AIBU to move jobs for less money?

[Anonymousmummmy]

So I’ll start off by saying I have a 17-month old little one and I’m single, have a dog and I’m a home owner. My LO goes to nursery. I’ve been in my current role 5 years, I WFH 4 days a week and go into the office (4 hour commute each way… I know, insane🙃) once a week which means a 04:30 wake up and home around 22:00. I’m not very happy here - the work is fine but can be stressful at times, I’ve always missed that personal touch at this company; it’s as if no one really cares that much. I don’t go to any of the team events or socials as I live so far away. I got a 40% reduction in my bonus this year after 4 years of the same bonus every year, and when I asked why they said it was because the company was evening out everyone’s bonuses in the same role as me which has really demotivated me.

Anyway, for these reasons I decided to look for another job and the first interview I had (I spent quite a bit of time applying/looking for the right job), I got it! It’s down the road from my house, LOVELY team, much smaller company, 30 min shorter work day than I do currently, and no 4 hour commute anymore😂. The only downside is the salary is £5,250 (gross) less per year (I’m on a London salary currently but I live outside of London) so I’m planning on getting some kind of addition work - a Saturday job at a cafe, childcare on a Sat, or something like this. So I accepted the job and had a meeting with my manager to hand my notice in and he offered me a fully WFH job (apart from the occasional event) IF hr and everyone approves of it; he said it would take a few days to sort out.

Now I’m stuck… My family say I should stay at my job that I’m unhappy at if I can WFH full time because it’s more money, but I really don’t want to. Although I haven’t signed a contract yet, I have verbally accepted this new job offer. I highly highly doubt a better paid job will come up so close by where I live. AIBU to take this new job and sacrifice some income/have to get a Sat job?

Depends entirely on if you can afford it OP. You may not get a Saturday job, and it could be totally unrealistic to have one once your child starts school.

How much are you spending on the long commute atm?

Too many unknown’s to say really. Above all it depends how much you need/will miss that £5k. If it just means getting hair/nails done less and cutting back on a summer holiday then that’s very different to if it would mean struggling to put food on the table or to buy clothes for you & your child.

I think a Saturday job is probably an unwise idea though. Once your child is at school 5 days a week you’ll then only have 1 day together and weekend childcare can be hard to come by.

Unless your family are supporting you with money/childcare, it’s nothing to do with them really.

Whats your ‘London’ salary that you’ll be taking a £5k pay cut for? Is it £100k going to £95k or £30k to £25k?

Will you be able to wfh at all in your new job, and is it literally just down the road (or is there actually a short commute)?

If it is really nearby then you are saving 2.5 hours due to shorter working day and nearly 8 hours on your commute. That is a whopping amount.

I would absolutely want to avoid such an enormous commute.

What is the likelihood of the bonus in your current job returning to the previous high levels in future? It doesn’t sound very likely.

Personally if I could make it work financially , I’d take the job close to home.

What's the difference in take home pay? More important than gross reduction.
Of that reduction how much do you offset with your commute?
Sounds like new job would be better overall to me.

What % difference is the gross though or if you don't want to say how much less per month will it be after tax? And if you don't have the massive commute one day a week what will you save? Taking all that together would make it easier to advise but the new local role looks pretty good

@Shinyandnew1 My current salary is £41,250 and the new one would be £36k so quite a cut

@PostHummus It’s really hard to say tbh - I drive for about 1.45 hours to drop my son off, then get a train from there into London which is only about £14, then 2 tubes which are £6 per day, then 1.45 hour drive home again. I have a 4 year old SUV so not super economical but not a fuel guzzling monster either!

Have you accepted the new role yet ?
No harm in saying that your current employers have offered full WFH , but as you really prefer the culture of the new company and are excited by the role, is there any room for negotiation on the salary. You may not get the full £5k difference, heck you may not get offered anything more but you may as well ask the question.