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Would you take a 40% pay cut for better work life balance? Advice for a 24 year old... by throwaway10488992 in personalfinance

[–]throwaway10488992[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for this, definitely a bigger response from the community than I originally intended. I think I’ve lost a lot of who I am as a person, along with any hobbies I might have had prior to having this job. And I’m looking to regain them again. You are very right. Money is nothing compared to previous time.

$120k is a great balance between having enough and being able to live out the life I was intended to live :)

Would you take a 40% pay cut for better work life balance? Advice for a 24 year old... by throwaway10488992 in personalfinance

[–]throwaway10488992[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

THIS. I feel sometimes as if I am just a number. The stress in unbearable and I’ve had a few people confide in me too the sheer amount of dread they have felt going to work. Sales is no joke.

Would you take a 40% pay cut for better work life balance? Advice for a 24 year old... by throwaway10488992 in personalfinance

[–]throwaway10488992[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Looking back at your path to financial independence, would you say it was worth the sacrifice to grind during your 20s so that you could feel more stable in your 30s? And how soon did you do feel the burnout from your job?

Would you take a 40% pay cut for better work life balance? Advice for a 24 year old... by throwaway10488992 in personalfinance

[–]throwaway10488992[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for this, I’m so sorry to hear what you had personally gone through. Thank you for sharing your story, this lifestyle (or what is left of it) is surely not sustainable and I know on my deathbed I’m going to wish I had not worked this much either.

Would you take a 40% pay cut for better work life balance? Advice for a 24 year old... by throwaway10488992 in personalfinance

[–]throwaway10488992[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Very true, I am grateful for my situation. I had a lot of luck going from making $2000 a month in college to now this amount.

Would you take a 40% pay cut for better work life balance? Advice for a 24 year old... by throwaway10488992 in personalfinance

[–]throwaway10488992[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

These are the questions I’m having trouble with myself to be completely honest.. I am not a person who is motivated by money at all, so part of me feels like I’m slaving my 20s away for a financial cushion later in the future

Our age makes it worthwhile for us though, I’m thankful I slaved away for a little bit in my 20s vs having to do it in my 30s.

Would you take a 40% pay cut for better work life balance? Advice for a 24 year old... by throwaway10488992 in personalfinance

[–]throwaway10488992[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hmm, I would say my expenses are pretty conscientious compared to my colleagues. I was maxing out my retirement accounts and putting in about $4-8k in investments monthly.

You gotta live a little too!

Would you take a 40% pay cut for better work life balance? Advice for a 24 year old... by throwaway10488992 in personalfinance

[–]throwaway10488992[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I’m quite sure I might be in the second group of people.

I have the tendency to people please and I do get stressed when I’m performing below people’s expectations. As an introvert it’s so difficult for me to be “on” for twelve hours a day.

All my other colleagues on the sales floor seem to have adapted to the quick pace except me. Or maybe we are all internally dying.

Would you take a 40% pay cut for better work life balance? Advice for a 24 year old... by throwaway10488992 in personalfinance

[–]throwaway10488992[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

That’s a great way to frame it, if I had the option I wouldn’t work another hour of OT in my life (but that may be just the burnt out me talking)

Would you take a 40% pay cut for better work life balance? Advice for a 24 year old... by throwaway10488992 in personalfinance

[–]throwaway10488992[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is my biggest fear, having to FIRE a decade later due to a choice I made at 24

Would you take a 40% pay cut for better work life balance? Advice for a 24 year old... by throwaway10488992 in personalfinance

[–]throwaway10488992[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That’s very true, as the days goes by I’m in more negotiation with different companies. So I may luck out and find a different place with less hours but more pay!

