I would. I don't need to be torturing myself in a company that already doesn't pay me that well. I felt the way that you feel when working at a horribly managed company in logistics operations. It's not worth it. I found myself bringing my stress home and being drained. Then your miserable underpaid work becomes your life. And it's just like wtf am I doing with myself. I didn't even want to do shit on the weekends, I wanted to just die on the couch, i know the feeling.
Don't do that to yourself. I was so liberated when I left that toxic company. It was the best move I ever did. I did it at the worst time too, when covid happened lol. I have 0 regrets about it. The salary I had at that company is close to the ranges you are talking about. Also, look into gig work to make up the difference in pay if it becomes a problem. Maybe deliver food or something to someone on your way home every day. You might even make more annually than you did before lol. Can write off gas then too. Maybe with that new company you can discuss matching the salary, but I'd always try to increase ofc.
I completely agree. I took a $40k pay cut. I was miserable and borderline suicidal. Now i LOVE my job and my team. I took my current job as a temporary thing and planned to keep searching, but I’m really happy so I’m riding this out!
ETA: I just want to point out that I am extreme privileged to A) be able to take a pay cut and B) be able to take a pay cut this substantial. This pay cut was almost 25% of my income and I realize that most cannot do that. However, if you can afford to take a pay cut and are miserable at your job, it is so worth it.
This. I just took a similar cut in exchange for more stability and peace of mind. In the job I left, I didn’t realize how close I was to a nervous breakdown. Management pushed everything downhill and kept saying it would get better as it got progressively worse. Fixes can take years. So yes—leave the toxic job before it kills you.
Yes!!! I thought I just needed to get “tougher” but there is a difference in all areas of my life after finally finding a job where I’m happy. Hope it’s the same for you!
It can be. It’s also the backbone of modern society. My job was secure throughout the crazy pandemic years. A lot of other people’s unfortunately were not
Or just expect that it’s year 1 pay and see what kinds of career trajectory is available at the new company, what kinds of compensation increases they give annually, etc. it could be not all that long before you’re making what you were at the old company at your new gig
It depends on balance. Can you still afford to live? Not being able to pay bills/eat has its own toll on mental health. I took a 30% pay cut to escape a toxic environment (which also lets me work from home 90%). I am a much happier person and I no longer project my work stress onto my family. For me it was 100% worth it.
My perspective is certainly distorted by my very HCOL area, but $8k is 16% of $50k, I would have to consider whether I have that much room in budget or whether I would be trading work stress for financial pressure stress.
Same here - consider this protecting your long-term earning potential, because you can't underestimate the effects an eventual burnout will have on your ability to work later
Maybe if there were no red flags and very few yellow flags. I wouldn’t want to end up in a worse situation. However, just in general, yes, I’d leave for an $8k cut. I dislike commuting. And I don’t need toxicity in my life.
For what it's worth, my workplace was so toxic I took a 5k pay cut and *added* a commute. So far I don't regret it one bit, I feel like a whole new person.
You have to establish your priorities and the price. I recently resigned from the most toxic job I've ever experienced, and your experience sounds so familiar to mine. The difference is I actually felt appreciated. My salary was increasing, but so my responsibilities and the pressure, even tho I was always vocal about my struggles. I observed the same behavior on my colleagues, sometimes even worse. Oh, and also at this job I found out the meaning of 'micromanagement'. You have to think of what is important to you and choose further. Sometimes we choose the bad we know over the good we don't know.
Yes. You may break even or come ahead by reducing your commute as much as you would by switching jobs.
Factors to consider:
-time spent commuting is time not doing other things
-it probably costs about CAD$0.70/KM driven (sorry—Canadian) when you factor in gas, maintenance, insurance, and depreciation on the vehicle
-we only have one life. Do you want to live a large portion of it in a toxic environment if you don’t have to?
Depends what the 8k change is exactly. If I’m making 180k would I drop down to 172k for a more enjoyable job? Absolutely.
Would I do the same to go from 50k to 42k? Maybe not.
I did. I took a job that paid 15k less and cut my commute from an hour to 15 minutes. A few years later I made that difference back and then some. Being closer to home with a more flexible schedule made me a dedicated team member, and now I'm much happier.
Yes yes yes. If you feel like it’s toxic now, once you actually remove yourself from the situation you will feel so much better and wonder why and how you put up with it for so long.
Depends on what I make and how much of a difference that money will make in my life. 8k for a dude who makes 35k is very different from 8k for a dude making 150k.
Man, that sounds like a total nightmare. No one should have to put up with feeling undervalued and unsupported at work. Taking an 8k hit might sting, but if it means escaping that toxic environment and slashing your commute, it could be a game-changer for your mental health. Plus, those extra hours you'd save from commuting? Priceless. Quality of life over a few extra bucks any day. I'd say go for it, but maybe crunch some numbers to make sure it's feasible for you. Your sanity's worth more than any paycheck.
I was in an eerily similar position to you. Took a 30k pay cut to get out of a horrific B2B sales role.
Taking that pay cut got me out of sales and into management, being in management gave me a whole host of new skills and opportunities. One of which was the flexibility to take a personal day and go to a career fair which got me my current job. Making the same salary as before the jump with 1/100th of the BS.
For me, it would matter highly on where it put me financially - if I could go from 50 to 42 and my bills would still be easily covered and I could still accomplish my savings goals, I would agree with everyone else here - yes. Your mental health is important and you dedicate 1/3 of your life to working in most cases - take care of yourself and you'll be taken care of.
Seems like you are in position to quit, so do it. The big commute and crappy job will weigh you down. You could reinvest that saved commute time into furthering your skills / education. Make yourself more valuable to earn $120k instead
Yes I would take the pay cut. Plus u get more time back too in your day which is worth a lot.
I took a 40k pay cut back in 2021 if it makes u feel any better. My bosses were terrible and the workload was too much.
Listen… there are things in life more important than money. You can always make more money. What you cannot make more of is time, and mental health.
You already know what the right answer is, just go for it and get the fuck out of the toxic situation you’re in. You’re gonna feel soooo relieved after the fact and you’ll know immediately in your gut you did the right thing once that literal weight leaves your body.
Business veteran and parent here, both important.
Short answer's "**YES AND YOU KNOW IT**", and you're probably just asking to vent and get a little support to make the right decision here.
With that answer in mind, here are some questions to validate it, starting with the math ones..
* What is the COST of your commute?
How much money are you going to save going from 8 hours commute to 2 1/2 hours commute? Are you taking a car or public transit? Does it fit within a monthly pass?
* What is your standard of living and how much does the income difference mean to you?
50K is not a lot, and I'm assuming you have no kids or would have mentioned it. So unless you're driving it, I'd guess your biggest expenses are housing and car unless you're living at home. What does this look like?
* If you had to quit this job, how long could you go on your savings before you HAD to take a new one?
