I'm in the DC corridor. Dollar don't stretch too far.

Ah.

Yeah, DC is pretty expensive (my step-brother used to live there). Even 250k isn't life changing money there. It would be pretty sick here in Memphis though. 3.5 hours in the car each day would be ****ing brutal. Not sure how long your mind could handle that. I guess you do drive 1.5 hours each day. But 3.5 hours is a brutally long time in DC traffic.

Look on the internet for a guy who works close to where you live and lives close to where the job you were offered is. Swap families with him. Problem solved.

u can play this internet poker phenomenon these young kids are talking about!

well if your wife makes 95k as you said, you're really more of a 350k household (before tax)
cuz you've already read it you slate worshiping pos

I recommend the Apache. It has a lot of power, it is well made and very sturdy thus it is great for protecting your family, it is also great for thinning traffic when the ****ing asshat in the gyrocopter is going too slow and will not let pass.

I then suggest you get the Apache with 24" spinning rims, it may not be as classy and balla as the 28" rims but you should be able to buy a pair of dice to counteract the less than stellar 24" rims.

So today I stayed home to get some stuff done around the house and think things over. Decided to finally paint the morning room. (still in progress)



I liked being home.

You look like you live at the base of a hill, tough beat.

You ever have any problems with flooding?

Kingfishy, You really need to start playing poker and smashing things again. Canada.....

no. There is a sharp hill outside, but it is actually engineered. The hill dips, then the house is on a slight rise again, plus there are swails and a sump pump for another measure. The hill is there so we don't ever flood.

Pain in the ass to upkeep/mow.

The last time there was a flood here was the late 1800s, yet we are considered a flood hazard. Silly.

One day I'll terrace it, but not this year.

250K isn't really all that sick in Memphis imo

I left a job I didn't like at all in June. It didn't pay 200k, but for an American 24 year old it was easily 90th percentile or higher. I worked it for 1 year longer than I wanted because the extra money saved that year would make a huge difference in my risk tolerance, mobility, freedom, lack of stress once I left. I am an entrepreneur now. If you have more money than you need, it's an ez decision. Since you are under water on your mortgage...I think working the job for 12-18 months could be a very good thing. I understand what you are saying about getting stuck in a cycle of always opting for more money. This is a fallacy...only applies to the average person. Have confidence in your ability to adapt to your own circumstances and constantly adjust your own marginal value of money. You are a poker player after all, you can adjust. This means today the money might be more important to your families long term happiness, and once you have save $150k more than you have now, you will no longer need to work the soulless job. Don't fear that by recognizing money is very important to you today that you will not be able to make the opposite decision in the future.

The commute is not worth it...I would consider renting near work and bringing your family there possibly...while renting your current home? This leaves your wife's job in the air. Maybe your higher salary allows her to spend more time with daughter or not work while she finds a new one near new job.

Holliday is also very correct that there is tremendous equity in getting paid 200k+. Salary is very sticky in the US and this will open up your career path to an entirely new array of high paying jobs.

I would chart out all the financial costs of taking the job. Let's assume you spend money to overcome all psychological costs (i.e. move, cover wife's salary, forgone rent on home while looking for tenant). See if the increased salary sufficiently overcomes these.

Good luck. While this is difficult, it is a good sign that you have two reasonable options. A lot of people don't. Either through lack of effort or bad luck.

you've got a tough decision, all I can offer is this - hating your job sucks. It brings the rest of your life down.

I hopped jobs for 10 years after college b/c none of them inspired me. Finally I found one that made me happy to wake up every morning and I've been there 14 years.

For me this would be a dealbreaker. I literally could not do it. Would have to get an apartment to spend at least 2-3 weeknights a week.

Welcome to real life, daddy-o.