How much does money mean to you?

Let's say you had the choice of two jobs:

Job A pays you $200,000 a year but you work 80 hours a week and you have no time for a life outside of work.

Job B pays you $40,000 a year and you do the regular 40 hour a week thing.

Which would you pick?

You?

Save up a nice nest egg and look for something less demanding after a few years.

I could do this. Work like mad for a few years, save up, and then do what I want with the rest.

I'm fairly anti social anyway, so not having activities outside of work for awhile wouldn't bother me so much.

Why bother with all that money if you can't spend it?

I want money. That's what I want.

Just kidding.

I go with B.

...and retire after 5 years. Get a shack on a beach and put my feet up...

(Not a British beach, though!)

I'll go with "B." It's more or less what I have done in reality -- working for a non-profit.

I may have to work a bit longer, and save a bit harder, but I'll certainly live longer and healthier, and my nerves and organs will be intact!

n/t

Terry

I have small people who need me to be around more. Actually, I'm probably going to end up working crappy hours once I get out of nursing school, but they'll be as minimal as possible. I'll probably end up working 3- 12 hour nightshifts a week and make a bit more than B.

With my income in the high four figures, I would be an idiot to do anything but take the $200K job and hold it until I get fired or collapse -- I imagine I could last at least two years, maybe more. With my very low cost of living, I would never have to work again. So you are choosing to have, ultimately, more time for your life and ALSO more money by taking the big job.

I realize that most people just get caught up in the money and never quit such jobs until they are fired, but their problem is they don't have a clue how to keep their expenses down, so they get caught up in debt and never save much of anything. It's odd that the people from the backgrounds to be actually offered such jobs are the very people for whom $200K is not quite enough money to put anything aside for savings -- in my neighborhood, I see them all the time and just shake my head. They know I don't have as much as they do but I think they'd faint on their feet if they knew my true income.

When I was playing blackjack, I basically took all of my after-tax income and paid off my house and other debts. I had no intention of spending my entire life in a dirty casino going deaf from the bang of the slot machines. Working a 40 hour week was impossible -- you traveled where the best games were and played as long as you could before they threw you out. Working a 40 hour week eats up your whole life anyway with commuting, getting along with co-workers, networking, etc. -- it isn't like people working a 40 hour week have any free time or any life outside of work either from what I see.

Or close to it. I like having a life outside the office while making enough to close the ends at the end of each month.

I value my time outside the office. And like GOPisEvil, it's pretty close to what I do now and I'm cool with that.

I don't need much money, but I desperately need a life. I'm content as a drone.

If A is interesting work; I'd try it. But, if it's interesting, they wouldn't have to tell me to work 80 hrs/week - just that it's a high stress job with tight schedules; @200K that means 80 hrs/week.

If A is doing drudge work - I don't think I could do it for 80 hrs/week.

You need a certain amount of money to survive. If you have that, there is limited benefit to more money. Perhaps the worst way to spend your life is chasing the illusion of happiness through money rather than pursuing happiness itself.

$40k is quite a comfortable salary. You're not going on any European vacations but you can have a life.

But I had the worst of both worlds. The $40K that took 80 hours a week to make. The money went to others.

Most people in those careers that pay really well actually enjoy their jobs. It's not just because they're paid well, they simply love the tasks and skills of which their jobs are made. I'm thinking of surgeons and astronauts here (don't know what astronaut salary is).

But my point is, that 80 hrs/week doesn't feel like drudgery so you really don't mind spending that much time at work.

n/t

'outsourced' and I would be very content with that.
Would MUCH rather have the time with my family...you can't get that back ever once it has passed...

benifits etc being decent for the 40K job, I'd take it. From here it would be a raise, so what the hell.

I have no interest in working 80 hours a week unless that time is mine, on my terms, mostly in my home, doing something I at least don't hate then A. Otherwise B.