My hubby did. He left one law enforcement job to go to a higher paying one. He could not stand it and it almost cost us to divorce. He went back to his former job(they were bleeps and started him off at the lowest possible pay, a $10 p/h cut) for a while and now he is at the one job that he has been trying to get for 10 years and loves it. The hours are better and the pay is now $5.00 more an hour, still not what it was as a police officer but any pay raise is welcomed.

Sort of. My dh took a lateral move to get to a job he thought he would be happier at. It is a long story, but it is how we ended up in Florida. At the time, people thought we were crazy, but it has worked out great.

Not only is he happier, he has been promoted and gets awesome reviews each year. He is now making more than he ever would have back in Georgia AND he feels appreciated.

When I was 11 and my brother 8, my dad took a MASSIVE paycut by quitting his job to start his own business 2000 miles away so a huge move to boot. Turned out great, but it was a lot of hard work at the front end.

Yep. I did this as one of those life-changing acts 4 years ago. I was a software consultant making lots of money, driving a company car, traveling, etc. Had a big disagreement with my employer and we parted ways. The competition offered me a higher salary for the same job immediately -- and again 6 months later, and I almost caved in and took it, just to maintain my income.

... ahhh, but in the meantime I had found the international school here and started substitute teaching, and knew that I wanted to teach. My gut just pulled me in that direction and so I took out a fat loan and signed up for my MA in secondary ed.

In the end, I make less than half of my old salary, am going to be paying off my student loan for years to come, and I am painfully aware of the drop in my social status. (it's amazing how people respond to you as a software consultant vs. as a math teacher!)

Am I happier? Definitely. Has it been easy? NO. I first had to convince dh that this was a good decision. That took a LONG time. In the end, he was proud of me for being so bullheaded and pursuing my goals so aggressively. But while I was struggling to break into my new career (ever tried to get a job at the only school in town who could hire you, being unqualified and having no experience? It takes some sales savvy!!!), hoping for a teaching contract, and doing all the other crap temp jobs I could find, he wasn't too happy about it. We also had to adjust our spending, our style of living, etc. We stopped eating out, I had to stop buying clothes whenever I wanted (ohh... do I MISS THIS!!)

Now that ds is here, I go back and forth about whether it was the right decision. Of course it was. I love my job, I enjoy going to work. I am terribly romantic about things, though, and I naively thought that the people working in education would be working there for the KIDS. Nope. Same garbage as anywhere else: egos, power struggles, personal agendas and vendettas. And on top of that, teacher pay has been frozen for 3 years, management and the board don't respect the staff... there are a few drawbacks. Sometimes I think it would be nice to have a software job where I could work from home. I return to teaching part-time in the fall and am looking forward to being in the classroom so I can enjoy my job again, but am dreading all the politics and etc. of the school.

I suppose if I had stayed in software we would probably have bought a bigger house than we have now, and perhaps would have more nice stuff. but i don't really think we'd be any happier... probably the opposite. I guess I would have gotten pregnant a lot earlier, and taken the full 3 years of maternity leave and probably just done my MA and switched careers anyway!! who knows. Would I make the same decision again? Absolutely!!

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~ mama abroad

"Be the change that you want to see in the world." -Ghandi

check out my culture shock blog: A View from the Outside

My husband just took a job where he actually makes more and has better benefits but where I lost my job out of the process (mean, vindictive boss) so it works out we make a hair less, which hurts! But my husband LOVES his new job and I know eventually the money will work itself out where his salary will be more, probably a lot more, than what we made combined at the old place. Short term the slight pay cut is worth seeing about 10 years of early aging from stress and overwork on my husband erase in his face! Long term? Well I don't have a crystal ball but I'm 99.98% it will be the correct choice for then as well!

Well, Sept 06 my dh took a job within the same company he worked for, but its a salary position versus hourly. Anyhow at the time, the hourly guys were getting a ton of overtime & had been for a few yrs. Anyways, we went from a lot of $ to $30 grand a yr less. Before he took that job, he cashed out one of his 401 k accounts to pay off our car & boat so we could afford to do that. Well, it has been extremely hard for us. We have cut back on some things & are still trying to cut back, but we are not doing well at all financially. He likes the job better though, no weekends, although he has to work extra hrs during the week at times. For us, I'm not sure its better at all. On weekends he usually goes fishing with a friend. So its not like he's getting to spend more family time with us than before. And that takes more gas money than before. So for us, I'm not sure if it was a good move. It's been stressful & frustrating.

My husband was pursuing his masters in engineering when he decided to instead go into ministry. It surely isn't anything close to the salary he would have had (not to mention the grueling years of school we had to get through!!) however it has been a great decision. We live on a small income (and I'm a SAHM) but this has forced us to keep tight control of our money and think hard about how we spend it. I am glad he followed his heart and I would do it all over again.

I took on mostly school teachers during the school year for daycare, so in the summer I barely have any kids. My income is down by half now, but there definately is less stress and more flexibility to do more with my kids and the daycare! My dh supports it because I am happy and stress free!

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Daycare mom

DH and I discussed this a couple years ago when I was looking for work. I was offered a clerical position at a collection agency, but it was about $2/hour less an hour but the potential for advancement and better pay was there. At the time, I was prepared to accept the offer, but I lucked out and was offered another position with a different company making MORE than where I was at with BETTER benefits and room for advancement. I have been with that company for 2+ years now.

Point is...I think you should follow your passion. If you can manage with the paycut and you know you will like what you will be doing...I say go for it!!!

My dh took a paycut literally in HALF in order to leave a company that had zero morals. In fact, a year after he left the company, there was an aricle about them, not once, but TWICE in Reader's Digest on tax evasion practices!! It was a tough couple of years because 8 months after he did this, the company he moved to closed. We then went to making 1/4 of our original pay! We are now working for a competing company to the original one dh worked for, make really good money, and although it is going to take us forever to dig ourselves out of the three years we went through, we are determined that we can do. And, for all those who say they HAVE to make a certain amount...we are living proof that with faith and a positive attitude, you CAN do it for less AND maintain standing up for your beliefs.

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He must have worked for the same company my dh resigned from!

My dh now works at a very family-oriented wonderful company that even though it doesn't pay nearly as much, his stress level is about a 2 on a scale of 1-10. It's wonderful! :happy dance:

We make enough to pay our bills and put some in the bank. That's all I need.

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Amie

Mom and personal chauffer to a 12yo, 8yo, 4yo & 2yo boys.

Beware of gymnasts--may flip without notice.