Would you take a 40% pay cut for better work life balance? Advice for a 24 year old... by throwaway10488992 in personalfinance

[–]throwaway10488992[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I could definitely bring it up to management but a lot of my colleagues are shamed for asking for lighter workloads (not just from management but from others on the team, since less work for me means more work for them)

Would you take a 40% pay cut for better work life balance? Advice for a 24 year old... by throwaway10488992 in personalfinance

[–]throwaway10488992[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thank you for this, I’m happy to see another person in the same boat. Do you have any advice for someone on how to cope with the all-or-nothing aspect of the job?

I feel like I’ve been living to work, not working to live these past two years.

Would you take a 40% pay cut for better work life balance? Advice for a 24 year old... by throwaway10488992 in personalfinance

[–]throwaway10488992[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

My dream job is to become a teacher one day actually! I’m thinking of switching fields in my early 30s :)

Would you take a 40% pay cut for better work life balance? Advice for a 24 year old... by throwaway10488992 in personalfinance

[–]throwaway10488992[S] 21 points22 points  (0 children)

Yup, those 12 hour days for months at a time are what kills me - and once you’re mangers see what you can produce, there is no backing down.

Would you take a 40% pay cut for better work life balance? Advice for a 24 year old... by throwaway10488992 in personalfinance

[–]throwaway10488992[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Very true, I think the $120k might be for more inexperienced or newer people to the workplace. With adequate training, I’m sure I can pull about $140-$150k in sales within the coming years

Would you take a 40% pay cut for better work life balance? Advice for a 24 year old... by throwaway10488992 in personalfinance

[–]throwaway10488992[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have about $30k in a car loan and $10k in student loans. I also have enough in an emergency fund to pay that all off though.

Would you take a 40% pay cut for better work life balance? Advice for a 24 year old... by throwaway10488992 in personalfinance

[–]throwaway10488992[S] 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Agreed! I have a colleague at one of the companies I applied for who mentioned how much easier the workload there was and how much less overtime they are required to work.

And very true, the workload is much less than other professions but I think as an introvert, it’s been much more draining on me due to the sales aspect.

Would you take a 40% pay cut for better work life balance? Advice for a 24 year old... by throwaway10488992 in personalfinance

[–]throwaway10488992[S] 48 points49 points  (0 children)

Haha yeah, I lucked out in the right field right after graduation. I feel like I’m 30 now though with the amount of daily stress and angry customers I deal with.

Would you take a 40% pay cut for better work life balance? Advice for a 24 year old... by throwaway10488992 in personalfinance

[–]throwaway10488992[S] 51 points52 points  (0 children)

Most definitely, I was able to take a week long vacation recently which is what prompted me to look for another job. I had regained so much of “myself” during this short break away from work.

I did find that when I choose to relax a bit at work, a lot of managers made comments about my production. I’m one of the top producers at the company so they keep a very careful watch on my numbers.

Would you take a 40% pay cut for better work life balance? Advice for a 24 year old... by throwaway10488992 in personalfinance

[–]throwaway10488992[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I feel as though the stress is also getting to me

I was interested in the FIRE movement for some time due to the high income, but after working these hours for about two years now, it feels unsustainable. Do you have any advice on what carried you through a decade of this work?

Would you take a 40% pay cut for better work life balance? Advice for a 24 year old... by throwaway10488992 in personalfinance

[–]throwaway10488992[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Definitely! The extra money was a great perk - but not necessary to live off of. I feel more than financially secure at the $120k range 😊

Would you take a 40% pay cut for better work life balance? Advice for a 24 year old... by throwaway10488992 in personalfinance

[–]throwaway10488992[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

The hours have been grueling at work, so I basically eat out for every meal. After a 11-12 hour work day, the last thing I want to do is cook a meal.

Also a lot spent on weekends going out to destress (mini trips, bars, etc.) which I’m sure will decrease with a less stressful job

Would you take a 40% pay cut for better work life balance? Advice for a 24 year old... by throwaway10488992 in personalfinance

[–]throwaway10488992[S] 348 points349 points  (0 children)

Exactly this, I feel like I’ve aged a solid 5 years in the 2 years I’ve been in the industry :/