More money or more time?

[JobQuandree]

Not really an AIBU but I need the traffic. Also name changed as it'd be fairly easy to identify me from previous posts.
I'm just about to finish my degree in Mathematics, should be a first class (if that's relevant) not an RG uni.

I have an offer for a job that is a highly commission based sales and I could have done without going to uni. I have accepted this offer to start in June. This job will likely earn me somewhere in the region of 80k but I'll work every Saturday and 1 in 3 Sundays as well as 8-6 through the week with a weekday off.

Alternatively I have an offer on a Monday to fri 8.00-4.30 and 2.30 finish on a Friday. This job is in supply chain management will start on 30k and guarantees 41k by the time I've been there for 2 years. There is potential to progress after the initial 2 years. I feel like this would be using my degree to some extent.

I'm a single parent to 2 DC age 9 and 12, I do have excellent (free) childcare in place for either scenario.

I suppose my AIBU is aibu to not know which to choose? More money or more time?

Personally I’d choose the time. I’m a single parent too and gave up a high paid sales role to work in a school so I’d be there for my DC. I haven’t regretted it one bit. I guess it depends on you financial situation as well, I already had a house with reasonable mortgage so that helped.

Time. I always want more time,

If you have enough money to live on, then choose time.

What is it that you'd like to do for a job, OP, and are these the only two choices on offer?

Neither stand out as being ideal for your specialism.

If you can afford to take the second job I’d 100% choose time.

I used to have a long commute until my DD was around 2 years old. I would barely see her awake during the week. I took a significantly lower paid job (with prospects though as you describe) which is a 15 minute drive away and I have never regretted it. The first couple of pay days were an adjustment but time has flown and I’m now earning more than I was before.

You will never regret having more time - unless you cannot afford a secure home for you and your DCs. In which case, take the money.

Weekends with school aged children are precious, and won’t last forever.

Time.

I was recently promoted and received a 20% pay rise, I immediately put in a request to reduce my hours from 37.5 to 30 per week.

I now have a 3 day weekend and take home the same pay. Baffles my DH why I wouldn't have just taken the extra money though (we don't need it, I do however need more free time!!)

“This job will likely earn me somewhere in the region of 80k”

when you say ‘highly commission based’ - what’s the basic? Also what does the rest of the package look like for both jobs? Do you have a background in sales? How have you calculated that £80k - is that an optimistic or realistic figure? Is there a pessimistic figure? What’s job security like?

I’d go for time over money any day but I also think your temperament/work style should be a factor - would you be happy in either/both roles

Time. You can’t but time.

To vaguely answer some questions, I live in the north east so the job market isn't as wide as other places. I'd thought about doing tax consultancy but with graduate wage/travelling to city centre it's not a financially viable option.

I live in a private rented house, it's fairly cheap but a nice house and workable location for school and childcare. I would like to buy again in future (split with exDH, house was too small so we sold and split proceeds, I couldnt buy again as I was already a student when it happened). I live in an area of exceptionally cheap housing so it's doable on either wage really.

The sales job is an easy one, I do it part time now, weekends only. I think four years of working every weekend has ground me down though, I hate missing everything with my DC.

Previous to going back to uni I was an aftersales manager for a car dealer so I used to earn pretty decent money but I didn't love the job.

If anyone has any other suggestions for potential careers, I'm all ears.

What kind of job do you want, why did you do your maths degree, what kind of role did you envisage yourself in? Those are the questions I would be asking myself. You need a long term career goal as well as short term ones, you're in it for the long haul. A maths degree could open lots of doors, some very lucrative ones, but you need a plan. And to be honest unless you absolutely love the buzz of sales its not a long term career, most burn out in it and then what. Building up something towards something solid is a better choice - but choose what it is you want, understand why, research the roles and industry thoroughly and start moving towards it.

100% time.

I just reduced my hours to 0.8 as working FT with 3 kids, 2 of whom are dx autistic was killing me. The first reduced payslip did make me wince a bit but I have to remind myself why I did it.

Like pp have said, you can't buy time!

Good luck OP!

Basic is 25k. Package is a car on a preferential lease for both jobs, more holiday on the lower wage one. I'd say 80k is realistic at the moment but I'm a bit cautious with the cost of living rises that this could change. The 80k one is an industry I've worked in for 18 years, I'm good at selling but it relies on people wanting to buy. Pessimistic view is 40k and being made redundant when the market falls.

I do like the sales job, I already work with the team I'd be going into. It'd fairly self sufficient in that if you're doing what you're meant to do you can manage your own day. The supply chain management is really an unknown. Similar industry but manufacturer rather than the retailer.

I thought I'd go into teaching.... I've done 3 years of extensive placements and I love the classroom but I hate the bureaucracy. Also since becoming a single parent I don't think the wages or time needed to devote to it can work.