$125k fully remote or $165k three days on site, which would you choose?

[IsThatBrothaMouzone?]

Depends on how far the commute is.

I make $120k base (about $130k to $135k with bonuses) and fully remote RIGHT NOW.

So the question is, do I want to go to a hybrid role for extra money?

When things are really swamped (parts of spring, all of summer and fall), being at home vs office doesn't matter. I'd probably be OK coming in with that salary bump.

The advantage of WFH....is when things are slow. Every job has ebbs and flows to work. Slow + WFH = wayyyy better than coming into the office when there's not as much work to do. WFH also allows you to just wake up & work. The time spent traveling is time you can work (if busy) or sleep in (slower day).

Inexperienced people benefit from being in the office along with true extroverts. Everyone else is more efficient at home.

The money is also tricky. $120k vs $165k isn't a huge QoL difference despite being a 38% raise. Now, if you're sitting at $50k, that kind of raise gets you to around $70k....which would probably be a lot more noticeable to the average person. Higher you get on salary, the less a flat raise is going to move you.

 

[beenz]

I can live the same lifestyle on 125K that I can on $165K in my opinion. I take that remote option.

 

[Tallac]

Is it really $40k more?

Gas $60/week.
Parking $20/week
Food and coffee $60/week

That's at least $7500 a year.

Time to commute
Time to get ready every morning, especially during those brutal winters.

 

[Trav]

Depends on what my financial goals and objectives are for the next couple of years. But after working remote for the past 4 years or so, it would be hard to get byke in the mental space to return somewhere. I can always do the remote thing then double dip on the side and get another remote gig that pays 35-40k a yr.

 

[Yinny]

Three days in office for $165k

 

[Conan]

Depends on what my financial goals and objectives are for the next couple of years. But after working remote for the past 4 years or so, it would be hard to get byke in the mental space to return somewhere. I can always do the remote thing then double dip on the side and get another remote gig that pays 35-40k a yr.

If you double dipping then you should be aiming to double your gross pay at the minimum

 

[DaddyFresh]

I would take the 165k no brainer. I like socializing and playfully flirting with the women anyways. Plus you would really always be able to WFH if needed.

 

[Real]

I’m not a dumbass. So 165k

 

[MikelArteta]

Fully remote

 

[Heretic]

I'm taking on-site. I get stir crazy working from home everyday to the point where I go into the office just for a change of scenery sometimes. But they're telling us we gotta come back now but we don't have space for us. I'm on the federal side of government. Our permanent office would be an hour and a half unless I can get transferred to one of the state office spaces which is only 15 minutes away.

 

[threattonature]

40K difference is way more than enough to go into office 3 days a week. I've been remote for 15 years now and would give it up for that difference in a second.