did you ever quit your job and took a new one where you made say $10-15k less?

[Onamuji]

Made that jump a couple of times.

1st time, had a great job, but a lousy boss who made an otherwise spectacular job into a bit of a hellscape. Jumped right into a similar situation. Sucked.

2nd time, the new job lasted all of 4 months before the layoffs started.

With each jump, I lost seniority and opportunities. Took 11 years from the last one to get my salary back up to where it was previously.

[mattkime]

My wife is on her way there. She makes a good living but we still live pretty frugally - just last year she paid off her student loans and we're making up for lost time with our retirement savings...don't own a home yet. but life can't all be about money.

her job change is inspired by a) a move b) long hours c) relatively thankless work. (thats the finance world for you....all about $ and ¢)

[Filliam H. Muffman]

Early 90's, one employer offered 2 weeks of pay for every year of service. They hoped to get 110 people in this location, with 102 over 55 to retire. 160 accepted the offer and about half were under 45. I got 22 weeks of pay. I happened to see the head of HR when I went in to sign the papers and he was visibly shaken when I replied to his question of why I was there. It seemed like I could see the wheels turn in his head as he reviewed all the denied job transfer requests, and he didn't bother to try to talk me out of it.

[mrbigstuff]

happiness is more important than anything, correct?

I tend to live by the ethos that no person on their deathbed ever said, "gee, I wish that I had worked more."

[lost in space]

Did that when I left Apple. My next job three years later was at a private university. Salary was less than half, and it was a snake pit. I stuck it out for a year, then got on at a public university, where I retired from. That job was really pleasant, great people around me, except for the IT administration.

[sekker]

Made that decision years ago. Took me 8 years to make up the salary, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

[ztirffritz]

I just lost my job so I'm currently contemplating just this.

[Lew Zealand]

I did this by working in education when the dot com boom was happening. 17 years later I'm still employed by the same institute and make enough to live reasonably. Sans the stress of company life which I saw my Dad deal with. It's great and was the dream job I wanted while I was in school.

[GuyGene]

No.

[3d]

There's a big difference between quitting a 100k job for a new 85k job with better satisfaction and quitting a 50k job for a new 35k job with better satisfaction.