What is more important...

AmberLee2012

money or happiness?

I'm at a job right now where I make good money but I am not happy. I never sleep on Sunday nights because I'm so worried about work the next morning. I am a contractor and so I can't take days off either and I have no vacation time. I will be at this job for a year in August. My commute isn't too bad, a half hour each way, but with gas at $4.10 a gallon it would be nice to work in the city I live in.

Anyway, I've been browsing other jobs and it looks like I'd have to take a $3 - $4 pay cut to work in the city I live in. I have been looking at more active jobs instead of the sedentary job I have now. I've been in the legal field since I was 20 (I'm 32 now) and I'd love to work a job where I can move around a lot because I feel like that would help with my weight loss goals as well. Taking a pay cut like this would result in having to penny pinch in other areas and less social activities, however, I'm wondering if I will be happier in the long run. Obviously, I know this is a decision I have to make, but I'm just wondering what you would do if you were in my shoes? My husband supports me as he just wants me to happy. Decisions, decisions!

hbrittingham

It stinks to work a job that you don't like.

If you figure in wear and tear and gas for your car, does that make the pay cut less drastic? How valuable is your time? You spend an hour a day commuting.

LonLB

Money can offset a soul sucking vacuum of life destruction work.

But the ratio of money to misery has to be something you can live with. And you are right only you can decide that.

My0WNinspiration

The politically correct answer would be happiness. I say money .

MG_Fit

There is a happy medium I think.

But all things being relatively equal, I'd choose to be happy

mister_universe

The one time I worked in a job that caused me stress similar to yours, I barely made it past the year mark. I was ecstatic when leaving, despite liking the people I worked with very much. I suppose it helped that I got myself into a fairly sizable salary bump when I left. Still, one vote for HAPPINESS.

AmberLee2012

If I worked in the city I live, that would definitely cut down on the amount of gas I use. I could even ride my bike if it was close enough and not raining. I've worked in the legal field for 12 years and I've been unhappy with the work I'd say for the last 4 years. My experience is all legal though, unless you count the year I worked for Meijer right after high school. I do have an Associate's Degree. I think I am going to keep looking and see what happens. It's nice to have extra money, but I'm just tired of losing sleep and constantly being stressed out over work. Most of the jobs I've been looking at (secretarial/reception/stocking) are all part-time so that's why I haven't made the leap yet. I guess I will just keep checking the job boards and see what comes up.

ItsCasey

My personal experience with this is that if you find a job and/or working environment that makes you happy, your performance will reflect that, and there will be a domino effect. You work harder, you get noticed, you get promoted, you get more money.

If your husband/family are not depending on you to put food on the table for them, now is the time to go after what you really want to do and not get so caught up in the financial aspect.

wswilliams67

Really depends on how much the Corporate Suck invades your personal life. If you only go 8 hours for good money and there's no intrusion into your real life or health then suck it up and deal with it then make the most of your free time with the $$$ to be happy.

If $$$ isn't really an issue then go find something you love doing that you can make a buck at.

Example. Harrison Ford hates acting. He does it so he can fund his woodworking. LOL

tedrickp

Happiness easily.

If you are happy at your job you are naturally going to be more motivated and work harder/smarter - so IMO even if you are taking a temporary pay cut, you will probably make that up in the long term - at least that has been my personal experience.

AmberLee2012

Oh and I forgot to mention, the people I work with are really great for the most part. They are all stressed too. We have dry erase boards in our cubicles and one of the girls has a drawing of herself being swarmed by piranhas that say "work" on them and she is saying, "Help!". One of the guys has a rock on top of a picture of himself. The rock says "work" on it as well. I really do think it's time for me to move on, I'm just hoping I can find something that I like that is full-time time and pays enough. Tough to find the way things are here right now.

Hornsby

Money can't buy happiness, but it can get you really really close.

AmberLee2012

My personal experience with this is that if you find a job and/or working environment that makes you happy, your performance will reflect that, and there will be a domino effect. You work harder, you get noticed, you get promoted, you get more money.

If your husband/family are not depending on you to put food on the table for them, now is the time to go after what you really want to do and not get so caught up in the financial aspect.

This makes a lot of sense. Thank you.

Hornsby

"They say money can't buy happiness? Look at the f***ing smile on my face. Ear to ear, baby. Anybody who tells you money is the root of all evil doesn't f***ing have any."
-Jim Young

ninerbuff

Well happiness of course. For some, having/making lots of money is happiness.

I worked in a job that netted me very good money every month. The problem? I didn't work out as much, I was always on edge if I wasn't doing more than the other person, I spent more time at work because that's what you had to do to stay competitive.

But I wasn't happy with that. So now I work way less, spend way less and still have the same amount of money I had when I was working longer. Oh, and I really love my job compared to just being content with my previous job.

It's subjective, but you don't have to make a lot of money to end up having a lot of money.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Chadomaniac

Money can't buy happiness, but it can get you really really close.

This!

harleydall76

I am in the same boat as you. I am learning that happiness needs to come first. I am in a horrible situation also, but have stayed due to the money. However, my health has gone downhill over the years - and still I've stayed. After recent months and some really bad health issues, I've decided that happiness 9or health in my case) needs to come first.

Of course, I have yet to act on that.

TheRoadDog

It's a simple enough Math equation. Plug in the numbers and the answer should be fairly obvious. You need to factor in the potential for advancementy at the newer position as well.

The only variable you can't factor in is the wear and tear on you personally, when you work at a job you don't like.

ScatteredThoughts

Happiness or job satisfaction is important, but as another poster mentioned, you often have to seek a balance. At the end of the day, I still need to put food on the table for my kids, so that is always a consideration for me now. There have been a couple of times where I quit jobs where I was not satisfied. My wife and I did not have kids at the time, and she was supportive of my decisions. How much money do you actually need? Are other people relying on your income?

Cindy873

Having spent 9 years doing something I hated before reaching a breaking point, I can say that happiness is definitely more important. I took a pay cut when I left that job 3 years ago and I've never been happier! (I should point out that the position I was up for at my former place of employment was at significantly higher pay - like 30K/year more - and I still opted to walk away. I don't regret it AT ALL!)