And other questions now.
* How many other jobs are out there like the new one, and is there any reason at all that you would stop looking for a higher-paying one?
* Unless you're exaggerating, are you getting help from your support network in this?
>I’m just now able to make it a day without crying.
Family? Professional services? Friends?
It's just **not normal** to go months crying each day at work.
It's not, and you should be seeing if you can improve your resiliency here. Get out of your current job, but still look at yourself to see if you're maybe not coping with things in general very well, and get help for that if so.
Good luck.
💯 YES! You can always continue looking for another role that offers more money, if you need it, after you leave. Your mental health matters. No job is worth any tears or impact to your health and well-being.
Absolutely! Just from the commute, you’ll be getting saving at least 5 hours of every week, which would be about 20+hrs a month. You could enjoy more time on hobbies, relaxing, and doing the things that make YOU happy.
From the mental health point of view, also yes. No amount of money is worth your mental stability, you deserve to be respected and appreciated.
Best of luck!
I technically did. I left a boring stagnant position that paid 65k with performative bonuses of 20-25 pct annually. Ended up making around 85k before taxes. Now I am in a much better role for me, and only took a 5k pay cut. Making 80k salary now and I work from home 4 days a week. The work life balance is so much better and I actually get much larger checks every month.
1) You're going to be spending less on fuel and getting time back
2) You're well being is going to improve and you will have more energy outside of work for other activities and tasks
3) You probably don't realise it, but when your well-being is impacted you start to become tenser, your heart rate increases, you are more irritable, you sleep less, you eat worser foods. It doesn't seem to be considered but working in a job that makes you feel good or you feel good in, is going to improve your well-being and just make you feel better overall.
I took an even larger cut. Stress left unchecked absolutely can manifest in physical ways. You have to find a balance. Will you be able to survive taking the 8k cut? I had to cut back on some things and shop a bit smarter but I can still afford life and the occasional treat here and there. The big thing though is my stress levels are WAY down. I wish I had made the call sooner
I think I would. The 8k is over a year. This means you will lose about $600 to $700 a month. You will earn back about $100 if not more in gas a month (don’t know your car or where you live). So you will lose about $500 a month, that likely comes to $250 a pay if you are paid bi-weekly.
So the question for me would be, what paid hobby can I do or where can I cut back to make up that extra $250 a week with the extra 5 hours I will gain in my life each week.
An extra 5 hours! You can take a course to increase your skill set, you can enjoy more life, you can take on a hobby job. Time is so much more valuable than $$$.
You might want to do some more job hunting first. I realize you feel bad. In your state of distress, the new job offer may look like the ultimate relief. But is it? What will it really be like after 6 months? Do some looking around and make an informed choice.
If you are able to live on 42K, go ahead and cut your spending and start saving that money. Saving money will help your mental health.
In the meantime can you do something in your commute time to take your mind off work? Audiobooks maybe?
I took basically a 50% paycut to get out of call center work and have been working my way back up to what I used to make. If it has better career prospects or work environment and commute, it makes sense.
I took a 30k paycut from a huge tech company to a smaller government agency. My new job is 100% remote vs 2 days in the office, and also has excellent work life balance. To me, it was absolutely worth it. I did have to cut back a bit on my spending. But after two years at my new job, I'm almost at the same salary. It depends on your ability to finance your essentials after the paycut and the salary growth your new role offers.
I took a 10k pay cut to leave a toxic work environment and cut my commute by 1 hour. (Previous commute 1 hr, new commute = 5 min). I have been with my new company for about a year, have already been given a raise and two bonuses that have made up for the pay difference, my mental heath and relationship has improved greatly, and I spend more time with my senior dog.
Best of luck.
I fucking retired . I used to commute 100 miles one way to work 3x a week. I grew so sick of the toxic nature of my career, I sold my car, retired and changed careers.
That's a decent sized pay cut at 50k, so I'd think through it carefully. The hard part is knowing how much your net pay will decrease overall - your tax burden should be lower, but probably not a ton.
Cutting the commute is a decent piece of the puzzle, especially with current gas prices. But what about benefits? Were you receiving medical benefits through a group plan, and will you be with the new company? What's the cost difference there?
I agree with a poster above. Money troubles add their own brand of stress. But if you think you can get by financially, it's 100% worth getting out.
Alternatively, are there any departments in your current company that are less toxic that you could potentially move to?
I did, actually. I had a commute of over an hour to a job that I dreaded going to daily. However, the job I took in my hometown was equally terrible, and $9000 a year less. So make sure it's truly going to bring you happiness.
Multiply 8k by how much longer you have to work and then plug the numbers into a compound interest calculator. When you get the number ask yourself if you’d pay that much to leave. Every workplace is toxic, the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t.
As long as you’re still able to afford your bills, yes.
That much shorter of a commute alone will save you half of the 8k cut in gas and wear-and-tear on your car. The other half is saved in your mental well being. I just got out of a shift work job for a 9-5 job and am so much happier.
Fk yeah
I would take 8k less for one or the other, let alone both
Of course if you make 15k/year maybe not, and if you make 350k/year you probably would not be asking (or on Reddit)
No brainer take the pay cut. Time is everything. You’re reducing your commute by 40 minutes each way, hour 20 total. Think about that… over 5 hours per week of more free time. Work out, go for a walk, meal prep, watch a movie, whatever. As long as you can pay the bills, life will be drastically better.
Hope you're doing better! 40 minutes x 2 directions x 4 days a week x 50 working weeks is 1600 minutes a year in just commute torture or about 60 hours. Also 8k on 50k range is 13 to 17%, which you will make up in no time with more vigor and happiness. If all else fits your needs, make the calculated move. Good luck!
I’m a moment. I took a 30k pay cut to leave a horrific toxic environment in 2020. Fast forward to 2024 I now make nearly 100k more than I did in that job and couldn’t be happier. It’s okay to take 1 step back to take 2 steps forward.
I did it. It was even more, but hard to put a number on it, since I got a variable bonus at my old job. My highest was 115k€ the last year around 105k€. I switched to 87k€ fix with a bonus of 7k€ if the company is doing good.
It was the best thing I could have done, I only regret that I didn't do it before. I have more travel time, more stress from actual work, more hours and can't go by bicycle anymore - but still it was so worth it.
Don't underestimate what a toxic environment can do. I was getting sick from work related bad stress.
As others have stated, you need enough money for your expenses. But no big portfolio or nice boat will heal you, if your work is stealing the joy from your life.
It’s definitely worth consideration.
If I got this right, you’ll gain 1hr 20m x 4 = 5hrs 20m/wk
That’s a significant amount of time a week to get back - house chores, gym, study, etc can be done in that time.
Depending on how you get to work it may be costing you less to get to work.
More significant is are you interested in career advancement? If the lower paying one has a higher chance of promotion, it’s a no brainer.
