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Wow! I never expected so many replies to my message regarding stay at old job with good benefits but lousy environment vs. take an exciting new job at a small company with few benefits to offer right now. (There's a run-on sentence for you.) That posting must have really struck a nerve. Where things stand right now is this: I'm going to make a list of everything I'll give up if I leave, try to convert it into $$$, and then ask for that much more in salary. If the answer is no, I'll turn them down and keep looking. It'll break my heart, but money talks!
A few points I don't think I mentioned in the original message: I'm the primary wage earner in the house (retired school-teacher husband is trying to build a real estate business), and one adult child now back home with us and attending college full-time (at least she's paying her own way). I carry him on my health insurance; she's on her own and doesn't have any right now (don't get me started on health insurance. . .).
Because so many of you are interested in the final outcome, I'll post it as soon as it's settled. Thanks for your replies--public and private. Many of you offered wonderful suggestions and I'm grateful for the assistance.
Visit the Last of the Red Hot Cybermamas at http://www.voicenet.com/~ldwalsh
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