Under what circumstances would you take a pay cut

[soap]

Under what circumstances would I take a pay cut?

•porn star

•dairy farmer

•pro bass angler

•working at a gun store again

• research and development at Ford SVT.

[MattB]

Soap, I can say without a doubt there's no way you'll ever have that last job you mentioned!

[propellerhead]

I am getting to the age I really need to think about retirment (48)...

If by this you mean you still have to build up your fund, then now is not the time to take a pay cut. Less pay also means less going into your retirement account. Ideally, you take a suck job that pays well, bank a lot of cash, then retire early.

[01vnms4v]

If by this you mean you still have to build up your fund, then now is not the time to take a pay cut. Less pay also means less going into your retirement account. Ideally, you take a suck job that pays well, bank a lot of cash, then retire early.

X2

[jluv]

I would/will take a paycut if and when I have the opportunity to run a small business in the mountains, like a t-shirt shop or something that's laid back and just allows me to break even and put food on the table with very little stress. I figure that's something I can do all the way until I croak and won't have to count on retirement to get me all the way to the end.

[KBScobravert]

I would take a paycut if it came along with a relocation where the environment would be worth something more than money and as long as I could still be providing for my family.

Example. Taking a job on a boat or dive shop in Cozumel.

[Roscoe]

I haven't done so in 10 years, but at the same time, I've got the job that I wouldn't leave for any other (realistic) opportunity that could come my way.

Quality of life and happiness is worth far more than a paycheck, IMO.... but as long as they pay me what I earn, I'm happy.

[Frank]

There was one time, our company was going through layoffs and I was getting really worried and depressed and my job was extremely stressful. I was giving serious consideration to changing careers just for the stability. I would have taken an initial 2/3rds pay cut for the peace of mind it was so bad. Fortunately I didn't make any hasty decisions and powered through it. Now my salary is nearly double what it was then and my future is much brighter.

[TexasT]

Only to get my foot in the door to learn new things. Though I have been "let go", and the family doesn't stop eating or needing a roof so sometimes you take what you can get while hunting the next score.

In God we trust, all others pay cash.

[TX_92_Notch]

I left a job roughly 4 years out of high school to get into my 'career' job as an architect and took a $10k (25%) annual pay cut. It paid off in the long run but it was hard to cope with back then.

[Baron Von Crowder]

I was just having this conversation with my wife. We have highs and lows where Im at, and being on straight commission means that my paycheck fluctuates. July was down 2k over previous months, and after looking at year over year trends, I decided to start looking around at other options. One of my former teachers is an admin for a large school district, and has been pushing me to take one of several teaching positions that have opened, the main one of interest was an auto tech instructor.

Since my wife is a teacher, she was excited at the thought of us both having the usual holiday breaks and summers off together, and from a family standpoint, that would be ideal as the kids get older. I'd really love to teach, since it was several vocational/technical teachers that really kept me in school and out of trouble, and I have a lot of respect for the profession.

The downside is that I would be taking an annual salary that is slightly higher than what I've made so far this year. I've been getting busier at the shop with side work, and that would help offset the difference, but the toy and extra cash fund would pretty much disappear as it would have to go into the family funding.

In the end, I couldn't get the dollars to make sense. I'm willing to take less for something I would love to do, and the time with the family would be great, but I have a number I cant fall below. The position I held before I came here was more of a management type, with loads of different responsibilities, and I'm actively looking to get back into it. Im chasing the paper on this move, though.

[txstangnut]

What pension system? The stress level seems to be higher in larger organizations but so does the compensation. I don't interact with IT much where I work but most of the professional level employees who come from the private side seem to be satisfied with their work/life balance.

Texas County and District Retirement System (TCDRS). Under TCDRS, employees are subject to a mandatory deduction of 7% of total earnings and matched by the County on a 2 to 1 ratio.

[txstangnut]

Took a 25% cut to move from SF back to Dallas but that's a raise. These days, quality of life means the most to me. My wife is getting killed at work and we've decided she'll just resign rather than risk damaging her reputation if her company owners won't staff here appropriately.

That is kinda where I am at. I would rather resign than stay. My current company is listed as one of the worst places to work.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/20/worst-companies-to-work-for_n_3629056.html

[txstangnut]

If by this you mean you still have to build up your fund, then now is not the time to take a pay cut. Less pay also means less going into your retirement account. Ideally, you take a suck job that pays well, bank a lot of cash, then retire early.

I have some in a 401k but not anywhere near for early retirement. But what you say is something to consider.

[txstangnut]

I was just having this conversation with my wife. We have highs and lows where Im at, and being on straight commission means that my paycheck fluctuates. July was down 2k over previous months, and after looking at year over year trends, I decided to start looking around at other options. One of my former teachers is an admin for a large school district, and has been pushing me to take one of several teaching positions that have opened, the main one of interest was an auto tech instructor.

Since my wife is a teacher, she was excited at the thought of us both having the usual holiday breaks and summers off together, and from a family standpoint, that would be ideal as the kids get older. I'd really love to teach, since it was several vocational/technical teachers that really kept me in school and out of trouble, and I have a lot of respect for the profession.

The downside is that I would be taking an annual salary that is slightly higher than what I've made so far this year. I've been getting busier at the shop with side work, and that would help offset the difference, but the toy and extra cash fund would pretty much disappear as it would have to go into the family funding.

In the end, I couldn't get the dollars to make sense. I'm willing to take less for something I would love to do, and the time with the family would be great, but I have a number I cant fall below. The position I held before I came here was more of a management type, with loads of different responsibilities, and I'm actively looking to get back into it. Im chasing the paper on this move, though.

Chasing paper is what I have always done. I do make a great wage but I dont see any advancement where I am at and moving to another group seems to be hard to do also. The turnover here is huge from low pay and burnout.