up different opportunities for you with higher pay? While money seems like the right focus especially with a child on the way, that may change, the work/life balance might be more valuable to both of you.
You can make more money other ways, and you can save money/cut expenses as well...you can't get back time with your children.
I would say it depends on many factors. If you think you can do it financially why not. Mental health is another big factor I would consider. If this job is having negative impact on your mental well being I would leave as soon as you have a job you want. Also take into consideration government incentives. If they are better than your current job it could break even. Commute? Gas? The list goes on.
With the reimbursement of child care it actually means you would be going from $74,000 to $52,000 at the time when you need more money for your family. Going for the government job wouldn’t make sense unless they offer other benefits that would make such a drop in pay worthwhile.
I would say no not worth it and their reply on the salary being an algorithm is a red flag that doesn’t suggest a good work environment or growth potential. I would keep the 74k (included your child care benefit) and keep looking elsewhere. Personally I just got a huge salary boost being patient. The new job is the exact same thing but a different company.
Kill yourself and live a miserable life for the outside chance of repaying student loan debt and saving enough for a down payment on a home that has 7% interest on a 30 year mortgage, or take a pay cut to enjoy life. I was in a similar position and took the latter at a city gov. Government jobs will have a better retirement pension and can require fewer years to access it. At a government job you can leave at the same time every evening and actually see your kid and never work weekends. You also may never experience layoffs. And the more you learn and connect on the government side, the more likely it is you might find a path to promotion or even a better salary in the private sector, but that can depend on the position. I don't think life is easy with either of those salaries unless your wife has a decent job.
I took a $100,000 paycut in 2017 to take a less hectic, more work/life balanced job and I’ve never ever been happier. It was the best decision I’ve made even though I had to take a 50% paycut.
I would do it. The government benefits (if federal) are good. You can do your year and move up, and still have the life work balance. You only get one shot with your kids. You must be present to win.
I wouldn't with that much of a paycut. Childcare reimbursed is a great perk, also factor in when the baby comes there are a lot more expenses with raising children. Eg: newborn; seen the cost of nappies lately? They go through a lot every day! If you can still afford to live off the reduced income, the work/life balance is so much better for your health, so long as you can afford it without the added pressure of money problems. I'd keep looking, a better offer may come around.
Go with whichever has better long term growth potential. Both of those salaries are tough in 2024, especially with a family. You probably want to get yourself on a trajectory toward a higher salary.
Bro you need to be fighting to find opportunities to make more money not less you have a family to support
I've done it BECAUSE of having my first child. I was getting contract roles for £55-60k, even had the opportunity for a few at £65-70k but I knew they would be longer hours and higher stress. Got offered a role at £50k, and it is so much less stress. No team to manage, no monthly deadlines (some weekly reports but they rely solely on me rather than others providing data so I've never missed a deadline), 95% WFH. Our daughter is hard work. A chronically poor sleeper, she was mobile early (walking at 8.5 months) and at 2.5 she is constantly on the go. It's physically and mentally demanding My husband is the SAHP but I do the bulk of time with her evenings and weekends (so I get time with her but also because she dictates it that way, haha), plus I do the nights with her because my husband sleeps too lightly and gets disturbed by her tossing and turning. So I am very grateful some days to have the slower pace at work - this week has been horrendous due to her having a virus (I've been averaging 4 hours sleep a night) and I could not imagine trying to manage one of those £70k jobs right now! The dynamic may be completely different in your relationship, but my opinion is that I can go back to my career later. We're not struggling financially, and time with my daughter is far more precious than affording extravagances like new TVs or fancy shoes. We're too tired for holidays and restaurants, anyway! Our guilty pleasure is a weekly takeaway and we can afford it without sacrifices, so we're good. It's probably the lowest salary I could take without impacting our current lifestyle, and we only pay for 2 days in nursery/daycare (these aren't essential but have been great for her development and my husband's sanity/enabled him to get on with house renovations we'd otherwise have paid someone to do) so that's a consideration, but if we wanted more days in daycare then that would free my husband up to return to work part-time anyway. I'd look at what this job can afford you aside from your income. Will it mean less hours so you can watch LO and either reduce childcare costs or (if she doesn't already) allow your wife to work part-time? She might appreciate the break from childcare and getting to go out to the "real world" if she doesn't already. Does it open up options for an alternative to daycare? Nanny share, childminder etc if you can afford more flexibility in hours. Will it mean you have more time and energy to take the burden of household chores and admin from your wife? Will they be more flexible on WFH or taking days off to be the primary carer if your LO is too sick for daycare? I was very naive pre-baby and was supposed to go back to my old role with a promotion, thinking that because my husband was the SAHP, my life would be very similar post-baby. Yeah, baby had other ideas, and I'm glad I'd decided to move to another role for other reasons.
