Taking a paycut

kizer permanente Senior Member
1,309 posts 18 reps Joined Aug 2017
Sun, Dec 2, 2018 4:40 PM

Would you or have you ever taken a paycut to take a new job? 

I have an opportunity to take a new job at a College near me. I currently work for a large company that manufactures paint. I’m guessing you probably know who that is in Ohio but oh well. It’d be about a $10k a year pay cut. It’d be a less stressful job since it’s not tied to manufacturing/production. The retirement is better too (10% match for 5% contribution  in 401k vs 6% for 6%) also and extra 2 weeks vacation and 5 extra holidays off.  And the big one... free tuition. Now my kids are very young so I don’t get to worry about that for awhile, but it would be a benefit in the future. 

So you’d lose $10k annually on salary. You gain a couple thousand a year in the 401k to offset that a bit. And you get more PTO and tuition covered. It’s hard to calculate the tuition benefit because you don’t know what tuition will be in 15 years and you don’t know what scholarships, if any, your kids could have. I’m trying to calculate this all out to weigh the benefits but there’s too many unknowns. 

 


like_that 1st Team All-PWN
29,228 posts 321 reps Joined Apr 2010
Sun, Dec 2, 2018 6:06 PM

Currently, I would take a slight pay cut to live somewhere that is much cheaper than DC.  

kizer permanente Senior Member
1,309 posts 18 reps Joined Aug 2017
Sun, Dec 2, 2018 6:09 PM
posted by like_that

Currently, I would take a slight pay cut to live somewhere that is much cheaper than DC.  

Have you looked yet? 

justincredible Honorable Admin
37,969 posts 250 reps Joined Nov 2009
Sun, Dec 2, 2018 6:12 PM

I haven't, I've always got at least a little bump in pay with each job change. My wife has taken a couple pay cuts. Your situation looks pretty tempting. 

gut Senior Member
18,369 posts 117 reps Joined Nov 2009
Sun, Dec 2, 2018 6:24 PM

Sounds like total comp is probably a little higher, so not sure you should really characterize it as a paycut...you're just trading some salary for additional benefits.

15 extra days off is huge, IMO.  You're talking $8k with the 401k matching, which is maybe $6k after tax.  Plus, less stress if that really matters to you. Seems like a fair trade-off, to me. 

I wouldn't count on still being there by the time your kids are ready for college.

superman Senior Member
4,377 posts 71 reps Joined Nov 2009
Sun, Dec 2, 2018 7:00 PM

I have.  Took about 5k paycut but I liked my new co-workers better and it was a much better situation.  Great decision. 

like_that 1st Team All-PWN
29,228 posts 321 reps Joined Apr 2010
Sun, Dec 2, 2018 7:16 PM
posted by kizer permanente

Have you looked yet? 

Yes, but not that aggressively yet. 

iclfan2 Reppin' the 330/216/843
9,465 posts 100 reps Joined Nov 2009
Sun, Dec 2, 2018 8:06 PM

I always thought making the most money is the best (I’m only 32) but being happiest seems to be worth more. If it’s less work, better retirement, and possible free college, I don’t see why not try it. My wife and I make enough now where working 40 hours means more to me than killing it for some corporation.  I’m not sure I’d take a salary decrease, but I would move laterally. Do you have room to negotiate? 

mhs95_06 Senior Member
8,603 posts 13 reps Joined Nov 2009
Sun, Dec 2, 2018 8:40 PM

Also have to include enjoying the work.  Which do you think will be better on that?  15 more days off per year would be big to me.

kizer permanente Senior Member
1,309 posts 18 reps Joined Aug 2017
Sun, Dec 2, 2018 8:45 PM
posted by iclfan2

I always thought making the most money is the best (I’m only 32) but being happiest seems to be worth more. If it’s less work, better retirement, and possible free college, I don’t see why not try it. My wife and I make enough now where working 40 hours means more to me than killing it for some corporation.  I’m not sure I’d take a salary decrease, but I would move laterally. Do you have room to negotiate? 

Well unfortunately the 10k was a negotiation. When I originally told them my salary they said they couldn’t touch it before I even interviewed. I interviewed anyways and they  came up 7 grand from what they told me in the screen just to make it a 10grand hit. I make a few thousand up in the 401k and I made actually almost 3k up in health insurance for the year so only only 3-4K negative after that. It makes it easier to stomach. 

CenterBHSFan 333 - I'm only half evil
7,259 posts 55 reps Joined Nov 2009
Sun, Dec 2, 2018 9:06 PM

I would take the pay cut for less stress, better benefits and more days off. In a heartbeat.

Ironman92 Administrator
56,729 posts 168 reps Joined Nov 2009
Sun, Dec 2, 2018 9:35 PM

Had a 3 year freeze but never a pay cut ....not sure what I’d do. If it was much at all I’d look elsewhere.

Belly35 Elderly Intellectual
10,015 posts 56 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Dec 3, 2018 6:08 AM

Bottom line is simple.. what is best for your family, your health physical/mental, what is the more secure future outlook

j_crazy 7 gram rocks. how i roll.
8,623 posts 30 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Dec 3, 2018 7:31 AM

i took my current job, across the country, for the same pay as my former job. but living in PA my tax bill has pretty dramatically increased. I'm not unhappy, it was a chance for me to move home, i got to spend 3 months helping my mom before she passed away which after being gone for 12 years meant a lot to me (and her too i think). 

 

my point is you need to assess your situation, but from what i'm reading, it sounds like the only thing holding you back is the money i wouldn't turn down a job if that was the only thing making you think.

33,369 posts 133 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Dec 3, 2018 9:35 AM

Please don’t force a specific college on your kids because you get tuition for free lol.

justincredible Honorable Admin
37,969 posts 250 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Dec 3, 2018 9:47 AM
posted by Laley23

Please don’t force a specific college on your kids because you get tuition for free lol.

Sure. But I see no problem with "If you go here, it's free. If you go elsewhere, you can pay your own way."

queencitybuckeye Senior Member
8,068 posts 121 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Dec 3, 2018 10:08 AM
posted by justincredible

Sure. But I see no problem with "If you go here, it's free. If you go elsewhere, you can pay your own way."

Me either, although I helped pay for some of my kid's college in spite of his being offered a full ride elsewhere.

vball10set paying it forward
26,788 posts 121 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Dec 3, 2018 12:01 PM
posted by Laley23

Please don’t force a specific college on your kids because you get tuition for free lol.

Easy to say if they/you have the means to afford tuition at the college of their choice. We were fortunate enough to be in a position to take care of two out or our three kids' undergrad educations (the third was on a full ride for volleyball--and boy was that nice!), but not everyone is. IMO, getting through college as close to debt free as possible should be everyone's objective.

like_that 1st Team All-PWN
29,228 posts 321 reps Joined Apr 2010
Mon, Dec 3, 2018 1:21 PM

I don't have kids yet, so it might be easy for me to say, but I am 100% ok with "forcing" my kids to a specific school if tuition is free.  In most cases, once you get that first job in your career, you are are on your way.  Starting out debt free is a huge advantage. 

ernest_t_bass 12th Son of the Lama
26,698 posts 204 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Dec 3, 2018 1:46 PM

If my kids had a 100% free tuition option, the only other option in colleges would be "100% you're paying for it" option. 

QuakerOats Senior Member
11,701 posts 66 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, Dec 3, 2018 2:51 PM

 

What is a paycut?

 

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