Career decisions

PanchoVilla · 10 Jul 2012 at 14:02

[TW]Fox;22277963 said:
Never underestimate the value of working 5 minutes from home.

Calculate all the costs involved with commuting to the new place including the car purchase etc etc. Then work out how much extra you'd need to earn, pre-tax, just to be left with the same money each month as you have now but after commuting costs.

You may find that what you thought was a signicant payrise will have little or no effect on your actual take home after travel expenses.

Not this.

Sorry, I have to respectfully add a counterpoint. The OP is 25, unattached and without kids. Sure, working 5 mins from home grants a lot of quality time. But right now, my opinion would be to maximise his 'earning' and 'social' potential.

Heck, I'd advise to take off to the city and see where that takes you.

However, the OP has a mortgage, so will need to factor in risks.

danielanthony · 10 Jul 2012 at 14:24

The way I see it is this:

Get married = Two salaries

Have kids = Get child tax credits and/or working tax credit and child benefit

Earn more money = Pay more tax PAYE (40%+) better off initially but not after kids

Not hard to see why you could be better off just staying where you are, a bigger salary in this country is not always a good incentive to work harder.

triggerthat · 10 Jul 2012 at 14:34

Bigger salary doesn't mean you work harder.

Hostile-17 · 10 Jul 2012 at 14:37

Your annual appraisal (if you have one) is a perfect oppertunity to address this. You need to be tactful in discussing this but if you dont ask you dont get.

The worst they would say is no and imo its better to know then to look back and say 'What if'!

triggerthat · 10 Jul 2012 at 14:51

Hostile-17 said:
Your annual appraisal (if you have one) is a perfect oppertunity to address this. You need to be tactful in discussing this but if you dont ask you dont get.

The worst they would say is no and imo its better to know then to look back and say 'What if'!

While using your annual appraisal is a good approach, don't count on them giving you anything significant, unless you're being promoted.

aln · 10 Jul 2012 at 17:08

I got an 11k pay rise because I asked for it. If you really want the job, tell them how you feel. Getting another and telling them after is only going to put you in a pretty crappy position no matter what you do. YMMV. If they say no, then you can always find another.

NotAGolf · 10 Jul 2012 at 22:54

PanchoVilla said:
The OP is 25, unattached and without kids. Sure, working 5 mins from home grants a lot of quality time. But right now, my opinion would be to maximise his 'earning' and 'social' potential.

Heck, I'd advise to take off to the city and see where that takes you.

However, the OP has a mortgage, so will need to factor in risks.

Having a mortgage is pretty damn attached in my opinion! 'Taking off to the city' would involve commuting 70 odd miles and spending a shed load of money and time on commuting.

I also live with my gf who is also able to walk to work, so she is very much in the same boat.

triggerthat · 11 Jul 2012 at 11:37

aln said:
I got an 11k pay rise because I asked for it. If you really want the job, tell them how you feel. Getting another and telling them after is only going to put you in a pretty crappy position no matter what you do. YMMV. If they say no, then you can always find another.

Better to secure an offer before having that conversion? Very easy to backfire, unless you're happy for them to say "no".

jimjamuk · 11 Jul 2012 at 11:45

Seriously if someone else is going to offer you up to 50% more money for relatively the same job then unless then current job is so cushy and you are happy with the money you are getting then go for it. I've always worked out that internal pay rises in a company are always going to be trumped by the HR lot and capped to a smallish amount - for any major rises move companies.