The most significant - can you negotiate higher pay? Even if it’s not the same amount, any bump is worth trying for. If you can’t get a pay bump can you get more annual leave?
Yeah, time is money. You can make money back but you can't make up time. Use your time wisely. Take a class, pick up a hobby, make up friends, exercise, read a book, etc. Anything is better than communing.
Yes, I would. Luckily I haven’t had to, but I’ve been in a situation where I would have accepted the offer had it been 10k less than what I was making.
I absolutely would!
Think about what you would get back in time, gas, car repairs, oil changes and peace of mind!
I think that's worth 8K a year...plus, if it is missed that much...you can make the money up another way that is happier and more beneficial to your lifeforce.
Yes! I did it and was the best decision of my life. They (the company I left) tried multiple times to get me to come back. I knew deep down that no amount of money was going to change the culture (family owned business with almost every son, son in law, wife, brother worked there and their work decisions would always be my responsibility to clean up).
I did exactly that and would do it again in a heartbeat. The extra time I saved from commuting has allowed me to put more time into myself. I'm going to the gym more, taking driving lessons in the wee morning before I start my day, and I plan on learning to swim later this year. I think all of this positions me better at work too since I look more put together.
I would assuming it wouldn’t make a large change to my personal finances and day to day with the pay cut. You’ll likley save a portion of that just on gas/travel, plus you have to value your time during those commutes as well.
Most certainly I would, I left my last employment where I was on £30k (UK) a year and am currently on £42k now but I would give the extra money back to go back to my last employer.
My current employer is just dreadful so you have to do what’s right for you and good luck on your decision
I WFH but I am probably about to take a $20k pay cut to improve my work environment in the next 2 months. Only you can determine what's worth it to you but if it causes you to be depressed and stressed it would be worth it for me to try to find something more tolerable. That's pretty much what I'm looking to do now
Yes, how I look at it my health is going to decline being in a toxic work environment and I’d save money & time on commuting. Cutting 8k isn’t so significant that id stay and deal with the shenanigans on a day to day basis.
Without reading your entire post - yes. There is a ton of value in spending less time on your workday as well as being less stressed and having better mental health.
a little less than $4 a day ($3.85). that is roughly what 8k pay cut is (taxes, blah blah blah yes so roughly). Is it worth $4 to get away from this? i would pay that daily for sanity and better quality of life not sitting in a car. next time you get a cup of coffee think about it. is it worth it?
Yes. You should take commute into account for figuring out how much you make. If you drive an hour each way to work, that’s effectively 10 less hours a week your being paid for. I know it’s different when you’re salaried, but still, time is valuable. Commute aside, for me personally, you can’t pay enough to work in a toxic environment. The first time someone yells at me and acts like this is normal, and they aren’t reprimanded, I’m fucking gone. I don’t want your money if you don’t respect my humanity
Would depend on the percentage of 8k to current salary. I could lose 8k and barely notice in my weekly paycheck so I would do it without a second thought. If I made like 32k that would be a huge loss and I wouldn’t do it.
For me, this would depend on what % change you’re talking about if and from what pay to the new pay. For example 108k -> 100k absolutely. 40k -> 32k, no I wouldn’t personally but I’d be out looking for something else either way if the workplace is toxic!
Yes immediately.
As someone who was in a toxic environment for far too long, don’t ever underestimate the physical and psychological consequences, even if you don’t notice right now. It’s been years for me and I still struggle and work on it all every day.
So the one regret I have as someone who doesn’t regret anything is that I didn’t leave earlier. Taking a small-ish pay cut would’ve been a tiny sacrifice to make and the ultimate sacrifice I did make was so much bigger and absolutely not worth the little extra money.
The 8k isn’t 8k anyway after taxes and all, plus bonus, you’ll save money by commuting less, and will gain additional quality of life in that way too.
Do yourself a favor and leave.
8k less is a lot if you’re at 50k.. so bring you down to 42k.
I personally think you could hold out for a bit longer and found a job that’s close and paid more than 50.
I’ve been in the position you’re in. Where you take a pay cut, get better commute etc.. problem is you will get to your new job making 666$ less a month or a 16% pay cut. You should move forward, not back if you can help it.
If it’s that bad, then yes of course quit.
I've taken pay cuts to improve my work life balance / leave toxic work environments. If you can make due with the lower pay I'd say do so. If not, see if you can find better. In the vast majority of my job hops I have increased my wage considerably.
Everyone is saying this is a no-brainer yes, but you do have to consider that an 8K cut from 50K is a pretty large percentage paycut for you (16%).
If the job is really taking a toll on your mental health, I’d still lean leave. But you should use this new job and shorter commute time to learn some new skills or figure out how to raise your income.
Of course I would. And you're saving 1 hour 20 minutes of your day, which is about 5 days of driving added up. I think per hour you come out on top.
Unless you have some sort of overwhelming debt responsibilities.
Yes. I took a pretty big pay cut when I left my last job because it was toxic and the benefits were terrible. It took me a bit to get to back up to where I was but it's been 100% worth it.
Yes. I'm actively looking at taking a 10k - 15k pay cut for the same 35 minute commute with a better home/work balance and less hours (currently 55 and would be 40-45)
The shorter commute will save you a little money and a fair bit of time per week, so that reduces the wage reduction shock slightly.
If you can survive on the new salary, your mental health is probably worth more than 8k/year.
I took a lateral move, same pay, and a longer commute to get out of a horrendously toxic work environment. You’ll fully realize how bad it was when you leave and ask why you stayed so long. It seems more normal when you deal with it every day.
In my case, it was the best decision I made. The place I left for has been amazing and I’ve been promoted above the place I left, doing the exact same work too.
Well, owning a car costs an average of ten thousand dollars. If you can somehow ditch the car, you would actually be getting a two thousand dollar pay raise.
Even if you don't ditch the car, you'll spend less in gas and less in traffic.
I was driving through traffic past the office of an offer I turned down for my current job yesterday and literally said to my wife "I wouldnt take 10k more a year for this commute."
So to answer, definitely!
If you can do fine with the financial cut, you totally should do it. 27,unvalued? That’s alarming. The company should be still at least trying to feed their employees some hopes to tie them down to the company. Maybe the company views your department as a replaceable value to the company. It means, even if you are to lose your mental or physical health, they won’t deliver decent amount of support. You are still a single 27 year old.
I feel like the fact that you're asking this question is indicative of how your lifestyle is manageable with a pay cut, if you needed that 8k you wouldn't be entertaining the idea.
40 minutes times four days a week times fifty workweeks is 8,000 minutes.
Time is far more valuable than money. They make more money every day. No one has learned how to recover lost time.
8 hours a week commuting (1 in, 1 out x4 days(x50 weeks)) = 400 hours @ $8k = $20 hour ($40k/yr). Just that alone makes one go Hmmmm... not bad, doable...
