Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to take job in dream town but with huge pay cut?

66 replies

Waferbiscuit · 04/10/2021 22:09

Have long been keen to move to lovely town where I know I'd love living. It's about 2 hours away from me.

Applied for job which is in my sector that is exciting and very desirable but salary wasn't stated in advert. Got offered the job but turns out the salary is a 30% drop in pay or less 15k pa or about 850 pounds/month after tax. My company also makes quite significant pension contributions of about 700/month so I'd lose that as well.

I could take the role just to make the move, settle and eventually look for something else at a higher salary. But the risk is that (a) there isn't 'anything else' at a higher salary or I just can't secure anything else and (b) I'm back at a lower salary so harder to climb up again or be seen as senior. I could, of course, wait for something else at a higher salary to come up but that's a risk too as it could be years...

Would welcome thoughts on what to do. I'm single, which means I'm flexible, but the drag is I don't have another income in the family to rely on.

OP posts:
Merryoldgoat · 04/10/2021 22:24

So 50k down to 35k.

It’s a lot but it depends on how much you need to live on.

It would also sound like a drop in seniority so would you not be bored?

CoffeeRunner · 04/10/2021 22:42

It depends how realistic finding a better paid job in the new location would be.

If your move is from London to say, Torquay, then you would have to accept that £35k is possibly the price for that role in that area.

If you're in Birmingham & moving to Manchester etc (so less disparity between average wages) then I would keep looking.

SisforSoppy · 04/10/2021 22:45

How do you know it’s your dream town if you’ve never lived there? It could be awful.

Original poster
Waferbiscuit · 05/10/2021 00:10

How do you know it’s your dream town if you’ve never lived there? It could be awful.

Have visited there often, stayed for longer periods, really love it. I guess it's impossible to know if it's that 'dreamy' without actually living there!

OP posts:
DeirdreRashid · 05/10/2021 00:14

Absolutely not while single with no ties, would no way be taking a 15k pay cut due to the area

Megan2018 · 05/10/2021 00:17

I wouldn’t.
Can you WFH in your current job? If so, I’d move but keep your current job and commute. Not practical for 5 days a week but doable if you can do 50/50 or less. Then you can try out loving there without the job change.
Odds are the salary reflects pay in that area so you’d be giving up a lot.

StarryStarrySocks · 05/10/2021 00:18

I wouldn't do it, that's too big a cut. I made a similar move a few years ago but the pay cut I took was only about £3k and there were more opportunities to progress in the new company. So for me it was worth it. No way would I make the move in your situation.

alwayslearning789 · 05/10/2021 02:00

You can visit the dreamy town - no way dont take a 15k pay cut in the circumstances you have described.

TheWestIsTheBest · 05/10/2021 02:15

I did it to leave London for another country, I caught up pretty quickly. But it does very much depend on job/location etc., so do your research!

CCSA · 05/10/2021 02:17

Negotiate super hard

Guineapigbridge · 05/10/2021 02:20

I would. Life's short.

steff13 · 05/10/2021 02:28

What makes this town so dreamy?

EmmaGrundyForPM · 05/10/2021 02:33

Is there any negotiation room?

Alternatively, as someone already suggested, can you wfh in your current job and move anyway?

DH and I are planning to move in 2 years time to a lovely town about 90 minutes away. It will be neatly 2 hours for me to get to work but, even post Covid, I will only have to go to the office once a month, so it's doable.

Weirdwonders · 05/10/2021 05:35

No way. You’ll miss that amount of money. If it’s only 2 hours away just spend a few weekends there. Also you’ll get there and realise it’s just another place, the novelty will wear off fast.

Original poster
Waferbiscuit · 05/10/2021 07:28

Thx all. I'm v keen to live there but am mindful of how long it takes to grow ones salary. 10 years ago I took a pay cut from 55 to 45. It took me 10 years to get back up to 57 so another drop could feel challenging.

OP posts:
MissSmiley · 05/10/2021 07:41

How old are you? The loss of pension contributions is significant

Tickledtrout · 05/10/2021 07:44

So it's a drop from 57 to low 40s?
Housing costs much cheaper in your new town? Promotion likely?

GoWalkabout · 05/10/2021 07:50

What values are most important to you? If financial security, career progression and growing your earning power are the things that drive you, then don't take this. If you are happy to get by on less as a single person and this move holds meaning and purpose for you, you have the freedom to decide to do that. (are you looking to meet someone/are kids a possibility). I think I would ask new company if they can make it possible by asking for a fairly modest increase in the salary or pension contribution or ask if they can see a future role coming up at your seniority. Then I would bide my time for a better vacancy. But congratulations, you have options and that's a good place to be.

Original poster
Waferbiscuit · 05/10/2021 08:02

@MissSmiley I'm 50. Have been building pension for 20 years and it's ok but will need to contribute a lot to make up for current employer contribution (they pay 21%!)

OP posts:
AndOtherStories · 05/10/2021 08:25

Unless you have a national pay scale type job, teaching, nursing etc, salaries can vary hugely by region. Is this actually a lower ranking job or is it that the same job carries a lower salary in this area?

DeepaBeesKit · 05/10/2021 08:29

No way would I do this. The combined value of the pension and pay cut is enormous and you will find it hard to climb back up from. It's just not worth it. Can you move to the town anyway and just commute?

DeepaBeesKit · 05/10/2021 08:32

Also op be mindful that the next few years may be flat or worse economically in the UK. UK employment law tends to protect long standing employees over newer ones, and you are more expensive to cut loose where you are. That job security is critical especially at your age when competing with younger cheaper staff can be an issue in the job market.

rookiemere · 05/10/2021 08:33

Have you discussed the salary at all with them ? If they could push it up say £5k how would that make the finances stack up ?
I have to say age 51, my current plan is maximising salary and pension contributions to see if there's any chance I could retire before 60. If I got offered voluntary redundancy I'd jump at it, but I'd not be moving for a paycut at this point.

rookiemere · 05/10/2021 08:34

How do you feel about your current job? Which appealed more about the new job - the location or the role ?

SturminsterNewton · 05/10/2021 08:38

You're 50 and with a decent pension forecast. Set up a further SIPP/AVC etc to gap fund an early retirement, say at 60. Salt as much away in your current job, and retire early to your dream place.