Background: My husband and I recently became debt free, and we bring home about $80,000 combined net. We're saving about 27% this year, which isn't a lot by mustachian standards, but we're steadily increasing it. We would like to retire in about 15 years, when my husband reaches his 20 years in the military, but I wouldn't mind if it happened sooner! We don't have kids, but would like to in the next 1-3 years.
Current job: Pays $40,000 gross. I'm a Secretary, and I don't feel fulfilled in my job, but it is pretty cushy in certain respects. Hours are 8:30am to 5pm, M-F. I'm in the GS system of the federal government, which can be difficult to get into, so I'm a little reluctant to leave the system, but I know I could get back in through various preference programs. The worst part (aside from the not-fulfilling part) is that it's 18 miles away and about 2 hours of commute a day due to traffic and parking.
Potential job: Pays $10.78 an hour, 35-40 hours a week (with access to 401(k) and match). Assuming 35 hours, that would be only $19,600 a year, but the money isn't my primary concern (schedule is). It would be as an Assistant Manager of a bowling alley only 1.5 miles of easy biking from home. Hours would be 5-10pm during the week, and ~8-hour shifts on the weekends. I would be committing to working every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night of every week plus holidays. My husband and I don't really do much during those times anyway (except holidays, we usually do something fun), but it's a concern to me that we wouldn't even have the option to go out together or hang out with friends during the normal social times. And my husband works days M-F, so I'm not sure how much I'd get to see him. But I would get to see the sun during the week (and not just through the windshield).
Skills: I'm working toward my MBA, so despite the pay cut, I see this as a promotion, where I'll be overseeing others, managing inventory, etc. The other thing is that working nights would free up my days to focus on schoolwork, instead of studying at the end of a 10-hour day. I think I'll learn a lot from being Asst Manager that would help me in future managerial positions or if I/when I decide to become self-employed, while there's not much more I can learn from the Secretary position that would be transferrable to another job. I think the skills/experience from being an Asst Manager would help me land a better job in a year or two compared to if I stayed here making more in the meantime.
Mustachianism: If I took this job, I would definitely bike there, but I don't know that we'd sell my vehicle (we have two). It's definitely something we'd consider, and if we did, the sale amount would go straight to savings. Even if we keep it, I would save a lot of time, and about $120 in gas each month, plus less in maintenance and insurance costs. I would be also be getting a lot more exercise! And I would have a more casual dress code, so I'd spend less time getting ready for work and less on clothing each year.
Final Thoughts: My husband is supportive of me no matter what I choose. He knows I'm not happy with my current job, but it would mean a lot less time together. I'm leaning towards the Asst Manager position, but I guess I'm looking for support from the wonderful, mustachian people here. I don't want to take this closer job and think that I'm being mustachian by finding a job within biking distance, when I would have been more mustchian by staying with the higher paying job to have more savings.