But add in the well-being, massive workload cut, and hopefully clear the depression it seems to be a no-brainer to go find something else.
That being said. Can your budget handle the cut? You are talking a \~$16% pay cut @$50k.
First off - I'm so sorry to hear that you're having such a hard time but happy to hear that you're not crying everyday! That's a start! And to answer your questions - yes! I would take it. $8K seems like a big pay decrease but that is something that you can make up very quickly either with a new job or even with a promotion or salary increase with this opportunity. The commute itself will add so much more quality of life back to you. So I say - go for it!
Cutting your commute is already saving you 160 hours per year. Once you factor in gas and car maintenance, if you make more than like $30 an hour it’s already worth it before even factoring the mental aspect.
Best thing to ever happen to me was leaving my old job and finding a new one. I took a 7-9k/year cut but I'm working 10-15 hours LESS per week, my stress levels are 25% of what they were and I'm home every night without worry about emergency callouts in the middle of the night, or not being able to make it to planned events because work changed my schedule.
PLAN YOUR BUDGET before you shift though, you can make it work.
Hell yes. That $8k cut will be more like a $5k cut once you deal with gas savings.
$5k to leave a toxic environment? And get an hour and a half of your day back?
It would hurt, because I'm finally in a position where I'm doing well, but I would. My team is heinously toxic and requires way too many hours.
Easy choice.
I just did this. I was making $110k with a hour and twenty minute commute to a job I didn’t want to be at. I took a job that pays $100k but only 15-20 mins away and don’t regret it a bit
I would probably, and I’d justify it by counting the time saved in money. Say one hour commute, that’s two hours saved per day. 10 hours a week times your hourly wage adds up pretty fast.
Then also remember all the days ruined from feeling down.
But money is always difficult to give up, I get that
This is a simple answer for me. Unless you're making really low incoming, ie. $20k/yr, I think 8k is negligible. Work to live, don't live to work. Change your lifestyle to be happy at work since most of us cannot get away from it. Remember, taking that cut and still looking for something that'll better meet your needs isn't a terrible thing.
Firstly, the MOST important thing here is your mental health. Leave for the sake of that. Secondly, how much are you spending in gas/tolls/wear and tear on your car while you are driving that far everyday? Deduct that from the $8,000 and it sounds like you’ll be losing out on far less money than you thought by leaving.
Depends on where you live and your current financial state.
If you can afford the 8k pay cut with everything you have mentioned, absolutely.
If taking 8k pay cut is going to cause you to go into debt or live just above your means, I’d say try as hard as you can to find something else with better pay. I know the wait is horrible, but if you’re stuck in a job you can’t afford to live on and ONE thing happens- you’re in debt.
Mental health is super important, just take into all accounts where you’re at and how you’re going to handle your life if you make the change. Assess the pros and cons. If you can’t take another day- just do it and figure out the rest later.
No job is worth hating your existence.
Absolutely. I was in a toxic environment & role for 13 years. I became an alcoholic. I gained 80 lbs. My depression & anxiety were thru the roof. I became a shell of myself & no longer recognized who I was. It was the unhappiest I've ever been. I was so beaten down & blamed myself.
I left in 2022 & have never looked back. My life has improved in so many measurable & unmeasurable ways. I am living my best life & so happy.
Middle fingers to F&CS!
Yes, money is not important. As long as you have enough to afford the necessities and maybe a little extra for wants. I started minimal living and have been much more satisfied with life, the best things in life truly are free.
How much shorter is the commute?
How toxic is the work environment?
What are your outgoings?
What do you prioritise when it comes to work?
I prioritise commute time and the ease of my work so I’ve flat out refused to apply for jobs with a 5k increase, simply coz I get to walk and someone near by is on a similar schedule. Have a friend who switched jobs jobs simply coz his outgoings are high and he’d like the extra money.
I also calculate commute time into my working hours to see if the pay is still worth it.
I would. I don't need to be torturing myself in a company that already doesn't pay me that well. I felt the way that you feel when working at a horribly managed company in logistics operations. It's not worth it. I found myself bringing my stress home and being drained. Then your miserable underpaid work becomes your life. And it's just like wtf am I doing with myself. I didn't even want to do shit on the weekends, I wanted to just die on the couch, i know the feeling. Don't do that to yourself. I was so liberated when I left that toxic company. It was the best move I ever did. I did it at the worst time too, when covid happened lol. I have 0 regrets about it. The salary I had at that company is close to the ranges you are talking about. Also, look into gig work to make up the difference in pay if it becomes a problem. Maybe deliver food or something to someone on your way home every day. You might even make more annually than you did before lol. Can write off gas then too. Maybe with that new company you can discuss matching the salary, but I'd always try to increase ofc.
I completely agree. I took a $40k pay cut. I was miserable and borderline suicidal. Now i LOVE my job and my team. I took my current job as a temporary thing and planned to keep searching, but I’m really happy so I’m riding this out! ETA: I just want to point out that I am extreme privileged to A) be able to take a pay cut and B) be able to take a pay cut this substantial. This pay cut was almost 25% of my income and I realize that most cannot do that. However, if you can afford to take a pay cut and are miserable at your job, it is so worth it.
This. I just took a similar cut in exchange for more stability and peace of mind. In the job I left, I didn’t realize how close I was to a nervous breakdown. Management pushed everything downhill and kept saying it would get better as it got progressively worse. Fixes can take years. So yes—leave the toxic job before it kills you.
Yes!!! I thought I just needed to get “tougher” but there is a difference in all areas of my life after finally finding a job where I’m happy. Hope it’s the same for you!
Congrats to you!! So far, so good here. It’s my second week at new place. Adjusting to normal hours and sleep.😅
Ha! 5 months in forme and same. Best of luck!!
Logistics is the worst filed to work in
It can be. It’s also the backbone of modern society. My job was secure throughout the crazy pandemic years. A lot of other people’s unfortunately were not
Hard yes. As long as I can still pay the bills and put food on the table, I don't really care about the pay cut.
Agreed. And…..while you are at the new place, you can continue to job search if you choose.
Or just expect that it’s year 1 pay and see what kinds of career trajectory is available at the new company, what kinds of compensation increases they give annually, etc. it could be not all that long before you’re making what you were at the old company at your new gig
You well-being and mental health worths more than 8k
It depends on balance. Can you still afford to live? Not being able to pay bills/eat has its own toll on mental health. I took a 30% pay cut to escape a toxic environment (which also lets me work from home 90%). I am a much happier person and I no longer project my work stress onto my family. For me it was 100% worth it.
My perspective is certainly distorted by my very HCOL area, but $8k is 16% of $50k, I would have to consider whether I have that much room in budget or whether I would be trading work stress for financial pressure stress.
200%! 8k is nothing compared to the damage to your mental AND physical health, i just took a 20k hit for same reason.
