Author Topic: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?  (Read 15088 times)

abo

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When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« on: August 22, 2015, 11:50:33 AM »
Current job: I make $55k a year, and have 401k match and travel the USA and the world (10 trips already this year) so that's another $15-20k spent on me.

I work in Boulder, Colorado where the housing is crazy expensive and my husband and I are renting right now and saving as much as we can. He makes $75k a year and has the flexibility to work remotely from where ever.

I was approached on LinkedIn to interview for this open position in NYC. I asked for $80-100k a year. They do not have 401k match (but hope to in 2016) but, they have catered lunches everyday (which can help me really save money! Especially in NYC) as well as they pay for the commute to work. They also have some other fun benefits -- cool work environment, happy hours, tons of snacks, awesome coffee machine (free) in office..etc.

It's a tech startup so it will be a fun environment. I asked someone who worked there, who moved when their spouse got a new job out of state, and said it was their best job yet. I have always wanted to move to NYC and I feel this may be the last chance, since I want to have kids in 3-5 years. So we do the "big city thing" now, then move somewhere more affordable and in nature. I am scared that if we move out of Boulder and don't get in the market, if we want to return, we will not be able to -- since Google is building a campus here to be done next year and Twitter are moving one of their headquarters...etc.

Also, I LOVE my job now - amazing people and I get to do whatever I want. My manager is amazing. I am underpaid, but this is the first time they offered a job like mine and I know I would get a raise next year (they do structured annual reviews for raises). I am not sure I would be able to jump from $55k to $70k+ though...and this NYC gig I may be able to get $100k!

So....Do I accept the offer in NYC, even when cost of living is higher...etc. for an adventure and more $? Or, do I stay in a slightly underpaid job that I love right now.

p.s. I am 24.

OR/AND can I get advice on if I get this offer, how to negotiate a raise for me to stay in my current job?

There were over 150+ applications and I am top 3.

Thanks!
« Last Edit: August 22, 2015, 11:58:46 AM by abo »

Cathy

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Re: When do you leave your job and move for more money?
« Reply #1 on: August 22, 2015, 11:55:24 AM »
...I was approached on LinkedIn to interview for this open position in NYC. I asked for $80-100k a year. ... It's a tech startup so it will be a fun environment....

Unfortunately, you severely lowballed yourself here. You should have asked for something way higher than that. You may want to find a different job instead, because that particular negotiating error is hard to recover from, although you can certainly try.

abo

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #2 on: August 22, 2015, 12:00:55 PM »
I should say -- when the interview started they said 30-50k, so after I did research on "mid" career in my position 80-100k is reasonable. I guess I was taken back by the low initial  amount. I thought I did quite well pushing my worth that much higher. It would double my salary now!

I should also say, I have only been in my job for 8 months, so doubling my salary after only 8 months of experience is pretty good?

I do kind of wish I asked for $130k, maybe if they do not help with relocation...etc. I can see if I can negotiate higher? Or is it too late?

forummm

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #3 on: August 22, 2015, 12:01:49 PM »
If you think Boulder is crazy expensive, try finding a place in NYC. I would not leave a job I loved for only slightly more money (i.e. the level you're suggesting) especially when the COL is so much higher.

forummm

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #4 on: August 22, 2015, 12:06:03 PM »
http://money.cnn.com/calculator/pf/cost-of-living/

If you make $130k in Denver, that's equivalent to $270k in Manhattan. Since your husband isn't getting a raise too, you would essentially be taking a 50% pay cut.

Cathy

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #5 on: August 22, 2015, 12:08:39 PM »
...I should say -- when the interview started they said 30-50k, so after I did research on "mid" career in my position 80-100k is reasonable. ...

All companies will try to pay you as little as possible. If they look at your résumé and see that your past companies are not top companies and that you live in a relatively inexpensive area (and Boulder is relatively inexpensive), then they are going to start extremely low indeed on the off chance that it's in the range you are used to and so you will naïvely accept that. They will further hope that if you counter, you will let their low opening number influence the number you pick so that you counter with something low as well. However, you need to counter with something that is based on what you are worth on the free market, completely ignoring their opening gambit; if you let their opening gambit influence your ask, you've lost.

