So I’m currently working at a job where I get to work from home half the time and it’s pretty easy going. I’m currently on 22k a year which really doesn’t stretch far down south, £750 a month already goes on rent and bills.
I have a job opportunity which is 34k so a 12k increase, however its a mental health field role (I have a related degree and experience) which involves being on call a week every 3 weeks. So basically I would be waking up at 3am to solve mental health crisis’.
I’m really comfortable in my job now but I must admit I’m not saving any money and if it weren’t for my partner I’d definitely still be living with my parents right now.
I’m just weighing everything up, so wanted to ask you reddit would you prefer the money or happiness?
19 comments
That’s more than a 50% raise, worth it for working on call one in every 3 weeks in my opinion.
Plus when you start working in the new role for a little while you can apply for similar jobs without the on call requirement.
I live up north and I’ve still no idea how anyone could live comfortably on £22k. Money isn’t everything but you’ll be far more comfortable on mid 30’s and it puts you in a better position for the future when you may want to get married, buy a house, have kids etc.
As long as you have enough to live on, happiness trumps more money every time, all day long.
I think there is a ‘ceiling’ where you weigh up money v happiness. 22k to 34k though….I’d say follow the cash for now!
Well money is just a means to an end isn’t it. That end, ideally, being happiness.
Obviously more money often leads to more happiness. But to answer the question in the title: if it’s a choice between the two then obviously happiness if more important. What’s the point in having more money if it means being less happy?
Having said all that, 34k a year is a huge amount more than 22k… I think personally I could find a way to be happier with all that extra money. Or at least I’d give a go for a while.
OP take the money.
Think about the long game. A few years after £34K you’ll be eyeing up the next position. Stepping stones one at a time.
There’s a balance between the two, if the job would make you actively unhappy then don’t take it, if it’s a path to future good things and you think you’d be alright with it then go for it. That’s a big pay increase which can give you a lot of options. If you were talking about moving from one high salary to another then there might not be as many benefits to the increase.
Living on the lower end here after giving up a circa 25-30k (UK) wage to earn around 14k ( going back to Uni and sacking off the manual labour job).
I was rock bottom at the previous job mentally and wanted to opt out so many times just couldn’t because of kids ( it was getting worse and closer to messing something up at work because of my mental state) after a injury it gave me the excuse to leave.
Honestly I’m now on minimum wage lucky to earn £1000 a month with the variable hours, I’m happier to a degree not bored out of my mind, but stressed out with money all the time and I’ve worked every weekend the last two years bar I think 4 where I’ve booked off the weekend( flat rate no overtime rate etc).
I do regret doing it financially and even though it’s less hours per shift I’m working usually 6 days out of 7 rather than 4.5 so seems like I don’t have any time off. The money with everything going up at the moment just isn’t going to cut it so I either need a second job or a new job and it will probably end up back in the industry I left ( started career switching hence the degree from a mechanical/military background to IT). So after the extra financial strain and hours studying for a little mental respite il end up in the same scenario eventually.
Sometimes the grass isn’t greener and as we all know more money – save as much as you can get it to work for you will lead to either a better quality of life and/or early retirement which who doesn’t want either of those? Both of those mean happier lifestyle due to less worry and stress over the financials.
Financial stress can make you very unhappy. However, having lots of money doesn’t necessarily guarantee happiness otherwise wealthy people would not commit suicide, but some have in the past
Having more money does wonders for your mental health.
It’s not as binary as that.
You can’t really be happy if you’re constantly worried about money.
What are your prospects? Most people do a shit job in order to progress to a point where the work/money balance is much better.
34k v 22k is a massive difference.
Happiness
I’d take the money because you don’t know if you will actually be less happy in it. It’ll be more stressful, sure, but it also sounds like it’s probably a really worthwhile job.
I’ve never met a happy broke person who wasn’t being bankrolled by someone else.
Money
I’m in a similar ish position. Kinda.
I earn 32 and could change job and earn 44.
I’m not changing because I’m extremely happy in my current position.
However. If I was on 22k and got offer 34k I’d jump on it. Honestly I don’t know how I’d survive on 22k a year.
Money.
I’d take the money. If you don’t like that job, quit it and take a similar one to what you have now. Quality of life and happiness for me increased when I could save money for emergencies
FYI it’s a £627 increase in post tax income per month.. so you’ll be earning 41% more..
I would follow the money personally.
Money. While it’s true that doesn’t produce happiness, the things you get with it do the job quite well.