If I could, I think I'd prefer to work fewer hours for the same pay, or possibly less pay if I could supplement it with additional, ad-hoc work related to one of my hobbies (I wouldn't want it to become a full-time job or something I depended on for a living). I'm lucky in that I mostly work from home, which is already an additional 12-15 hours of my week back.
More pay or less hrs? what would motivate you more?
- Thread starter bigmike20vt
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Man of Honour
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Our private pensions aren't great and I don't get mine until 1.5 years time, the wife had hers reduced because she retired 3 years early.
We own our own home.
One daughter is back living with us and we don't charge a penny as long as she saves up.
I'd be more tempted to work less now if I had a mortgage going and the knowledge that after 62 my house would be payed off...
Because yes, at this age time becomes more and more valuable, time has always been valuable but in the teens and 20's you don't realise it so much yet! Those young years with a young body in particular are superb!
How little you know at that age! I also used to have a complete misunderstanding of elder people, but now that I see the same issues with my parents I feel very guity/like an ******* for feeling judgmental in the past (especially for their slow way of doing, especially in traffic or in a shop or so)
Because yes, at this age time becomes more and more valuable, time has always been valuable but in the teens and 20's you don't realise it so much yet! Those young years with a young body in particular are superb!
How little you know at that age! I also used to have a complete misunderstanding of elder people, but now that I see the same issues with my parents I feel very guity/like an ******* for feeling judgmental in the past (especially for their slow way of doing, especially in traffic or in a shop or so)
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I'd like a 4 or even a 3 day week but having talked to mums who have done this at work, they feel like they work twice as hard and can't relax on days off as they still have work on their mind and check up on things. Less pay and same work seems to be the consensus.
A friend does 4 long days, but is one of a few and the work is hands on and can't be done at home. He likes the mid week day off.
A friend does 4 long days, but is one of a few and the work is hands on and can't be done at home. He likes the mid week day off.
For the last few years I've moved to less days, but slightly longer hours, though slightly less hours overall than working 5 days a week, though seasonal/demand based means sometimes I'm putting in anything up to 7 days in a stretch (one of the compromises is being more flexible). But basically I'm working 4 day weeks for the most part and the quality of life difference having that extra day off is significant and I'd certainly take it over the extra money.
Can't say I find that - if anything I feel my performance is better for having 3 days off - I go back in much fresher and with my mind clear. Though everyone will be a bit different.
Can't say I find that - if anything I feel my performance is better for having 3 days off - I go back in much fresher and with my mind clear. Though everyone will be a bit different.
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Easily work less. Been considering asking to going down to a 4 day week, by doing more my half day Friday hours during the Monday to Thursday. This is allowed by those who more administer roles, but those of us who use our hands its not allowed.
Friday off is great for life admin plus chill then a full weekend, that's how i use it anyway
I get Friday afternoons off and this is exactly what I do.
Used to do that awhile back, when I had weekends off, Friday afternoon somehow always seemed to stretch out forever and good to chill so you could make full use of the weekend.
I dropped my hours around 3 years ago to 28 hours a week (4 x 7hr days) due to caring responsibilities. Wage dropped to around 25k a year before tax. Don't regret it at all. I have no desire to go back to full time now, even if I didn't have caring responsibility.
My outgoings are fairly low though. Mortgage only has just under 16 years left, which means I should be free from that by the time I'm 54 (hopefully even sooner). Plan is then to sell and downsize as I probably wont need the size of house I'm currently in as I have no children and don't really plan to have any.
I'm also not one for spending if I really don't need to. I have no interest in big posh expensive cars (I currently don't even own a car), watches, fancy clothes etc. I'm happy as long as I have something to play my games on, watch TV/listen to music. My other hobby I've recently took up is also cheap too.
My outgoings are fairly low though. Mortgage only has just under 16 years left, which means I should be free from that by the time I'm 54 (hopefully even sooner). Plan is then to sell and downsize as I probably wont need the size of house I'm currently in as I have no children and don't really plan to have any.
I'm also not one for spending if I really don't need to. I have no interest in big posh expensive cars (I currently don't even own a car), watches, fancy clothes etc. I'm happy as long as I have something to play my games on, watch TV/listen to music. My other hobby I've recently took up is also cheap too.
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Soldato
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Absolutely this. It depends where you are in your life, goals and ambitions both short term and long term. Like you, I'm happy work what I would say is a fairly standard week (can be variable as a contractor) but like to keep busy with work 9-5.30 ish 4 or 5 days a week. Luckily I can sometimes vary my workload and give myself 'easier' work when needed and factor that into my rota.
Although saving for a house I'm not keen on doing extra evening sessions such as 5-8pm on top of my 9-5 or weekends as I do value that time more than money.
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Soldato
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Wow , you’re Definitely lucky to live where you live , we once stayed near St Breward in a holiday let many moons ago . My other half couldn’t believe the highest point in Cornwall was called Brown Willy , I’m guessing you can see that from your house windows ?
nah i am overlooking the river Camel and the start of the Camel trail path to Padstow, so looking west, i do walk up Rough tor quite a bit though, moved from Heckmondwike west yorks so quite a change
I went down to 30h from 37.5h 2 years for a 20pc pay cut. My firm underpays generally but i have been reluctant to leave as i am not sure somewhere else would give me 30h work weeks + my current firm offers flexible working + up to 15h monthly flexitime i.e. 2 extra days off a month in lieu of overtime pay. So for now, these benefits trump a higher salary elsewhere.
It depends.
Less hours can be good if your salary is high because the marginal net salary from those hours is quite low. Like say you earn £125k then dropping to a 4 day week on £100k doesn't actually cost you that much because you are paying 40% tax plus losing your tax free allowance (very high marginal tax rate) on earnings over £100k.
Conversely, in some jobs working less hours means working harder. So you reduce hours by say 20% but your actual work load only drops by 5-10%. You end up having to cram almost the same amount of work into a smaller number of days. This is because those around you may be working to a 5 day week, so they expect things done "by the end of the week" regardless of how many days you are working that week. Or they are generating a backlog of work for you whilst you are not working. It's one reason I generally dislike taking short holidays of a day or two, because it just becomes quite stressful with the work piling up. Some would argue this is indicative of poor working practices where people can't have their work fully covered during their absence, but I find this a bit of utopian view, in some industries (especially IT) it's extremely rare that you take take a day off and have 8hrs of work taken off your plate.
Less hours can be good if your salary is high because the marginal net salary from those hours is quite low. Like say you earn £125k then dropping to a 4 day week on £100k doesn't actually cost you that much because you are paying 40% tax plus losing your tax free allowance (very high marginal tax rate) on earnings over £100k.
Conversely, in some jobs working less hours means working harder. So you reduce hours by say 20% but your actual work load only drops by 5-10%. You end up having to cram almost the same amount of work into a smaller number of days. This is because those around you may be working to a 5 day week, so they expect things done "by the end of the week" regardless of how many days you are working that week. Or they are generating a backlog of work for you whilst you are not working. It's one reason I generally dislike taking short holidays of a day or two, because it just becomes quite stressful with the work piling up. Some would argue this is indicative of poor working practices where people can't have their work fully covered during their absence, but I find this a bit of utopian view, in some industries (especially IT) it's extremely rare that you take take a day off and have 8hrs of work taken off your plate.
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