Unfortunately, their strategy worked here. They have convinced you that $80,000 to $100,000 is a reasonable "mid" career range. I can tell you that is not the case. A "mid" career amount is probably more like $200,000 and up. We can't determine exactly what you are worth on the free market without seeing your résumé, interviewing you ourselves, and knowing what company this is, but I can safely say that your $80-100k range is way too low. Even somebody with absolutely no experience should be looking at at least $100,000, and it sounds like you do have experience.
« Last Edit: August 22, 2015, 12:20:00 PM by Cathy »

Kaikou

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #6 on: August 22, 2015, 12:22:57 PM »
As others have pointed out 100k isn't much in NYC especially when you calculate the hassle of moving and finding a place etc.

Now the dream of living in NYC should be fulfilled if you really really want it. Like someone said up-thread look else where unless you want to re-up your offer.

EDIT

Do more research.
« Last Edit: August 22, 2015, 12:25:03 PM by Kaikou »

lbmustache

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #7 on: August 22, 2015, 12:44:24 PM »
You two are young. I would do it for the experience. Better to take the chance and "screw up" (I don't know how much you can screw up on $150k+ a year, it might just put off FIRE for a few years) while you're young than always wondering "what if."

Will they pay for the commute to work from anywhere (i.e. a cheaper part of New York) or is the area limited? Living in the city would be expensive, but doable, better if you could do Brooklyn (or somewhere else) where it's a bit cheaper.

I would make a pro and con list to make sure it's the right choice.

Seppia

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #8 on: August 22, 2015, 12:44:48 PM »

. They have convinced you that $80,000 to $100,000 is a reasonable "mid" career range. I can tell you that is not the case. A "mid" career amount is probably more like $200,000 and up. We can't determine exactly what you are worth on the free market without seeing your résumé, interviewing you ourselves, and knowing what company this is, but I can safely say that your $80-100k range is way too low. Even somebody with absolutely no experience should be looking at at least $100,000, and it sounds like you do have experience.

If you don't mind me asking, what field of work are you referring to?
I am in the food business and 100k is absolutely not what someone with no experience gets paid.
I am referring to sales jobs with college degrees in economics or similar required and two spoken languages minimum.

Seppia

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #9 on: August 22, 2015, 12:51:54 PM »

http://money.cnn.com/calculator/pf/cost-of-living/

If you make $130k in Denver, that's equivalent to $270k in Manhattan. Since your husband isn't getting a raise too, you would essentially be taking a 50% pay cut.

Thanks for this amazing tool.
I just figured I should move to Miami like yesterday, even if I think if one lives in a relatively low cost way the differences are not that striking.

Cathy

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #10 on: August 22, 2015, 12:59:27 PM »
If you don't mind me asking, what field of work are you referring to?

OP mentions this is a tech startup job. I suppose OP didn't explicitly say it was software engineering, but that is what I assumed.

MonkeyJenga

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #11 on: August 22, 2015, 01:02:21 PM »
You guys are obviously doing great, especially at your age. How big is the 401k match? And how much are your base expenses now? Do you have a car that could be ditched?

I would probably say take the job, negotiate a signing bonus or relocation reimbursement, and move to Queens or somewhere similarly cheap. If you're both on board with saving money, there are a lot of options. New York doesn't have to be that expensive, and you'd be close to other higher paying jobs. You can switch jobs in a couple years for another big bump.

Those COL calculators are geared toward people spending all their money on restaurants, fancy apartments, etc. You can do much better. I make 100k in NYC and save a boatload of money.
« Last Edit: August 22, 2015, 01:08:15 PM by MonkeyJenga »

Seppia

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #12 on: August 22, 2015, 01:02:48 PM »
Thanks!

Seppia

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #13 on: August 22, 2015, 01:03:24 PM »

If you don't mind me asking, what field of work are you referring to?

OP mentions this is a tech startup job. I suppose OP didn't explicitly say it was software engineering, but that is what I assumed.

Thanks!

Seppia

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When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #14 on: August 22, 2015, 01:08:13 PM »
I make 100k in NYC and save a boatload of money.

I can confirm it's definitely doable. Both my wife and I are around these figures and even living in Manhattan we save around 40-45% of our take home pay PLUS maxed 401ks.

I think forummm's point though was to try see if it was worth the change.
My personal view is that at the very young age of 24 what matters more is what path will give you the best opportunity to make more money tomorrow, not today, so if NYC opens up more lucrative opportunities in the mid term I'd definitely give up a little money today.