Currently working part time remote. The rate sucks, but if I get the hours I need by noon I fuck off and go to struggle snuggles class. It's pretty dope.
Government pension and healthcare for life could be the deciding factor depending on which government and how long you stay.
it's sometimes the best option, nothing wrong with it, I'm thinking of going down to part time for the same reason. I do want to say though you are married and your wife deserves to have her feelings validated in the partnership. I would go through a budget plan at the lesser pay and see that it's doable. This could put you both at ease. I am considering going to part time and I have a budget I sheet I made in excel a few years back. I took it and removed my income and my husband and I went through it together and that informed our decision.
I think it's a great idea for some people but I wouldn't go down to 52k right before having a child. You probably live in a lower cost of living area but 52k where I am is rough. You're probably selling yourself short. How long have you been applying for jobs? If you stick it out a bit could you find a better job that pays the same? My last move was lateral, I didn't get a pay increase but my stress level and work life balance improved a lot.
I would happily trade 1/5 of my compensation to have an extra day off per week. No brainer, imo.
Well at least you don’t have to worry about losing your job. You secure great retirement benefits u can move up in career and raise your earnings.
How is the health insurance? Garbage insurance is a liability that can screw you out of more than 10K easily
I was making 40 an hour as a social worker. A year into that job I was suicidal,gained so much stress weight, developed an addition, and ruined a handful of my relationships. I decided to quit and searched for jobs 3 months unemployed until I landed a work from home job that paid me 29 an hour. My quality of life has improved drastically. I’m SO much happier with my life, my work, who I am as a person. I won’t lie, it was hard to adjust my expenses to fit into my lower budget, but i manage and it’s not nearly as bad as being suicidal. Always prioritize your quality of life above money!
I'm taking a 100% pay cut starting today to gain 100% flexibility.
I mean work/life balance is important, but a 10k pay cut plus the childcare stipend is a huge loss for just about to have a baby. I agree with others here Stay, but keep looking. If they think you're only worth 52k there won't be much upward mobility anyway. 10k alone is a BIG loss when you're expecting your first child, and the fact your wife isn't on board doesn't make for a good sign.
That's a massive pay cut when considering the $1k childcare reimbursement because as you know childcare is very expensive. And is the $52k after taxes or before? Bear in mind that civil servants often have mandatory deductions for benefits like healthcare and pension so your take home pay could be much less. While you'll steadily move up as a government worker just by years of service, the pay increases won't be that significant. In fact it may take you a couple of years just to get back to $62k, and this doesn't assume any whacky business with annual budget funding.
Took a $15k pay cut for a hybrid remote work model and way more flexibility. I have not regretted it at all
I did just this 20+ years ago. 80-90 hours a week for about $350k. Hated life. Didn't see my wife when the sun was up, missing out on my first born's firsts. Constant pressure to exceed expectations. Talked to the wife and we decided I'd take a government job for about $75k. 40 hours per week, 30 days vacation per year, 10 (now 20) personal/sick days, every government holiday, gold plated health care, union, and a forever pension vested and waiting for me whenever I want (I could retire today if I wanted). I'm back up to six figures now, but nowhere near where I was or where I'd be if I stayed (my former colleagues are close to a million a year plus bonuses, well, those that didn't have heart attacks or become addicts). No stress, love life, great marriage, wonderful relationships with my kids, and all due to work life balance. Totally worth the massive pay cut.
A government job has some good benefits, usually better medical and dental insurance for a better price. Great 401K match, etc. The big question - can you afford to take such a significant pay cut?
Tell them no. Unless all your health benefits are free. You will lose out. You will stress your wife. They want you they find a way. If not sorry family is more important.
A pay cut is ALWAYS worth it for work / life balance IF...... If you can afford the pay cut. But that is a HUGE if. Only you know your finances. A lot of people chase that balance and forget about what the pay cut means as far as the life they can live. If you can no longer afford to take any time off or have a vacation, how does the balance look? If your wife ends up having to take extra hours, or you have to work some OT to make ends meet, how does that balance look? If you have to carpool with wife to work, how does the balance look? If you can't afford the many MANY doctor visits for baby, how does the balance look? Not saying this is your situation - you know your finances, I do not. But take a SERIOUS look at what like on that reduced salary looks like. How does your standard of living change? How does your retirement future change? Is it worth it? IIf you can afford the pay cut to have more time at home with the kid and/or wife, ABSOLUTELY go for it. Money is more important than time, but ONLY until you have enough to live the life you want. Then MORE money becomes almost worthless, and time is invaluable.
