Would you dump your commute for a 20% Pay Cut?

[james.hendrickson]

So, a while back I was commuting about an hour to work. I ended up quitting that job and cutting my commute to zero (I now work from home). But, as part of quitting that job, I took a big pay cut. So, this got me thinking:

Would you take a job with an 20% pay cut if it meant you could live 5 minutes away from work?

Assume your current position has a 2 hour round trip commute. It pays more, but its not worth the stress. On the other hand, your hypothetical new job pays less, but is just 5 minutes away from home. Would you take the new job?

[Trying to get ahead]

I'm considering that now.

[corn18]

Affirmative

[Smallsteps]

I really think it depends on the commute. I used to live in a smaller city and although I drove 30 minutes each way to a job it was distance not traffic.
I now live in an area that even going a short distance is a nightmare due to insane traffic and horrible drivers.
There is also a lot to be said for driving habits, I have been in other large metropolitan areas that on # of cars is same or greater as my area but runs much smoother. In this market I would gladly give up money for sanity.

[msomnipotent]

I wouldn't accept a job that was 2 hrs away in the first place. I would tell my husband not to take a job that far away unless he could telecommute most of the time. Even then, I would not like it.

I was just getting by when I worked so I couldn't consider a pay cut. I lived only 5 miles away from my job and it was still at least 30 mins each way because of traffic. I considered changing jobs then because I hate traffic that much. But I would only change for a pay increase.

[amastewa93]

It depends...

Does the 20% pay decrease also come with a loss of benefits? For many people, things like health insurance and PTO are part of their "salary." If you can afford the 20% difference in pay and not worry about keeping up bills, insurance, etc... Go for it! ... especially if it is going to make you happier.

[disneysteve]

I wouldn't accept a job that was 2 hrs away in the first place.

That was my thought too. The commute would have been a deal breaker when first presented with the job opportunity.

[amastewa93]

That was my thought too. The commute would have been a deal breaker when first presented with the job opportunity.

That is interesting that you both felt that way... I know people who commute 2 hours one way for a position because it is what they love to do and they have to live where they do for various reasons - financial mainly. If the job paid enough, I'd commute that far (if I owed my home). Renting, however, I'd probably opt to move closer to the job.

[melissalt]

I am dropping off my new contract Monday morning for a job that does exactly this. It's 5 miles from my house vs nearly 50 miles, and it's almost exactly a 20% salary decrease. After accepting the job, I found out that my dental is free, and my health insurance cost will go from approximately $260/mo to $67/mo. In the end, between gas, tolls, the constant oil changes on my 2004, 210,000 mile car, I'll end up breaking even. Plus, I'll have 90 more minutes per day available for my life. I also get a 45 minute flex time to come in early or leave late.

I took my prior job because after teaching in a hardcore school in a tough Philly neighborhood, I wanted to continue working at a school with some diversity; for that, I had to travel. I'm ready to work at a much less diverse school now and nix the travel.

[bjl584]

No.

20% is too steep. I live 8 miles from work, so I'm putting less than 20 miles a day on my truck commuting to and from work.

A 5% pay cut would probably be more inline with what I would be saving on fuel costs if I didn't have to drive at all for work.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Yes but i wouldn't have taken it to begin with