MonkeyJenga

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #15 on: August 22, 2015, 01:25:12 PM »

I think forummm's point though was to try see if it was worth the change.
My personal view is that at the very young age of 24 what matters more is what path will give you the best opportunity to make more money tomorrow, not today, so if NYC opens up more lucrative opportunities in the mid term I'd definitely give up a little money today.

Completely agree that more information/research is needed to see if it's worth it. I was trying to get at that with my questions about the current expenses. Free commute, free lunches, and likely a chance to bring leftovers home for dinner are pretty good mitigating factors.

wordnerd

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #16 on: August 22, 2015, 01:51:35 PM »
If you don't think moving (and the new job) will make you significantly happier, I wouldn't do it. Obviously, this is hard to suss out, but it seems like you won't come out that much ahead financially, if at all. Which means the decision rests on whether it will make you happier. It seems you have a good job/situation now, but you say living in NYC has been a dream. Try to figure out which you value more.

boy_bye

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #17 on: August 22, 2015, 02:48:59 PM »
if you are 24 years old and you have always wanted to live in NYC, and your husband can definitely keep his job? do it. maybe you'll plan not to be there for the rest of your lives, maybe it's a 5-year-plan or something, but if it's something you want to experience in your life then why not now?

you will need to try hard not to get sucked into the pervasive money-burning NYC lifestyle. it's easy to be like "this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience! i'm taking the cab!" and have that become a habit (ask me how i know). but it's possible to enjoy the city without lighting cash on fire every day. there's a great MMM community there, too.

that being said, boulder is ***super beautiful*** like one of the nicest places i have ever been. my guess is you are going to miss it -- the fresh air and the trees and the mountains. new york is ***super amazing*** too but it is dirty and crowded and not so fresh. if you do end up going to NYC, try to live in a neighborhood with trees -- it makes a massive difference.

anyhow good luck getting the job! be prepared for them to lowball your offer ... if they were offering 30-50K and you said 80-100K, i'd expect to end up somewhere around 60 or 70K. it is very unlikely that they will offer you a number near the top of any named range. is age 24 really "mid-career"?

forummm

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #18 on: August 22, 2015, 04:54:48 PM »
Have you been to NYC before? Personally, I think it's fine to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there. Whereas I would definitely live in Boulder. YMMV.

MonkeyJenga

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #19 on: August 22, 2015, 05:03:22 PM »
anyhow good luck getting the job! be prepared for them to lowball your offer ... if they were offering 30-50K and you said 80-100K, i'd expect to end up somewhere around 60 or 70K. it is very unlikely that they will offer you a number near the top of any named range. is age 24 really "mid-career"?

Miss Madge makes a great point, and I reread your posts and realized I misunderstood the situation. I thought you'd probably get 80k, but if they said 30-50, that's highly unlikely. Almost definitely not going to get 100k, especially since you said you'd accept 20k less than that.

Let us know what sort of offer you get and what you end up deciding!

bobsmiley

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #20 on: August 23, 2015, 12:48:36 AM »
I moved from MI to SF Bay Area under similar negotiations with a startup and almost backed out last second when we found out what the monthly post tax amount was. We talked to the company and they raised the amount I already agreed to with minimal trouble. It's worth a shot anyway, now I don't work for them but make more then I would if I never negotiated that higher.

abo

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #21 on: August 23, 2015, 10:19:58 AM »
I work as a Community Manager :)

This is a great article about the progression of a Community Manager: http://cmxhub.com/community-career-path-salary-title/

I only have 8 month of direct experience with a "community manager" job title, (but before I did some social media and customer support) yet I am fulfilling the "Director" role since I am in charge of developing the strategy.

Melody

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #22 on: August 23, 2015, 04:56:52 PM »
Will going to new york make you more or less marketable in the long run when you return to boulder? I am an accountant and For a while it seemed like the second you had "London" on your cv people wanted to hire you, but other cities worked the other way (i.e. no networks, no industry experience etc) and you were deemed less worthy than a local candidate.  Will building a fabulous network in ny trap you there?

Davids

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #23 on: August 23, 2015, 05:09:19 PM »
I would not do it. The extra you would make I don't think will be worth it when factoring in various expenses. I travel to my company's NYC office on average once a month for my job and from my experience I would never work nor live there (nor a NJ suburb) even if I received an offer of double my current salary. Now I am also married with a kid so I may have some bias in my response.

vhalros

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #24 on: August 23, 2015, 05:16:45 PM »
I actually like NYC (although I prefer Boston, and its tech scene is actually a little larger). Plenty of people seem to even manage to have kids there. It definitely costs more, and you need a pretty high salary for it to make any sense, but keep in mind you don't have to live right in lower Manhattan. You can also actually cook in your apartment and stuff.