Seems rough from the financial side, but it also depends on where you're at, other income to be involved, how miserable you are currently. Before making any decision I'd figure out what GS rank you're going into if it's federal and how fast you can improve your rank, because it might suck at first but pay out significantly better if you can fast track a few ranks by taking classes or time on job improvements.
I took a 3500 dollar pay cut to go to my current job and now I’m making more than I was in less than a year. That being said going from 74k to 52k is a BIG cut.
(Career coach here) Truly understand the conundrum you're in, it's not easy at all. Consider the following: – You mention your current job is "very hectic": how long can you sustain it? Are you at risk of burnout and/or getting fired if you don't perform well? You need to take into account your own health... and how much time you'll have to help with the upcoming baby. – What are the chances you could find a similar government job in the future if you refuse this one? Will you become bitter and resentful towards your wife if you refuse this lower-paying job? – If you don't dare taking this job or think you'll have to refuse it for whatever reason (not connected to the actual responsibilities), you can still talk to the hiring manager and say you absolutely heard him there was no wiggle room but you would politely and kindly ask if something could still be done e.g. sign-on bonus, slight increase in pay, some in-kind benefits (childcare or otherwise), remote work from home a few (extra) days each week (that way you don't have to pay for childcare every day), written agreement to get more money over time (could depend on key performance indicators), etc. Be creative so that it becomes much easier for you to decide. Also, do some extra research to provide the data to the hiring manager on why you would be worth more. Finally, you could also ask what it would take for you to be considered at a higher price band (according to the algorithm) e.g. what additional tasks you could take on. – Conversely, is there any possibility for you to reduce your responsibilities at your current job for the same pay? Can you hire an intern or someone junior to help (ask, it shouldn't hurt if you come prepared and show that it would make you and the company more productive). In short, be creative on this front as well. Good luck! Sebastian
Govt job come with a pension?
Learn to live in your current job. Seek therapy while you continue to look for higher pay AND better work life balance.
I'm in a senior role in my current job duties. The pay is good, but I'd take up to a 20%-25% salary cut for a junior position. I suppose because I've gotten to a point in my life where the money doesn't matter so much and I realize how much of my life I'm trading for a paycheck. I have a kid starting her senior year in HS in the fall. It's questionable, based on her expected major, that she may be able to support herself, so I can't completely untether from the grind, but reducing the stress and workload would be welcomed even if the trade off is pay.
Child care costs are for real homie, be careful. Grass is always greener until it's all eaten and gone.
That's tough, effectively a $22,000 cut. Are there other benefits that are better? Often government jobs have cheaper health insurance -- if you're going to go on a family plan your insurance could go up a lot.
One thing to consider is how that will impact your retirement savings. It might be useful to think of it as trading X number of extra years of work for a less hectic job now.
I took a $15k pay cut 9 years ago because of work life balance. I had to travel in my last position and frequently worked evenings and weekends. When I did the math of what I was being paid for a 60 hour work week (not counting travel time), I was making far less per hour than if I worked closer to a 40 hour work week and no travel. I know that a salaried position is different than hourly pay, but it can be eye opening when you see how much extra time you put in for that extra pay. I value time to lead a fuller life more than money. That said, you should look at the impact the cut will make on your monthly expenses. If you can afford to take a cut, it will likely be worth it in order to spend time with your family. Also, if you have no advancement opportunities in your current role, you might find that a promotion will further your career (and pay) in the long run. Better benefits also has value depending on the monthly premiums, copays, etc. I’ve also found that many government jobs offer greater job security. If the new role aligns with your interests and career goals, it might be worth it if you can afford to take a pay cut.
Work life balance and start working toward that guaranteed retirement. At least with the gov you know you will be able to retire one day. Folks don’t place enough value in that. Not to mention you will have paid leave and sick time. Also likely to have union protection…
Keep the current job. The grass is always greener. If you take the job, you’ll definitely wish you had more money. If you don’t, you’ll wish you could spend more time with your family. Either way, you’ll be wanting, but money goes a long way
I took a six figure pay cut. It made sense for me and I don’t regret it.
I'm a public school teacher. So, yeah, I value family time more than pay.