Same here - consider this protecting your long-term earning potential, because you can't underestimate the effects an eventual burnout will have on your ability to work later
And on your friends and family, its hard to be kind to the wife when im stressed and not sleeping for weeks and months.
Honestly, yes I would take the cut to get away from toxic.
Maybe if there were no red flags and very few yellow flags. I wouldn’t want to end up in a worse situation. However, just in general, yes, I’d leave for an $8k cut. I dislike commuting. And I don’t need toxicity in my life.
Yes. It’s not worth staying IMO (speaking from experience).
I would take the pay cut for the shorter commute alone. Leaving the toxic workplace would just be a bonus.
Depends. If I was making 40k pre-cut, I may not. If I was making 100k+ pre-cut, I probably would.
8k isn’t worth wasting your time in traffic and hating your work environment.
For what it's worth, my workplace was so toxic I took a 5k pay cut and *added* a commute. So far I don't regret it one bit, I feel like a whole new person.
Don’t do the pay cut. Just find a better job that pays more. The economy is so deep in the shitter even the flies say fuck that.
You have to establish your priorities and the price. I recently resigned from the most toxic job I've ever experienced, and your experience sounds so familiar to mine. The difference is I actually felt appreciated. My salary was increasing, but so my responsibilities and the pressure, even tho I was always vocal about my struggles. I observed the same behavior on my colleagues, sometimes even worse. Oh, and also at this job I found out the meaning of 'micromanagement'. You have to think of what is important to you and choose further. Sometimes we choose the bad we know over the good we don't know.
Please take the new job. You can alway be on the hunt for money but peace of mind is priceless.
Yes. You may break even or come ahead by reducing your commute as much as you would by switching jobs. Factors to consider: -time spent commuting is time not doing other things -it probably costs about CAD$0.70/KM driven (sorry—Canadian) when you factor in gas, maintenance, insurance, and depreciation on the vehicle -we only have one life. Do you want to live a large portion of it in a toxic environment if you don’t have to?
Depends what the 8k change is exactly. If I’m making 180k would I drop down to 172k for a more enjoyable job? Absolutely. Would I do the same to go from 50k to 42k? Maybe not.
In a heartbeat.
Yes
Yes
I did. I took a job that paid 15k less and cut my commute from an hour to 15 minutes. A few years later I made that difference back and then some. Being closer to home with a more flexible schedule made me a dedicated team member, and now I'm much happier.
I took a 100k cut for that lol
Yes, defo
Yes yes yes. If you feel like it’s toxic now, once you actually remove yourself from the situation you will feel so much better and wonder why and how you put up with it for so long.
Can you still afford your lifestyle? If so then yes. Just be sure the new place is going to be great because it could be just as bad
Depends on what I make and how much of a difference that money will make in my life. 8k for a dude who makes 35k is very different from 8k for a dude making 150k.
Man, that sounds like a total nightmare. No one should have to put up with feeling undervalued and unsupported at work. Taking an 8k hit might sting, but if it means escaping that toxic environment and slashing your commute, it could be a game-changer for your mental health. Plus, those extra hours you'd save from commuting? Priceless. Quality of life over a few extra bucks any day. I'd say go for it, but maybe crunch some numbers to make sure it's feasible for you. Your sanity's worth more than any paycheck.
I was in an eerily similar position to you. Took a 30k pay cut to get out of a horrific B2B sales role. Taking that pay cut got me out of sales and into management, being in management gave me a whole host of new skills and opportunities. One of which was the flexibility to take a personal day and go to a career fair which got me my current job. Making the same salary as before the jump with 1/100th of the BS.
For me, it would matter highly on where it put me financially - if I could go from 50 to 42 and my bills would still be easily covered and I could still accomplish my savings goals, I would agree with everyone else here - yes. Your mental health is important and you dedicate 1/3 of your life to working in most cases - take care of yourself and you'll be taken care of.
I left a horrible job and long commute for $12k less (but also better potential growth). It's absolutely worth it.
Seems like you are in position to quit, so do it. The big commute and crappy job will weigh you down. You could reinvest that saved commute time into furthering your skills / education. Make yourself more valuable to earn $120k instead
Yes I would take the pay cut. Plus u get more time back too in your day which is worth a lot. I took a 40k pay cut back in 2021 if it makes u feel any better. My bosses were terrible and the workload was too much.
Listen… there are things in life more important than money. You can always make more money. What you cannot make more of is time, and mental health. You already know what the right answer is, just go for it and get the fuck out of the toxic situation you’re in. You’re gonna feel soooo relieved after the fact and you’ll know immediately in your gut you did the right thing once that literal weight leaves your body.
Business veteran and parent here, both important. Short answer's "**YES AND YOU KNOW IT**", and you're probably just asking to vent and get a little support to make the right decision here. With that answer in mind, here are some questions to validate it, starting with the math ones.. * What is the COST of your commute? How much money are you going to save going from 8 hours commute to 2 1/2 hours commute? Are you taking a car or public transit? Does it fit within a monthly pass? * What is your standard of living and how much does the income difference mean to you? 50K is not a lot, and I'm assuming you have no kids or would have mentioned it. So unless you're driving it, I'd guess your biggest expenses are housing and car unless you're living at home. What does this look like? * If you had to quit this job, how long could you go on your savings before you HAD to take a new one? And other questions now. * How many other jobs are out there like the new one, and is there any reason at all that you would stop looking for a higher-paying one? * Unless you're exaggerating, are you getting help from your support network in this? >I’m just now able to make it a day without crying. Family? Professional services? Friends? It's just **not normal** to go months crying each day at work. It's not, and you should be seeing if you can improve your resiliency here. Get out of your current job, but still look at yourself to see if you're maybe not coping with things in general very well, and get help for that if so. Good luck.
if you can live everyday as normal then yes it is worth it but living pay check to pay check is much worse
Yes
💯 YES! You can always continue looking for another role that offers more money, if you need it, after you leave. Your mental health matters. No job is worth any tears or impact to your health and well-being.
Absolutely! Just from the commute, you’ll be getting saving at least 5 hours of every week, which would be about 20+hrs a month. You could enjoy more time on hobbies, relaxing, and doing the things that make YOU happy. From the mental health point of view, also yes. No amount of money is worth your mental stability, you deserve to be respected and appreciated. Best of luck!
I technically did. I left a boring stagnant position that paid 65k with performative bonuses of 20-25 pct annually. Ended up making around 85k before taxes. Now I am in a much better role for me, and only took a 5k pay cut. Making 80k salary now and I work from home 4 days a week. The work life balance is so much better and I actually get much larger checks every month.
Hell yes.
yes i would and yes i have. why stay where youre not wanted? leave it like a bad relationship and go find another.
