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Hi folks, how is thoughtworks as an organisation?
Asking because I don't know much about it and have received recruiter's call today. Currently I am working in Deloitte. How is thoughtworks hikes, wlb, does it provide any benefits apart from fixed pay? My research gives me a mixed review: some say it's good, some say that thoughtworks is not stable enough like big 4 or other organisations. Pls help Thoughtworks Deloitte
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Sea of thieves anyone?
Rising Star
Anyone know the raise amounts for BCG yet?
Don’t forget it’s almost time to start quarters.
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Welcome to golden handcuffs. They pay you just enough to keep you grinding, but not enough to ever feel free—especially in cities that bleed you dry.
This is exactly it
I’ll also add: review and take advantage of all possible firm benefits (assuming you actually qualify for them). I didn’t use my firm’s after-hours meal allowance for the first year, even though I was regularly working late, and would spend my own $ on takeout when I got home. There may be small but recurring expenses you can eliminate by making work responsible for them.
After hours meal allowance? 👀
Same problem. In-house, NYC. Relocating is not an option due to parent with dementia nearby. Just here to commiserate.
Depends on their state. The move might give them more time with you. Which is nothing positive. Assuming you don’t have a car payment. But that’s not a real option in other areas. In Los Angeles the worse part of your day is 3-4 hours a day on the 405 freeway.
I’m very thankful that my agency has a mandatory private retirement system in place or I would be living in a car.
Pro
I hear you.
What has helped me is to make an Excel chart of my expenses and try to identify areas to cut back. Because we’re so busy at law firms, cutting back even temporarily on discretionary spending (retail therapy, happy hours, etc) can be barely noticeable.
If you have around $11,000 after taxes each month, hopefully there can be some wiggle room.
Also be sure to maximize your tax-advantaged tools, like putting money into your 401K and your FSA account.
$3k a month in rent is dirt cheap in NYC. Consider yourself lucky
Well that’s off my bucket list. I don’ t understand the appeal unless your filthy rich. Then maybe???
If your total expenses are 4100 bucks you should have plenty of money leftover. Also what taxes are you paying out of pocket?
They included food in that too... for a young single renter in NYC with no kids. That probably is their only expenses. Also I said IF, if if if, those are the only expenses...
Move to one of the other many markets where you can make that much and have much lower cost of living. Why are you living in NYC? Are you really deriving a benefit from a place you admit you don't have time to actually experience it? You may as well live in True Detective Louisiana...would make no difference.
I don’t get the feeling your complaint is that you have “no money,” but that you don’t feel like you’re able to save a good amount or that you can’t seem to save enough to afford a down payment & buy a place in NYC. You have a good enough salary to keep doing what you’re doing but buying a home at that salary in NYC & your lifestyle isn’t realistic.
The price of homes there is extremely prohibitive & you’re not bringing home enough right now to afford the price tags
You can continue to plug away at your student loans, put away money into your 401k and try to accumulate some modest savings. Take any & every raise and bonus and invest it. And in 10 years you should be out from under the loans and you may be in a better position to buy a home in NYC. That’s the long game and cost of living in NYC.
Or you can decide to not buy a home in NYC and continue to rent. Also, you can buy a home in a nearby city or suburb (although areas like westchester certainly aren’t cheaper). Or you can move out of NYC metro and keep more of your income.
But right now you cannot have it all. DoorDash is probably eating into your budget a bit but is it making you poor? No. You could probably switch to a service like Factor. Spend $100 and have a week’s worth of pre-made meals for the cost of 2 DoorDash orders. Finding ways to save more should be a priority if you want to remain in NYC and feel more like you make a good salary. But $225k in nyc isn’t the same as it would be in a different place.
Try using Claude AI to generate a few budget scenarios. It helped me get better footing in that process.
Don't delude yourself to some idea that you will be making 500k or more down the road. If you don't make partner, you will become of counsel and at some point reminisce about making $225k. No matter how current you keep your skills, you will start getting passed over as being old. Get your own clients, or go in house and hope the company isn't bought because legal counsel is the first to go. If you don't have your own clients you will have very little value to most law firms as you age.
Imagine how your paralegal and practice specialist ialist feels. You at least can get your meals reimbursed if you put in the hours.
Part of the point is they spent all of the time and money on college/law school/bar exam to then just struggle with paying the rent.
How much do you spend on takeout a week? I use a local meal prep company and get my lunch and dinner for about ~$175/week
Yes NY - https://www.hotplate.com/beastvillagemealprep
Rising Star
Yes. I know people who make 3 times that and feel strapped. It’s nuts.
After 5 years in East Coast big law I moved back to the Midwest and got a job in house. On paper I took a major paycut, but my disposable income and quality of life have increased dramatically. My base salary today is $150,000 and I teach part-time at a university making another 30. I made way more on the East Coast but like you I felt like I never had anything after expenses no matter how big my raises and bonuses were on paper. I'm not telling you to quit I'm not telling you to change careers I'm not telling you to move I'm simply making an observation that the cost of living has become so astronomical in big cities and certain communities that the value of living and working there doesn't exist for a lot of people.
🎯.
Cleveland!
The taxes and high cost of living really do make a huge difference. I’m struggling with this in DC. I’m reaching the conclusion that the only option is to move to a lower cost of living city, but am not ready to make that move.
They say if you don’t know how to manage your finances when you’re making little money, you won’t magically know how to do it when you’re making big money. The rich get rich by managing their finances well. But what do I know, I’m also struggling LOL
use ur sundays to meal prep - no time to cook is cope
Yea. It’s NYC. Move.
Budget your expenses for the month. I use monarch money. Have been budgeting for years now and it keeps me from spending above my means.