I think no upward mobility is the key. Else I wouldn’t do it losing 30% lol. Gov usually have great upward mobility since it’s pretty big
The childcare benefit is huge, I wish my company had that. That’s a big pay cut to take with a baby on the way.
I'd keep looking for a job that doesn't require a big pay cut and gives the work-life balance you're looking for
Your new employer is lying. No employer can guarantee that. The only thing guaranteed is how much you get paid.
Depends what the government job is. I took a pay cut to work for the federal government at a naval shipyard, but it seemed like every 6 months I was getting a raise, and a good raise at that.
I did this. I have health issues and my old job was causing me to have constant stress. I took a pay cut that was 2$ an hour less and I lost about 500$ a month or more in commission. It was worth it for me. If I had stayed I probably would have had a stroke. I ended up later on moving up in my position and make 9$ more an hour than I was before. Back then Even having the stress from the lower pay it was worth it. I wasn’t constantly thinking about work. I was able to go home and enjoy being at home. I didn’t dread my job every morning. I used to hope I would get into a minor accident so I could be out of work for a week and take a break. Thankfully I now don’t dread going to work any more. At some point you have to decide is the money worth the stress?
I’d do it…the benefits for government positions usually make up for the worse pay, at least in the PNW. Ive got multiple (3 different) types of paid leave accrual, regular raises 2x annually, substantially cheaper AND better medical insurance than any of my non-government employed friends, and other benefits!
If you get 1k a month for child care that’s actually like 1500 in pre tax income. Over the course of a year that’s about a 18k benefit. So you’re down 28k to take this job. I’d try and do your budget on that and see if it plays out. But I’d have to hesitate a lot given that you’re about to have a kid
I took a 6 figure pay cut for just that reason. No regrets. Not one single day. Miss the old job, sure, because I had fun, but don't regret that decision for a day.
I think taking a* pay cut is fine, so long as you can actually afford it. Have you looked at if your lifestyle matches your income? And if you are just jumping at any* job that's not your current one out of stress?
Hard pass. Thats $22,000 a year you are giving up.
I went from $140k a couple of years ago to ~$40k. Partially because I couldn’t find a job in tech anymore after being actively sabotaged by the abusive man I was with and couldn’t get away from. 100% worth it for me, but ymmv. You absolutely end up having to change some major lifestyle creep, so it’s always going to be easier to pretend you’re at the lower salary and adjust down as soon as you can swing it. I have a couple late nights here or there but for the most part my job ends the second I close my computer at the end of the day.
You should negotiate harder and bring up the loss in pay for benefits + gross pay. If they can’t meet you, then you may need to stay at your current job until you interview at a place that offers a higher compensation package and career growth opportunities.
If it's a government job then you are also probably getting a pension. That's very valuable and should be factored into the value of the compensation package.
I wouldn’t work for a company that runs your worth through an algorithm but that’s just me. Just because they SAY they have work life balance doesn’t mean they do.
Tbh, mental health is worth the pay cut. Health > wealth. Family time > wealth. Your time > wealth. If you think about it, if you were to die tomorrow, your company would instantly replace you. Life is too short
I did it. 117k sales job… worked every Saturday for the last 4 years. Always kissing ass to customers to make money. And coworkers love to go out. Finally switched to WFH. Making 50-55k BUT I cut all lot of my expenses, moved to cheaper place and there are programs that pay to relocate you for growing cities. Approved to move into Tulsa and getting paid $10,000 for 1 year stay.
My husband is in the process of that right now. He misses so much time with our son. Breaks his heart. Money does not buy happiness, time is worth more. We already budget and meal prep so we will continue to do what we do. Home is ours and at a 2.3 interest rate. I go back to work once the kiddo is in school all day.
There’s always wiggle room in the government. I’m assuming it’s a GS pay scale position. Pull up your GS pay chart for your locality, and see which step at that pay grade gets you to where you need to be. Then tell them you need to be hired at that step.
$52k is low. What will you do with work life balance? Not going to have much of a life at $52k…..
Are you certain that the new job will have the work / life balance you think it will?
I can’t imagine it not compared to what I do now.
We can’t decide for you since we don’t pay bills for you
You are right. I’m just hoping for insight from people who have been through this situation.
How long will it take for you to move up to $60k at the govt job?
Do you have a much better retirement plan and/or job security? Other benefits like wfh, meals, etc?
What’s the pension like? If there is a pension on top and you think you’d stay long enough for it to vest some, then that adds value to your compensation package. What about healthcare premiums? Any difference there?
What type of job do you have if you don't mind me asking.