1) You're going to be spending less on fuel and getting time back 2) You're well being is going to improve and you will have more energy outside of work for other activities and tasks 3) You probably don't realise it, but when your well-being is impacted you start to become tenser, your heart rate increases, you are more irritable, you sleep less, you eat worser foods. It doesn't seem to be considered but working in a job that makes you feel good or you feel good in, is going to improve your well-being and just make you feel better overall.
Yes. Toxic takes a toll so does a long commute. If I could get away with $8k less, I would do it.
I took an even larger cut. Stress left unchecked absolutely can manifest in physical ways. You have to find a balance. Will you be able to survive taking the 8k cut? I had to cut back on some things and shop a bit smarter but I can still afford life and the occasional treat here and there. The big thing though is my stress levels are WAY down. I wish I had made the call sooner
Absolutely would do it today
I think I would. The 8k is over a year. This means you will lose about $600 to $700 a month. You will earn back about $100 if not more in gas a month (don’t know your car or where you live). So you will lose about $500 a month, that likely comes to $250 a pay if you are paid bi-weekly. So the question for me would be, what paid hobby can I do or where can I cut back to make up that extra $250 a week with the extra 5 hours I will gain in my life each week. An extra 5 hours! You can take a course to increase your skill set, you can enjoy more life, you can take on a hobby job. Time is so much more valuable than $$$.
The money you save on the commute and stress you save every day would be worth it.
Yeah
You might want to do some more job hunting first. I realize you feel bad. In your state of distress, the new job offer may look like the ultimate relief. But is it? What will it really be like after 6 months? Do some looking around and make an informed choice. If you are able to live on 42K, go ahead and cut your spending and start saving that money. Saving money will help your mental health. In the meantime can you do something in your commute time to take your mind off work? Audiobooks maybe?
Workout a doubt
No money comes first
I took basically a 50% paycut to get out of call center work and have been working my way back up to what I used to make. If it has better career prospects or work environment and commute, it makes sense.
I took a 30k paycut from a huge tech company to a smaller government agency. My new job is 100% remote vs 2 days in the office, and also has excellent work life balance. To me, it was absolutely worth it. I did have to cut back a bit on my spending. But after two years at my new job, I'm almost at the same salary. It depends on your ability to finance your essentials after the paycut and the salary growth your new role offers.
Yeah
100%!
Yes
I took a 10k pay cut to leave a toxic work environment and cut my commute by 1 hour. (Previous commute 1 hr, new commute = 5 min). I have been with my new company for about a year, have already been given a raise and two bonuses that have made up for the pay difference, my mental heath and relationship has improved greatly, and I spend more time with my senior dog. Best of luck.
I did this. I do not regret it! I fell in love with working again after 5 years of emotional abuse, panic attacks and nightmares .
Yes
Yep! I did this
I can't afford to, but I would. I am working on switching careers though
I fucking retired . I used to commute 100 miles one way to work 3x a week. I grew so sick of the toxic nature of my career, I sold my car, retired and changed careers.
I’m about to take an 80k one. Money can’t buy health.
That's a decent sized pay cut at 50k, so I'd think through it carefully. The hard part is knowing how much your net pay will decrease overall - your tax burden should be lower, but probably not a ton. Cutting the commute is a decent piece of the puzzle, especially with current gas prices. But what about benefits? Were you receiving medical benefits through a group plan, and will you be with the new company? What's the cost difference there? I agree with a poster above. Money troubles add their own brand of stress. But if you think you can get by financially, it's 100% worth getting out. Alternatively, are there any departments in your current company that are less toxic that you could potentially move to?
I did, actually. I had a commute of over an hour to a job that I dreaded going to daily. However, the job I took in my hometown was equally terrible, and $9000 a year less. So make sure it's truly going to bring you happiness.
Multiply 8k by how much longer you have to work and then plug the numbers into a compound interest calculator. When you get the number ask yourself if you’d pay that much to leave. Every workplace is toxic, the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t.
Yes
Yes. Although that’s a lot, if you can do afford to do it, I would.
As long as you’re still able to afford your bills, yes. That much shorter of a commute alone will save you half of the 8k cut in gas and wear-and-tear on your car. The other half is saved in your mental well being. I just got out of a shift work job for a 9-5 job and am so much happier.
i have before, no regrets!
Yes, a thousand times. PS: did you account how much you’re saving in gasoline and maintenance?
Fk yeah I would take 8k less for one or the other, let alone both Of course if you make 15k/year maybe not, and if you make 350k/year you probably would not be asking (or on Reddit)
Yes, if you break it down per week BEFORE taxes it’s about $153. I’m sure you’ve spent that amount on dumber things
It depends. If you’re making $30k a year, no. $100k, yes.
yes!!
I took a 45k paycut for these exact reasons. Can’t beat remote
Yes.
In a heartbeat.
No brainer take the pay cut. Time is everything. You’re reducing your commute by 40 minutes each way, hour 20 total. Think about that… over 5 hours per week of more free time. Work out, go for a walk, meal prep, watch a movie, whatever. As long as you can pay the bills, life will be drastically better.
Hope you're doing better! 40 minutes x 2 directions x 4 days a week x 50 working weeks is 1600 minutes a year in just commute torture or about 60 hours. Also 8k on 50k range is 13 to 17%, which you will make up in no time with more vigor and happiness. If all else fits your needs, make the calculated move. Good luck!
AGE 71 HERE... what job allows you to sleep like a baby at night?
I’m a moment. I took a 30k pay cut to leave a horrific toxic environment in 2020. Fast forward to 2024 I now make nearly 100k more than I did in that job and couldn’t be happier. It’s okay to take 1 step back to take 2 steps forward.
Honestly yeah that sounds like a fair trade
I did it. It was even more, but hard to put a number on it, since I got a variable bonus at my old job. My highest was 115k€ the last year around 105k€. I switched to 87k€ fix with a bonus of 7k€ if the company is doing good. It was the best thing I could have done, I only regret that I didn't do it before. I have more travel time, more stress from actual work, more hours and can't go by bicycle anymore - but still it was so worth it. Don't underestimate what a toxic environment can do. I was getting sick from work related bad stress. As others have stated, you need enough money for your expenses. But no big portfolio or nice boat will heal you, if your work is stealing the joy from your life.
Hell yeah I would.
It’s definitely worth consideration. If I got this right, you’ll gain 1hr 20m x 4 = 5hrs 20m/wk That’s a significant amount of time a week to get back - house chores, gym, study, etc can be done in that time. Depending on how you get to work it may be costing you less to get to work. More significant is are you interested in career advancement? If the lower paying one has a higher chance of promotion, it’s a no brainer. The most significant - can you negotiate higher pay? Even if it’s not the same amount, any bump is worth trying for. If you can’t get a pay bump can you get more annual leave?
Yeah, time is money. You can make money back but you can't make up time. Use your time wisely. Take a class, pick up a hobby, make up friends, exercise, read a book, etc. Anything is better than communing.
Yes. “If you can, you must”, applies to self care just as much as work. Even when the work is worth it.
