One of the most important factors in searching for a good
job is most definitely finding one where your paid what you're
worth. It gives you a good feeling that someone appreciates
the work you can do for them when you are rightfully compensated
for your job. I've been at both extremes...underpaid and overpaid.
Believe me when I say that the latter is much better! I'm
sure most of you reading this would agree.
But should you let this one criteria of money be the governing
factor over whether or not you accept a telecommuting job
that is available to you?
At first you may think, well higher pay is better. And indeed
you are right. But in telecommuting, your wage criteria can
take a step back and allow other important job factors to
reign in your decision. Like, say doing something you love,
rather than something you have to do in order to make a certain
amount of money.
Let's say you make $14 per hour at your regular job. Do you
think I could convince you to leave the commuting workforce
and take that $7 per hour job offer you found so you could
work from home?
Say what? Keith, your crazy. Well, maybe so. But always remember
this...You do not have to get paid the same amount you make
at your "regular" job when you telecommute. Let's
see if I can convince you.
So you have a good paying job at $14 per hour and you just
don't have the stomach to call it quits and work from home
because you can't find a telecommuting job anywhere that pays
that much. (They are out there, by the way, keep searching.)
At $14 per hour, you are bringing home a total of $2240 per
month. Well, let's get real and start subtracting.
$450 for taxes, $200 for gas, car maintenance, parking fees,
tolls, etc. Geez, I pay $40 bucks alone in tolls where I live.
$70 bucks for new clothes, dry cleaning, etc. (If your conservative),
$200 for lunch, snacks, the meat wagon, all those fund raisers
your hit up for by co-workers, etc. And the biggie, $600+
for childcare (depending on where you live, of course), and
$200 bucks for fast food or supper on the go because you know
you're too tired to cook for the family when you get home.
Add these up and subtract them out for a grand total of $520
take home pay.
Now let's suppose you step out on a limb and take that $7/hour
telecommuting job you were offered. You'll only make $1120
per month, but...
Taxes are only $224, your transportation cost just went to
$0, no expense for special clothing, no expense for extra
food beyond what you already buy from the grocery unless you
order some pizza every once in a while so we'll subtract $40
for that. Now you don't need child care, but your energy bills
probably will increase a little so let's tack on another $100
to play it safe.
After subtracting out all of THESE expenses from your new
telecommuting job paycheck at $7/hour, your take home pay
is $756 per month.
WOW!!!???
Congratulations, you just got a raise! And your only getting
paid half of what you used to. Not to mention the couple of
hours or more per day it takes to get ready and drive to your
job. Put a monetary figure on that number and you're making
even more.
Now granted everybody's situation will be different. But
I wanted to open your eyes to the possibilities of telecommuting.
The point is...don't instantly dismiss a job you come across
just because it doesn't pay what you are used to being paid.
Do the math. You might be pleasantly surprised with the results.
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