I am coming up on a pretty large life change - my contract job is coming to an end within the next few weeks.
This past year has been pretty antimustachian - I have been working in the greater Toronto area (80km away from home), and I have been taking the 407 twice a day (average $550-600/month) to avoid spending any more of my precious time stuck in traffic. I took this job because it seemed like (and has been!) a fantastic opportunity to learn and grow in my field with a great group of coworkers. I also received enough of a salary increase to offset the commuting expenses. I have enjoyed my time here but now it is coming to an end, and it's time for me to explore new career options.
A bit of background may be useful here, so:
I am in my late 20s and live in a small town in Ontario (Canada). My partner and I purchased our home 3 years ago, and we currently have about 150k left on the mortgage. There aren't many opportunities for me to find a job in my field in this area. Both of us are relatively high income earners, but he earns significantly more than me (about 60% of our combined income). He likes his current job, but is open to relocating and finding a new one if it's the right fit/makes sense given my job search. We are probably at least 10-15 years away from FIRE.
I am still at the point of interviewing and don't have any real offers yet, but I'm wondering if I am silly for even considering some of these positions. There are 3 solid prospects, and I'm just looking for some opinions/feedback.
Prospect #1 $5-10k salary reduction. Close to home (no relocation, short commute/potential long bike ride). Lots of travel to US. Slightly different field than I've been working in for the past 4 years.
Prospect #2 $5-15k salary increase. Relocation to more expensive area (GTA) where house prices are at least 75% higher than where we live now. Same field as current, slightly different work.
Prospect #3 Similar salary as current. Located near current job, so either a long/expensive commute, or possible relocation to a more expensive area where house prices are around 50% more expensive. Same field as current, half of the work would be almost identical to what I do now and half would be different.
Crazy Option #1/2 Follow up on leads that would involve moving far away (#1) within Ontario or (#2) somewhere in the US.
Obviously I cannot actually choose between any of them since I don't have offers, but am I crazy for considering/not considering any of them? Which option sounds the most appealing? What are your thoughts in general?