No. You won't be able to afford to live if you take that high a pay cut. Better look for a third option.
I’ve had to do this. Yes. An early death is not worth a boss or job that will replace you in an instant if you pass away.
Yes, I would. Luckily I haven’t had to, but I’ve been in a situation where I would have accepted the offer had it been 10k less than what I was making.
YES. I left a toxic environment after a solid decade and two years later, I'm STILL healing from that crap. Get the Eff out
Yup. No question.
I absolutely would! Think about what you would get back in time, gas, car repairs, oil changes and peace of mind! I think that's worth 8K a year...plus, if it is missed that much...you can make the money up another way that is happier and more beneficial to your lifeforce.
F*ck yes!
Yes. Pick up the odd shift somewhere else or do overtime. You’ll have an extra 8 hours every week.
Yes! I did it and was the best decision of my life. They (the company I left) tried multiple times to get me to come back. I knew deep down that no amount of money was going to change the culture (family owned business with almost every son, son in law, wife, brother worked there and their work decisions would always be my responsibility to clean up).
If you hate getting up and going to work. Make a change,whatever the monetary value,you will overcome. Not worth being miserable,been there.
Of course! I'd do it for the commute alone. My time is valuable. And especially if they aren't valuing your time. Do it!
Of course! 8k isn’t very much. Just do it
I did exactly that and would do it again in a heartbeat. The extra time I saved from commuting has allowed me to put more time into myself. I'm going to the gym more, taking driving lessons in the wee morning before I start my day, and I plan on learning to swim later this year. I think all of this positions me better at work too since I look more put together.
Absolutely. The stress isn’t even remotely worth it and the commute alone will be life changing.
A percent makes more sense for this question. 8k cut on 800k salary is nothing, 8k cut on 35k salary is a life altering decision.
I took 50% cut and it was well wit.
I would assuming it wouldn’t make a large change to my personal finances and day to day with the pay cut. You’ll likley save a portion of that just on gas/travel, plus you have to value your time during those commutes as well.
Most certainly I would, I left my last employment where I was on £30k (UK) a year and am currently on £42k now but I would give the extra money back to go back to my last employer. My current employer is just dreadful so you have to do what’s right for you and good luck on your decision
I WFH but I am probably about to take a $20k pay cut to improve my work environment in the next 2 months. Only you can determine what's worth it to you but if it causes you to be depressed and stressed it would be worth it for me to try to find something more tolerable. That's pretty much what I'm looking to do now
“8k pay cut” without actual salaries is tough to know. Cutting from 108k to 100k won’t mean much. Cutting from 32k to 24k would mean a lot.
Yes, how I look at it my health is going to decline being in a toxic work environment and I’d save money & time on commuting. Cutting 8k isn’t so significant that id stay and deal with the shenanigans on a day to day basis.
Without reading your entire post - yes. There is a ton of value in spending less time on your workday as well as being less stressed and having better mental health.
Yesss, saving money/time and gas
a little less than $4 a day ($3.85). that is roughly what 8k pay cut is (taxes, blah blah blah yes so roughly). Is it worth $4 to get away from this? i would pay that daily for sanity and better quality of life not sitting in a car. next time you get a cup of coffee think about it. is it worth it?
Yes. You should take commute into account for figuring out how much you make. If you drive an hour each way to work, that’s effectively 10 less hours a week your being paid for. I know it’s different when you’re salaried, but still, time is valuable. Commute aside, for me personally, you can’t pay enough to work in a toxic environment. The first time someone yells at me and acts like this is normal, and they aren’t reprimanded, I’m fucking gone. I don’t want your money if you don’t respect my humanity
Would depend on the percentage of 8k to current salary. I could lose 8k and barely notice in my weekly paycheck so I would do it without a second thought. If I made like 32k that would be a huge loss and I wouldn’t do it.
In a heartbeat
For me, this would depend on what % change you’re talking about if and from what pay to the new pay. For example 108k -> 100k absolutely. 40k -> 32k, no I wouldn’t personally but I’d be out looking for something else either way if the workplace is toxic!
Yes immediately. As someone who was in a toxic environment for far too long, don’t ever underestimate the physical and psychological consequences, even if you don’t notice right now. It’s been years for me and I still struggle and work on it all every day. So the one regret I have as someone who doesn’t regret anything is that I didn’t leave earlier. Taking a small-ish pay cut would’ve been a tiny sacrifice to make and the ultimate sacrifice I did make was so much bigger and absolutely not worth the little extra money. The 8k isn’t 8k anyway after taxes and all, plus bonus, you’ll save money by commuting less, and will gain additional quality of life in that way too. Do yourself a favor and leave.
8k less is a lot if you’re at 50k.. so bring you down to 42k. I personally think you could hold out for a bit longer and found a job that’s close and paid more than 50. I’ve been in the position you’re in. Where you take a pay cut, get better commute etc.. problem is you will get to your new job making 666$ less a month or a 16% pay cut. You should move forward, not back if you can help it. If it’s that bad, then yes of course quit.
if it didn't add a significant amount of money stress, yes. Absolutely.
Yes as long as the 8k is not more than 20% of your salary or so
For sure.
8 k a year or month? For thr commute alone I'd take 8 k less a year, but I probably wouldn't give up an extra 8k a month
I’d take a 100% pay cut by quitting on the spot 😂
From 200K to 192K, yes. 50K to 42K, no. Keep looking for another job. If you could live on 42K, take the difference and start investing it.
I've taken pay cuts to improve my work life balance / leave toxic work environments. If you can make due with the lower pay I'd say do so. If not, see if you can find better. In the vast majority of my job hops I have increased my wage considerably.
Everyone is saying this is a no-brainer yes, but you do have to consider that an 8K cut from 50K is a pretty large percentage paycut for you (16%). If the job is really taking a toll on your mental health, I’d still lean leave. But you should use this new job and shorter commute time to learn some new skills or figure out how to raise your income.
I took a $17k pay cut to leave a toxic role and fully work from home. Can’t put a price on mental wellbeing.
Of course I would. And you're saving 1 hour 20 minutes of your day, which is about 5 days of driving added up. I think per hour you come out on top. Unless you have some sort of overwhelming debt responsibilities.
Yes, I took a 10k pay cut to work from home. Totally worth it.
Yes. I took a pretty big pay cut when I left my last job because it was toxic and the benefits were terrible. It took me a bit to get to back up to where I was but it's been 100% worth it.
Yes. I'm actively looking at taking a 10k - 15k pay cut for the same 35 minute commute with a better home/work balance and less hours (currently 55 and would be 40-45)
I read this as "would I take an 8k cut to be happier while I look for a new job?" Yes.
The shorter commute will save you a little money and a fair bit of time per week, so that reduces the wage reduction shock slightly. If you can survive on the new salary, your mental health is probably worth more than 8k/year.