If you don't like this particular offer, keep in mind basically every startup offers those same or similar benefits, and many are pretty desperate for talent right now. We are talking about tech startups, right? Did you also get some equity in addition to salary?
« Last Edit: August 23, 2015, 05:25:01 PM by vhalros »

aschmidt2930

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #25 on: August 23, 2015, 05:42:19 PM »
From a financial perspective, this wouldn't be a good decision.  With that said, major life decisions like this should certainly be about more than finance.

The next time you go for a job, research the market thoroughly.  Use a couple COL calculators to get a true feel for how much it is, and know what the position is going for in the city.  NEVER give a range, either politely decline, or confidently tell them exactly what you want. 

ender

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #26 on: August 23, 2015, 06:08:09 PM »
You love your job, it pays well, and you like where you live?

A good question to ask yourself, how much more money are you willing to work for if you will dislike your job? Is going from a job you love to one you dislike worth 10k/year? 20k? how about 50k?


Bikeguy

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #27 on: August 24, 2015, 10:42:15 AM »
If looking to get a raise at your current job,  take the job offer to your boss and tell them you have a decision to make and can they make your decision easier.   Has worked for me.

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AZDude

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #28 on: August 24, 2015, 10:54:41 AM »
A note of caution regarding this:

Quote
I was approached on LinkedIn to interview for this open position in NYC. I asked for $80-100k a year. They do not have 401k match (but hope to in 2016) but, they have catered lunches everyday (which can help me really save money! Especially in NYC) as well as they pay for the commute to work. They also have some other fun benefits -- cool work environment, happy hours, tons of snacks, awesome coffee machine (free) in office..etc.

I worked for a start-up once that had tons of extra benefits like that. It was fun, we got free snacks and vitamin water. Occasionally got free lunch, free baseball tickets, etc... We played poker in the office after work, etc, etc, etc... After about 6 months, the financial situation at the company started to tighten things up. The free stuff went away. Hours increased. No more poker, etc... People who complained about the hours and work environment were fired. I jumped ship and the company went out of business a few months later.

Not saying it will happen to you, but moving to a new city for a start-up job, make sure you seriously consider the long term viability of the company. For me, it was an easy decision because I hated the job I had prior to the startup, and it was in the same city with an easy commute. I also had no responsibilities for anyone but myself, so taking the risk of joining a brand new company was not that big of a deal.

Just something to think about.

Dicey

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #29 on: August 24, 2015, 11:17:37 AM »
I work as a Community Manager :)

This is a great article about the progression of a Community Manager: http://cmxhub.com/community-career-path-salary-title/

I only have 8 month of direct experience with a "community manager" job title, (but before I did some social media and customer support) yet I am fulfilling the "Director" role since I am in charge of developing the strategy.
Have you sucked the life out of all the learning experiences that your current job offers? My vote is to make yourself even more valuable to some NYC startup (and there will always be something shiny on offer in NYC. They have to recruit from outside to fill the jobs that they know don't pay enough to truly live comfortably there.) Slow down, take some time to gain and strengthen your job proficiency and gain experience. Look again in a year or two. Perhaps then you'll get an offer that you really can't refuse.

abo

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #30 on: August 25, 2015, 09:09:43 AM »
I really can't thank you all enough for the amazing advice and insight -- this is such an incredible community! I should know this week more details and will keep you all updated :)

My husband and I have a lot to talk about and I have a lot of internal reflection to do.

ShaneD

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #31 on: August 25, 2015, 10:54:09 AM »
A note of caution regarding this:

Quote
I was approached on LinkedIn to interview for this open position in NYC. I asked for $80-100k a year. They do not have 401k match (but hope to in 2016) but, they have catered lunches everyday (which can help me really save money! Especially in NYC) as well as they pay for the commute to work. They also have some other fun benefits -- cool work environment, happy hours, tons of snacks, awesome coffee machine (free) in office..etc.

I worked for a start-up once that had tons of extra benefits like that. It was fun, we got free snacks and vitamin water. Occasionally got free lunch, free baseball tickets, etc... We played poker in the office after work, etc, etc, etc... After about 6 months, the financial situation at the company started to tighten things up. The free stuff went away. Hours increased. No more poker, etc... People who complained about the hours and work environment were fired. I jumped ship and the company went out of business a few months later.

