Work Less, Pay Less

Two things I said years ago, half-jokingly, are now coming true.

When I left New York, I told some of my friends that I would come back when the economy tanked, when people left the city, rents fell, crime rose – basically, when it returned to what it was before it priced people like me out.

The other thing I started saying a few years ago, as I compared my salary and hours to that of my friends, was that I'd rather work less and make less. Even though I made half the salary of many of my friends in finance or law, I felt I was getting a fair deal, because I had time to maintain friendships, be active in my church, volunteer, etc. while they pretty much lived at work.

Well, I can't afford to move back yet, but NYC is definitely undergoing some major changes, and the silver lining is that rents are officially falling! (Of course it will take a long time for those prices to fall to earth - see previous post.) Also, I'm now working part-time (about 25-30 hrs/week) – I tell people I have a "job of the future," off-site, flex hours and no benefits – and I'm making even less than I used to!

I'm actually saving more, though, since life also costs a lot less these days. More on my new living situation in a future post...