To take two weeks off unpaid to go on holiday?

[snappa]

I can either start my new job straight away or I can have two week off unpaid in between roles. I don't have many savings and rent a room in a flat but my new job will be very well paid so will be able to pay off any trip I took within a couple of months and still be saving a good chunk.

I can't tell if it would be a waste of this opportunity to get time off or if is wasteful. Everyone at work tells me to take the time off as the new job is going to be very full on.

Take the maximum amount of time of between that you can, you’ll never regret it!

Given your circumstances I wouldn’t.

but my new job will be very well paid

Enough of a jump to enable you to move out of a rented room??!

Go travelling, you've got years ahead of you to be working and not having time to travel so make the most of the opportunity while you have it! And congrats on the new job.

I think it’s always good to take a break between roles if you possibly can. When else do you get a break completely un encumbered by any work concerns in the back of your mind?

DO IT

If you don’t have much savings how are you affording the trip?

Are you not being paid for unused annual leave ?

I think coming back to a rented room and knowing I have sweet FA in savings might take the shine off two weeks unpaid holiday

so you have no annual allowance left at all from your current employer owed to you? Or are you not currently in employment?

I probably would take the time off. It’s only a couple of weeks.

I would probably do one week not two personally. But only you know what your comfy with

Definitely take a break if you can afford it.

All those people telling you to do this at work op…, are they also just renting a room and have no savings at all?

This sounds like a bad plan. Not only are you not earning anything but you’re spending, too (and it sounds like you’re planning to use credit then pay it off). What will you do if your new well paid job goes wrong and you end up leaving for a lower paid role quickly? How will you pay off this holiday? Or will you be trapped in a job you hate until it’s paid off?
I think if I could give my younger room-renting self some good advice it would be to not spend money until you’ve been paid it. I was always doing stuff like this, or buying clothes with my overdraft and being so sure I’d pay it off next payday, and I was always broke and didn’t quite twig why I couldn’t afford decent housing or nice food. With hindsight on how I used to spend, I’d get some money in the bank first, then book annual leave once you’re established in your role.

How come you have zero days annual leave to take from current employer op? Is that because you have used it all up on holidays?!

It's not only the cost of the holiday- but also the "cost" of not being paid for two weeks. It makes this trip really expensive to you. Id start the new job as soon as possible, and book a week away to look forward to once you've been there 3 months. For now book a weekend away if you must

But when will you get your first paycheck? Sometimes you get it a month after, so if you start 1.11 you'll be paid at the end of December.

I’d probably start my new role straight away but be planning and saving for a fabulous 2 week holiday to take when I finished my probation period

I'd take the break - you may have a leave embargo for a period in your new place. I've always tried to take a week in between jobs if I can to get some head space in the knowledge the first few months in a new job are pretty full on trying to learn the ropes. You don't necessarily need to travel (unless you want to!), although I suppose a rented room isn'tt hat relaxing, and it's not like you have jobs around the house to catch up on.

Take the time off. I've just done the same. It was wonderful having 2 weeks off without worrying about deadlines, work building up in my absence etc. It meant I could start my new job relaxed and refreshed, having felt totally stressed and frazzled at the end of the last one.

What? I have never had this in 30 years of working and changing jobs!

I’ve had it when I’ve joined after the payroll cut off date for a month but that was a long time ago

I'd start the new job right away. There's no guarantee that you'll pass probation and you can squirrel away some money in case the new job doesn't pan out. I'd rather have piece of mind and a bit of security blanket than a two week holiday I couldn't really afford.

You'll accrue new holiday at your new place of work. If you're earning more money you'll probably be able to have a nicer two week holiday this pay year than you can afford now.

I’ve done it before but wasn’t renting and partner was still working (and had two weeks leave left so took a month off). I work to travel so I’d do it in an instant. Its probably not important if you have no dependents but you won’t have any pension related death benefits for the period you’re not employed.

I've had it but usually starting midway through the month, not on the 1st. My last place you had to be in post from the 15th to make that months payroll deadline.