[USER]

We are in late 30s and two young kids (in elementary and middle school). Both of us working in stable jobs – my annual salary is $200K and my spouse salary is $100K.

We have decent savings and no debt except home mortgage. I am evaluating a job change. One job option is a moderate increase(10% to 15%) in annual salary, but has lots of flexibility, low-stress levels and ~40 vacation days per year.

Other job option has ~30% to 50% increase in annual salary, senior level job with lot of responsibilities, but comes with lot more stress, less flexibility on a daily basis and less vacation days (~20 days per year).

We like to travel a lot as a family and enjoy spending time together, especially now as we are both healthy and kids have lot of free time. I have the choice to go for the low-stress job and work in it for 2 to 3 years and then switch to the higher pay/higher stress job.

I am inclined to choose the low-stress job for the next 2 to 3 years, travel a lot and spend time with my kids (especially the elder one before he joins high school). At the same time, I am concerned that I am missing out on earning more which will enable us to retire a few years sooner.

Let me know what would you advice for this scenario.

[Dennis]

It’s very hard to relate to someone debating between a 230k job and a 300k job… either is an insane amount of money. Take the easier job.

[John]

Take it from me I quit PT school and became a teacher (wife was already on that track) If you haven’t heard, Teachers don’t make money. We did FIRE before it was a thing. Payed off our house never a car loan watched every $. If we really wanted something we made it happen.

Invested our whole lives. We spent SO much time with our kids. Went to 65 national parks and monuments.

Traveled for 6 weeks every summer. Spent a month on the beach every day together. We sacrificed all year for those summers. Also, we were both home every day when they came home from school.

I biked them to activities while we talked. I pushed them on the swing every day after work. Now they are through college debt free, we are retired early and it is our time. I did not love the job but I wouldn’t change a thing.

As I write this my daughter is packing for grad school and she may never live here again. It goes by and it goes fast.

[Ralph]

Chose the no stress job. Money is not everything. You can’t get health or time back. You have and make more than enough money, enjoy life with the kids since they will go away to school and then have their own lives.

[Randy]

With that kind of income it seems like you could go either way and not have to worry about it. You guys are young enough to maintain contributions to retirement that will put you in a good spot at age 50-55. More is always better but life experiences and stress reduction trump having more when you already have enough.

[Kristen]

Unless there is something about the higher power/salary job that really excites you (besides the money), I would 100% take the lower stress option.

I turned down an executive role making $$$, and left my accounting career (where I was also making six-figures), to spend more time with my husband and our young daughter. The increased time and reduced stress is totally worth it if your privileged enough to have the choice. Kids grow up fast and the future isn’t guaranteed. Honestly, my ego took a bit of a hit initially as I’d put everything into my career up until that point, but after a couple years, I’m finally seeing more clearly. We didn’t need more money. We needed more family time and less stress.

[Rachel]

You already have wonderful household income. Take the lower stress job, travel, and spend the time with your kids!

[Author]

Posts