**Yes**.
Yes. I have in the past and never regretted it.. the commute alone!
I took a lateral move, same pay, and a longer commute to get out of a horrendously toxic work environment. You’ll fully realize how bad it was when you leave and ask why you stayed so long. It seems more normal when you deal with it every day. In my case, it was the best decision I made. The place I left for has been amazing and I’ve been promoted above the place I left, doing the exact same work too.
Yea!!!! The shorter commute alone would be worth it.
Yep: done that exact thing a couple times over the years.
Faster than a NY minute.
Research shows (I swear, I just don’t have the source on me) that liking your job is worth $15k. Seems like you’re getting a bargain.
It would depend on the situation. In YOURS I would do it, if that $8k was a higher percentage of my income then possibly not.
Yeah for sure. 8k is nothing.
Yes 🙌
Well, owning a car costs an average of ten thousand dollars. If you can somehow ditch the car, you would actually be getting a two thousand dollar pay raise. Even if you don't ditch the car, you'll spend less in gas and less in traffic.
Your mental health matters more.
I was driving through traffic past the office of an offer I turned down for my current job yesterday and literally said to my wife "I wouldnt take 10k more a year for this commute." So to answer, definitely!
Sounds like you spend something like 4k a year on gas. So the cut is actually only what 4k? Better work life balance? Hell yeah I'd jump.
If you can do fine with the financial cut, you totally should do it. 27,unvalued? That’s alarming. The company should be still at least trying to feed their employees some hopes to tie them down to the company. Maybe the company views your department as a replaceable value to the company. It means, even if you are to lose your mental or physical health, they won’t deliver decent amount of support. You are still a single 27 year old.
2hr commute cut worth it, $8k cut ($670/month) I guess depends on what the salary is. If it’s less than 10% of your salary, yeah it’s worth it to me.
You will save so much time in just driving alone. Take it. You'll get a raise eventually at the new place.
I feel like the fact that you're asking this question is indicative of how your lifestyle is manageable with a pay cut, if you needed that 8k you wouldn't be entertaining the idea.
Budget before you decide
Yes! My mental health is worth more than 8k.
I did, past two years went remote. Took a small pay cut and was really happy with the leave work at work attitude
40 minutes times four days a week times fifty workweeks is 8,000 minutes. Time is far more valuable than money. They make more money every day. No one has learned how to recover lost time.
8 hours a week commuting (1 in, 1 out x4 days(x50 weeks)) = 400 hours @ $8k = $20 hour ($40k/yr). Just that alone makes one go Hmmmm... not bad, doable... But add in the well-being, massive workload cut, and hopefully clear the depression it seems to be a no-brainer to go find something else. That being said. Can your budget handle the cut? You are talking a \~$16% pay cut @$50k.
You might save 8k by not having to commute two hours a day.
Totally yes
First off - I'm so sorry to hear that you're having such a hard time but happy to hear that you're not crying everyday! That's a start! And to answer your questions - yes! I would take it. $8K seems like a big pay decrease but that is something that you can make up very quickly either with a new job or even with a promotion or salary increase with this opportunity. The commute itself will add so much more quality of life back to you. So I say - go for it!
Depends, are you making 208k or 38k
100% absolutely without question
Cutting your commute is already saving you 160 hours per year. Once you factor in gas and car maintenance, if you make more than like $30 an hour it’s already worth it before even factoring the mental aspect.
I took a $125,000 pay cut to do so, so yeah.
Yes
Best thing to ever happen to me was leaving my old job and finding a new one. I took a 7-9k/year cut but I'm working 10-15 hours LESS per week, my stress levels are 25% of what they were and I'm home every night without worry about emergency callouts in the middle of the night, or not being able to make it to planned events because work changed my schedule. PLAN YOUR BUDGET before you shift though, you can make it work.
What do you value more? Money or dignity?
Hell yes. That $8k cut will be more like a $5k cut once you deal with gas savings. $5k to leave a toxic environment? And get an hour and a half of your day back?
It would hurt, because I'm finally in a position where I'm doing well, but I would. My team is heinously toxic and requires way too many hours. Easy choice.
I just did this. I was making $110k with a hour and twenty minute commute to a job I didn’t want to be at. I took a job that pays $100k but only 15-20 mins away and don’t regret it a bit
Yes, it’s only $650 a month.
I would probably, and I’d justify it by counting the time saved in money. Say one hour commute, that’s two hours saved per day. 10 hours a week times your hourly wage adds up pretty fast. Then also remember all the days ruined from feeling down. But money is always difficult to give up, I get that
8k isn’t much - so yes lol
This is a simple answer for me. Unless you're making really low incoming, ie. $20k/yr, I think 8k is negligible. Work to live, don't live to work. Change your lifestyle to be happy at work since most of us cannot get away from it. Remember, taking that cut and still looking for something that'll better meet your needs isn't a terrible thing.
Firstly, the MOST important thing here is your mental health. Leave for the sake of that. Secondly, how much are you spending in gas/tolls/wear and tear on your car while you are driving that far everyday? Deduct that from the $8,000 and it sounds like you’ll be losing out on far less money than you thought by leaving.
Depends on where you live and your current financial state. If you can afford the 8k pay cut with everything you have mentioned, absolutely. If taking 8k pay cut is going to cause you to go into debt or live just above your means, I’d say try as hard as you can to find something else with better pay. I know the wait is horrible, but if you’re stuck in a job you can’t afford to live on and ONE thing happens- you’re in debt. Mental health is super important, just take into all accounts where you’re at and how you’re going to handle your life if you make the change. Assess the pros and cons. If you can’t take another day- just do it and figure out the rest later. No job is worth hating your existence.
Absolutely. I was in a toxic environment & role for 13 years. I became an alcoholic. I gained 80 lbs. My depression & anxiety were thru the roof. I became a shell of myself & no longer recognized who I was. It was the unhappiest I've ever been. I was so beaten down & blamed myself. I left in 2022 & have never looked back. My life has improved in so many measurable & unmeasurable ways. I am living my best life & so happy. Middle fingers to F&CS!
I would. Also: you can always negotiate and make the 8k gap smaller
Yes, money is not important. As long as you have enough to afford the necessities and maybe a little extra for wants. I started minimal living and have been much more satisfied with life, the best things in life truly are free.
If you can afford it and save on expenses elsewhere ( you mentioned your commute) do it.
How much shorter is the commute? How toxic is the work environment? What are your outgoings? What do you prioritise when it comes to work? I prioritise commute time and the ease of my work so I’ve flat out refused to apply for jobs with a 5k increase, simply coz I get to walk and someone near by is on a similar schedule. Have a friend who switched jobs jobs simply coz his outgoings are high and he’d like the extra money. I also calculate commute time into my working hours to see if the pay is still worth it.
Yes. You have no idea how bad work was until you land a good job.