$=choices/freedom, imo....But cannot buy happiness.

Anonymous wrote:Money is very important, but so is liking your work. If you have "enough" (however you define that) and jobs you don't mind going to every morning, sit tight until something concrete pushes you one way or the other.

This is so true. I have a job that pays ok but I know I could make more going somewhere else. I don't really love my job though and am staying in it for the schedule (work 4 days, decent amount of vacation and am able to get out at 5pm--plus my boss is super family-friendly). If I took a $10-20K pay cut, I could find a job that I know I would love and if I stayed in my current field, I could probably make $20-30K more if I switched jobs and was willing to work more hours. But the schedule and flexibility is keeping me here despite the fact that I feel like I am stuck in a job that offers me little else. If you like your job, its low-stress and you are making enough, just be happy with that. Being miserable with your job is not worth it.

Anonymous wrote:OP, your question is sort of a false one in a way. There are plenty of people working for minimum wage who have to work all the time (but at 2 or 3 jobs) and are miserable, just as there are people at high wage jobs who also work all the time and are miserable. Both of these scenarios are hugely stressful. The wage level is not necessarily the central concern.

So, I guess my advice is to weigh the trade-offs for yourself. Are the stresses of the potential higher wage job you are considering harder for you to manage than the stress of not having as much money as you could make?

True, some people have several jobs and are exhausted and miserable. What I'm wondering about are high wage jobs that are demanding because usually the higher the wage, the higher the expectations and responsibilities. Unfortunately I don't know what the stresses of another job might be. I do know the stress of not having enough money is tough, but I am grateful both DH and I have jobs.

Anonymous wrote:Money is very important to us right now. DH is out of work and my income isn't enough. We also have no family to help us monetarily. The last five years have been really tough. We've lived bare bones which I don't mind but it's really stressful to have no/little income for so many years plus 2 young kids.

If DH has a stable job and is in his late 40s/early 50s I would not be encouraging him to switch. It's BRUTAL for men this age in this market no matter the skills.

Do you think it's unwise to switch because you don't know if the new job will work out or just that it's hard to get a new job? He would never quit before he got a new job.

Money is very important, but so is liking your work. If you have "enough" (however you define that) and jobs you don't mind going to every morning, sit tight until something concrete pushes you one way or the other.

OP, your question is sort of a false one in a way. There are plenty of people working for minimum wage who have to work all the time (but at 2 or 3 jobs) and are miserable, just as there are people at high wage jobs who also work all the time and are miserable. Both of these scenarios are hugely stressful. The wage level is not necessarily the central concern.

So, I guess my advice is to weigh the trade-offs for yourself. Are the stresses of the potential higher wage job you are considering harder for you to manage than the stress of not having as much money as you could make?

Financial security is extremely important to me. Being rich-not so much.

money is probably top 3 along with health and happiness in life. i don't care about buying stuff but about a safety net for job loss, illness, etc.

Money is very important to us right now. DH is out of work and my income isn't enough. We also have no family to help us monetarily. The last five years have been really tough. We've lived bare bones which I don't mind but it's really stressful to have no/little income for so many years plus 2 young kids.

If DH has a stable job and is in his late 40s/early 50s I would not be encouraging him to switch. It's BRUTAL for men this age in this market no matter the skills.

It is important for us to have money to solve problems since we have no family to help us. Money is our only safety net. I/we couldn't care less about buying crap.

There are lots of things we can't do now that I'd like to be able to......travel, take vacations, give DC music lessons and other activities, go skiing, make house repairs, decorate house. There are some things you can do for free, but there are more things that cost money.

VERY important. I want enough to live comfortably, which, by my standards, mean: a small, comfortable home in a nice neighborhood, a decent/safe car, the ability to buy yummy and heath food without count every single penny (not talking about caviar or fillet Mignon her, just the regular stuff - I don't mind counting pennies to be able to buy fillet Mignon once in awhile), the ability to pay for cable/high speed internet and cell phone, the ability to pay for reasonable extra activities for my child and for preschool, and, very important, the ability to travel (not just down to the beach). MY philosophy is that we work to live, and not live to work - if to get more money I had to work more than 40 hours a week and have only 2 weeks of vacation per year, I would rather keep making less money if all the things above are met. I rather have less things and live more "experiences."

I always wanted 3, 4 kids, but now that I have one I am really re-considering if we will be able to afford a second/third child. We might have to wait a couple of years longer.

Yup, life is short and you never know how short. Cut down on unnecessary expenses and live life to its fullest. The best things in life are usually free.

OP, how much do you want what you think the next guy has? Isn't life about being happy? You can not buy happiness. Didn't your mother ever tell you?

I have a job I really like that pays pretty well, but we have a lot of expenses and I wonder if I should try to get a job that pays more or if I should encourage DH to get a new job (he likes his current job). I could probably make significantly more but I wonder if the higher paid jobs are so much more stressful and demanding (such as bringing in business). Just not sure if "the grass is greener on the other side" applies here.