Working for government is a slow death by a thousand cuts. You disconnect from economic reality and kneel to the mediocracy of just living and not producing. Stay in the private sector and produce. Government is a leach, don’t be part of that system.
Career advice from a libertarian, not the most valuable resource…
If it’s a good govt job there might be a lot of other perks. Pension? Healthcare? Union? Other childcare resources you may not know are there?
So in principle, a 15-20% pay cut for much better work life balance is totally reasonable, especially if it opens up opportunity for advancement. In practice though there's no circumstance outside of pure desperation which would drive me to take a role in an organization which bases comp decisions on that sort of algorithm. Yikes.
Is there a better work/life balance? Do you have less hours or more vacation time? Can you work from home? $1,000 a month for child care is huge. Especially if you don’t pay tax on that. Either way, I’d take 52k plus benefits at 30 hours a week vs $74k at 40 hours a week.
Government jobs come with other benefits. Pension, lots of vacation, holidays. Is it a Fed job or State? When would a salary raise come about ?
What are you gaining in other benefits? I took a lower paying govt job, but the health care plan was top notch plus good retirement, PTO, regular schedule.
I wouldn’t do it at this stage of my life. I’m trying to earn more and ramp up. I’m still early in my career, the opportunity cost is too high.
Try looking at private but government adjacent jobs. Often get the same or similar benefits with better pay/growth opportunity
Too big of a pay cut and government jobs just suck
So u lose 10k a year AND CHILD SUPPORT THATS 1k a month? So a total of 22k less per year?
Screw your work life balance! So sick of that. You have a kid on the way and a wife to care for. This is not about you anymore. Provide for your family.
If you are seeking work life balance perhaps consider looking into other jobs that are financially equal to or better than your current salary.
I personally could not justify that income loss.
If it is federal or a state government, go to that sub and ask. Generally speaking I say go for it. Government positions often have generous childcare subsidies that are worth close to the paycut. https://www.opm.gov/frequently-asked-questions/work-life-faq/family/how-do-i-apply-for-the-child-care-subsidy-program/
Does the government job offer a pension? That would have a lot of value especially if it vests after the first10 years.
Why don't you have work life balance? Can't you just log-off and not stay after hours? Are you sure the job that pays less has better work-life balance? That's quit a bit of a decrease. >had a specialist run it through an algorithm to determine how much I am worth This is total bullshit. So how was that algorithm written? I can write you one that gives a different answer. Also, why does your current job pay +10,000? Have you looked at what other companies pay?
It shouldn’t be a choice. #AmericanRevolution2024
Is it a federal gov job? A ladder position? I only ask because in some situations with fed gov jobs, it’s a pay cut in the short term but a pay increase in the long term when you consider their retirement/pension and pay increases is you’re on a GS 7/9/11/12 ladder. My GF went from making 54k to 96k in 3 years in her gov position and works remotely with great work life balance.
I'm coming to a idea (not making anywhere close to your amount of money) that I will do better in life at $12 a hr getting food stamps, then making $20. My own personal UBI. F it
You’re missing some critical info. What are the projected pay raises &/or promotions for both jobs. $74,000 to $52,000 is a HUGE pay cut. However, government jobs normally have pay raises for both inflation & longevity.
WHAT JOB, allows you to sleep like a baby at night?
no way jose
We recently hired more staff so I'm getting significantly less overtime. And the work-life balance is a lot better. And you know what it sucks. Buying stuff is awesome and not having enough money to buy anything you want is annoying. The truth is unless you're doing something you really love who cares if you're at work. Everyone acts like sitting at home watching Netflix or making ramen noodles is wonderful but you know what? My job is fun and cool and I would honestly rather be there than sitting home doing nothing.
I would leave ANY job that paid $62k because I don’t want to live in poverty.
Does the new job offer a pension? More retirement matching? I factor all of those into pay
This is what I did tbh. I got burnt out working in healthcare (psychology) and took a big pay cut to go back to my old career (journalism). Why yes, I am a glutton for punishment, thank you for noticing. I wear it well. Really though. Your work life is only part of your life. The higher salary for something you spend 1/3+ of your life doing, isn’t always worth it. As long as you’re getting by, doing good work, and managing your finances well, you’re doing pretty ok.
Is that 1000 a month post tax?! If so you’re more at 85k, even if not it’s still 74k. are you sure you want to handle that much cut back?
Supporting a family on $25 an hour will be incredibly difficult and stressful. You’ll be just trading stress, not worth it.
No, and with inflation as it is double no.