Been there as well, only we all got pink-slipped before we could jump ship.

Keep in mind: those fun perks like free meals are for one reason only: to keep you on premises. The more perks you get that keep you at the office (food, beer, ping pong, etc), etc., the more hours you end up on site and working. It's all packaged as we-love-our-employees, and yes, in some cases, it is true to an extent. But the reality is that no company is giving away perks without expecting something in return, usually many extra hours at no extra pay. By all means, take advantage of whatever you can take advantage of at your workplace; just don't forget that the house always wins.

abo

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #32 on: August 25, 2015, 01:15:15 PM »
Thanks for the concern -- I think it will be around for a while because they have VERY high end investors. The best of the best it seems. (research and asking some experts)

Leanthree

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #33 on: August 26, 2015, 02:29:27 PM »
I am 29 now and moved to NYC when I was 24 so I can relate.

Just want to chime in that NYC doesn't have to be high COL in the least. I have been researching other places to live (5 years here and I want to be closer to climbing, ski and hiking options) and have a hard time finding anywhere that I could save more money than NYC (Net Pay minus COL). Wife and I make way more here a year than we could anywhere else in the country and live comfortably in our $1800/mo 300 sq ft EV apartment. Heat and hot water are included, electric is ~$60/month, Internet is ~$65 month, Biking to work on Citibike is $150 per year and laundry is in the $30/mo range. Groceries cost about 30-50% more than in the suburbs so be ready for that by using Amazon Prime grocery or similar for staples, and there are a ton of great restaurants to eat out at for $10 a meal or so if you want to avoid the $45 entree places. Wife walks the 1.5 miles to work every day. $20/month gym membership makes up for no home gym and there isn't a lot else you need to buy other than the occasional subway trip to visit a friend's.

Just like anywhere, you can spend a ton of money. Just be sure to avoid: 1) Drinking out too much, 2) eating at $40 entree restaurants when there is a really really good $10 entree restaurant 50 feet away, 3) anywhere with a line, 4) needing to commute more than on just the subway/bus system. Ferries and commuter rail are so expensive. 5) buying the stuff you pass to buy literally 1,000s of times a day. You will be inundated with shit to buy. Dont. 6) commercially owned/operated buildings. Find a good landlord who won't jack up your rent a ton and be ready to move when they do. 7) Cars. At some point one of your idiot friends will suggest sharing a car or that you can use their car on weekends, or you will go hiking upstate one day and be like "this would be so much easier with a car" Don't get anywhere near a car in NYC and you are good.

The most important part is to figure out how to live in a tiny apartment. It is the best financial decision I have ever made, and it keeps me from buying crap I don't need. NYC gets knocked for such insane apartment prices, but when you realize commuting costs only $150/year combined for both my wife and I, that you don't need or want a car, and heat is included it is way more sane.


MrsCoolCat

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #34 on: August 26, 2015, 07:36:57 PM »
You two are young. I would do it for the experience. Better to take the chance and "screw up" (I don't know how much you can screw up on $150k+ a year, it might just put off FIRE for a few years) while you're young than always wondering "what if."

Will they pay for the commute to work from anywhere (i.e. a cheaper part of New York) or is the area limited? Living in the city would be expensive, but doable, better if you could do Brooklyn (or somewhere else) where it's a bit cheaper.

I would make a pro and con list to make sure it's the right choice.

I agree with this one about you being young and in the future not looking back and regretting this I didn't go try NYC. You never know until you try. That's not saying you could regret leaving Boulder but I'm pretty sure you could return if worse came to worse, right? Good luck on your decision.

abo

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #35 on: September 27, 2015, 08:03:48 AM »
Thank you Leanthree!! That is what I wanted to hear.

So my final offer was: $80,000 (I negotiated up from 75) with a 12,500 bonus/relocation bonus. So a grand total of $92,500!!

I know I will be working a lot more, because I am in charge of a ton. I will also be able to hire a team and manage a team eventually. I also get .3% equity (is this good?) and free catered lunches everyday.

So...I think this is doable?

Any suggestions for places to live? Hubby and I were thinking New Jersey since you can get a nice new apartment for cheaper than brooklyn it seems with a pool, gym, granite, hard wood...etc.


THANK YOU ALL! At this point, it seems we are going to say yes. They want us to move by the end of October. Any recommendations for moving cross country? We plan to ditch half our crap and then buy a pull out couch for guests to stay in the living room?

We have a brand new car (2013) that I am not sure what to do about. Do we bring it for a month and see if we need/want it? Or do we sell before we move?
« Last Edit: September 27, 2015, 08:06:07 AM by abo »

mozar

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #36 on: September 27, 2015, 10:42:40 AM »
Congrats!

Though I think you need to reread Leanthree's post. Basically ditch the idea of having a "nice" apartment and try to live as close to work as possible, even if that means living in a micro apartment. What's the point of getting a job in nyc to live in new jersey?

Quote
pool, gym, granite, hard wood

facepunch.

MonkeyJenga

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #37 on: September 27, 2015, 02:41:14 PM »
Congratulations! This is an awesome opportunity. Have you tried negotiating with your current employer now that you have an offer in hand?

Where is the NY office located? That will affect recommendations on where to live.

Some suggestions if you do come to NY:

  • Ditch more than half your stuff. Try to move the absolute bare minimum. You can pick up a lot of replacements for free on Craigslist. I've seen people give away entire apartments full of furniture and kitchen supplies.
  • Ditch the car, live near public transit (which basically means anywhere). You 100% do not need a car in the city.
  • Agreed with mozar, don't be tied to a fancy apartment with amenities. You'll spend so much time out in the city that the apartment will just be where you sleep, cook, and shower.
  • Bring Tupperware to work for those sweet, sweet catered lunch leftovers.
  • Don't get a pull-out couch. A sturdy, comfortable one is expensive and heavy. It will be a pain in the ass to move, and when you eventually leave the city, you'll have to leave it sitting on the curb, because nobody's going to buy a heavy, used couch from you. Wait until you actually have guests coming, then buy an air mattress.
  • In general, don't go crazy decorating and buying nice stuff for the apartment. When you throw a party, people are going to care about where the booze is, not whether the pillows on your couch match. If you really want something, try craigslist first.

minority_finance_mo

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #38 on: September 27, 2015, 02:51:36 PM »
Unfortunately, their strategy worked here. They have convinced you that $80,000 to $100,000 is a reasonable "mid" career range. I can tell you that is not the case. A "mid" career amount is probably more like $200,000 and up. We can't determine exactly what you are worth on the free market without seeing your résumé, interviewing you ourselves, and knowing what company this is, but I can safely say that your $80-100k range is way too low. Even somebody with absolutely no experience should be looking at at least $100,000, and it sounds like you do have experience.

As a resident of NYC working at a tech startup.... what job do you think is worth 24 that OP is qualified for at 24?? I think there are some serious bubbles that need bursting on this thread. OP living in NY and working in tech definitely does not blankly qualify you for this income level.

Cathy

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #39 on: September 27, 2015, 03:04:48 PM »
As a resident of NYC working at a tech startup.... what job do you think is worth 24 that OP is qualified for at 24?? I think there are some serious bubbles that need bursting on this thread. OP living in NY and working in tech definitely does not blankly qualify you for this income level.

As discussed above in the thread, what "tech" means to me is working as a software engineer, site reliability engineer, database engineer, or similar role. I was mistaken to assume that that was OP's field. After OP revealed that he was not in one of those roles, my comments on the income level were rendered inoperative. I was wrong to incorrectly make an assumption about the OP's field, but that was already addressed earlier in the thread.

However, as applied to actual software engineers, I stand by what I said. If you are working as a software engineer and paid less than $100,000 at age 24 and you live in NYC, you are underpaid and/or you are not very good. Unexperienced starting salaries are above that threshold. It only goes higher with experience and skill.

This isn't something that should make anybody upset. If somebody is underpaid, I always encourage them to earn more money.
« Last Edit: September 27, 2015, 03:21:10 PM by Cathy »

Dollar Slice

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #40 on: September 27, 2015, 03:13:12 PM »
What's the point of getting a job in nyc to live in new jersey?
Don't rule out New Jersey completely... I've been living in NYC for a year, in Manhattan, and part of me wishes I had decided to live in New Jersey. Lower taxes, lower housing costs and parts of NJ are a shorter commute to downtown than much of NYC. New Jersey is just as far away from Manhattan as Brooklyn is - i.e., just across the river. Just make sure you're very aware of public transit options and where your office will be, and make the best choice.

abo

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #41 on: September 27, 2015, 03:27:27 PM »
As stated earlier, I am a Community Manager (PR, brand, marketing, community, social media), and a SHE, and I have 11 months direct experience + 1 1/2 years indirect experience.

abo

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #42 on: September 27, 2015, 03:28:53 PM »
I can get a brand new construction flat with granite, gym pool...etc. for MUCH cheaper than Brooklyn WITH a view of Manhattan right in the river (In NJ). Why not??
« Last Edit: September 27, 2015, 03:32:04 PM by abo »

MonkeyJenga

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #43 on: September 27, 2015, 03:51:00 PM »
How late does NJ Transit run? The subway is 24/7, but I thought options back to NJ were cut off after a certain point unless you wanted a very expensive cab ride.

ETA: Also, if you want friends to come by for dinner or something, NJ is a harder sell. I'm not saying count out NJ, but these are things to consider.
« Last Edit: September 27, 2015, 03:52:49 PM by MonkeyJenga »

olliecjb

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #44 on: September 28, 2015, 09:13:34 AM »
Right now we are looking in the Brooklyn area.

I will be working near Madison Square Park.

Dollar Slice

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #45 on: September 28, 2015, 09:55:47 AM »
How late does NJ Transit run? The subway is 24/7, but I thought options back to NJ were cut off after a certain point unless you wanted a very expensive cab ride.
I believe some of them run all night and some of them don't... but I think all of them run until midnight-ish.

mozar

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #46 on: September 28, 2015, 12:26:50 PM »
Quote
I can get a brand new construction flat with granite, gym pool...etc. for MUCH cheaper than Brooklyn WITH a view of Manhattan right in the river (In NJ). Why not??

Because of this:
http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2011/10/06/the-true-cost-of-commuting/

Dollar Slice

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #47 on: September 28, 2015, 01:12:03 PM »
Mozar, are you at all familiar with the layout of NYC? If you live in NJ you would take the train to work in Manhattan, just like you would from Brooklyn or Manhattan or Queens. (I don't mean to be condescending, but you posted an article about car commuting so I'm not sure you realize this.) You can buy a place in Hoboken a short walk from the train station for ~$250k less than my apartment in SW Harlem would cost if I bought instead of rented. And it's closer/a shorter commute to many parts of downtown/midtown than my apartment in SW Harlem, too. PATH train isn't quite as convenient or cheap as the subway but for that housing price difference it would be worth it to a lot of people.

Might not be for everyone, and I'm sure there are downsides I don't know about since I haven't done it, but it seems like a great choice for some folks.

mozar

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #48 on: September 28, 2015, 01:42:47 PM »
I think the car commuting article also applies. Yes I am familiar with NYC and New Jersey.
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PATH train isn't quite as convenient or cheap as the subway.
Exactly! I take the metro to work in DC and I also had to consider whether to live near the metro, or live near the MARC (similar to PATH trains). I chose the metro and I think its worth the extra money.
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You can buy a place in Hoboken a short walk from the train station for ~$250k less than my apartment in SW Harlem would cost if I bought instead of rented.
The OP doesn't plan to buy and to optimize living in such an expensive area it's better to rent.
I'm kind of surprised that on this website, created by a person who is against commuting in the majority of situations, people would disagree. I'm not saying you shouldn't. I'm just surprised.
Yes, you can live in Hoboken or Jersey City, but one usually finds that they would rather hang out where they live, rather than have to get on the train to go somewhere (50 minute train ride on the weekend, comes every 20 minutes). Personally I don't understand why at 24, one wouldn't want to take advantage of everything NYC has to offer. And Brooklyn is Brooklyn, not Hoboken. Brooklyn is just as exciting as Manhattan these days.
So, to echo MMM and many other people in this thread, I still think the OP should move as close to work as possible. 

ETA:
Quote
I have always wanted to move to NYC
The OP did not say I've always wanted to move to Hoboken.
« Last Edit: September 28, 2015, 01:58:06 PM by mozar »

MonkeyJenga

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Re: When do you leave a job you love and move for more money?
« Reply #49 on: September 28, 2015, 02:13:56 PM »
I don't think the financial cost of commuting is an issue. She mentioned that work would pay for that. It comes down to convenience and how often you want friends to come by. Most people will go anywhere by subway, even if it takes an hour, but invite them to Jersey? You better have a good reason.